Hay Meadows and Harvesting

Last Saturday I went to Ravenstonedale near Kirkby Stephen. In the village stream there were masses of golden water buttercups, a delight too see. The leaf of the water buttercup is like a folded heart.

Glorious gold

Pleated hearts

The hay meadows I had come to see were at Kilnmire Farm on the outskirts of the village. They were available to view as part of the Farming Landscapes project. The meadow is cut mid July and is fed to the farm animals.

How many flowers and grasses can you see, you need to look closely

The dominant flowers appeared to be buttercups and red clover and as you looked they appeared though a haze created by the grasses.

A lovely contrast of colour

There are about 24 different types of grasses in the meadows

 
You needed to get down to the height of the meadow to appreciate the intricate number of flowers growing.

It was a rare delight to walk through the meadow

There was ragged robin.

Lovely spiky ragged robin

Tiny little eyebright.

Tiny white eyebright twinkling through the vegetation

Beautiful smooth Hawk's Beard. I love the stumpy serrated petals.

Look at the radiating petal formation

Sphagnum moss.

Used for flower arranging and Bear Grylls says you can squeeze it to get moisture from it. ( I think it needs to rain first)

A field barn on the edge of the meadow.

Limestone barn

Wild flowers always seem to compliment each other.

Delightful

Back in home I have been harvesting the first of my new potatoes that I have grown in a grow bag. The variety is Epicure and they taste delicious and retain their shape when boiled.

So tasty you could eat them like sweets

For my Sunday lunch all the vegetable were home grown.

Green cabbage, carrots, potatoes and spinach

I have started to pick the red and blackcurrants as they are just beginning to ripen.

Fiddly to pick but taste delicious

I have grown several varieties of nasturtium. They range in colour from dark red, oranges and milkmaid which is a creamy yellow.

I use the seeds as capers in my pickles

A marbled nasturtium

We have had some hot sunny days and whilst cloud gazing I saw a hole in the cloud. This reminded me of Spike Milligan's poem:
'There is a hole in the sky where the rain gets in, the hole in small that's why rain is thin.'

Holes of various sizes

My husband was given a present of a hot air balloon flight. Seeing the deflated balloon in a trailer and then seeing it inflate was fascinating.

The balloon basket containing the balloon

Unravelling the balloon

A giant chocolate orange 

Ready to launch

The judging is today for Cumbria in Bloom so I will be in the Artful Garden this morning. I have made some more artwork to celebrate the event which will be on next week's blog. 

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