Tour of Britain

I have been giving various garden tours this week and also preparing and setting up my Tour of Britain display. It passes through Kirkoswald on Monday morning 5 September.

This is DuoRecycleo who is now wearing Tour of Britain colours. 

Yellow jersey first class

I am hoping to cycle to the roadside to park my bike

I have also made cycle jersey bunting.

Mellow yellow

I am harvesting  a lot of runner beans which I have made into Runner Bean Pickle.

Pick a pickle

I had a trip to Whitby this week. The harbour is very picturesque.

Old houses

Former fisherman's cottages

There is a sandy beach and some lovely rock formations.

Some of the rocks are very unstable

This 1937 bus was giving tours.

All aboard

Steady as you go

Rubarb lookalike leaves growing in the verges.

Rubarb, rubarb, rubarb, not

On our return there was a superb sunset.

Amazing colour hues

Sun and Sheds

The weather has been gloriously hot all this week so I decided to paint the allotment shed. I have since then decorated it.

These are two herb wreaths I have made for the shed.

A rosemary base, achillea, tansy, bistort and hyssop

A rosemary base, tansy and hyssop

I am harvesting vegetables and picked 25 sweetcorn some of which we have frozen.

The runner beans are now producing a steady supply as are the french beans and broad beans.

The damson plums are not far from being ripe so are the Victoria plums.

Brassicas in the fields will soon be harvested.

Animal feed

The wild flowers have come into their own. The poppies open and close according to the sunshine.

Poppy power

The comfrey attracts the bees.

Comfrey and chamomile

The pumpkins are getting huge and the warm weather helps them swell. They are suffering from mildew so I have removed a lot of the leaves.

How big will they grow?

In the hedgerows are wild scabiosa.

Scabiosa pincushions

Purple vetch.

Tendrils twisting and twining

I saw these puppets at Upfront Gallery.

Brush head

Dainty ballerina

A view from Hartside looking over towards the Solway.

Deep valleys

This is the latest picture I have made for the Alston Art show.

Housey housey

May the Forces be with You

Last week I had a trip to see both Low and High Force in Teesdale. The journey from Alston is superb full of natural beauty.

Steep and bleak valleys and beautiful panoramas

Bowless is where you start the walk from Low Force to High Force, walking alongside the river. The Low Force waterfall is popular with young people practicing their water skills.

Splash

The river water tumbles down stream

These sheep are near the start of the walk.

Can you see the inscription?

Harebells in the verge. In Scotland they are known as Scottish bluebells.

Dainty blue bells

A perfect toadstool.

A classic toadstool shape

Look at the rock structure.

Limestone rocks resemble bricks

A badger sett.

No sign of the badger, only footprints

Bog asphodel is very dangerous to farm animals and can cause deformities in newborn lambs.

Beware

The juniper berries are waiting to ripen.

An abundance of berries

The water gains pace as you approach High Force.

Steep rocks

Eddying water

Very steep rocks as you approach High Force

A strange liquid on the path.

A metallic looking liquid 

Thistles in many shapes and sizes on the bankside.

Pin cushion thistles

I spotted this ant hill.

The ants were scurrying about

High Force suddenly appears and is very dramatic.

Go with the flow

Making hay whilst the sun shines. 

Unfortunately it started to rain

This shopping trolley was in Penrith.

A shopping trolley, suitcases and a shopping bag

I have been making Hot Tomato Relish using my homegrown onions and chilies that are extremely hot.

Fiery hot chilies

The preserving pan with the ingredients 

Bottled relish

HappyHarvesting

We are now self sufficient in fruit and vegetables. We have a regular supply of our own potatoes, both french and runner beans, carrots, celery, kale, cabbage, garlic, onions, shallots, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, small turnips and  sweetcorn. We have one sweetcorn plant that we grew in the greenhouse which we harvested yesterday. It was 25 cm long, very sweet and delicious. I have about 21 cobs that will be ready soon. This is the first year that I have grown sweetcorn so I am very pleased that it has been so successful.

My prize sweetcorn and homegrown carrots

Last Saturday I went to see 'Yarns in the Yards' at Kendal. This was a series of 15 min plays performed by Kendal Community Theatre in the many yards in Kendal. It was supported with artwork from the local schools. It was an excellent event full of inspiration and enthusiasm.

One of the yards.

Narrow alleyways lead to the yards

Portraits of Alfred Wainwright.

I love the naive illustrations

Felt houses of buildings in Kendal.

Knitted and felted

How many buildings do you recognise?

Felt herbs.

Some of these herbs were used for dyeing which took place in the yards

I loved this wicker shoe.

One two where's the other shoe?

This was made by secondary school pupils from plaster of Paris.

Very effective

A street performer.

If you donated money she moved

The cardoon in the Artful Garden has now come into flower.

It is like a giant thistle

This lovely purple flower is a perennial which I dry each year.

They close at night

One of my pottery houses amongst the Japanese anemones.

Birds and flowers

Home grown fruit.

Blackcurrants, red currants and blackberries

Richmond in North Yorkshire is a beautiful town.

This interesting building is being restored

A view from the castle walls

This looks continental.

A gothic framed view

I love these steps.

What is at the top of the stairs?

The town hall.

Look at the coat of arms

I found this plant pot woman in Appleby.

Hello there