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Plants, cinema, hedgehogs, and more!

This morning, whilst putting out the washing, I spotted a new flower in our wildflower lawn. For a week or two, I’ve noticed a tall plant growing in the lawn near the shed. I nearly pulled it out, think it was just a giant dandelion, but this morning it was sporting a few blue flowers, with many more set to bloom on its stems. Using the magic of Google Lens I have been able to identify it as Common Chicory. I like it, and would be happy for it to spread.

Its been a (very) hot few days and everything is growing well. My pumpkin plants are getting big and my sunflowers are beginning to reach for the skies – I erected the support pole in the week and already the first few are just reaching the second level. They all still look a long way from flowering, but that’s no problem – happy for that to be delayed until after we return from our hols.

On Tuesday evening Sophie came home, and then on Wednesday afternoon I collected Sam from Yeovil Junction station. On Thursday they both, along with Becky, went to Devon to meet her Mum and Dad for brunch.

On Thursday evening, Sam drove to Cardiff, returning on Friday with more of his stuff. After another scorchio day, they both travelled back to Cardiff on Friday evening. Sam is due to return (with the Micra!) on Thursday having vacated his house and left Cardiff and his student days behind him.

On Monday evening, at circa 10pm, whilst sat watching TV, I saw the daisy’s in the garden move – our hedgehog was back. We were able to watch it for some time, it went all along the back of the house, and then from the side of the house came a second ‘hog.

Last night, Becky and I went to see “The Salt Path” at the cinema (Strode) It was a little slow, but an enjoyable enough film. Have been thinking about it on and off since – probably more of a “long term” film than an in the moment film – not because I want to walk the south west coast path (I don’t) but more because it added fertiliser to the seed in my mind that germinated over the last six months: I won’t carry on working as I am/in my current role forever and I find myself, not regularly, but also not infrequently, thinking about what comes next and how do I manage that change.

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Sophie Ellis Bextor, and Father’s day

Possibly should have been included in last week’s blog, as last Sunday Becky and I went to Bristol (again!) to see Sophie Ellis Bextor at the Bristol Beacon. It was an excellent show, both of us have seen her before (although not together) and we weren’t disappointed with her show of poppy disco, glitter and razzmatazz.

Fast forward a week, and today is Father’s Day. This morning I went over to see my dad, he was looking well for his 86 years, although he’s not as spritely as I remember him from my childhood (this is, of course, to be expected!) And this afternoon I’ve enjoyed video calls first with Sam, and then with Sophie (who also gifted me a couple of books and a snack mix.) I’ll be seeing them in person on Wednesday when the come home for a brief stay en route to see Becky’s mum and Dad (with Becky) on Thursday.

I ran 7K today, and I ran a new, 5.5/6K ish route on Wednesday: I ran through the fields to the weir, then along the canal path to the road and, initially, I crossed the road and ran back on the other side, through some very long swish-swashy grass, but then, at the first gate into the next field, I saw a lot of calves and one or two concerned looking mother cows. I decided not to chance it, and just doubled back on myself. It was, however, good to get a mid-week run in, and running cross country was a nice change and also forced me to slow down as you have to keep an eye on your foot placement. I do think I need to get away from thinking about times, and just run; I am starting to enjoy it again, and starting to get re-energised by running. My aim is that, over the summer holidays, I’ll run at least one 10K, just so that I know I can still do it.

The weather has been a bit changeable this week, with some rain at times, but today has been warm and windy, and next week the temperatures are set to soar – after a brief interlude, summer is following on nicely from Spring.

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Sam’s finished!

So after 4 years, a course change, and two different houses, Sam has finished university! He had his final exam on Friday, he think it went well, we now just have to wait until 2nd July to find out his grade. There were times (ie the first year) when we thought he wouldn’t complete university, swapping from Chemistry to History & Economics was the making of his degree and he does seem to have been engaged and interested in his studies, although he admits he is glad to have finished, and won’t be racing back into education anytime soon. What next? Who knows – like a modern day Dick Whittington, he’s going to head to London where the streets are paved with gold to seek his fortune.

