01 April 2008

Tagged. The Lands Girls Return & Patio Garden Updated

I have been tagged by Sandi at Holding Patterns...
Thank you Sandi !
4 Jobs I have had in my life
1. On leaving school….Bank Clerk
2.Bank did not pay well enough!…Onto an .Oil Company as a Finance Officer
3. Home-maker….on-going ! The Best Job I have Done!!
4. Maternity Nurse….would have loved to have been a Midwife

4 Movies I have/would watch over and over again
1. What Lies Beneath
2. Family Man
3. You've Got Mail
4. Baby Boom...Miss Potter...loads and loads

4 Places I have lived
1. London
2. Kent
3. North Cotswolds
4. Next move - To be decided!

4 People I want to bitch slap right into the middle of next week !
1. Emmm cannot say really... but he is the Mayor of.....The Capi...
2. A whole bunch of MP’s
3. I will keep this one a Surprise!
4. Oh yes...people who are ' Jobsworth' types.....Brrrrr

4 People that email me regularly
1. Good friends
2. Special Bloggers
3. My Bank
4. Cath Kidston…..! and a few other on-line shops!
4 TV shows I watch: Fictional
1. Emmmmm
2. Can’t think
3. Struggling here
4. Well anything that is historical…..Funny....and ..

4 TV shows I watch Nonfictional
1. Jamie At Home - at the moment
2. Escape To The Country - new and repeats
3. Any good cooking programme
4. Love documentaries……animal, medical, survival....

4 Places I have visited
1. Venice
2. Greece- many times
3. Belgium
4. Northern Italy, France Spain, Monaco !

4 Favorite Foods
1. Thai
2. Roast Dinners
3. Curries
4. Full English Breakfast
Where I want to be right now
1. Very comfortable at home in fact
2. With my daughter Katie with baby safely delivered! 2 weeks still to go!!!!
3. Having a massage – here (no not in the study - in the bedroom) with candle-light and soft relaxing music
4. In bed……….snoooooooooozing

