The year of the plough

Last Sunday Robert and I went to Epworth to the Year of the plough. We have been in the past with friends and family but we went on our own this year and were fortunate enough to have a lovely sunny day. The first thing to see when you arrive is the marque's with the stalls selling the home made crafts, cakes cards, jewelry, toys, knitted items etc. One of the stalls sold leather belts and dog collars. Robert was impressed with a rather nice studded coller ideal for Tommy our big black dog. He has a coller already but Robert seamed to think he needed one for best when he goes visiting and thought he may like a new one. we didn't want to walk round with it all day so if it was still there on the way home it was meant for us. There was an artist there making glass panels to hang on your windows. they were colourful and the idea is WHEN the sun shines it will reflect in the room I fancied one of these again if they were there on our way out it was meant for us.

As shown in the picture above the next thing we saw was a lady making traditional corn dollies as they are called I would love to have a go given the time, very clever. There were lots of different old plough's from hand driven to horse drawn then on to steam then engine. They were all given an measured area to use there skills of ploughing and prizes were given to the best. We do not know who won they were all winners to me, they take it very seriously and it is very interesting. Robert was helpful telling me about the things he knew and his memories from when he was a lad. The old harvest ma was of great interest it must have been a great wonder in those days. With all our technology nothing surprises us so much any more.

The cut corn goes in at the top corn comes out at the front int sacks (can't see sacks in this photo) Chaff out at side (under the ladder) straw out of the back where its picked up with a pitch fork onto a conveyor belt and is pushed tight into neat bails.

One of the measured area's of ploughed land.

There were lots more besides ploughing, people with ferrets, a large marque with chickens this was for the best of breads, green issue information, recycling bins, Morris men dancing, big brass band, the beer tent, lots of burger vans, ice cream, vintage cars and moter bikes, raffles and try to knock tins off a stand with bean bags stalls. There were donkey rides and Robert was going to take a photo of them but in this sad time we live in was afraid he would be in trouble for taking a photo of children having fun. There was also a large crowd around the puppet show as you will see in the photo above, I'm not sure all the people knew it was a Christian group but what a way to witness. They used popular songs changing the words to tell of Jesus love for us and what a friend we have in him. I hope or should I say pray it touched someones heart

There saw also a small fun fair this old merry go round was most popular. There was hook a duck Robert wouldn't let me have a go on it, and small rides for the children. There were a lot of people with their dogs, all very well behaved Tommy would have loved it we will have to take him next year. We had Cornish pasties for lunch sitting on the bank soaking up the sun for half an hour. As we headed back to the car we called in the model marque. Miniature fair grounds, farms, stalls with old tea tins, tools, sheep sheering equipment anything to do with farming. We went back to the leather stall and there was one or two collars left so after phoning Fallon for the size of Toms old coller we got him one and what a handsome dog he looks in it he will be the talk of all the local dogs. I got my glass hanger for my window but resisted the cake stall who had a few cakes left. It was a great day and one spent with Robert again lovely.

Some of the crowd watching the Morris men

Harlow Carr with friends

On Monday the 15th some Friends Lynda, Jenny, Val and I took a trip to the RHS gardens at Harlow Car in Harogate Yorkshire. Robert and had been a few weeks earlier and When I was talking about it to Jenny we agreed it would be nice to go before the summer flowers were gone. We decided to take a picnic but would get a drink there. It was quite a chilly day and when I went to get our picnic from the car at lunch time I put my coat on, I though it would have warmed up the sun was trying desperately to get through the clouds but they were to thick, but no rain. We had a lovely day took our time chatting, looking at all the plants trying to name them before we looked at the labels. Jenny puts me to shame she knows all the names of the plants. She has done a lot of flower decorations and makes some lovely displays in church. We discussed the forth coming harvest on the 28th September and we are having a bit of a change this year so watch this space and I will publish some photo's.

This part of the Victorian garden was the children's garden. the edges of the boarders were lined with scallops shells, I had not noticed this before when I was with Robert.

Lynda grows some fabulous Cosmos and when we got to the scented garden she just loved the chocolate cosmos and wants to have a go at growing it next year. All round the gardens we kept seeing a lovely little climber, was it a clematis or a vine. We had to ask it got the better of us. It turned out to be a Chinese purple bell vine (Rhodochiton). Half hardy annual. We found a packet of seed it in the shop and Val said she would buy it and Robert is to grow the seed and give us all a few, there is only ten seed so we hope they all germinate, no presser there Robert. Time flew and before we new it it was past 4o'clock. The garden shop had started to put out the Christmas decorations out to early but couldn't help having a look. At my shop things have started to arrive for Christmas, I'm trying to fine space for it all. We all agreed it was a great day out and said it would be good to go again in the spring to see the flowering bulbs.

Busy weekend

What a busy weekend! Friday night we went to Derbyshire to Roberts sisters surprise 50th birthday party. I think she was surprised and enjoyed it, it was a good night. It was back to work Saturday and was late home after shopping.

It was an early start Sunday as it was off to Oxton for a work shop with the Future concepts group which I am member. We meet 5 times a year and it usually a work shop but we also have demonstration. This weekend our tutor was Marie-Francoise DEPREZ from France http://www.jeuxdefleurs.org/ jeuxdefleurs@wanadoo.fr We received the requirements list the week before and it was very interesting.Typha leaves (the leaves from the bull rush) chicken wire and a pin holder. the second design was for zea mais leaves (leaves from the corn on the cob).

When we arrived all the designs she had done for us were all secretly under tissue paper making it very mysterious. When you get the things together you try to imagine what you are going to make my image was nothing like the designs Marie had come to teach us. The long Typha leaves were layed on a sheet of cardboard and shredded with the pin holder from the root end leaving two inches unshredded. this end was used to weave through the chicken wire. We cut out the desired shape from the chicken wire and wove the shredded grass in and out under and over covering the wire. We were asked to bring a modern container, I took my rusty tall vase shape container one of my favourites. After playing with my shapes I had made I finished my design with two lovely orange Gerbera.

It is always amazing how we all design such different styles not one was the same. I never got time to use the corn leaves but will try to make time at home to have a go. below are some of the designs from Marie.

This design was made with the corn leaves. Using double sided tape on a cardboard shape the leaves were layered closely on top of one another to give a ripple appearance. Then rolling the leaves the rose shape were made with just a touch of colour using two Gerber's
This design made use of the long leaves by pining them together vertically and forming a shape on the top. Held up by the pin holder with just three sun flowers finished off with a circle of the reed grass simple but stylish. We had a great day and Maire was a great teacher very helpful and patent's and very inspirational. Her new book has unique great designs. The class was over to quickly and after lining up all our work she took time to look at each one and give her opinion and with some changes we could see what a difference she could make.

My garden

These are some photo,s of my garden. I'm afraid to say I have only managed to sit in my sun lounger about 5 times this year. With last year not to good either I feel the lack of a nice warm summer will see us going back to Malta. (we would be going anyway)Its not that I want it roasting hot don't like it to hot just warm and no rain. The nights are drawing in a few minuets every day the dark nights are worse than no summer.

Back in May Robert planted up this set of pots this is how it looks now, its just going over I got it just in time. Scampi our westy is looking on.

Our front door, when we planted the Dalia,s we did not know what colour they were going to be.