Back here in sleepy Somerset the garden continues to look good. The Love in the Mist are beginning to go to seed, but the ox-eye daisies have bloomed to keep the interest going. It still takes a leap of imagination to see my sunflower seedlings go from the spindly things they are now into the big, bold, strong sunflowers I hope they become, but they do seem to be heading skyward. And the pumpkin seedlings have had a growth spurt and are looking strong and healthy, ready to swamp anything in their path.

Last Sunday was the first day of Summer – after the driest Spring on record, summer has not lived up to its billing, being mainly grey, often wet (big rain yesterday) and a little chilly.

On Thursday evening, circa 9.30pm, whilst sat watching telly I spotted a hedgehog that appeared near the shed and rooted around for a good twenty minutes or so. Last night we saw it again, it came from the far end of the shed, and ultimately returned to the compost bin area. A welcome visitor!

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A Busy Week

Its been a busy, but ultimately, fulfilling week as half term draws to a close. Becky’s return from Scotland was delayed by a few hours, meaning it was about 1am on Thursday, her return coincided with an improvement in the weather so it was worth the wait – everything is better with her at home.

My Love in The Mist has burst forth in flower and is looking magnificent

I include the picture below for reference for next year – before it all flowers – to see where there are still patches to be planted.

On Friday I took delivery of the 60 (!) geraniums and 30 lobelia that I had ordered earlier in the year from Thompson & Morgan and have planted them up. Although small, they seem healthy and appear to have settled in well. I also planted the last of my sunflower and pumpkin seedlings out into the big, bad world – so far, so good.

Yesterday I nearly trod on a slow-worm whilst hanging out the washing: a pleasing addition to the garden

and then later on, a baby blackbird thudded into the kitchen window and lay stunned below the outside tap. Later in the day, it seemed to have perked off and we witnessed it flying away

Earlier in the week the Ka had its MOT – it initially failed on one rear tyre, but I’ve had all the tyres replaced (the other rear was also very worn, there was a nail in the front left causing a slow puncture) and on Wednesday I took the Micra to Cardiff for a fleeting visit to collect a load of Sam’s stuff. Its hard to think he is now in the last month of his student days (he has his final exam on Friday) and then the next chapter of his life will open – whatever that may hold.

For info purposes, yesterday we signed up for EasyJet Plus.

Today I ran 7K – having run 6K on Monday and Friday – I get the sense that my running mojo may be returning, something to nurture this summer (although annoyingly for the last two runs, Map My Run didn’t work, so I’ve got no splits data)

Back to work tomorrow – 4 short weeks, and then we’re off to Greece!

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Chicago, Box and Seedlings

At last, half term has arrived, and last night Becky and I went to see Chicago in Bristol. I enjoyed the show, and I enjoyed the Italian meal we had beforehand at Moltobuono 59. What I didn’t enjoy was having to get up at 5am this morning to take Becky to Bristol airport – she has flown to Edinburgh to visit an old school friend, and returns on Wednesday. I have felt tired all day, and my afternoon nap hasn’t completely refilled my batteries. I’m sure an early night tonight, though, will do the trick.

And having enjoyed a wonderful May so far, it is typical that the weather has changed in time for the holidays. It rained last night, has been dry today, and windy, but the forecast for the next few days is for rain. Which did mean I’ve tried to make the most of the outdoor weather today – changed the oil in Becky’s Ka, took down the Box hedge/tree in the front garden – it has been demolished by a caterpillar, a shame to lose it but it was just a skeleton of twigs.

On Wednesday I got my first sunflower seedlings planted outside in the big trug and, fingers crossed, they seem to have taken hold. The alliums look great, but are just beginning to turn

But not to worry as all the Love in a Mist are beginning to flower to give a burst of blue and white across the lawn.

On Monday evening I took Sam to Bridgwater station to return to Cardiff – I head up there later this week to bring back a car load of stuff – his time there is nearly done.