4 Things I'm looking forward to this year:
1. Summer sun !
2. Our first major camping trip in Nigella the VW camper van
3. Our first cruise……in September. The first of many I hope!!!I like to pack in as many places as possible and hate flying
4. Eating the produce from all our hard work on the allotment
~~~
Well that is from me.....I am not going to pick anyone but would like any of you who would like to join in with this one to do so.

The Land Girls Return - with helpers...
Here is Carole my allotment partner, with her Son Mark pushing the 'short' wheel barrow.
It is so peaceful....I did wonder what Mark would think of his day here, he really enjoyed it.

The little pile of turfs are I hope going to grow and become a grass bench as well as our boundary line.

On Monday I did not rush to get up, I took my time, slowly put on my old clothes.
This is all part of the de-stressing!
Collected my lovely vintage garden tools and took one strong man by the arm - shed builder!
Today the two 'Carols' are going to plant something-yippee - jump up & down!
now it is getting real.
You can see how nice and neat our Potato bed is looking.
We have put Red Onions in here and some wild flowers too.
The Brussels have been netted to keep off the Pigeons.
One Husband returns with some wooden pallets - these will be made into our shed !
Watch this space with intrigue....
Hub is very clever with wood.....we will see just how clever when it is built!

These Brussels went in, came out and went in again - we had planted them too close, as yo can see below.

We had such a great day together. The quietness really is good for the soul. I felt like I had travelled back in time to an era when the pace of life was much slower. The other allotment folk are very friendly and willing.

As I am finding it hard to fit posting in, I am making this a Big One...so

Update on Patio and a little garden tour

These Terracotta Pamets with a Tudor Rose are perfect to highlight and add interest to the grey slabs.

My Son James laid the footings and then the reclaimed London Stocks (bricks) around the edge.

The terracotta balls were a gift from the Nursery...they will be used to fill in any odd spaces.

My Ornamental Rhuem just beginning to push up through the soil.

The line of brick here are not old Stocks, but will not be seen once the herbacious plants grow and cover this edge. I have an Herbaceous Geranium here.A beautiful specimen tree called Liquidamber Sstyraciflua - it has the most wonderful deep red and copper coloured leaves in the Autumn.

20 comments:

Simone said...

I want to live at your allotment and on your patio! They both look like wonderful places.

Rubyred said...

Hi Katherine,Your camping trip in Nigella sounds exciting!Good Luck to Katie for the forthcoming birth.Your patio looks lovely as does your allotment.You are one busy lady!
Rachel x

Just Original said...

You have made me look into allotments round my way, you naughty girl, don't I have enough to do!

I have just spoke to my friend who's expecting her baby on the
18th of this month, she is fed up!
How's your daughter feeling do I need to ask?

prettyshabby said...

love the turf bench idea..brilliant!!
The patio looks great too, I really like bricks,slabs and little infils mixed together, it's far more interesting!
Sairer x

No one is you ...& that's your power said...

Your allotment does look great and it is so lovely to be outdoors. It certainly makes you hungry too!
I love the patio it all loos so neat, come round anytime!
x Dominique

Anonymous said...

Hi Carol,
Thank you so much for your kind words and support it really means a lot to me,i have an updated post on Max it explains my absence.
This looks a great post i will be sure to come back in the morning with a nice cup of tea and read all about it.
Love Kristina XxX

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

So much to comment on Carol but will try to keep it brief..
Now there is something I didn't know about you.. you have been to Greece many times.. I love the islands.. must share travel tips sometime.
There is something really wholesome and relaxing about working on the land.... and more so when you are growing your own food.
Much to look forward to .. a new baby in the family, brussel sprouts.. and running away in Nigella!

Much love
Michelexx

No one is you ...& that's your power said...

Hi catherine meant to say did you want to take part in my pay it forward challenge ?!. Dont worry if you dont, dont feel you have too!Let me know x Dominique

Sandi McBride said...

It's all looking so wonderful...the garden/allotment looks so neatly done that Mac will be jealous! Brussel sprouts...ohhhh, my favorite veggie...Mac says one day if I don't stop eating them so much I'm going to turn into one...the patio is just so lovely...great work going on here! How is our little Guy? does he get to go to the allotment with you?
Pictures of Nigella with Guy aboard, now that will be worth waiting for!
hugs
Sandi

Country Cottage Chic said...

Your allotment it looking great! Last year we went on holiday & the caterpillars devoured our brussels sprouts. :-(
The patio is fantastic too.

Oh - by the way - I posted photos of the terrier collection as requested!

Miss sew n sew said...

You have been busy with the allotment it's looking great. I'm just learning and getting the hang of gardening your garden and patio look lovely thanks for naming the the plants that tree sounds nice! x

Grand Life said...

Katherine-- good luck in on your Daughter Katie's arrival. Wishing you the best. We have a Katie in our family also. They are wonderful. We'll be thinking of you.
Judy

Pondside said...

Your garden plot is really coming along - love the idea of the turf bench. Best thoughts and wishes to your daughter on the impending birth - aren't grandchildren the best!?

Anonymous said...

Oh my godness, you have been busy:-)so much work, well done.How far has the spring come? I am a swede living in Singapore, we have no seasons here...
Take care

Ragged Roses said...

Oh Carol you have so many lovely things to look forward to this year! Fingers crossed for Katie. Lovely reading more about you. Your allotment and garden are going to look wonderful this summer, there is nothing better than homegrown veg! I forgot to mention on your last post how handsome Guy is! Give him a hug from me.Have a good weekend.
Kimx
Glad you enjoyed I captured the castle DVD - it's the book next

Anonymous said...

Hi, looks great on your allotment...very peaceful. How good to enjoy a slowed down pace of life, if only for a short time! It's what we try to be all about (but often fail) at the homely year.
Margaret and Noreen

Louise said...

Your allotment is coming along really well. Have you tried out that flask of yours yet? I would love an allotment. Have you thought of using some space for cut flowers, or do you just want to eat what grows on your land? Great to hear some facts about you too Carol, I had to watch What Lies Beneath twice, as I lost the plot first time, something which I am always doing? x

Reginas Cottage said...

Hi Carol
Your patio looks very nice.I love
your garden.
I have a Award for you!
Have a nice week
Regina

Garden Girl said...

Ooh, your allotment is looking FAB! I love looking at other peoples allotment photos (especially when they look as nice and tidy as yours)We have been chopping rhubarb down like mad things, planting fruit bushes and getting seeds planted at home ready for transplanting!x

Mia said...

How lucky you are to be able to work the land, to sow and plant already. I am quite envious, as it seems I will still have to wait a long time before that can happen here (at the moment it is snowing here...!) Your patio looks lovely and must be a wonderful place to be (as is your allotment plot).