Friday Roundup.

The week has finished better than some of the days in between.  Yesterday was rather a write off for me as I endured a pain flare, which thankfully has eased off somewhat today.  

I took the dogs for a lovely walk to see my elderly friend this afternoon.  Unfortunately her husband had a nasty fall and broke his hip at the beginning of May, and then just yesterday they discovered he had also fractured his spine - why they didn't do full checks a month ago who knows, especially as he is over 90!

Around the garden this week:

Souvenir Du Dr. Jarmain

This is looking spectacular and the first time I think I have been able to capture its true colour.

A fly

Birthday Girl

Hover fly - not the best of photos, but at least I managed to capture it on film.

The Blue Tits have successfully hatched their young, who are rather demanding!

Jasmine is starting to flower beautifully and smells really lovely.

Mr Stanley Handsome.

Another newt photo!

More Newts, Fruit and Other Stuff

I called DH over to the pond this afternoon to introduce him to 'Newton' and he promptly pointed out there was another newt in the pond as well!

So now I have to think of another name.  This one looks thinner than the other.  How exciting to have two.  I had never seen newts before.  A frog also lives in this pond, although I haven't seen him for a few days now.

I saw this little ladybird on our door mat so rescued him/her and put her on a rose leaf.

Hopefully safer here.

The honeysuckle is soon to flower.

Lots of flower buds just waiting to burst forth.

Roses, although most are looking a little worse for wear after all the heavy rain we have had on and off for the last few days.

Raspberries are growing.

A few gooseberries, sadly not as many this year.

Apples. 

Lovely to see all the new growth and promise of fruit in the garden.  

I managed to sit out for a little while this afternoon and finish my book by Elizabeth West 'Hovel in the Hills' and really enjoyed it.  

I have read some really good books this month, my favourites being:

Island Wife by Judy Fairbarnes

A Foot in the Bucket by Jenny Green

Hovel in the Hills by Elizabeth West

I had to make a very disappointing decision today about my trip to the USA this year.  I had to cancel it last year and was really hoping I would manage to go this year, but after knowing how I 'paid' for our trip to Southampton on Saturday and then the subsequent pain I have been suffering from since Monday afternoon - a combination of sorting books and vacuuming (? I don't really know!) I have realised that I just can't cope with a ten plus hour plane trip and then a full on active schedule for the following seven days without it wiping me out completely for who knows how long.  I am pretty devastated, but I think it is for the best.  I did hope that I would be able to just 'do it' and not let the pain dictate, but I am afraid it DOES dictate, despite my good intentions and determination. 

A Newt?

I think we have a newt in our pond as well as a frog...you can't see it in this photo, but he has a long body, at first I thought it was a frog until I saw the length of his body.  Our pond is really starting to fill up with various different wildlife. 

He looks fatter here than he actually was, he had quite a thin long body and tail.

Snails galore!

Not much posting at the moment as still having lots of pain in my arms/elbows and the last three days in the palms of my hands, so having to severely limit computer and camera use.