May In Pictures

Lucy 'In the sky' May 2011 

Granny Stripe Owl - Pattern Free Download

Granny Stripe Owl Pattern - Free Pattern

Materials: Stylecraft ‘Special’ Double knit.

Colours:

Col 1: Border colour, wings and tail.

Col 2 and 3:  for body

Col 4: for the beak

Col 5:  Eye centre.

Col 6: Eye outer colour

2 buttons for eyes.

Hook Size:  4.5mm

Abbreviations:

Chain - ch

Double Crochet – dc

Treble Crochet – tr

Single Crochet – sc

The main body of the owl is worked in treble clusters.

Instructions:

Base of Tail:

With Col 1:

Make 6ch,  

In 2^nd ch from hk make a 3 trbcl, *5 ch, sk 1 ch. 3trbcl into next chain, Rep from * once more. Do not fasten off.

Body:

Turn work upside down. Work as follows into the unused loops of the beginning chain.

Row 1:             With Col 2, ch 1, 2 dc into 1^st lp, 1 dc into next lp, 3 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next lp, and 2 dc in last loop. (9dc). Turn.

Row 2:            Beg trbcl into 1^st dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next dc. Rep from * to end. ( 5 trbcl including beg trbcl.) Change colour on the last stroke of the trbcl to alternate colour of body. Turn.

Row 3:            Ch3, * trbcl into 1 ch space, ch 1. Rep from * three more times, 1 tr into top of last trbcl from Row 2. ( 4 trcl). Change colour on the last stroke of the tr. Turn.

Row 4:            Beg trbcl into tr,  * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next 1 ch sp. Rep from * twice more, ch 1, trbcl into 3ch space. ( 5 trbcl including beg trbcl.) Change colour on the last stroke of the trbcl to alternate colour of body. Turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4  four more times. (11 rows of clusters)

Border

Row 1:          With Col1 – from tail, make 1 dc evenly around the body of the owl, making two dc in each corner to ease, 1 dc in each of the chains in tail. It is important to keep the dcs evenly as you should be able to get two dc’s in each of the sides of the trbcl rows.

Join to first dc with sl st.

Row 2:            In this row you will make the ears.

Ch 1, 1 dc into same space as joining, 1 dc into each dc from prev round, making 2 dc in each corner dc. Continue until you reach the stitch just before the corner of the ear, and work as follows: ch, 1 trbcl into dc, 2 ch, 1 trbcl into same dc, ch 1, continue with dc until the next ear.

Continue round, and joining with sl st into first dc. Fasten off.

Wings:

In Colour 1, join col into dc in line with base of third row of body and work as follows:

Row 1:             Work 1 beg trb cl into 1 dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next dc. Rep from * twice more. (4 trb cl including beg trbcl.) Turn.

Row 2:            Work 1 beg trbcl into 1^st trb cl, *ch 5, 1 trcl into 1 ch space. Rep from * twice more, 5 ch, 1trbcl into last trb cluster. Fasten off.

 Repeat for other side of Owl being careful to match alignment of wing.

Eyes:

Make two the same:

With colour no 6, Chain 5, join with sl st to form a ring.

Row 1:             Make Make 9 dc into ring. Join with sl st to first dc, changing colour in the sl st.

Row 2:            Ch1, 1 dc into same ch as joining, * 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 2 dc, Rep from * once more, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into last dc. Join with sl st to first dc.

Row 3:            Ch1, 1 dc into same ch as joining, * 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 3 dc, Rep from * once more, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 2 dc. Join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off.

 Beak:

Make 7 ch.

Row 1:             1 dc into 2^nd chain from hook, 1 dc into each ch to end. (6 dc) Turn.

Row 2              Ch 1 (counts as a dc), skip next dc, 1 dc into each dc to end) (5 dc).

Repeat Row 2, decreasing 1 st on each row until only 1 st remains.

Fasten off.

Making up:

Sew in all ends.

Sew on the eyes and the beak positioning as per the picture.

Make Ear tufts using weaving in ends made into little tassels and sewing

to the front of the ears.

Block carefully under steam paying attention to the wings and tail. Pin out if necessary. 

