The warmer weather has continued during this week. We have dug up the garlic and it is drying in the  kitchen

There were a few raspberries

The runner beans are beginning to come through. We have plenty of peas and mange tout.

my latest textile doll is coming along nicely

I gave her hair a base layer with yarn and then used merino roving.

I am quite pleased with the result

She just needs some embelishments

WIll it ever end?

Another couple of rain free days and it now it is back again! However the forecast for the weekend and the beginning of next week shows promise.  This rain has a mixed effect on the garden

The hosta is the best it has ever been.







The buddleia has grown taller and taller but the flowers are still in bud.

The sweet peas are most disappointing

although the ones from the allotment have done well.

These are just beginning to show the purple in their heads

The only flowers doing really well are these. I don't know what they are but they are everywhere (probably weeds). They form seed pods starting at the bottom of the stalk filled with the tiniest seeds.

However Tia is happy sitting on the kitchen window sill watching everything grow.

Meanwhile Biddle is wondering how two of these











fitted in one of those.

progress

Well we have had a couple of rain free days and even some sun. However it was back to rain today. It is getting somewhat boring now.

We have flowers on the  runner beans though and on the sweet peas

 We were not expecting the new raspberry plants to fruit this year. So this was a surprise.

Creating has been slow this summer for some reason but I have finished the back of a sleeveless pullover

and the parts of A Magic Threads lady Sophie the Stitcher. She needs sewing up and assembling

July

It has warmed up a bit but the days are still rainy. I forgot to mention in the last post just how much rain we had in June. At least 168mm and that isn't counting what ended up in our cellar a fortnight ago. We were bailing out with buckets at 10 o'clock at night for two hours. However having seen the problems in Hebden Bridge and the Caulder Valley we are not complaining too much. It has all dried out quite quickly and I hope that the bad weather expected tomorrow does not cause us more problems.
We have had some lovely produce again

Two types of radish

Peas and mange tout

Several varieties of lettuce.
Today John brought home this bounty

 The potatoes are disappointing. I don't think it has been warm enough

On the Wednesday it was our 19th wedding anniversary. We went to Manchester for the day.

 We  saw the exciting display in the window of a clothes shop

 I do not know how many there were but 100s is no exaggeration.

John found  a link for the London shop
Most of the sewing machines were Singer but I did spot the odd Frister/Rossman.

We then visited the People's  History Museum  as it was a while since we have been.

Our next port of call was the Art gallery

John bought a t shirt with this flag on it. And I bought some fabric inspired by West African Art.

Later we had lunch at our favourite Chinese restaurant and then I paid a visit to Abakhans