Sunday 31 December 2023

The Year that was 2023 - from July to December: A Catch Up.

The Year that was 2023 - I am not even sure if anyone is reading my blog anymore, so sporadic my posts have been.  I am hoping that I will get back into more of a routine of blogging next year, as I am aware of how much I miss if I don't record it. So just a brief update since my last post in June

JULY

I think this was the first of the garden produce.


Courgette, Cucumber, Dalmatian Beans & Peas

AUGUST


We had two new sheds built this year, one is a train shed for my husband, and the other is a crafting workshop for me.  It was going to be for guinea pigs, but it has been 18 months since I have had any, the longest time I have ever been without guinea pigs.  So in hindsight we have changed the use,  as such we probably should have had it lined with a different door, but it is what it is.


The sheds...the door on the left hand shed had to be replaced as they ordered the wrong door, so that is why it still has the 'wrapping' on it.  




The pond lilies looked as beautiful as ever


I took the following two photos when we went to Sandown Zoo...why no animals, who knows?!





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SEPTEMBER


Early September we saw this wonderful steamer go past when we were down at the beach





The garden was relatively productive and we had beans, courgettes, radish, spring onions, peas, some tomatoes, although not as many as last year, pears, raspberries, and the usual glut of apples most of which I gave away.  I need to work harder on it last year as it really wasn't as good as it could have been.  This is partly due to lack of motivation since the tragic loss of Percy last year which I am still finding it very hard to come to terms with.

OCTOBER


The last two beans on the vine in October this year!


A Jay in the garden.



A rather large moth.

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NOVEMBER


Amazing sun rises


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DECEMBER

Amazingly we had two kiwi fruit on our vine this year.  A real surprise as we have to cut it back hard every year as it was planted (not by us) in the wrong place and it completely takes over and covers our bedroom window and makes the room very dark.  


These are the two from our plant


On either side of them are shop bought kiwi fruit.  Ours are quite a lot bigger, but more the size that I remember them being when I used to get eat them in New Zealand




CHRISTMAS


Christmas was a quiet affair with just my husband and myself and our younger son who now lives locally to us.  It was a nice day.  We will have a second 'Christmas' in early January with our other son, daughter in law and baby grand daughter when we go up to stay with them for a week.



Fresh Fruit Salad & Pavlova


We didn't even decorate inside this year, but did have lots of lights outside.

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OTHER RAMBLINGS

I have got into the Dolls House hobby properly since April this year and it has been quite absorbing hobby at times as I make and craft furniture and accessories for them - yes plural, I have more than one!  I still need to work on the Dolls House that is my 1940s family history project and hope to make a proper start on that this year.  In the meantime I have decorated and made furniture for a couple of 1930 - 1950s Triang Houses, and a couple of 1960s Triang houses, plus I am working on restoring an antique dolls house from around 1915.  




The pups are part of the household now, although have been problematic at times... they have started peeing/marking inside the house (the kitchen) which is driving me insane, and Peter is still an absolutely nightmare to take out if he sees other dogs...a bit hard to avoid.  This means I have to take them out separately, as he sets the other two off and it is just too much to cope with.  As a result, I probably walk less distance than if I could take them out together and do a nice long walk.  I am planning on remedying the walking side of this next year, by dedicating at least three days a week to taking one dog on a lovely long walk on different days so I can relax more and actually get back to enjoy walking again.  Back in 2019/2020 I was walking at least 100 miles a month, now I walk a mere fraction of that.



Thursday 8 June 2023

First Week in June!

Here we are in June, and a few photos of Peter who is especially photogenic.




Love this photo of him which really shows his expression so well. 



Now for a walk down to our little local bay,


Through the woods


the path has been redone...it feels a little bit less wild now and all the wild garlic was destroyed in the process.  It used to look so pretty.


Yet they left this tree fallen over the path.


I don't understand why they didn't clear this away when they cut up so many other trees.


A glimpse of the sea.


New steps to go down to the beach, this is a positive as it was quite a scramble before.


So pretty and quiet early in the morning.


Just perfect.  A good reminder to come down here more often in the early hours.



A cormorant on the rocks.


The spring water fall.




What a peaceful morning it was. 


Petunias are starting to look lovely.



Another rose has started to bloom



The water lily is gorgeous.




I believe this is a Scarlet Tiger Moth (Callimorpha dominula)


This rose is so prolific in producing wonderful scented blooms.



I can't remember what this flower is called coming up in front of the ....


There was an amazing reddish moon a few nights ago, but unfortunately I just couldn't quite capture the beauty of it.



More insect life, this time a glossy green beetle which I believe is a Rose Chafer (Cetonia aurata



Tuesday we had lunch at our favourite Cafe with the most wonderful view


Afterwards we walked to Sandown


It was the most beautiful warm day.


There were rhododendrons growing wild on the cliff and oh so pretty.