A Typical British Summer's Day

Well the start of another summer weekend with weather warnings in place. This has got to be the wettest drought we have ever had! At the beginning of the spring we were told in Lincolnshire that a hosepipe ban was now in place…and then the heavens opened. This has now been lifted, mainly because the banks were bursting, the fire brigade were pumping the water into the sea to alleviate the stress on the rivers and pictures on the TV showing people rowing to school etc. Marvellous!!

Our hosepipe is redundant in the garden and our water butt cannot take the strain anymore because we just don’t need to use it. My greenhouse is full of everything that is not ‘garden’ because the weather isn’t right for growing anything and my thoughts are now going towards winter vegetables and herbs.

It's a shame as I had so many plans this year for sorting out the greenhouse area.  In my last house, a beautiful 16th century thatched cottage, I had a greenhouse that I could hide away in with a wicker chair and a comfy cushion, my year round plants that made a spectacular splash of colour and my two adorable cats who made the greenhouse their own. Unfortunately the cats Billie and Charlie have since passed away and my current greenhouse is on the back of my garage looking rather forlorn and neglected apart from the beautiful show of pink roses that have grown over it.

It does look sad doesn't it?  I think it needs an injection of shabby chic. The wooden staging painted white, colourful pots filled with bright and interesting coloured plants. White wooden boxes full of salad leaves. A white wicker chair where I can create some colourful hooky cushions to soften everything. And of course, white, pink and green floral bunting hanging above to add colour to a grey(?) sky.

However at the moment it is too depressing to even venture into there. Tools, recycling sacks, old bikes, a lawnmower and my son’s boxing punch bag greet me. The only thing that loves to run in there (especially when it is raining), is Coco the dog and the spiders!

So, just need to get motivated and venture out on a dry day, empty it and then start painting. Once I start then the creative juices will start flowing again and by autumn I will have a little comfy hideaway to keep warm and dry during my favourite couple of months (there is electric to it at least!), where I can plan next year’s explosion of colour.

But what to do this weekend? I suppose I will start with the weekly tidy up around the house, the crisp laundered sheets on the beds, the smell of polish and cleaning products when you enter each room, the freshly ironed clothes in the wardrobes. And then we have a girlie sleepover on Saturday where Bex is having a friend around so everyone gets banished to different parts of the house until she puts on ‘The Woman in Black’ and I will be summoned to come into the room while they both watch this (I am not a horror fan!).

Then there is the possibility of helping on the craft stall on Sunday with mumsy, that’s if the heavens dry up as I don’t think rain and home-made cards go together really. At least her bag is now lined and finished.  

 She saw the one I made from Attic 24's website and asked  me to make one for her so she can put her bits and bobs in there. She doesn’t like green which was a bit difficult for me to not incorporate this in, but I persevered and she bought the lining from http://www.thefentshopkingslynn.co.uk/ which is a fabulous find. They have held the Royal Warrant since January 2011 and have dealt with the Queen’s dress making department since 2004. If you ever go there or visit their website, have some idea of what you want beforehand as it is chocka block with fabrics and haberdashery – a truly amazing shop that is a rare find these days (and family run). The staff are really helpful and friendly and always have what you need and advice.

I will probably be catching up with my Dad too and his photos of the Olympic torch relay that went through the villages of Spalding, Whaplode and Holbeach near to my own village. I was working at that time and luckily dodged the road closures the night before when they were coming to Peterborough where I work.

Well the sun has come out at last after a full day of rain...

The vine made the most of the small amount of sunshine it has received, but not for long as the rain returned after a couple of hours but then the most wonderful sight...

A beautiful double rainbow!