Almost the end of August. Making the most of the last Summer days and the benefits of the season.
The rudbeckias are glowing, fuchsias are gracefully showing their frilly petals, the asters are beginning to open their lovely daisy flowers and the veronicas have pretty spikes of pink and mauve.
It’s good to see the wildlife thriving in the garden. Grasshoppers are abundant this year. One obligingly posed for me on the polytunnel door.
I think the bluetits have been busy on the poppy seed heads. Occasionally I see them gripping a stem and pecking holes to reach the seeds. I discovered some seedheads with completely stripped tops. Just delicate skeletons remained where the seed capsules had been. So lovely to see.
The cooking apples are ready for harvesting. Best done on a dry day so that the perfect ones can be stored for winter use. I used to wrap them in newspaper but I discovered it’s easier to spot any spoiled ones if they’re left bare. For years I kept them successfully in our frost-free shed but during the last two winters mice and then rats found them. They managed to get in and caused problems. Fingers crossed for this year! It’s good to have fresh apples to use during the cold months.
The remaining two squashes still growing on the plants had their stems nibbled by snails. The stem needs to be left on for storage so this was a problem. I found two “popsox” and used them to enclose the squashes and their stems. Snugly wrapped but able to expand they should be fine now and will be ready for harvesting soon.
My little bell peppers are red and ready to use. A bit of a funny shape but that doesn’t matter. They’ve been grown naturally and are full of goodness and flavour. The chillies are ready as well. Not very hot but that’s fine for us.
It’s funny how little coincidences happen in life. There is a Facebook group for my old school and people were reminiscing about a sewing project we did in our first year. It was a small felt book made to keep needles in. I knew I had mine but wasn’t sure where. When I decided to photograph some of my boxes for the blog, I opened my old sewing box and there it was. A bit shabby now but it’s sixty-four years old! Not surprising really. Here are my photos of it.
I have several boxes. Some are made of wood, simple classic box-shaped or round and lidded . Others are metal and a bit more elaborate. A few are made of pottery. Some of my boxes were crafted by my husband so have special significance.
Little treasures live in them and it’s lovely to find them again when the boxes are opened.
Interesting bits live in a few. This one has a seahorse skeleton and a shark tooth with some pretty shells.
Another contains a tiny musical movement which plays Brahms lullaby. Reminds me of my sisters singing me to sleep when I was very young.
Pottery ones made by my husband are small but beautiful.
These old and well-loved objects are what make a house a home. They make a certain amount of clutter and housework but I wouldn’t be without them. Every home is unique and reflects the owner’s personality. At least, that’s how it seems to me. I’m a creative type of person so I gather things which are either useful or beautiful. Habits of a lifetime!
That’s all for this week. I hope you enjoy the last few days of Summer and the beginning of September with it’s fruity and earthy fragrances. With you again soon. Bye for now.
Living a contented creative life. 