I spy with my little eye, something beginning with H

Everyone went to work or school today. The boys got up late, both were disturbed in the night. Which of course meant that Huffle and I were too. Only briefly though. I think it was motor bikes racing past.

I packed the boys off to school and grabbed my portable coffee and went to work. Phew it's been a long time. As I walked up the path I heard MD say "ooh look Famfa is with us today". There were a few there today and she said it was like having a party. We all had a good chat and a good look around the garden centre, before Jeff showed us where he wanted to start work. Our task was to tidy up Neville's Garden. Neville was a man who worked there a long time ago and created 'Nevilles Garden', when he died they named it after him. We got rid of all the Lamium, of which there was a lot. All the Poppy's that were Orange (can't remember the name of these, something beginning with 'C'). Dog Strangling vine were taken out also and Wild Violets. Some of the Hostas were deadheaded. I wish I had taken a before and after photo as we cleared a huge space. We all stopped for coffee when the bell was rung (the idea being that wherever you are in the garden centre, if you hear the bell, you know coffee is ready) and we sat around the kitchen table talking about the Summer, Olympics, the weather, and reading the RHS magazine. One tip for anyone in the UK who grows Hostas. A study has been done which shows that slugs do not like caffeine. After you have finished your coffee, add more water and water it directly under your Hostas. Apparently this is not a legal method of pest control but coffee grinds are a good compost, so what's the difference if you add a bit of water. The Hostas here are amazing and hardly have any damage from slugs or snails. All to do with the wet. However they do get slugs here and one of them is called the Banana Slug and it is as big as a banana, yuk! Don't want to come aross one of those. They originate from BC but as a lot of trees here are from BC, they get sent over sometimes.

I bought a lovely plant called a Haemanthus. It's an evergreen and can be kept outside from spring to beginning of winter. It has a lovely white flower (there are red ones too) and the foliage is architecturally pleasing. They have one at the garden centre that is 25 years old and it is beautiful. In the winter it can be kept inside as a house plant.

By 12O'Clock I was shattered. My back hurt so I stopped for a chat, bought my plant and came home. I had a spot of lunch outside reading my book. Emptied the dishwasher, cleaned and swept the kitchen and then got on the mower and cut the grass at the back. It was really hot in the sun and just perfect in shade. Cutting the grass (although you sit on the mower) is still hard work. I raked afterwards and then sat on the front porch with my cup of tea and my book. I am reading Catching Fire (the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy), nealy finished it. Can definitely recommend it. brilliant. I don't ever want to put it down.

The boys came home. Told me their news. Taught me a new game called Flag which involved lots of running about and tagging. Their bags were full of things to read and sign. I picked up all the grass cuttings with the help of Smallest. Small did his homework.

Grandma skyped and told me she had booked their flight for beginning of October. We chatted about school, the boys, family etc.

I made dinner. The boys played nicely upstairs together. Huffle came home and we started a game of U-Build Monopoly, then had dinner, then finished the game.

I finished my book. Yay. Now on to the third one in the trilogy.

I went out and walked with Drew, we walked around the whole Hamlet looking at the houses and commenting on the gardens. We had a look at the new houses that are being built. They are horrendous, humongous and probably lots of other words beginning with H. Oh I know, horrible. And so out of place.

 

We were very nosey and had a sneak through the windows (no-one lives there yet). Very unimpressive too. The road is named after a famous Canadian Artist and I have been given my orders by Drew to learn about them as she was appalled that I had never heard of them.

Huffle and I watched the Great British Bake Off. Love It. Oh the programme we watched last night was called Breaking Amish. About some Amish and Mennonite people who were off to New York despite the fact their families will shun them. It was really sad. Look forward to next week. Very very interesting.

 

 

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