Crocheted Granny Stripe Owl

I have recently been admiring 'Owls'.  I have been noticing knitted owls, crocheted owls, some beautiful fabric owls and applique owls.  I have bought Greetings cards and wrapping paper with adorable 'Owl' designs.  I am not sure what style you would call them.  'Folk Owls?'  'Arts and Crafts Owls?'  'You Catch My Drift Owls?'  I wanted to make a 'Crocheted Granny Stripe Owl'.  This is my second attempt.  I whipped  her up this morning.  It is amazing how much mess one little owl can make, I have yarn ends and buttons all over the place.  I do think she is rather cute though.  I tried to write the 'pattern' as I went along so will attempt to post that later.

  

Blue Cheese Scones

I have blogged recipes for:
Lemonade-scones,  Ginger-beer Scones,  Cheese Scones and Cheese-and-Beer Scones.  I thought I had pretty much done 'The Scone' thing for a while, until I blogged my recipe for Pear-and-Vanilla-Butter.  It was suggested it would be delicious spread on 'Blue Cheese Scones'.  I have never heard of Blue Cheese scones so I went back to the Lemonade Scone recipe and adapted it to use Soda Water and  some creamy, crumbly Blue Shropshire Cheese.  So much easier and quicker than rubbing the butter and flour together and you get a lovely light textured scone.  I chose Blue Shropshire cheese over Stilton as Blue Shropshire has a wonderful golden colour.  They were easy peasy to make and I have just indulged with with some butter and Pear and Vanilla Butter.  What a great taste combination.

 
Ingredients
350g of Self Raising Flour
170ml of Soda Water
170ml of Double Cream
200g of Blue Shropshire Cheese, grated
Salt to taste

Method
Put the flour, salt and cheese (save some of the cheese for sprinkling on top of the scones) into a large bowl.  Mix the cream and the soda water together then add it to the flour and cheese mixture.  Mix quickly and lightly to make a soft sticky dough.  Turn the dough out onto a floured board.  Press the mixture out to about 2cm thick and cut into scones.  Place on a tin covered with baking parchment.  Sprinkle the scones with the remaining cheese and bake in a medium hot oven for 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
(They smell fantastic while they bake and are delicious warm).

My First Blog Award

I do not really understand Blog Awards but I do know it is a kind gesture and it was nice to receive my first one from 'Bunny Mummy' .  Bunny Mummy's blog is a very pretty place to go with lots of beautiful crochet work.  Thank you for nominating me.  I think as part of this award I need to tell you 10 spectacular things about myself that you would not already know,  hmmm.  Here goes then:
 
1)     My home town was the home town of Led Zeppelin's Drummer John Bonham.  (I think that is cool).

2)     My favourite Film is 'Educating Rita'.  ( It makes me cry!)

3)     I have Kissed John Taylor from Duran Duran!  (I was about twelve and kissed him on the cheek.  He is the one in the middle.  How dapper did they look!)

4)     I have got my name in the acknowledgements section of a book.
        (The book is about 'Glastonbury Festival').

5)     I have eaten lunch at the top of the CN tower.

6)     I have also been to the Grand Canyon in thick thick fog!

7)     I saw Bill Clinton Jogging in Washington DC with all of his security, he was jogging I most definitely   wasn't, I have also been in 'The Whitehouse'. ( That's two but they are kind of connected and they are all pretty lame so I will throw in one extra for free.  lol)

8)     At school I was a prefect and in the choir!

9)      I have won three separate prizes for cooking or recipes in my lifetime.

10)    I can impersonate 'Olive Oyl' from Popeye ( I can also do an impersonation of 'Tweetie Pie').

  Shame I can't show you really beause you would see how talented I am!

I would like to give this award to the following Blogs they belong to my blog buddies near and far
You are the bestest blog buddies a girl could wish for:

Teresa Kasner  This site is like popping round to a friends for a natter, sharing daily life, craft, gardening and a busy family life with beautiful photographs.  I love the two way communication with Teresa.

Tickety-boo  This site has a range of quality craft posts, crochet, knitting, felting, button making and stain glass design, it is written in a fun, down to earth style by a busy Mom with great ideas and a brilliant outlook on life.

Mimis Mommy  Life as a busy Mom in India, this site is a joy.

ChalkyGilbert.blogspot.com  This site gives you the feel good factor, so many nice projects often for other people, very inspiriational and uplifting. 

