May...ing

It is my favourite month of the year where everything bursts into blossom with the added bonus of the most vivid GREEN! Here is a little round up of May so far, it is jam packed...

Spotting - blossom of all kinds: pale pink, white, deep red, bright cerise. Just beautiful.

Picking - the last of my daffodils before deadheading the rest to make way for the tulips. I also rustled up a new set of table napkins.

Introducing - my children to tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce. They loved it which we drank with a scampi salad one evening when bloke was on night shifts. This is our idea of a 'girly' sharing dinner.

Walking - to the top of the Caradoc which is the hill we see from our kitchen window on the left. We tried to see our home from the top but we located the hamlet, but not quite our house!

Meeting - up with our favourite friends outdoors. It was wonderful to see the girls just slot back into conversation with their pals while Mary and I did the same chatting about yarn and family and sewing.

Cussing - myself for not doing a toile of my new pietra pants pattern. I spent a lot of money on this fabric and I was so cross with myself for not measuring the crotch seam pattern pieces and realising I should have taken out at least 2 inches. What is worse is, I already know this body modification from another trouser pattern. Bum! Anyway, they have been gifted to my friend who was delighted. Back to the cutting table with this one.

Teaching - a session on how to apply a neckband to stretch garments for Minerva. Heidi had a 'Billie top' to showcase a sweatshirt and cuffing combo that comes in 68 different colours!

Growing - a salad trough. Heidi has started her Duke of Edinburgh bronze award and for the skills section she is trying to grow salad vegetables in succession. Meg has the other trough. There may be some competition involved.

Finally making - preserved lemons. I love eating them but they are so expensive in the shops. It was a surprise to find the recipe was simply salt and lemons packed tightly in a jar for 30 days. I found out all too quickly how many little cuts I had on my fingers.

Admiring - the door wreath Heidi made by re-kindling her love of crochet. She made the whole thing on her own. 

Watching - as the new bulbs we put in before Christmas put on their show. They are from Farmer Gracy but I always lower my expectations by about 50% when I buy plants from a catalogue/online because the pictures are often a bit enhanced whereas these tulips have exceeded all expectations. This one is stunning called Orange princess and has been changing for over a week now. I have ordered more things too and have been impressed with everything.

Enjoying - the general bloom of May in nature.

Baking - a lemon cake with cream and strawberries.

Waiting - patiently for my second haircut in 14 months. I decided I liked it long but not the dead on the ends. Feels sooooo much nicer now.

Booking - the dog in for a well needed chop too.

Getting - three hens. Megan is all over them running to the coop every day after school. We had chickens at our old house for a while and then had to give them up when we were snowed under with building our house. I always promised we would have them again.

Collecting - the best eggs ever.

Staring - at the evening views. This one is from Heidi's room. Seriously, no filter.

Raining - like cats and dogs on Bank holiday Monday, then we were all rushing and shouting each other to see the rainbow. 

Thanks for dropping in. Jo xxx