Books to Read 2024 & the Garden

Gosh we are almost at the end of January already, and my idea to do a blog post at the beginning of the month just didn't happen.  

On January 2nd I got the news that my dear Mum had died after suffering with Alzheimer's for at least 16 years.  Absolutely heartbreaking.  The last time I saw her was in 2019.  

We then had almost 10 days with our son, daughter in law and little grand daughter which was absolutely lovely and a good tonic.  

I've started reading properly again.  I always used to read a lot and have recorded the books I have read for a number of years on my blog, but the last couple of years I haven't read much at all.  I have a nice book journal that my son set up for me, and I will also record the books on here. I will have to include photos of my book journal in another post, as I just have photos of the books I have read, and planning to read at the moment.

The first three books I read were Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm series. 

Nice easy reads, humorous in parts, but also irritating in other parts.

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The next was:

I've been meaning to read this for years, and after the slow start, it became quite enjoyable.

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After that was a goodie, a children's story:  Shadow the Sheepdog

Having had rough collies I enjoyed this very much. 

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In the next group, I have  so far read Meadowland, and really enjoyed.  My father will too, so I have ordered it to have it sent to him.

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Of the two below, I am currently reading 1984 and am about 2/3rds the way through.  It is hard reading as the print is very small, so I need good light.

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Following on from these two are the latest Daniel Silva books that I didn't realise had come out.  I have a vague recollection of perhaps being slightly disappointed with the book that was published in 2020, and that might be why I hadn't bought these, I hope that is not the case as I have always enjoyed this author.

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The three books below I picked up in The Works.  Peter May is an author I have read before, the others I don't know, so they should hopefully be interesting reads.

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The books below I picked up during 2020 and although I have read bits of them, I want to sit down and read through them properly.

These might be the books I read after finishing 1984.

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This book is a favourite of mine and I have read it before.  An absolutely charming story about the life of a Dunnock.  I will enjoy reading it again, probably inbetween one of the 'heavier' books.

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To finish off three photos of the garden just after we got home.

The dreaded badgers got in again while we were away and made a mess of the garden again.

Snowdrops flowering (actually I don't think these are strictly snowdrops, but a look alike)

My wondering NZ Hebe, that I have had since moving to the UK. We have moved it with us, although his is a cutting from it as it is still in Hertfordshire where my son is now living, and it has taken really well and looking lovely.

Thrifty Thursday.

So it came upon me today to make myself an apron.  I have one that I made a number of years ago that I use in the garden....it has big pockets in it which can carry all number of things, from secateurs to string for tying up plants or my phone if I want to know the mileage I do when working in it! ;)  .  I've got a few old tea towels, table clothes, napkins etc...so thought I would put some to good use.

I gathered some materials...

...and then some more and faffed around a bit until I decided exactly what I wanted.

Muriel got to work.

Finished!

A very simple apron that wraps around the waist, but does the job.

I'd like to have takem one of those stylistic photos where one is wearing a dress and standing on a stool or something equally fancy, but with not one to take the photo, and wearing shorts and an old jumper, well wasn't going to cut it anyway!

So I just laid it out on my bed.

Continuing my crafty theme for today,  I figured while waiting for a parcel to be collected and hopefully for the other to be delivered I would make something that I have been wanting to try for a while with some of the shells and drift wood I have been collecting.

I gathered the shells, driftwood and block of wood to drill into I set to work.

I only broke one drill in the process!

A finished hanging wotsit.  I of course discovered I actually had nowhere to hang it from apart from a random hook in the wall at the front of the house so that is where it is for now.

Finally, after almost two weeks my parcel arrived this afternoon, although the Hermes website claimed it was delivered this morning, which gave me cause for concern and not without considerable frustration at the complete inability to communicate with anyone!   I have now washed the jars and pots ready for a big jam making session tomorrow morning.

My vegetables are growing well, looking forward to having my first courgette in the not too distant future.

Despite the weather forecasting rain, it hasn't so I will have to water the garden again this evening as it is oh so dry.

The salad vegetables I sowed in the large planters on the deck are growing well!

The other day I bought a plant at a little garden gate stall near me - succulent and cacti that need re-potting.

I also picked up some free pots yesterday from another garden gate, including this porcelain pigeon.

I separated but of the plant and put three of the pieces into the pigeon.

Put the rest of it in the original pot with refreshed soil - unfortunately I don't have any proper cacti mix, so hopefully it will do for now.  This pot is damaged so I will have to re-pot it again anyway at some stage.

Put the cacti in another pot.  Hoping it will survive the previous neglect and my attempts to rescue!

This wooden box was also amongst the free pots I picked up, so planted a couple of the flowering seedlings I grew.  Some kind of marigold if I remember rightly. 

I also finished reading one of the books I got from my new 'Free Little Library' today so that will go back out tomorrow morning.

A very compelling read, the strength and courage of the couple the story centres around is incredible as is all the others who lived through this awful stage in our history.  These things should not be forgotten.  I do fear for our future though.

Thursday

Wednesday was a bit of a damp day and overcast so I spent it inside taking it easy and pottering.  Not really sure what I did apart from some knitting and watching Netflix! So not especially productive, but relaxing.

Today I didn't do a lot either to be honest, just had a wander around the garden.

The planters are looking lovely now that they are filling out.

Really pleased with how these have turned out as they looked a bit sparse when I first planted them up in March.

A nice lot of colour on the decking.

This boot was a Christmas gift from my son and daughter in law one Christmas that I finally planted up when I moved here.  Loving it.

Flowers in the garden.

 

Bumble bee busy at work

I am not sure what these two plants are with the big leaves.

This one is going to flower soon so will hopefully give me more clues!

Pond skaters.  Not sure what variety they are.

My book doesn't list different species/sexes.

Prince of Wales Combat Vessel sailing past yesterday morning.

Recently finished this book.  A nice enjoyable read of times past and the author's childhood in a seaside village in the early 1900s.

I finally got my Pashley bike back today.  Unfortunately the bike shop that we took them too are unable to do the repairs to the damage that the removers did to our bikes as apparently the paint sprayers have unfortunately gone out of business due to Covid-19 and they have been unable to find anyone else who will do them.  The other bikes will be collected tomorrow.

Fortunately my Pashley was the least damaged, and as long as I keep the damaged areas dry so they don't rust it should be okay.

I took it out for a ride this afternoon.  My goodness what hard work it was!  I wonder if I will be sore tomorrow.  What I thought was relatively flat when walking is a lot steeper when riding a bike.   

Murphy enjoying some dandelion leaves.