Sheep, Spinach and Strawberries  I always look forward to the posts on this site, the recipes are practical and tasty with a touch of the exotic.  The photographs are always fantastic too.  I particularly love the sheep.

Lally Lou-Lou  This site is always a pleasure to pop in to, lots of crafting and gardening eye candy from another busy Mom.

Eggbird Designs  This site is great.  The Design ideas are fantastic and innovative it is a very upbeat place to visit.

Tatknitcat.blogspot.com  I love this site, it is updated regularly with a wide range of crafts completed to an exceptionally high standard.  I also enjoy the Garden photographs and cute cat photographs.

Bobby la  Robyne is incredibly talented in Needlework,knitting and more.  This is a very inspirational site and it is written with great humour and humility.

Scratch and Peck  The true adventures of a small flock of hens and 'some other critters', written by a talented illustrator.  This blog makes me laugh.  The illustrated stories are a joy.  I have recently really enjoyed 'Where's Marky?'

Saggy Bottom - Advice Needed Please

This is one of my current 'Work in Progress' projects.  An Attic 24 style Crochet Bag.  It is very colourful and will be perfect for 'Summer Glamping'.  There is just one problem, it has a rather saggy bottom.  Do you think this will sort itself out?  If you have ever made one or something similar I would be grateful for some advice/reassurance.  I intend to use cotton to line it when it is finished but I think the bottom may sag away from the lining.  I cannot possibly go Glamping with a saggy bottom.  Your advice would be appreciated thank you. 

Rice that is Twice as Nice...

I am trying very hard to waste less food and to be increasingly thrifty.  It is quite a challenge when you are busy and unable or unwilling to shop frequently during the week.  I generally shop only once a week and maybe pop out for extras a couple of times a week.  This week I made a Sweet Potato, Chicken, Spinach and Coconut Curry in the slowpot.  It was delicious to come home to after a day at work.  I cooked Basmati Rice to go with it and I always struggle getting the quantity of rice right and made enough to feed the street.  Usually this gets thrown away!  Very bad.   I have a large dog but she has severe food intolerances and cannot have any kitchen scraps, she is even intolerant to chicken and rice.  I have discovered the chickens love cooked rice and get very excited when I sprinkle it into their run, there is only so much they can eat though.   The above 'dish' was my Dad's Signature Dish in the seventies ( he also makes great 'Eggy Bread').  My version isn't exactly the same as my Dads but it is pretty close.  It is a simple 'Rice Salad'.  It is rice, grated carrot and sultanas with a dressing of vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and mustard, (shaken together in a jar and poured over the rice).  We used to enjoy this as part of a cold buffet,  I had it for tea and it was very tasty.  I am feeling pleased with myself in a frugal sort of way.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest

Photograph by Sergey Yeliseev (available under a Creative Commons Licence)

"The Cuckoo comes in April, sings his song in May, changes his tune in the month of June, and then he flies away".

"The humble British cuckoo has been added to the ‘Red List’ of the UK’s most threatened birds. Numbers of the famous singing bird have dropped by 59 per cent since the 1960s, with only 10,000-20,000 breeding pairs migrating from Africa.
Experts predict the drop in the number of caterpillars could be partly to blame for the near-extinction of the cuckoo, as the bird relies on these for its food. The Red List aims to highlight the birds most in need of conservation measures."  (Virgin Media)

I have heard a cuckoo only four or five times during my life.   On Tuesday I went with a group of children to a Worcestershire Wildlife Reserve again.  On arrival we heard the Cuckoo almost straight away, he was calling his little heart out.  I did not expect to see him.  One of the children spotted him through binoculars and managed to point him out to me.  It was sitting at the top of a Hawthorn tree, throwing his head back and calling like crazy trying to find a mate.  We had him in our sight for over ten minutes and when one of the children made a 'Cuckoo' call he actually flew closer.  The reserve is a perfect habitat for Cuckoos as there are nesting Reed Warblers.  The Cuckoo empties the nests of smaller species of  bird such as warblers, lays its eggs and leaves their chicks to be reared by the exhausted 'Foster Parent' smaller birds.  Again it was nice to see the children on task and fascinated by the wildlife.  We also saw Ducklings, Coot chicks and a Little Grebe.  The 'Prima Ballerina' from last week was the one to spot and call the Cuckoo this week, he also made me laugh when we got off the bus back at school, he was quite cross as another child bumped into him, so he said in a Macho voice 'Oi, watch my 'Forget me nots' will ya!'   He had picked a small sample of wild 'Forget me nots' to add to our display and was guarding them safely.  I am sure we will all remember trips like these.  Magic!  I am hoping in the half term holiday to take my own kids, a couple of jam sandwiches, a flask of tea and some binoculars.  It is a bit like owning up to reading 'Knitting Fiction' I am somewhat of a 'Closet Twitter' and have always liked watching birds!  You heard it here first!!

