Saturday, July 4, 2009

'Didn't We Have a Lov er ly Day' 4th July 2009

Galway

So off we went to Galway today, as intended. We found the car boot sale without any trouble, which is a bit of a miracle in Galway, as it has a vast series of roundabouts all around the outside and most things seem to be off one of them. We have travelled miles around there. The bootery was on a hard standing site, which was great as it wasn't muddy. We took Buster with us and he became the star of the event. The car boot was held for a local gymnastics club. The members of the club, mostly quite small children, performed for ages on mats on one side of the venue. They were very good.

All the children loved Buster and the adults and he just loves the attention. We had our breakfast, a vast hot dog with onions and mushrooms which was so overflowing with the above that we went and ate it in the car. I bought a few bits and pieces, mainly for Jack and any visiting babies. A t shirt with butterflies all down the front for the princely sum of one euro and a large bag of wool and bits of ribbon and other 'stuff' for two euros. Great bargains. We had a hot drink at the charity's stall with a bun and an apple! Trying to be healthy. I suppose we stayed about an hour. We were just setting off in the car when I realised I didn't have my rucksack with me, I'd left it by the chair where we'd had our tea. Whizzzz back again and there it was. Phew! It had my camera in it too.

On our way in, we'd passed an interesting little building and a bridge, so we called and had a look. I took photos too! It was the old Galway Corporation Waterworks building and next door to it was an old Pumping Station with the clearest pond in front of it, full of lilies:








The Waterworks














This is the plaque on the side of the Pumping Station.










This is a little joiner I did of all 3 buildings. Do click on it to enlarge and see the water properly






Opposite the waterworks is an old house, all by itself, which is being kept as an example of its time, as far as we could ascertain. I tried to find out more about the waterworks but without any success. It is obviously being renovated, presumably by the council.




The bridge over the river and the waterworks to the right of the photo. Our orange 'Doblo' is parked up the road.








We then carried on to B and Q to look at tiles for our bathroom, both floor and wall. We saw several we liked but couldn't quite remember what the wall tiles we have already bought are like! When we got home, we looked in the boxes and they were exactly the same as some we'd seen in B and Q, which means we can just buy more to do the whole room. We also chose some super slate effect charcoal/blue floor tiles. We couldn't buy them today as we didn't have the exact measurements, plus Wednesday is OAP discount day at B and Q so we'll go and buy then!! It's exciting actually planning decorations at last.

Jim then wanted to pop into Dunnes Store (a supermarket) and do some food shopping so I took Buster for a walk around. He seemed very lethargic and tired. I think he was just hot as he didn't want any water as I returned to the car. We sat on a bench and waited for Jim to return. A little pied wagtail was hopping around looking for crumbs:







As they walk along their tail bobs up and down, thus the 'wagtail'.









We set off for home after a quick drive through for a coffee and McFlurry (for me). Delicious. Jim stopped at Aldi for lots of bags of sugar to make blackcurrant jam. Most of our bushes are just weighed down with fruit.

We called at Hilary and Joes' house and had a cup of tea while Buster and Millie played outside, then Buster broke in and collapsed in a heap at my feet! Hilary had been cleaning madly as they have an American film producer (not a Hollywood sort) coming to stay.

Back home we measured walls and wandered the garden seeing what had grown. The wild flowers I planted a week or so ago behind the sleeping shed are mostly in flower. We can't identify them all, but I took some photos for you as they're quite pretty:





Mystery flower, it looks a bit like a convolvulus. It's a darker blue than it appears here.













This is night scented stock, which I absolutely love as it does what it says!














There are several of these chrysanthemum type flowers



















They are super colours












These look like little antirrhinums














The fuchsia and buddleia are just at the top of the wild flower bed















Isn't this just the most fabulous coloured lupin? Jim and I think it's our favourite of all those he's grown.















When I was planting the left over plants that Jim had grown, petunias, lobelia and foxgloves, I was looking for somewhere to plant a couple of lobelia:





These are now on top of the sleeping shed roof! what do you think?













You can tell which way the prevailing wind blows! The left shoe has some flowers just coming out!














I hope they don't decide to go for a walk













The late sun was shining on top of The Fairy Hill. The violas have gone mad, look at that one in the foreground. If you enlarge it you'll see a fairy....










Round on the arboretum bed, I can't get enough of this sambucus 'Black Beauty' with the pink lupin behind it. The whole bed is filling up daily.












The seasons pass so quickly, here is a hazel nut ready to begin ripening
















And three more








The roses have flopped a bit with the heavy rain and because some of them are weighed down with blooms. I must do some dead heading tomorrow. This is the best of the roses today:



















Finally, some more of the sweet peas are out, including this fabulous blood red one:







They are so fragrant.









Inside we measured bathroom floors and walls and Jim worked out how many more tiles we'd need. Quite a few! I watched Casualty and Jim made our dinner. Korma curry with naan bread, followed by some more of our strawberries and a small piece of carrot cake. Mmmmm.

My 2nd husband sent me a photo of our son Ben and his girlfriend Hayley in Puerto Banus, Marbella, where Ben runs a bar:

Oddly enough the tiles we are buying for the bathroom are called Marbella!

Now I'm really tired so I'm off to bed. I hope all my American friends are having a wonderful '4th of July'. We were singing the American anthem in the car in celebration!

20 comments:

Rachel Green said...

What a grand day out!
Love the lupins!

Bea said...

