Do you ever get the feeling that you're travelling through life on an escalator going the wrong way and although you're working pretty hard you are just not making any progress? I'm sure you do as there can't be many of us who escape feeling swamped from time to time. I've certainly been feeling that way lately – for every bit of paperwork I fill in another drops through the letter box, for every blog post I catch up with another 2 appear in my blog reader, for every email I answer another 3 pop into my inbox… you get the picture I'm sure.

 

 

Not a lot was ticked off my to do list this weekend either. In fact the only tick was vegetable planting with help from Toby and we spent a lot of lovely time in the garden together yesterday (hence the pictures of the chives which were planted last year and are now in full and glorious bloom and attracting a lot of bees).

 

 

So far this year I've not sown as much as I had planned to. I did have grand vegetable planting plans but they've been scaled back to more manageable proportions and this weekend Toby and I just planted some beans and peas (a little late in the year but hopefully not too late to get a harvest).

 

 

We've also got earlier plantings of garlic, broccoli and lettuce which are coming up nicely.

 

 

There are a few little seedlings too which should be ready to plant out soon and with any luck will give us some delicious onion squash in the autumn. Courgette and squash seeds are my favourite to grow. They look just like a childs drawing of a little sprout and they are pretty robust – which is a good thing when Toby is involved in the planting out!

 

 

So that's the news from the garden at the moment. In knitting news there is lots going on with pattern writing but nothing yet finished, just a big old tangle of sample bits – the result of testing out different yarns and tweaking bits and pieces. If you've emailed me for an E.T.A on the next pattern I'm afraid I can't give one yet but I am working on the sweaters, the sneakers and all of the other animals, so they are on the way.

This week is the week of Toby's annual school play so he goes to school from 4pm – 9.30pm which throws everything out of kilter in a big way. And hot on the heels of this week is the school half term break, so I won't be getting on top of my to do list anytime soon and my email backlog is already of embarrassing proportions – I really am sorry if you're waiting for a reply from me.

A couple of people emailed to ask about how I constructed the cushion cover – by the way thanks so much for all of the kind comments about the bench in the previous post. Here is a picture of the back.

 

 

 

The crochet top extends a little way underneath where I've sewn it to a rectangular piece of fabric and left one side open (held in place by saftey pins) incase I need to take the cover off to wash it. In terms of advice for fitting the crochet top I can't give much other than to make a top piece the same size as your foam pad and then make side pieces, checking the fit as you go. It was all a bit make-it-up-as-you-go-along but it seems to work and so far it is standing up well to daily Toby use.

Hope you have a good week, see you soon x

 

 

I'm afraid I'm not getting much computer time
at the moment – young master Toby has other ideas for keeping me busy. Today though he is elsewhere so I
thought I'd pop in and show you some snippets of recent days in the
garden.

We've been…lazing in the hot sunny weather and blue summer skies and then
scrambling about like mad to gather in washing and toys in the sudden
heavy downpours, marvelling at the dramatic clouds as the storms blow over, eating chilled
nectarines from the farmer's market and homegrown salads picked fresh from the garden and enjoying the rampant growth of
everything in the garden and all of the attendant wildlife.

As I mentioned keeping Toby occupied and safe is a full time job as he needs constant supervision to keep him out of mischief (thank goodness for CHIPs summer club and respite days that have given me some time off). Sometimes though the mischief is of the playful kind – I snapped this yesterday evening when I was making a cup of tea, I turned my back to empty the pot after warming it and turned back to find him wearing the warm cosy as a hat and sniffing the teabags (sniffing everything is his new thing at the moment). He found it very funny!

 

I hope to pop back soon with some snippets of summer knitting. All of
the hot weather hasn't made me feel much like plunging my hands into
wool but I have still managed to add to my large basket of stuff in
progress 🙂

See you soon, keep well and happy x

The school summer holidays have arrived here. Amy is excited and busy making all sorts of plans to be out with friends, while I'm doing my best not to feel panic at the thought of 43 days to fill with activities for Toby. Previous experience though has taught me to take each day as it finds us and go with the flow as much as possible, so in some ways I feel prepared and he does have a few CHIPs club and respite days booked in so I'll definitely be putting my feet up with my knitting on those days. As usual we're holidaying at home but I'm happy with that. With the new room at the end of the garden and the weather being so hot and sunny it feels just like being on holiday in the Mediterranean but without all the hot and bothered hassle of actually getting there 🙂

The warm weather paired with lots of watering has really helped the plants grow here. My little mixed bed of herbs, vegetables and flowers is doing very nicely…

 

 

 

 

and I'm really pleased with the rusted iron plant support which is forming a frame for dwarf french beans to climb.

 

H has worked so hard and completed all the paving and laid new grass.

 

 

 

And the room itself is now completely finished and getting lots of use. It feels like a little haven of peace and a place for year round holidays for us all.

 

 

 

So that's us for the holidays, what are you up to?

Whether you're venturing afar or staying at home I wish you happy times. I plan to pop in from time to time so hope to see you soon x

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PS: If you're a bunny knitter and have made one from my patterns then please come over and join the little cotton rabbits ravelry group. At the moment we're have a fun and friendly contest 🙂 with the theme of bunnies on vacation.