Saturday

I woke up rather early today as the dog needed to go out which set Henry off, and despite listening to a few Farming Today podcasts about TB in badgers, ragwort, and the East Anglian pea harvest, I didn't manage to drop back off to sleep.

Anyway I haven't blogged for a few days as it's been a bit of a case of bees, studying and fielding arguments between the children but today was fun. Ma and Pa came over and took the children out for a bike ride and I went for lunch with Charles at the Rose Cottage (which has a no children under 10 policy...it's one of our favourites!) and we went and sat up at Bo Peep bostal and admired just how bloomin' beautiful Sussex is in the summer. He also bought me a book of ice creams and lolly recipes, yum. Came back to find Maud hiding behind the greenhouse having been savaged by Henry, horrible cockerel }:-( but after some wound powder on the gash over her eye and some TLC from Amber, she seemed to be ok, if a bit shocked. I hope she's ok tonight...

Then this evening Nicky came round bearing gifts! Of homemade elderflower jam and strawberry jam, courgette and Brussels sprout plants, and pressies in the form of her hand made soap, and knitting needles and nice wool. We then spent a very happy couple of hours knitting (me) and crocheting (Nicky) interspersed with cups of tea and aforementioned jam on my home made bread. How lovely. I am knitting a wooden coathanger cover and Nick was trying to work out how to crochet but doing a very convincing job! We both would like to make these among other things, but I can see the Winterton houseshold enjoying unbruised apples well ahead of us.

My knitting

Roses and sweet peas from my garden

Amber with a maybug

The maybug

My hollyhocks...thought they'd be dark red, oops