If you asked me when it last rained here I honestly wouldn’t be able to come up with an answer – certainly it’s been hot and dry for weeks. I’m old enough to remember the summer of 1976, in which the UK baked under endless blue skies and ended up with water shortages, drought and damage to crops and wildlife but being a small child at the time all that sticks in my mind was that we weren’t allowed to fill up the little padding pool in the back garden. We’re a way off from water shortages here at the moment but it has been so very hot and dry that crops, plants and wildlife are being affected.

Happily the robin family that have been nesting in our garage are OK and are enjoying regular deliveries of wax worms through the post (btw if you’re looking for fresh live food for wild birds then I’d not hesitate to recommend The live food warehouse – their service has been brilliant, always next day delivery and free postage on orders over £5 – and this is not a sponsored mention, I’m just so pleased with them, having tried some other suppliers previously and been disappointed). The third batch of chicks have hatched and should fledge sometime next weekend. We think there are at least 3 but I’ve not managed to get a good look yet and don’t want to disturb them. Mum and Dad robin are doing a great job though, having already fledged 9 chicks so far already this season.

Toby has been struggling with the heat – sleeping less well than usual, so we’re all feeling a bit tired and frazzled and hoping for some slightly cooler weather – around 23c would be perfect if the weather gods are reading, oh and a little overnight rain would be good too. Most of my plants are suffering but I’m managing to keep watering with the dregs from the water butt and whatever the chicken doesn’t drink each day. Not that I’m complaining about the weather, it’s been glorious especially early in the morning and during the evening and we’ve been eating all of our meals in the garden. After breakfast and getting Toby off to school I’ve been heading to my favourite spot for morning knitting in Toby’s swing chair. It’s a lovely shady spot until around 11ish when I have to find somewhere else to knit as it’s too hot in the full midday sun.

Talking of knitting, I’m making some progress with knitted things but don’t have much to show yet other than lots of scribblings. I think I’m ready though to knit up samples for photographing and then I should be able to start to put this new pattern I’m working on together.

Well, that’s all my news. I just wanted to pop in here and say hello because it had been so long since my previous post. Hope all is well in your corner of the world and you’re enjoying whatever the seasons are bringing your way. See you soon x

Well, I’m now the mum of a school leaver! Amy had her last A level exam yesterday and has officially left school.

When she was younger I used to love putting together a little summer holiday kit which I’d give to her when she got home on the last day of school term (here’s some from earlier years: 2011, 2010, 2009). They were full of treats and fun things for the summer ahead and included a little collection of vouchers for activities that she could cash in with me. I’ve not done one for the most of the years that she’s been at senior school as I felt that she thought it too babyish, but as this is the last summer before she goes off to uni I thought I’d re-instate the tradition, but with a teenage twist.

I’m using the same ‘vouchers’ that I made when she was 9 and am updating them with more suitable activities :

Pub lunch; Pimms picnic; walk in the woods followed by lunch at a local hand-made burger place; shopping trip… and it wouldn’t be summer without strawberry picking, so there will definitely be a voucher for that too.

If you want to make some vouchers for your own children (no matter what their ages) there’s a downloadable print-out that I made here: Download vouchers

It does feel odd to think that she’ll not be living here from September. I’m not yet sure how I feel about that – it’s an unfamiliar mix of excitement for her, mingled with concern, worry and hope. Like I say, an odd mix of feelings that I’ve not felt before. I’m certain that it’s right for her to be going off to Uni and where she’s going is the perfect Uni for her – it has such a friendly atmosphere and is not too big but it’s got a vibrant student life and is only just outside London so she has many options for her free time. Anyway, life is speeding ahead so it will be here in an eye blink.

My other little family is doing well. The second nest-ful of robin chicks has fledged, though not as successfully this time. Two didn’t make it, one dying during fledging probably due to an awkward landing and one was left dead in the nest. Of the three that have fledged two are still living in the garage and show no sign of wanting to leave, even though they fledged from the nest over a week ago. Meanwhile Mrs Robin has built a third nest – this time between two cans of paint on a shelf and Mr Robin is doing a good job of keeping his new offspring well fed, with a little help from me. I am so enjoying being a part of their little family and still find it a great privilege to be so trusted.

In knitting news I am still working on a new pattern, but progress is slow. I’ll keep you posted here when it’s ready and I also have a big batch of spring summer animals here that need my attention too – I’m not doing very well with time management at the moment and I think that I’ve had a harder time with Amy’s a levels than she has! Hopefully I’ll be feeling a little less anxious and a little more focused now they’re all done.