Pumpkin Party 2012

Well we actually had some lovely sun shine here on the Island this weekend, it was the annual walking festival "Walk the Wight" and there were quite a few pink people at work this morning who obviously didn't apply their cream, but well done to them all.
I had a lovely weekend, not only had the sun finally come out but my friend Sarah had a little baby girl who she has named Summer Rose, Congratulations Sarah, I can't wait to have a cuddle!
This good news was followed by us going to the first of our pumpkin parties of the year. This has become somewhat of a tradition where we go to our lovely friends Mark & Jules who host parties in both May and October. The May evening consists of everyone paying ten pounds and drawing a number out of the hat, the number corresponds to a selection of giant pumpkin and onions plants. In October we all meet back up and do the weigh in when the growers of the largest pumpkin and onion wins the pot of cash. Here are our little beauties:

 Unfortunately we were all a little worse for wear in the mini bus on the way home, I was carefully holding our plants in a carrier bag in the aisle when my friend and fellow competitor fell off her seat and squashed our onions, which is why their leaves are all bent over, I personally think it was an elaborate attempt at sabotage. Anyway we have a nice little spot ready for the pumpkins, with plenty of manure dug in and then they will be fed on compost tea!!! We are hoping to regain our title this year as we are not the reigning champions, but we do hold the record at 124lbs with this monster!

I also done loads of digging and pricking out yesterday and the plot is looking lovely, we are still feasting on purple sprouting broccolli and have started picking rhubarb and asparagus, which is our favorite sprinkled with garlic and chilli and then griddled, delicious! Luckily our neighbor keeps giving us her spare.

Just wanted to finish by sharing this gorgeous view of Samuel running on the downs yesterday. This is looking out over Sandown and Yaverland.

Thanks for reading

Hayley

Baby Worms!!!

Ok, not every post is going to be about worms, I promise, it's just that my boy's happen to really like like worms and this week has been one of a lot of worm activity. Finley likes worms so much that he had a wormery for his birthday, since then we have been nurturing 50 worm eggs, for those of you who have never seen worm eggs here is a pic:

Sorry this is not the best photo in the world but they were quite hard to capture. They are slightly smaller than an apple pip and you can just about see the worm in the egg when you shine a light on them. After several weeks off waiting we had 4 hatch last night and another was pushing it's way out of its egg. We then had to transport the smallest worms in the world into the ready and waiting soil, today we will  be feeding them a granual based food which arrived with them. I will keep you posted on the worm's progress.

We are off to the first of our annual pumpkin party's tonight, I will explain more tomorrow.

Thanks for reading

Hayley

Wellies, Worms & Wall Art

Where did the Sunshine go again today, whilst I didn't venture down to the plot in the awful weather Sam followed his Dad down in his wellies and bought me another present, for those of you who do not like snakes (or lizards without legs) look away now!

He loved this "golden one" so much he was kissing it! it took some time to talk him into to taking it back where it belonged.

With work, shopping and DIY today there was no time for crafting again, however here is a project I made a few weeks ago, which is now hanging in my newly (almost finished) hallway.

I made this again with the sale-a-bration DSP, the daisies and scallop circle die, notice a little bit of a theme of my favourite SU! products. Its finished off using the "hope & strength" and "notably ornate" stamp sets. I had to buy the Hope set as my initials are HH and I think the butterfly is gorg!

Hope you like it.

Sushine and Slow Worms!

As the sun was out today, finally! it was straight down to the plot after the school run, whilst I was trying to get runners in and do a bit of weeding Sam (my youngest) was on his normal mission to find slow worms, which he succeeded in! He either always picks the dopey half dead ones or he is the slow worm whisperer of the isle of wight. He has been making them homes and feeding them slugs and when he goes back sometimes a few days later they are still there, he really seems to charm them.

I didn't take this one today, but here is a picky of my plot taken last week. I am glad it is zoomed out it looks like there are no weeds lol.

As you can see it is still quite sparse due to the lack of Sun, so much for the islands sub tropical climate! My fingers are now crossed that we do not get a frost or the runners will be gonners!

Needless to say there was no time for crafting today, but here is a card I made a couple of days ago, it was Finley's birthday at the end of April and I made a small bundle of these for him to write thanks.

I made this one with all SU! products. "Crumb Cake' and "old Olive" cardstock some of the retired sale-a-bration DSP and the daisies 2 die. The 'thank you' stamp in old olive is from one of the old hostess sets, "because I care", which has the lovely hyrdangia  in it. I am really pleased with these little cards and I am still in love with the daisies die, which as my friend pointed out the other day they are turning into my signature as they end up on a lot of my cards.

See you soon

Hx