Today I visited Leeds Castle in Kent.  I went on a coach trip with the other members of our Horticultural Society.  We went today as it was the flower festival.  Each room in the castle had the most amazing flower arrangements and they were all linked to the theme of the forties and films.

 On this bed was four cushions and they were all made of flowers and leaves, the pale green was made from lots of leaves, the next was strips of leaves woven with ribbon.  The pink one was made from some sort of grass heads and the other one was made from thick green leaves with gypsophilia and pearls in it.  Very clever!  The other ladies thought that I could do something similar and enter into the next show.

We arrived at the castle at 11 a.m, it was quite a long walk through the woods until you could see the buildings with the moat around them.  We went into the main castle and looked at the flowers and then went and had lunch as we were all very hungry.  Then we walked through the gardens to the maze and had an ice cream and back along the lake for a cup of tea before setting of home.

A punnet of Raspberries

At last a punnet of raspberries. We had such high hopes for them this year. We planted the canes in the autumn nearly two years ago and had to pick of all the flowers last summer as you are not supposed to let them fruit in the first year. I thought we were going to have so many that we would be fed up with them. I am not sure why this is..
I will enjoy a bowl of raspberries and creme freche later, after I have had my cup of coffee and finished the watering.
Sent from my BlackBerry smartphone from Virgin Media

Just testing from my mobile

Ok, so now I have learnt how to post from an email, I thought I would have a go from my mobile. And try to attach a photo - ok here goes
Sent from my BlackBerry smartphone from Virgin Media

Just testing

I have just worked out how to put a post on from my email, so this is a trial run.

Just thought that I would updated that Babybelle is recovering, she has been running around the run and calling to me.  Still not eating much though.
The vet asked me if she drinks from a bottle or a bowl, I said "oh she never drinks"  and I had never seen her drink anything.  But what happens, I have seen her drink from the bottle 3 times in as many days and the bottle has gone down to half way.  I have never seen it go down so quickly.  I wonder why she has suddenly started drinking?#

Sick Guinea pig

Just an update on Babybelle.  She went back to the vets yesterday morning for an operation to clear out the abscess and sort out her teeth.  I was told to phone back at lunch time to be told that she had come round but was cold and laying on a heat pad and to phone back later.  At 5pm I was told she was still a little unsteady on her feet and that they would like to keep her in overnight.  I collected her this morning and the poor old girl looks very thin and tired. I kept her inside all day and had to bring Tilly in to be with her because she was not eating either - lonely I think.  I have give Babybelle antibiotics twice a day, vitamin C once a day and take her back in 5 days to check how she is!!!!!

Sick Guinea pig

A couple of weeks ago I noticed that Babybelle had a lump under her chin, it grew quite large and I noticed that she wasn't eating properly so took her to the vet.
The vet said that the lump was an abscess and it needed draining.   Gallons of very smelly puss drained out and I was sent home with a bottle of antibiotics and £40 lighter.  Said that she needed to see her next week but she was not to eat for 4 hours before the appointment as she needed to see her teeth properly.
I went back today with a very sad, very hungry guinea pig.  Again she could not see her teeth properly and said that she needed to come in for the day, to be sedated to have the lump cleaned out properly and to investigate her teeth.  I have to take her back at 8.30 a.m. tomorrow morning...............

My Farm Shop

 "What on earth shall I do with all these courgettes?" I wondered this morning, and then decided to go for it, I opened my farm shop.  Actually I stuck some courgettes in a cardboard box on top of the recycling box and popped it at the front of the garden.  I also added a bunch of beetroot for good luck.  Half an hour later I took a peek and someone had bought the beetroot.  So I pulled up some more and a little later had sold one bag of courgettes and a bunch of beetroot.  That was it - all day - £1.50!!!  But that is enough to buy a packet of seeds next year.
I will try again next weekend, maybe we will have some spare runner beans to add to it.