Cool lilies in the pond. Buster had a great day didn't he? LOVE THAT ROSE! Still cool here and the sun didn't come out at all. :(
Tomorrow, we are having a party hope the sun shines for us. Thanks again for sharing all your wonderful photos and good thing you found your camera! ACK :)Bea

Anonymous said...

Glad you two enjoyed the day out and about and what fortune that you found tile to match what you have. Thanks for all the pretty photos; so glad you did not lose your camera. I look forward every evening to "walking" thru your garden with you!!! I imagine Buster will sleep so well. Take care.

Arija said...

What a lovely garden you two have created! Mine since we have finally had rain is fence to fence knee high grass and weeds.

Congratulations on the wonderful new award from Ces!!!! I have one too and cherish it.

If you pop over I have one for you too.

marianne said...

Lovely trip!
Nice pictures, love the finds such as the shoes, the little bird I have never seen before.

Have a nice Sunday!

soulbrush said...

what a happy couple. yowser everything looks so dry now, like here. LOVE those shoes.

Heather said...

Glad you didn't lose your rucksack or we'd not have been able to enjoy your wonderful photos. I always think wagtails look as if they run on clockwork. Blackcurrant jam - Yummmmm!! Your garden must be looking so beautiful now - could that first flower be a type of Morning Glory? I love the way you have recycled the old shoes. Your son and his girlfriend make a lovely couple.

BT said...

Thanks, Rachel. Me too.

Hi Bea, Buster did enjoy himself! He hates the journeys though. Oh I do hope your party goes (is going) well. You must blog about it.

Hello Mildred, I'm so glad you enjoy my garden photos. Buster was quite tired! We were lucky with the tiles. The shade might vary a bit but if we mix them up it'll look intentional!

Hi Arija, oh dear, it sounds as though your garden needs the BT treatment!! But you're rather a long way away. Aren't we lucky to get Ces's award. Oh, another one for me? I'm coming.....

Marianne, wagtails are so cute, there is also a grey wagtail and it has streaks of yellow, it's very pretty. They do, as Heather says below, look like they run on clockwork!!

Thanks Soul, glad you like my old shoes. They used to leak but it doesn't matter now! Thanks re Ben and Hayley.

Hiya Heather, phew, I'm glad I found my camera and purse too. Panic! We have picked quite a few blackcurrants but it's just rained. I think it's stopped now so we can get back to it. I think you're right about the morning glory, as I said, it's some form of convolvulus, as is morning glory. Thanks re the shoes and my son and Hayley. They are lovely. Ben used to go out with her at school!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Lovely photographs BT - that rose is perfect. I also liked the photos of the old waterworks. Sounds like you had a good day. Thanks by the way for the correct spelling of fuchsia - yes it does look right like that!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What beautiful flowers and a fun day out. Those lupines are one of my favorites. I can't seem to grow them here. SIGH.. Your son is quite handsome.

HelenMWalters said...

Great photos - as ever!

BT said...

Hello Weaver, glad you liked the Waterworkd photos, it was quite a surprise finding it there. Sorry about the fuchsia, it just jumps out at me now, after Jim's lesson. lol.

Hello Lisa, we couldn't grow lupins before, this is the first time they've come up for a 2nd year. Perhaps they like rain and soggy bog! Thank you about Ben, I think so of course.

Thanks Helen

Renee said...

Ben is handsome just like his Mama.

BT I have 3 children and Josephine is my granddaughter.

xoxoxo

Renee said...

BT if you are still awake from reading all those posts, I wanted you to know I love the flowers especially that very blue one.

xoxoxo

Sherry Goodloe said...

Ooooh what a wonderful day you had on the 4th! Just LOVE those shoes that tell you which way the wind is blowing *smiles*. Better glue them down with some E6000! LOL

I hope you received my reply to your e-mail regarding the rubberstamps and leaf ribbon trim. I just need to know exactly what you want and to Ireland they will be heading this week :)

xo Sherry over in the U.S. of A.

DK said...

What a lovely full post.
Glad you didn't lose the camera!
Great to see Ben & Hayley again :-)
Rachel's dad was an RAC man; he had a delightful habit of throwing lupin seeds on the roadsides 'on the job' so to speak... so often the roadside Lupins you see are thanks to him! Isn't that a sweet story?

Stampmaiden said...

I could hear you singing! Great job!
OhmyGod...Fairy Hill, hazelnuts, sweet peas, a lovely rose...what heavenly sights!
Linda

Jason said...

Sounds a good trip out. Love the Rose & the fairy hill. Shoes are the best, be great when they flowering.

Nice pic of Ben and Hayley. I hear news of your next visit, good stuff!

xx

BT said...

Thanks Renee, he's a lovely boy/young man and Hayley is super too. I'm glad you like the flowers, the blue one looked lovely today.

Hi Sherry, glad you like the shoes!! lol. They make me laugh when I look at them. We sorted out my order at last!! Took some doing, didn't it? lol.

Hiya DK, I remember you telling me about Rachel's dad and his lupins!! I love them, especially growing wild! Glad you liked the post. Peter sent me the photo of Ben and Hayley.

Oh I sing a lot in my head Linda!! Happy that you liked my photos. xxx

Jim's just bookign my trip Jason. Woo hoo. Then it'll be September and our holiday, even bigger woo hoos. I'm really looking forward to it. Shoes are good, aren't they? You'll love my poppies on today's post.

Anonymous said...

Where did you get your night scented stock? I've run out of seeds, and it's kind of hard to find?