I didn't want to do that!

I only went down to the allotment yesterday to enjoy the sunshine and somehow I ended up weeding the beds and laying a path, well the idea of a path would be more to the point.

Well it all started here in Cardiff where my DH was helping our son take up some of the decking that was covering almost all the back garden, and he wanted some lawn.

Of course the old veteran had to show the young whippersnapper how it was done......

......to which he replied by digging up a pair of secateurs ..... he did move a few stones later :-)

They dug up 2 patios, 1 was buried under the other, plus a load of clay and the result was an enormous heap of rubbish in the garden.

Oh how I wish I could have taken some of those crazy paving slabs home.

But finally after all their hard work it now looks like this, waiting for our next visit when father and son will lay the lawn, just in time for the spring sunshine.

We had a lovely stay and had lots of cuddles with Pippa and lots of play time with her little brother Sam.

No green stuff please we're cake eaters

We're taking a break from looking after our little grandson while his mummy and daddy settle his sister into family life.

I think he's getting used to the idea

Him and grandad think she's champion.

We decided we would take a bracing walk along the barrage in Cardiff bay and reward ourselves with a lovely cake and hot chocolate when we got to the gallery.

We passed the posh yatchs, just for a taste of how the other half live.

And then went on to the walk....

Saw this big working ship coming into port, it wasn't meant to be a black and white image, I just tapped on the wrong filter as I couldn't read the tiny writing on my phone.....hmmm!

Ah back to colour, got the glasses

out of my handbag.

Couldn't resist a bit of colour and texture.

And finally nearly at the haven of homemade cakes of every flavour, chocolate, apple and walnut, carrot with squishy icing, oh how will I choose this time.

And then...... We opened the door to the cafe of delights, a strange awesomely chatty young lady greets us, where is the lovely owner we know so well? 

The above young lady stuffs a menu in both our hands and announces that everything is green and calory counted, oh goody! We said 'do you do cakes' and she said 'oh no we're totally green here', 'super' we said 'we don't think we'll bother' and left!

I had a mini tantrum and stomped about the gallery hating everything on show and vowing never to come again. I will of course, it's not their fault that the greenies have taken over and spoilt our fun.

Pippa

Congratulations to our son and daughter in law on the birth of their beautiful daughter and our new granddaughter......Pippa Felicity, what a lovely name!

She arrived in a bit of a hurry so was glad of a catch up nap.

Hobbit Heaven

We seem to be spending almost every day at our little bit of Hobbit heaven at the moment. It's so lovely to have somewhere to go and play, with the doors open and a warm stove to keep your feet toasty.

I made current bread the other day, just right for the Hobbit hole size of the pot belly's mouth. We used the toasting fork given to us by our grandson Ben. It didn't last long, too many hungry Hobbits about.

I made a sponge cake with home made blackberry and apple jam.

Not much left, well there isn't when you have visitors...... but then again they did bring presents.....

Lovely tea in dainty boxes..... 

I had a change around so I could see my grandson, Alfie's birthday plaque, when I'm washing up.

I've welcomed an old friend home, it never felt right in a house/flat, now I can look at it when it's getting dark and I'm still sketching....

We feel very lucky to have this little home, we could so nearly have lost it on Sunday......

This is what happened to our 2 neighbours' plots, I think it's superficial damage but very disheartening. I feel very sorry for them.

Reasons to be cheerful

Our lovely little stove is proving to be a real draw, we seem to have been down at the allotment almost every day this week, just catching those precious sunny days and pottering about making it really special.

We had visitors on sunday, 2 of our daughters, Nikki and Pru, who had to spend the time outside with her new puppy, but still had time for a cuppa with her dad.

And then there's all those baked bean lunches to be had......

On Tuesday I got to try out the potential of using the summerhouse as a studio, well sort of....

I was making a pattern for a new cover for the rocking chair. Any suggestions on how to make a shaped padded cover would be most welcome.

In the afternoon I finally got to use my desk for sketching..... just the view from the doorway, it was magic.....

And today........ I'm so excited..... I dyed 4 small samples with the walnut husks that we brought back from France last year and the colours are beautiful!

One of the things I love the best about our little stove is the smoke that you can see from the chimney outside. 

So it's  goodbye from the square window, until the next time.

Oh and just one more thing, blogger is not sending me notification of all my comments, so please excuse me if I haven't responded as I often don't find them till I write another post

A pot belly in waiting.....

We're making progress with our lovely pot bellied stove, it's in situ, mounted on some lovely tiles donated by our daughter Nikki, expertly laid by my DH.

We're hoping for a fine day tomorrow to fit the flue and put the flashing around the hole in the roof, then we'll be ready for the snow everyone keeps forecasting for next week. I should be more careful with my blog post titles....

As Nikki and her family are moving from a victorian house to a more modern one with no coal fires she has given us the lovely copper trivet and brass jug (in the pic above) for making our mulled wine.....yummy!

We have also become custodians of her beautiful oil lamp and couldn't resist a try out on tuesday after we had lunch in the summerhouse, enjoying the rare appearance of the sunshine.

This lovely plaque made by one of my grandsons for my birthday last year has been hung at last, isn't it beautiful.

And lastly this lovely hanging ornament is one of 3 that our son Dan and family gave us for Christmas, it was perfect for my special trowel.

Bring on the snow

I was going to wait till this little beauty was all plushly installed and providing cups of tea and coffee on the inevitable winter days that will finally arrive, but I couldn't wait to show you.

Sorry kids your dad sneakily beat me to it on his blog while I was slaving away in the kitchen cooking these......

......for his tea, there's gratitude for you.

We are so pleased with this new addition to allotment/summerhouse living, and a big thank you to our daughter Nikki and husband Adam for your help in getting it, we're thrilled, looking forward to you coming round for tea and cake :-)

And maybe some better scones than I managed on sunday :-( too much boasting about being the Queen of Scone making, pride comes before a fall.....