Summer in the garden
I admit I’m not very good in the garden, but it is getting better. I have brambles everywhere, the lawn was overgrown and I have ant hills! I’ve attacked the lawn with a strimmer and hover mower and it looks much better. I’m having another go today. My garden looks great in photos though and I discovered yet more flowers that I don’t know the name of today. I’ll take photos!
People usually tell me the names of flowers if I post the photos on Facebook. I don’t even know the name of this one in the picture. Any ideas?
It’s sunny today and the weather forecast is good. The circulation in my hands isn’t very good though and so my fingers are cold. I must type faster! It’s quite warm outside, but cool in the shade. It is forecast to be much warmer this afternoon so I’ll be out finishing the lawn.
I need to get rid of those brambles, so if you have any ideas, do share them. In the meantime, I’ll attack them with secateurs. I need some gardening gloves though. I searched the internet and it seems they have them in Poundland. The market is on today and so I could kill two birds with one stone! The traffic will be bloody horrendous though. It’s Friday!
I have one of those little greenhouse things, with runner beans in, growing quite well now. It’s a bit late for them, but I might get some beans in August and September. They must be about a foot high now. We have to try to grow some food for ourselves. I will have some apples on the trees this year too.
I must try to put my new barbecue together this weekend. The supermarkets will be stocking up on burgers and charcoal this weekend as everyone thinks about barbecues. next weekend the carnivals are on around here, so if it’s good weather they’ll go to the carnivals in the day and have barbecues in the evening. Last summer was a washout and the carnivals were cancelled. Summers in England can be really good, not too hot, but warm enough to walk around and enjoy it. We even get a bit of a tan in a good year.
The other good idea for a proper English summer is a picnic. By a weird coincidence that was the subject of my blog post today on a Zillion ideas. Picnic ideas are always popular. Why not click the link and take a look at those ideas? Please share your ideas in the comments box too.
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Mike10613's Blog 
I always love reading you blogs but today you hit on something I have only recently discovered … growing my own food.
I started 4 years ago when I moved here to wales with the usual Potatoes & carrots.
Next I added cabbage & sweet peas, then Tomatoes and finally last year I had great success with Broccoli and cauliflower too.
Today I have admired the flowers on my sweet peas knowing that soon there will be raw peas to enjoy (for some reason they taste like nuts when raw?).
My broccoli are growing strong and I cant wait to pick my first floret.
Potatoes, carrots, cabbage, lettuce & Tomatoes are of course doing their thing … but every morning I can’t wait to say hello to my sprouts! lol
I don’t know what to expect, what will they look like, will they even grow?
I’m a virgin sprout grower you see. And so excited!
I have never liked being in the garden because I have always suffered with hay fever, but I made long wooden boxes to grow veg opposite the kitchen window & each year I have made more.
As long as I don’t linger to long at the top of the garden where flowers, grass & weeds grow, I’m fine.
There is nothing like the taste of freshly dug potatoes, carrots, leeks, Cauliflower & spring onions. Freshly picked Tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and broccoli.
What will the sprouts taste like? Have you seen ho they grow? Amazing!
I’m buzzing with excitement.
And I hate snails!
Keep up all these amazing blogs, its better than any daily paper or gossip mags!
5, July 2013 at 10:03 pm
Hi Tia,
I didn’t get much done today. The new strimmer has a 2 stroke engine and the damn thing wouldn’t start. I tried the electric one and that’s broken! I’ll have another go tomorrow. I’ll ask my brother to have a go at starting that engine. I have health problems. I’m better than I was, but lupus is affecting my muscles. I’m saving egg shells for the slug and snails!
I was talking about the carnival today. I’ll try to photograph it. I asked one of the students I talk to if she wanted to come, but she thinks she’s working. She’s here from China, studying at Wolverhampton uni. The weather looks promising. I’m hoping to photograph pubs and narrow boats this weekend.
I’m writing a little less on this blog now and trying to build up a zillion ideas. I’m putting the better photos on there too!
5, July 2013 at 10:37 pm
As long as you don’t stop writing here completely Mike!
I really must go and look at your Zillion ideas.
11, July 2013 at 10:27 am
Hi Tia,
I am making these posts more locally orientated and a Zillion Ideas a little more international. I still have in mind to promote the Black Country though. This blog has a lot of subscribers, so I’ll keep writing for them. I should be in the park on Saturday. I feel crap at the moment, but probably nerves. I have a hospital appointment in 3 hours!
11, July 2013 at 12:41 pm