We're all going on a Summer Holiday!

I am so excited and it is great to have Bloglanders to share it with.  I have booked my Summer holiday and we will be staying in this fantastic Yurt.  It may not be everyones cup of tea but it looks perfect to me.  We have tried camping which had it's ups and downs (more downs than ups for me!) but I believe this is called Glamping.  Glamorous camping!  At least me and my other half won't have to argue as we struggle to put the tent up!  Yippee!

Compared to camping it looks fabulous.  Loading the car with the tent and all the equipment causes you to need a holiday and then doing it all again to come home can be soul destroying!  (If you are lazy like me).  The burner looks fantastic at least we should not get too cold at night, I find camping freezing.  In the morning, usually about 5am, I wake up and need an hour or two to feel human!  With Glamping I am sure I will wake up like a movie star and be refreshed and ready to go!  The site is a thirty acre Community farm in Cornwall.  It is not too far from Tintagel Castle, surrounded in Mystery and Legend and said to be the birthplace of King Arthur.

I have the small matter of a babysitter for chickens to sort out, if they hurry up and start laying they make make themselves more appealing.  I can hire chickens when I am down there for a week which will be fun.  The dog can come and stay at The Yurt too, but I guess we need to think carefully about the logistics as Cornwall is not particularly dog 'friendly' in the Peak holiday season.  I will be fine with the dog and my crochet, living in a Yurt, but my partner and the kids may want more from their holiday.  I need to calm down a bit as we are not going until the last week of August and I am already getting Hiccups thinking about it!

Miscellaneous - Sock Yarn and flowers

 

In my excitement to 'Ta-Dah' my socks I didn't post which yarn I used, so I have done it here in this miscellaneous post.  I still have a small amount left from a 100g ball.  When I regain my knitting mojo I may knit a pair of socks using the left over ball.

 

I wanted to share these Sweet Williams, aren't they pretty?  They are my all time favourite flower.  I would like to say I grew them myself but I didn't, maybe next year, watch this space!    

I think they look particularly fetching in a Jam Jar with my Attic 24 style jar cover.  I would like to say somebody special bought them for me but they didn't!  I bought them myself from the local Mini Supermarket for the grand price of £1.50.  A small price to pay for these little beauties.  I love them.

I call this 'Flaming Katie', it comes in different colours it was all yellow when I bought it.  Over the last few weeks it has changed colour and lived up to the 'Flaming' part of its name.  It isn't photogenic though because I tried several times to capture a nice clear photograph.  To be honest I only bought it for the holder!

Cute isn't she and not as messy as my 'real' girls!

Ta - dah! Crochet sock Result!

I have a pair of Crocheted socks that I can actually wear!  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, nice socks shame about the legs!  (As you can see I don't go in for fake tan!)  Look at they wonderous socks!  I was going to give them a photo collage all of their own, I am that overjoyed with them.

Here they are again, wow I am mightily impressed.  My six year old hates them he thinks they look awful and he can't believe I like them, he says I am blind.  I think that is a little harsh.  Right up until the last half an hour of making them I couldn't quite see how they were going to turn into a pair of socks, but then it all became clear,  what a joyous Ta-dah moment!  I am a little too pleased with them.  I  have been singing a triumphant 'Sockie Wock' song in my head...Homer Simpson style.  'I've got soc-kie woc-kies, I've got soc-kie Woc-kies, I've got soc-kie woc-kies tra la, la la, laaaa!'  Hmmm a white van has pulled up out side, if they are coming to take me away, my feet will be perfectly attired.

The pattern is free from here Joans Crochet Socks from Lion Brand.com you need free registration to see them.

