Roses are Blooming

Another week of hot weather until Wednesday when we had our first rain for several weeks. This should really encourage the plants to grow as the soil has got very dry.

The countryside in Cumbria is very beautiful. This is the view looking towards Garrigill near Alston.

Moors have their own beauty

Hills and valleys

Can you see the track over the moor?

In St Augustine's church in Alston is a clock brought from Dilston Hall the home of the Earl of Derwentwater as a gift to the Greenwich Hospital in 1767. The clock originates from the 16 century and it only has one hand.

Amazing and it keeps accurate time

The mock orange is heavily laden with blossom and has a lovely perfume.

A shower of flowers

The roses are at their peak and there are some stunning colours.

Apricot and pink

Pure white

Buttercup yellow, cream and pink hues

Can you see the bumble bee?

The clematis are also coming into bloom.

This clematis is at the entrance to the Artful Garden

On the wall on the opposite side of the entrance

Large blooms for a small plant

Harvesting has now begun. This is the first full sized carrot I have picked from my grow bag.

Taste is all

I have made some strawberry jam from bought strawberries as I dismantled the former strawberry bed to make room for the runner beans.

Yummy jam

The elderflower is all in bloom. I have made several batches of elderflower cordial. I have tried different recipes and this is the one I prefer.

Delicate elderflower cordial

Elderflower cordial

Gather about 20 fresh white elderflower heads on a sunny morning when they are at their best. This is not an exact science as the size of the flower heads vary. Shake the flower heads to remove any bugs. Pull the flower blooms off the stems and put in a bowl. The more of the stems you can discard the better.

1 litre of boiling water
2 lemons zest and juice
6oz granulated sugar

Pour the boiling water into a bowl add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the lemon zest and juice and the flower heads.

Cover the bowl and leave to stand 1 - 2 days stirring morning and night.

Strain the cordial through muslin and decant into sterilised bottles.

Dilute to taste.


The Bottle Boys are not happy.Their recent tanning experience was not positive and now their hair extensions have gone astray. Some still have a few bald gaps which are not flattering. until they get some hair restorer they are keeping a low profile.

Anyone got a bottle of hair restorer or know Wayne Rooney's hairdresser?

Showtime

Last Saturday I visited the Cumberland Show in Carlisle. There were some beautiful Clydesdale horses on show. The manes and tails are decorated differently depending if they come from Scotland or England.

Ribbon plaited mane

The English tails are plaited and the Scottish tails are cut

The owners put talcum powder on the horses feathered feet and as the horse walks there is a shower of white dust.

Known as gentle giants

A rare sight

No messing with this bull.

Big and beefy Simmental

Pretty Jersey with big eyes.

Jersey calf

Shepherds crooks on show.

Crook heads made of wood or horn

An enormous modern tractor.

Huge wheels

An old tractor.

Vintage tractor

History of the tractor

In the craft tent there are various children's competitions. The decorated spoon.

I love the Gru character from Despicable Me

Vegetable art.

Oh la la Mr Butternut squash

Flower heads floating in a vase.

Dainty arrangement

Walking around the show was a man on stilts. The ground was very uneven.

Sooo tall

This cow produces dairy ice cream.

What is it's milk yield?

It was Appleby horse fair the week before last and there were a lot of round top caravans making there way back across Hartside.

These caravans are always beautifully decorated

The delphiniums are all in flower. They come in many shades and hues.

Pale blue

Gentle blue

Mauve

Royal blue

I have started to harvest mini cucumbers.

We are picking several cucumbers each day

I am going to make elderflower cordial from flower heads, lemon, water and sugar.

Delicate lace like elderflower

Bobby Barley is very excited about the world cup. A friend bought him a new hat.

Go England

Boozie Floosie has been in rehab but I am not sure how successful that has been. She is still clutching a bunch of grapes and rumour has it that she lost her wine glass in a drunken revelry at the local pub.

Love the orange shoes such bad taste

Bee Happy

A week of sunny days rain and long hours gardening. Nothing is more pleasurable as you are working than watching the blackbirds and thrushes hop around the garden searching for food or calling to each other, or the swallows dipping and diving over the farm buildings. The bees are all busy collecting pollen from the flowers and there is a steady buzz in the air.
The other day there was a rainbow in between the showers.

A rainbow only last for a short time as the colours enhance then fade.

The farmers are again cutting silage and in this field the grass has been turned before baling.

Fields like corduroy

This allium I had labelled 'mystery tulip bulb'.

A globe of spiky stars

The irises are an acid yellow.

Vivid yellows

There is a lovely perfume in the evening from the honeysuckle and the elderflower.

The perfume is the strongest early morning and late evening

White elderflower

Pink elderflower with mahogany leaves

I will soon be picking the elderflowers to make elderflower cordial.

Delicate white elderflower

The chives are now in flower.

Purple pom poms

Dainty dog roses are appearing in the hedgerows.

Fragile beauty

A milky pink daisy.

Daisies come in many colours

My pottery houses blend in well with the flowers.

Houses and flowers

The Artful Garden had some visitors this week who were just passing by. As soon as Lotta Bottle found out that the lady was a dance teacher she could not wait to tell her that she had been the prima ballerina with the Ballet Awful dance company. That is why she still wears her tutu but lately she has worn a tu x tu as it can be cold at night time. Have you seen her garter?

Was she given the bouquet for her dancing?

Some of the Bottle boys have returned to the Artful Garden sporting new hairstyles and hats.They had been to a tanning salon to top up their tans but unfortunately the result was not tanfastic.

Dapper and cool

Charlie Barley is so proud as he has a new overall which is far more comfortable than the old one. He has removed his yellow cape so he can now show off his physique.

Nice fit Charlie

Bobby Barley is ecstatic as he has been given and England football.

World cup here I come

Two of the Wirey Piper birds have just flown in. Their stork like legs are proving problematic and they keep having to have new splints applied.

Caught on a branch