Stratford on Avon

PJ decided he wanted to feed the ducks for his birthday ..... at Stratford on Avon....
We collected Little Soldier and off we went ....
 
We went into town and then, just as it started to rain, we found this lovely cafe and stopped to have a coffee and cake.  
After some lovely refreshment we went over to the river, stopping to buy some swan food from the boat booking office, and fed the ducks!  

We then walked over the bridge and let Little Soldier out of the pushchair for a walk.  He was off!




No holding him, he loved every minute of being free!  

We all had a great time, people stopping to talk to him, dogs being stared at - sometimes eye to eye! - stopping to watch the big boys kicking a football around, finding sticks ....... loverly!


Eventually we reached the cable ferry and climbed aboard. 




Little Soldier wasn't quite sure what to make of this.  

He watched thoughtfully as the water between land and him grew larger, but once on dry land again, he was all smiles.

We let him out of the pushchair and off he goes as we walk back along the other side of the river.  

Lots of green spaces here and a different view of the Theatre.  
I am pleased that the refurbishment kept a great number of the old features.

He loved this big tree, not content with just admiring the leaves he also had to stroke the trunk.

I never noticed this stone before, interesting and good that someone still cares enough to place fresh flowers there.

On the riverside of the Theatre there is decking and a cafe.  This was quite a surprise to both of us but something we could all enjoy.

He just loved running up and down, stopping to watch the swans ..... and talk to the dogs ...... and run along the decking ...

... stopping to look through the boards ....

.... when there is a great view up ahead!!!

We stopped at the cafe and had a delicious cream tea while Little Soldier had some biscuits and a drink.  


Take your eyes off 'em for a minute ...... or even a second ....... over the edge of the decking went the cup!!!


It floated along on the river at a fast rate of knots, but PJ managed to attract the attention of a passing boat who manoeuvred their vessel towards the cup.  


By now there is quite an audience but the gorgeous young lady in the boat managed to scoop up the cup to a well deserved round of applause!!!  

Well done and THANK YOU.


The young people rowed down to where they could pass up the cup to PJ.  




Excitement over we strolled back into town and Little Soldier decided he was bored and went to sleep.  

By the time we reached the car we were all worn out and ready for a nap let alone a drive back home!



But we both agreed that we had had a lovely day ...........

Changing Rooms!

Today we are going to change the rooms upstairs so that I can have the large bedroom at the back of the house and PJ will be using the small bedroom at the front of the house.

We have been planning this for some time and today is the day.
I have this poster on the wall above the PC ......

Doncha love it?

We moved all the chairs into the third bedroom and started removing my boxes of stash.  I went into the bedroom after three shelves were emptied and thought how forlorn it looked.  The broken shelves are due to heavy trays being stacked up as one does.

Once the shelves were empty PJ moved in with his drill and some screws .... and some pieces of wood!!  (DIY is not his favourite subject but he solves problems one way or another!).

My stash was piled up in front of the computer desks and on top as well.

I can just about see the poster on the side wall but I am so going to obey!!!

Seven hours later we are almost done.

PJ has most of this files on the now mended shelves, adjusted the light and has his cup of tea.

Don't those shelves look good!

Now I have to sort those 'details' out ......  my stash is 50% sorted but the rest will be done tomorrow ..... at the moment I can see some floor space!!!..... one black sack full of rubbish...... three empty boxes .......

Sorry about the way the photos are placed on today's post ...... @#$%@ Blogger you know .....

Blankets almost ready to go

I like nothing more than seeing a nice line of washing blowing in the wind.....



...this is a precious lineful.


I have washed them all in baby powder and softener but there is nothing like the smell of fresh air.

I will pack them up with a little note later today ready to be taken to our local neonatal unit.

I say a little prayer over each blanket before I pack them, they will be used at a traumatic time so extra prayer is good.


I have made these blankets slightly different to my previous ones, I have used the size to try out stitches and patterns which I have found on the web ..... ok, Pinterest!
Some of the blankets have more than their fair share of wool remnants, some are brightly coloured .... variety is the spice of life 'they' say.  
The various wools mean that the blankets make different sizes but when I checked with the Ward the answer was .... babies come in all sizes....
Each blanket starts with 50chain, some are square, some are oblong, it is all dictated by the wool.

First Pickings

During our summer months PJ barbies for our evening meal most days.  

Earlier in the week, it looked like rain so PJ sorted some fish in tomato and rosemary sauce for dinner.  He suggested creamed potatoes and greens.  As he was cooking I said my usual - you're the Chef, your choice.

What he didn't say was that the greens included the first pickings from the vegetable patch!!

I don't know whether it was the fresh veg or the fact that I hadn't cooked it, but this was one of the best meals I have had for a long time...... perfect!

I've only got 5 minutes

I have been asked by several people if I could explain this booklet a little bit clearer.  
Here are the photos of the individual pages .....





Page One

Page Two

Page Three

Page Four

Update in August .... Tyseley Visitors' Garden

Don't ask me where the time is going!!  

I haven't been able to come here and Blog although I have been taking photos with the thought to Blog.

I have been into the Visitor's Garden today to tidy up a bit ..... try to help some of the plants recover, tidy up a few hedges and pick a few flowers from the centre bed.






The senecio each side of the entrance have finished flowering so I have cut them right back.  I usually just dead head and trim but with Heritage Weekend coming up I need access!











We are hoping to build a new base to the right so I cut back the Yew, a good cut back was applied again.










Under the Beech tree, the Cottoneaster bush has grown well out of shape so that had a hair cut, nice straight sides and flat across the top!







The 'window boxes' in the Signal Box Garden are really sad, not as sad as I found them last time.  I went into the gardens during the really hot weather, watering as much as I could, the plants were beyond saving.... or so I thought.  The Helichrysum have definitely died but the Pinks and Bacopa are enjoying themselves ..... and the heat.


The Berberis 'Wheel' was also given a hair cut and was soon utilised as a useful shelf for tools being used on the nearby workmate!




While PJ was  clearing the rest of the bushes from the sleepers he found a very interesting creature.  I took some photos and then it was introduced to a new Buddlia bush where it was able to have plenty of food!  



When I came home I checked it out on the web and found it was a Rusty Tussock Moth - what a great name for a weird insect.