This is an important announcement - Crochet Sock Preview

I am hooking my little heart out!  Crocheting my socks off!  I am desperate to have a  triumphant 'Ta - Dah!' moment 'Like this one here' or ' here' .  I was inspired by Tickety Boo's delight in her 'Socky Wocky Do Dahs', (Even maybe a bit jealous of her wonderful creations.)  I am hoping to have a pair of beauties completed within the next day or two.  I have an awful feeling it may not go to plan, I will admit to feeling a little bit doubtful but I am going to carry on with this pattern in blind faith it will work out.  I know that you too are looking at the photograph and thinking it looks unlikely!  I also know you will all be there to share the congratulations or commiserations.  The wonderful thing about Blogland is you'll never walk alone!  I am so determined that these socks are going to be great I will wear them even if they cut off my circulation and give me blisters. 

May All Your Weeds Be Wild Flowers

This week has worn me out!  I have been busy at work and busy at home.  I have not managed to find time to fit much craft in but I have one week at work and then another holiday for a week.  Yippee!  I will surely be able to get to work on some unfinished projects.  I took this photograph in a Worcestershire Wildlife Nature Reserve this week. I was lucky enough to take the group of children I teach for the morning to do some 'Science' work.  We surveyed the plants in the meadows, caught some bugs and observed them and used binoculars to observe pond wildlife.  I find it funnier to watch the children.  One insisted on wearing his hood up, zipped up, even though it was warm because he was worried about bugs.  He also skipped through the meadows like a Prima Ballerina, I think he was worried about his trainers!  These kids are mostly 'Townies' through and through.  They seemed to have fun and were busy with their investigations.  This is the only photograph I managed to get without children in it.  It is Ragged Robin and the meadows were covered in it.  My Grandmother told me when I was a child it was her favourite wild flower.  It is also known as crow flower, meadow spink, bachelor's buttons, thunder flower, Polly Baker, and Shaggy Jacks.  I have never seen so much of it.   In folklore girls carried ragged robin, naming each plant for a local boy. The flower that opened first would have the name of the boy the girl would marry.  In another tradition men would carry ragged robin in their pockets, whether the plant thrived or not indicated success in love.  It has no known herbal uses but can be associated with goblins and evil.  I didn't see any goblins, I will look more carefully when we return next week!
In the language of flowers ragged robin represents ardour, and also is a symbol for wit.

Cheese and Marmite Pastry Pinwheels

I enjoy making these using left over shortcrust pastry, I enjoy eating them even more.  I roll the pastry into a thin rectangle, spread in quite thickly with Marmite, then sprinke strong grated cheese over the Marmite.  I roll up the rectangle and cut it into pinwheels.  Place the pinwheels on a baking tin and sprinkle with more grated cheese.  You can also add seeds of your choice at this stage too, I like pumpkin and sunflower seeds.  Bake in a medium oven for 15 - 20 minutes.  They don't hang about for long.

If we can't eat this, we will never eat these....

Here is 'Charlie' the Chocolate Chicken, cute isn't she?  She has hung around since Easter when all the chocolate eggs are long gone.  It seems such a shame to eat her.  Where would you start?  The beak would be cruel, the tail undignified!  She has taught me one thing in my bid for self sufficiency, if we are having trouble eating a chocolate chicken, there is no way we would eat these:

They are now 8 weeks old and almost as obedient as the dog.  (Which isn't very!)  They like me and get excited when I walk up the garden, I would like to think it is the bond we have, however I suspect it may be the cress, or stale bread or cake crumbs they are after.  My oldest son was up the garden this evening chuckling away blowing raspberries to them!(Cute, but he is weeks off 15 and working on his GCSE's).  My youngest dutifully feeds them grass first thing in the morning before school, they are well and truly part of my peculiar family!

Pear and Vanilla Butter

I have always enjoyed making Jams, jellies and preserves of all kinds.  Using the internet gives you such  wide access to many recipes.  Last year I discovered 'Apple Butter' that can be made in the 'slowpot', 'Crockpot'.  My neighbour gave me a large bag of apples and they needed preserving.  The Apple Butter made the house smell fantastic as it slowly cooked away, spiced with cinnamon.  This week I had a punnet of pears, they quickly turned too soft for school lunches.  I am trying hard to be thrifty and did not want to throw them away.  So I made 'Pear and Vanilla Butter'.  I am very pleased with the result, it tastes delicious.  I made it in the 'slowpot'.  I peeled all of the pears and put them in the pot on the high setting, without any liquid.  I added roughly the same volume of sugar to pear.  Then I added a couple of splashes of 'real' vanilla essence.  I cooked it on high for approximately 3 hours and then propped the lid for a further 2 hours, until the mixture had reduced, thickened and reached a setting point .  The result was one jar of thick, sticky, Pear and Vanilla Butter and it has a lovely hint of toffee and caramel flavour.  I have had some good advice that it is delicious on 'Blue Cheese Scones'.  I feel another 'Scone' recipe coming on!

