Photo Mania, Off to the UK tomorrow, 3.6.09

I thought I'd better blog before I head off to the UK tomorrow to stay with my son Jason, Sam, Jack and Kitty tomorrow. I won't be back until Monday evening of June 15th. I will try and blog in between but it's difficult on someone else's computer and I'm not sure I'll be able to download the photos. I will try.

It's been another hot couple of days. Is this really Ireland? At least there was a slight breeze today which helped a bit. Yesterday I did some planting of the things Jim had grown. I did it in the evening when it had cooled down. Unfortunately the gnats were out in full force and I was bitten on my top lip! I looked as though I'd had collagen treatment! It has returned to normal now thank goodness. Poor Buster has been fed up. He doesn't like the heat one bit. He did go and visit Millie, his cocker spaniel friend, once it had cooled down a bit.

We have spent much of today clearing and boxing up things from all surfaces in the kitchen/diner and the snug. The builders will be breaking through while we are away and I'm sure the dust will be several inches deep. My desk only has the computer on it! It looks so bare. Still, it's another step towards getting the work finished. I'm sure we'll come back with anticipation and in trepidation!

Jim is driving over the Worthing, UK, on Sunday and staying there until Friday, when he will drive up to pick me up then we'll have a day to pack the car for our return journey. All very complicated! Poor Jim is full of cold. I hope he hasn't passed it on to me.

I took loads of photos today. You'll have to look at them in sections, some each day! Make it last. First though I received some post this morning. Soulbrush sent me my letter 'B' from the Artist Trading Card group doing the alphabet. It's lovely and has lots of 'B' things on it:



















Also in the parcel were some other items. I played a 'pay it forward' for soulbrush which meant she had to make something for me, and here are the things she sent:


3 rather arty ATCs












2 'inchies'. Believe it or not, these little cards are only 1" square! Sorry they're a bit blurred.
















I love this one















This lovely cactus card

















And 2 rather psychedelic paintings! Aren't they fun?














I'm thrilled with my little parcel soulbrush. Thank you so so much













As I'm going to be away for the 'D' of our ATCs, I've already made mine and put it in an envelope to post to LOLO. It's a fun one and I hope she likes it:





'D' is for dazzling, dangly dinosaurs on diamonds!



















I also made this 'good luck' ATC for someone - it's all rather pink and girlie!











Now to the photos:




There are great tits nesting in this box and the cats kept climbing on the wall, so we rigged up some barbed wire defenses. Seems to have worked so far!









The cistus is covered in flowers. This one has a pink stripe!














The cistus and this fuchsia are up by our gate. Look at all those flowers











This is the yellow flower you can see in the photo of the blue tit defenses! It's called a fremontodendron
















the sweet william is starting to flower



























and the pinks












the chives keep on flowering and attracting the bees and butterflies












2 more of those gorgeous yellow and white iris have come into bloom














A view up to our gate showing the magnolia, acer, little acer and cistus at the top. Look at that blue sky










Thousands of blackcurrants are on the bushes in the orchard













There is a huge wild rose bush in the orchard










Jim whizzed past mowing the orchard as I took this photo through the arch leading into it. Look at the foxgloves on the right.




















foxgloves



















More foxgloves















The arboretum












This is the flower of a small rockery perennial geranium


















This geranium has been flowering since the spring




















A pink rose bud

















It is on this rose bush, which has lots more buds to come.












This velvety rose bud is a bit tatty around the outside where it was caught by a late frost









Jim grew the lupins from seed. I love this delicate pink colour





















This one is a lovely contrast with the sambucus 'Black Beauty' behind
















A beautiful creamy white lupin in the front garden
















A delicate scabious flower













This is the wild flower 'Ragged Robin'. One of my favourites



























A huge patch of it has appeared where we cleared around the willows in the late winter.














The wild spotted orchid is growing daily



















It is so beautiful













The meadow takes on a reddish tinge as the sorrel comes into flower. I seem to have taken a spider too!





















more sorrel
























The houses on the right are in Caher, which is right on the edge of Lough Graney. This is taken from the highest point on our meadow









The ferns by the stream are huge now













The vegetable patch is coming on brilliantly












This is part of the site for the poly tunnel. We're gradually digging it over but it's hard work!















At the side of the allotment, this fern is growing out of the top of an old tree stump.

















This fuchsia is between the allotment area and the parking space. So many flowers














last year's pansies are really picking up



















This is a pretty little aquilegea, different from the usual ones. We have just moved it as it wasn't doing very well



















This nest box is on the side of the sleeping shed and is occupied by blue tits. I spent ages trying to catch a photo of them!














Although it's a little blurred, you can see the fly in its beak














Sandy slept through all the excitement!











BlackJack was enjoying rolling on the cool concrete!








Well, that's it for today. I hope you've enjoyed the photos. Jim says I have 'photo mania' and he's probably right. I didn't post all I took either! There's just such a lot that is beautiful!

Don't forget about me while I'm away! I'll try and post if I can. I'm off to bed now.