Skywatch Friday (Season 4 Episode 17)

All together now, start singing those notes.


While they were all singing their heads off, this one felt like a look in the kitchen window.



Lots of skies to look at here. (263 before me, same as last wee. GO LOOK.

True Colours Thursday - YELLOW

Canary Yellow is the colour today playing along with this MEME.

I have been attempting to make a garden out of this sand bowl. The water runs over the top of the sand so I decided to 'plant' some phone books to contain sand mixed with compost & potting mix. With a borrowed spade with yellow handle I made a dam with the yellow pages. Looks a bit of a mess, doesn't it! Once I have planted some squash, rock melon & other things to spill over the edges it will look good & be productive (well that's the theory anyway).

The Wednesday What's It

Family stuff

Here is a pic of the (carrier?) bag found in a loft. It shows my great grandfathers shop in Bath. The bag has been taken out of the protective frame, photographed and the image sent to me, courtesy Dave Ebbrell.

And here is a copy of the first page of my great, great, great, great grandfathers will (it does go on a bit!)written in 1804.


I have found out much more of the family history in the last week or two, with help from Dave, David & the Rev'd Greville Thomas of St. Mary's Church, Northolt where there are gravestones of Beck, Stone & Harbroe. Isn't this one of the sweetest little Churches! From the web page 'St Mary's in Northolt, Middlesex is probably one of the most picturesque churches in one of the most picturesque settings in Middlesex. The church is built on a small hill overlooking a medieval green, and surrounded by green fields- giving it the same village setting, and feel, that it has had for over seven hundred years.

The nave was built around 1290, and extended in 1521 when the chancel and sanctuary were added. The bell tower and spire was added in the sixteenth century, whilst the gallery which now houses the organ was built in 1703. Buttresses have been added to the exterior on numerous occasions. The latest being the two large ones on the west wall which were added in 1718 because it was thought that the Church was slipping down the hill. From the early 13th century, right up until 1873 the Rector for St Mary's was the Bishop of London and performed such duties as attending the executions of Mary Queen of Scots and King Charles I. In recent years the parish became the first one in the country to appoint a female Rector, the Revd Pamela Walker who was ordained in St Paul's.'

image courtesy the Rev'd Greville Thomas

Now I just have to update the family tree.

Today's Flowers #64

Fading Hydrangea.
To look at many, many more flower blogs go here.

Mellow Yellow Monday #41

Might as well pick up another couple of bags of cheap potting mix.
More Yellow here, and while you're at it do go here and have a laugh!

Talking 'bout Books

As well as dipping into gardening books & magazines (on loan from Sam) I have begun to read ‘Thanks for the Memories’ by Cecelia Ahern - it’s hilarious! ‘A Tuesday Thing’ by Kate Shayler I found a courageous memoir delving into her past & finding herself abused all over again. I really should have read ‘The Long Way Home’ first as now I’m not sure I want to.
A few words from Ebony
“In spite of being sat on this morning I can still laugh when I cross my eyes”.

Plotting for a food garden, week 5

Black Russian Tomato looking good with a few flowers on.



The Magic Square is getting greener with Mixed Lettuce, Mizuna, Mustard Red Giant, Kamatsuna Spinach & Cress all doing well. I spent a few hours this morning digging & sieving my old compost, getting the Rock Melon seeds out as they are coming up all over the place & will take over if I'm not careful, don't mind some but this is ridiculous! With the residue (including seeds) left I filled two buckets half full & topped up with water, covered with plastic & left to simmer, should make some good liquid manure, seeds will float to the top. Tomorrow I hope to transplant out peas which have been growing very well (except for one) in toilet rolls. Whether they will do much in this sand is another thing!

I've joined this web site Gardenersclick even though it's a UK based one.

Skywatch Friday (Season 4 Episode 16)

Red Sky at night etc...
Goodness Gracious etc...

Don't forget to pay a visit to other skywatchers around the world.

True Colours Thursday - BLACK

While I sit here on my BLACK chair, at my BLACK desk, looking at my BLACK computer (waiting for my new one) with Ebony my BLACK cat on my lap, there are BLACK beetles out there waiting for the full moon to come up.
Hang on - it's not Halloween YET! See more spooky BLACK stuff here.

The Wednesday What's It

Hellooooooo – is there anyone out there?

Go here to find out (a bit) more.

Today's Flowers #63

White Grevillea (not sure what the pink is). Photo taken at Yanchep National Park.
Go here for more of Today's Flowers.

Mellow Yellow Monday #41

I'm running out of YELLOW things but if you click here you will see many, many more.

Talking about Books, BUTLER bag & blog

Had another go at reading ‘The Secret Scripture’ by Sebastian Barry but just not the right book at this time. ‘Dear Fatty’ made me chuckle & get a few lumps in the throat, very enjoyable. At the library on Friday I just picked up ‘Whole Foods’ by Nicola Graimes to dip into & ‘A Tuesday Thing’ by Kate Shayler for a good read. It is the sequel to ‘The Long Way Home’ (which I suppose I should have read first) & I am liking it very much.
Now about BUTLER, bags & blog. This morning I had the most amazing email from a stranger I think I have ever had!

“Loved your article on the Butler family. I was recently clearing out loft when we came across a framed brown shopping bag. The bag shows a picture of the shop at 23 Union Street with a horse drawn carriage pulling up outside. The bag also has writing in pen on it saying Miss Evans 16 Charlotte Street Paid 23/4/96. So I wanted to know more on this gentleman and found your article.”

They have sent some scanned pics but they are through the glass so are not so clear. I ask myself why would anyone frame a carrier bag & who was Miss Evans who paid for shoes on the 23rd of April 1896? She was probably attended to by Katherine Hibberd who two months later married widower Alfred Henry Butler, my great-grandfather. Thank goodness for my blog, isn’t the internet a wonderful thing!

Plotting for a food garden.

Week 4

Magic square under netting so it's not used as a toilet by Ebony (maybe keep the cabbage white from getting to the lettuce).


Black Russian tomato, planted 10 days ago. Bought from garden center.


Tomato plants given to me last week alongside Parsley, Rosemary,flowering Rocket & 4 snails (it had started to rain when I took this photo, must have encouraged them out for a slither or a bit of loving!). I see also Rock Melon (coming up wherever I have put my compost) doubt if they will fruit but you never know so I will leave some to do what they want.

Skywatch Friday (Season 4 Episode 15)

New moon in Western Australia

True Colours Thursday - GREEN

To join in this colourful MEME please go here.
Off now to have a chlorophyll packed evening meal of steamed broccoli with parsley sauce.

The Wednesday What's It

Any old iron? I picked these two iron bar stools up from the side of the road yesterday. Knocked the seats out & popped in some pots with various cacti in - what do you think? Should I clean them, paint them or just leave as is? (The bar stools not the cacti!)

Today's Flowers #63

Geranium growing/going wild in the back yard. For more of Today's Flowers go here.

Mellow Yellow Monday #40

A friend said these yellow flowers all have a different face, I think he's right. Here they are all smiling!
Go here to see more Mellow Yellows

Talking 'bout Books

This weeks haul from the library includes cookery books to dip into. I started ‘The Secret Scripture’ but it was slightly slow going & I thought I’d better read ‘Dutch Point’ first, (finished last night) next will be ‘Dear Fatty’ the Dawn French memoir.