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

Plants a Plenty

I have had a busy week planting up all my bedding plants in both my home and the Artful Garden. They are now almost all planted in either flowerbeds or plant pots.

Trays of bedding plants ready to go

I spent the weekend in the Artful Garden planting out the runner beans and leeks. To make space for the beans I have had to remove my strawberry bed. I gave the plants to a friend for her to enjoy.

Where is Jack?

Leeks in the foreground onions behind

I have planted marigolds next to the broad beans to encourage pollination.

A row of white marigolds

The potatoes I am growing in a grow bag at home are looking very healthy.

I hope the potatoes are as healthy as the foilage

I have taken the net off the peas and made a lattice structure to support them.

The string reminds me of a cats's cradle

The red currant bush had fruit forming.

Green friuit that will ripen when they become red jewels

The gooseberries are starting to ripen.

They will soon be ripe enough to make gooseberry jam

Damsons are beginning to swell but are still very green.

Sunny days will ripen the plums

Farmers were very busy over the weekend making silage whilst the sun shone.

Grass drying in rows in the field before being baled

There are some stunning flowers in bloom. The delphiniums look very majestic.

A lovely powdery blue

Look at the layers of petals that form the flower

Daisies of all sizes are in flower. The simplicity of the daisy structure is so 
delightful.

Wild flowers

Daisies on the railway bank 

I have grown foxgloves from seed but they will not flower until next year. I have some lovely colours in the back flower bed. I have moved the wild pink foxgloves to the wall along the road of the Artful Garden.

Foxgloves in pastel shades

I have had to dig up all the forgetmenots and have now planted the path edge with hostas, nasturtiums and sweet peas.

I am hoping for a colourful display

The richness of this lupin.

Deep purple 

I have also grown aquilega from seed which will flower next year.

Dainty aquilega next to the summerhouse

Bobby Barley has decided to support the world cup. You will see him in the garden waving his England flag. He is gutted that someone has taken his football and he hopes he will get a new one soon.

Love the wig you cool dude

Looby Loo has had a makeover. She has decided to go on a healthy diet so you will see she has fruit in her basket.

Looby Loo looking pensive, maybe it is the idea of her new fruit diet

Look at the bunting

Lotta Bottle was delighted to find that her photo was 'highly commended' in the Kirkoswald village photographic competition. Charley Barely was also featured but he is keeping a low profile.

Lotta says check out my photo in Ravenbridge Stores in Kirkoswald. I can autograph a copy for you.