Five on Friday - on Saturday!

Yes a day late to join in  with Amy's  'Five on Friday' 

I have had a pretty rough week health wise coming down with the dreaded lurgy.  Generally I never get ill, and yet this is the second time in four months!  Not good.  Anyway I think I am on the mend now so hopefully can get back to my 'plan' of things to get done before my trip home to New Zealand to visit my parents and family.

1:  Knitting

My week has been spent either in bed, or sitting in the lounge with a blanket round me while knitting and watching Netflix!  What have I been knitting?  Dolls clothes!

2:  The Garden

The little Blue Tits were very active the other morning and I caught this one while sitting in the lounge - not the best of pictures as taken through our very dirty patio window.  

The NZ Magnolia has buds on it.

3: Books

I finished another book.  I really enjoyed this.  Written in a time where children could really be children, all the bells and whistles and hoops and 'health and safety' rigmarole was not yet in force this couple offered holidays on their farmlet for young children.  They say it how it is and as such it is quite a laugh.  I understand a TV programme was produced lightly based on it.  I have never seen the TV programme and don't think I would want to as I would imagine the BBC or whoever would produce it would 'PC' it.   I picked this one up in a charity shop.  Toying with whether to get any more in the series or just lave it with having read this one.

I'm currently reading this book:

I had to venture out today to get some groceries.  Our supermarket has a second hand book rack and they ask that you donate £1 per book you choose for a local charity.  Sometimes I am able to pick up a book or two that looks interesting. I haven't seen any for a while, but I did pick up two today.

4: Snacks!

While on the Whole30 way of eating my husband has been bemoaning the fact that he has been missing crisps (potato chips) and so I made him some - the healthy way.  

Very simply done in the microwave they turned out surprisingly good.

I also made some sweet potato crisps as well.  Needless to say they soon disappeared.

5: Dinner

Finally I decided to cook something a little different tonight:

Cod with citrus-ginger glaze

Grilled Asparagus with lemon zest

Baked sweet potato

Glazed carrots & parsnips

Broccoli - to add some green!

Okay so I am not so good on the 'display' part of the meal, but it tasted pretty good.

Thursday Chit Chat

We aren't seeing so many birds in the garden at the moment.

Most of the visitors are either little Coal Tits or the usual Blue Tit.

Lovely to see them though.  We occasionally see a Nuthatch.

We took my MIL out for lunch today instead of Wednesday which is our usual day as I was busy yesterday.

We bought this cute little hose and reel for me to use on the front garden - I am hoping it will be  long enough and won't get tangled like the big long garden hose does.  I shall report back tomorrow about whether it is any good or not.

As is usual it seems neither me nor Mark are capable of walking past a beautiful scented rose and not be tempted...

Yes another came home with us.  

Adding to our beautiful yellow scented roses.  This is planned for our side/front bed by our bedroom window.  I can just imagine the scent wafting through next summer.

In the back garden 'Oranges and Lemons' is putting on a good show.

This rose has just started blooming - I can't quite remember which one this is at the moment - possibly either 'Summer Song' or 'Lady Marmalade'.  I am still searching for that 'safe place' I must have put my rose book where I have drawn all my plantings out.

This is 'Ingrid Bergman'

'Designer Sunset'

Looking fabulous 'Souvenir Du Dr. Jarmain'

I finished my socks the other evening.  

This will be great for winter.

Lastly some shots of the dogs playing.  They are getting on so well it is a delight to see.

Thursday Thoughts

Thursday already!  Wow, where has the week gone?

The day started with a spa - I was rather sore this morning and the spa sorted that out nicely.

I bought some plastic tee plant labels today and have been labelling all my roses.  Still have some to do, but need to find my rose book for the rest which has them all drawn out as to where and what is planted - it is currently 'missing' so obviously I have stuck it somewhere 'safe'.  

On the front of the labels is the name of the rose and on the back I have written the type of rose and date planted.

Tequila Sunrise in all its splendour 

I have potted up the two roses that needed to be planted.

'Faithful Friend' is flowering beautifully.

I've filled the bird feeders

While down doing some grocery shopping I popped into the charity shops as I often do and was surprised to see this chicken crock for £2.50  so I snapped it up as rarely see them this cheap.  This one is 'Moira Pottery' which was in production from 1922 until 1972, but I have also read that although the original pottery closed at that time it was still in production until the nineties, but can't find a lot of information collaborating that.

The quilts have been washed and dried on the line in the breeze.

The first sock is finished.

The second sock is on the needles.

I have been walking everyday - good long brisk walks which feels good.