Weekend Summary

I've had a relatively quiet weekend, as I haven't been feeling the best... so haven't done any gardening, just pottered around, and went on a couple of gentle walks.

Yesterday afternoon I heard seagulls making a right old racket and suspecting they were trying to chase something away I had a look outside.  Sure enough there was heron in a tree that they were trying to dive bomb.

I enjoyed watching and taking a few photos before the heron eventually flew away.

The hollyhocks are starting to flower

On offer in the village were some Algave Americana plants.  I picked up one for myself yesterday and also two others which I dropped off on my way home to two other people.

A marbled white butterfly on my patio door.

I spent some time doing some more rock painting.

A quiet walk this afternoon, the morning spent listing things on eBay and Etsy.

The tide was out quite a long way and it was very windy.

I'd love to see photos of what Spindler's Folly looked like when it was first built. I have searched but not found any online as of yet.

I have renamed one of my Etsy Shops (and reopened it as it has been unused for several years) for the selling of my bears and other creations.

It is called Kiwi Wight Creations 

It is still a work in progress, and I have only listed three bears so far, although they are all available.

Saturday!

I went for a lovely walk this afternoon, although will say I was surprised to see just how many GROUPS of people were out.  A group of four young men with beer cans walked along the cliff path and stopped down on one of the bays.  All one family?  Somehow I doubt it. There were EIGHT groups of people on one of the beaches!  These are quite small beaches, actually just little bays... but hey ho there you go.  On the one hand I can't blame them, it is a gorgeous day and the temptation is there, but we will never get rid of the virus if people don't maintain social distancing.  All it takes is one asymptomatic person, and it will have spread to a large number of people in just one afternoon.  But that is just my thoughts...I don't usually comment on this, but I was quite shocked today at just how many people were socialising.

But back to more interesting things...

There are some really lovely butterflies out to see.

This beautiful orange tip butterfly is lovely.

There were cows in the fields.

Or perhaps steers?

Delighted to see another Glanville Fritillary Butterfly

Cormorant on the rock.

Pretty wild flowers.

I spent the morning in the garden mowing and strimming the orchard and round the vines.  Jolly hard work, still need to get in with the shears round the bottoms of the fruit bushes, but it just got too hot and I was worn out.  I also weeded the raised vegetable beds and planted out some more seedlings.

The rose bush is looking really lovely.

I finished stitching up the three bears I had partially started yesterday.

The pink and blue ones are made with vintage fabrics.

Smokey Friday.

I was not very happy this morning to wake up to the smell of bonfire.  Our neighbours lit a very early morning bonfire, and it spoilt the whole morning (actually the whole day!)  as it was too smokey to spend any time in the garden front or back.  I had so much to do in the garden as well, so was pretty frustrated and annoyed.  So inconsiderate, as it wasn't really necessary to have a bonfire in my opinion.  

I cut out some bears first thing in the morning, but it was getting so hot inside that in the end I took myself off for a walk to the local bay.  It was nice and fresh down there so I spent a little time just sitting looking at the ocean (and eating an apple!)  

I was able to sit out the front late afternoon, but the back garden still smelt smokey, so I sat and stitched up a bear on the decking while listening to some Glen Miller and Vera Lynn.  

I had to laugh at the antics of a couple of magpies in the garden, one in particular who took a great liking to the bird bath..

Here he/she is on top of the gazebo seat.

Just after its bath...and it was funny to see it actually rolling around on the grass drying itself. Unfortunately I wasn't quick enough to get a photo of that.  

This one didn't have a bath, but is looking very sleek and smart indeed.

There they go.

This clever crow and found a piece of bread from somewhere and had brought it to the pond to soften it to make it easier to eat.  They are so clever!

I sat in the evening and stuffed and stitched some more bears, but didn't get them finished.

Two on Tuesday.

Thank you for all your wonderful suggestions for names. I would have probably chosen one - if I hadn't already thought of 'Kiwi Wight' Bears, made by Kiwi Girl on the Isle of Wight before I saw the comments left.  I've got an emblem in mind that I would like to eventually get put on some labels, although I have no idea where I will get them done!  An example of which is on the tag below on the bear that I have made for one of my neighbours for her birthday tomorrow.  

So yes I made another new bear today for the discerning among you who spotted that this bear is different (slightly) to the one I made yesterday.

In fact I didn't just make one...

I made two!

Here they are together.  I love how they turn out different, even though I used the same fabric and pattern.

And then there were three!  Why three?  Well I wanted to keep one for myself, which is the first one I made, one will go in my Etsy shop, and the one on the right for my neighbour.

While I was sewing I watched the sea and the garden and a crow having a good old time washing itself in the pond.

A real splash!

It also spent some time investigating tasty titbits from the garden.

You can just see some in its beak in this photo.

So it was actually overcast and very windy this morning, hence deciding to have a real indoors type of day...that as well as aching too much to feel like doing battle in the garden or going for a walk.  The wind has now dropped and it is turning into a nice evening and I can finally see some blue sky and some sun, albeit late in the day.