My first Crochet Commission - via my Blog

Anyone reading the comments from my last post will understand my skills are finally in demand.  I was approached to make a hat.  Ok I will 'fess up' now, it was my Dad nagging me to make him a hat.  He asked for it, so I got straight to work with the hook!   This morning I presented him with this rather fetching fruitbowl, I mean hat.

As you can clearly see he was as thrilled to be presented with his hat as he was to be photographed first thing in the morning.  I offered to make my Mom a matching one with a flower embellishment but she just rolled her eyes, so I took that as a 'No'.  I thought the crochet 'his n her' look may catch on!  I have a feeling she will be offering my Dad a bribe or an ultimatum not to wear 'that' hat when he is with her or it is daylight!  If you too want to delight your loved ones, I have provided pattern links!

Here is the Ravelry link to the pattern

Here is the pattern on Crafty Christina's Blog

Get your orders in soon as I am expecting to be swamped by the demand for this fetching headwear.  Demand appears to be particularly high in the sweltering Spring/Summer months!

WSD Guild Meeting - A talk by Louise Claire A Contemporary Textile Artist

"Louise Claire is a contemporary textile artist based in UK. She specializes in creating highly detailed drawings, beautiful handmade printed accessories and embroidered artwork of Architecture.
Louise Claire has attracted the interest of companies who have requested a bespoke service of designing exclusive hand made products featuring their well-known building."   Louise Claire.
Today at Birmingham and District WSD Guild's meeting Louise Claire gave a talk and shared her textile work and designs with us.  I am not an embroiderer and I have never done any screen printing.  Also my dyeing knowledge is limited.  I had much to learn.  Louise Claire works from her own drawings.  She works predomimantly on buildings both in the UK and abroad.  She draws sections of buildings and creates a 'Motif' to reproduce in print and dye, using various materials, colours and embroidery techniques.  If you click the link above you will see a range of her work that I would find difficult to explain.  It is interesting to look at Design 'scrapbooks' and see how other people get their ideas developed from start to finish.
    It is always good to chat to other guild members about the projects they are working on and I also managed to work on a pair of Crocheted Socks I am currently making.  I hope to show you at least one finished sock soon!

Digging For Victory

I thought I would give you a tour of my garden in this post.  I have been busy and have lots to show you.  I use 'Deep Raised Beds' to grow vegetables in a small space.  These have several advantages.  They are easy to maintain, easy weeding and no digging and the soil warms up a little quicker to give the plants a headstart.  I read a book 'Square Foot Gardening' and follow some of these ideas, as plants are finished more get poked in.  I get a reasonable amount of produce from a small space although it does become haphazard.

I rotate what it is them each year as vegetables do not like to grow in the same space year after year.  The Potatoes are taking over here but there are also Parsnips and Courgettes.

This bed is home to Spinach, Onion, Turnips, Beetroot, Broad Beans, one or two Lettuce, and a Tomatillo.  It also has the Cold Frame that I use for salad crops, Rocket, Radish and Chives.

 The last one has Runner Beans, Peas and Kohlrabi.

 I also have ten Tomato plants in gowbags, in the Greenhouse.

A couple of Cucumber plants.  I am not very good at growing cucumbers but I try every year.

And five Chilli plants.  The Greenhouse is long overdue a clean and tidy up.  It is on my list of things to do.

I have this little Fig Tree that hated the harsh Winter, even the leaves aren't enough to cover your modesty!

The little Apple tree however, promises a bumper crop.

I have one blackcurrant bush and it is a really heavy 'cropper' I will get 5-6 pound of fruit from it. 

I also grow a few herbs, this lovely Sage bush attracts all the pollinators, the bees love it (so do the chickens!)