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Sam, sun, and Tony Ann

On Monday, Becky and I went to Bristol to see Tony Ann, a young pianist and it was a wonderful evening of culture, a rare outing on a school night!

Having parked up, we ambled across College Green in the warm evening sun, before sitting for a drink, al-fresco, at an Italian on Park Street. It did feel a million miles away from home, and was a lovely evening.

It helped that the glorious weather continuous. We’ve been treated to blue skies, sunshine and (almost) uninterrupted dry weather all week, culminating in another lovely Sunday, spent outside, pottering, reading and snoozing.

I say “almost” because on Tuesday evening the sky darkened, thunder rumbled and then the sky was rent asunder with lightening.

For about 30 minutes, it was quite some storm

but the water was welcome. I suspect we may end up in a drought this summer – a price I’d happily pay for the wonderful weather to continue. Its only mid-May, so everything still looks fresh and green, and my sunflower seeds sown a couple of weeks ago show great promise.

And we’ve been blessed with a visit from Sam. He came home on Friday afternoon, and returns to Cardiff tomorrow evening, but its been lovely to have him home for a short while. He has completed all his assignments, he just has one exam to do on the 6th June, and then that’s his university days done. I think he is looking forward to finishing, there are times when it looked like he’d never be a university graduate. but now that’s a racing certainty. He’s not sure what the next steps of his life will be, but I’m sure he’ll work it out.

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A Sunny weekend

After a dry, but not necessarily warm, week, the temperature rose for the weekend, giving us a couple of days of pleasant temperature, blue skies and sunshine. Certainly “usable” weather, and we’ve spent much of Saturday afternoon and Sunday outside. The alliums are currently the “pic of the crop” providing crowns of colour against the green backdrop. They look particularly good in the lawn, and in the trugs by the lawn. I will admit to being disappointed with my alliums in pots – they dried out whilst we were in Crete and now are only producing a few feeble flowers to offset brown, curled leaves.

The difference a few days can make – above are the alliums yesterday (Saturday), below was them on Wednesday.

Have provided us with plenty of blossom flowers, the apple tree is now laden with young fruit:

The hostas are looked full and green, and new to us this year, some dahlias are providing a splash of colour.

Across Saturday and Sunday, I dug up all the bulbs from the front trug – a job that seemed easier this year than I remember from previous years. I suspect it was because the soil was so dry and friable – March, April and now May have been very dry months.

All this work can be tiring, so I took the opportunity to take a quick nap ….

(and just for info, today I planted 5 pumpkin seeds (why five? that’s all I had!) and most of the sunflower seeds planted last week have sprouted.)

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A wonderful week of weather

We’ve been enjoying a wonderful week of weather, a mini-heatwave that begun last Sunday and has continued all week, bathing us in blue skies, and warm weather, nice and warm, but not unbearably hot (although it has got a little warm at night.)

Sadly, though, its all change today – still bright, light and sunny, but the temperature has dropped significantly, and a chill wind whips through you when you step outside. However, it forecast to remain dry this week and beyond, after a dry March and April, it looks like May is following in the same way. The ground is getting hard and, whilst everything remains a lush green at the moment, I don’t think it will be too long before pots and plants begin to dry out. The alliums I planted in pots way back in Autumn have already suffered from the hot dry spell, when we were in Crete – the leaves are wilted and brown at the edges and there is not multitude of strong flower heads that I had hoped for. All is not lost, though, the alliums in the lawn are now in flower, and the ones planted in the small wooden trugs are set to open soon.

Today I sowed some sunflower seeds – 12 “High Hopes”, 24 “Start-a-Garden” and 24 “Earth Walker”, all in the front porch. The bulbs in the front wooden trug have all gone over, I’ll look to lift them in the next couple of weeks ready for these sunflower seedlings, and geraniums that are on order from Thompson and Morgan, due to arrive late May.

We had a little bit of drama on our street this morning – as I returned from my run there were two police cars parked up and four police, ringing the doorbell of a few doors down. Becky kept watch as I warmed down, after a lot of waiting around, the eventually spoke to our neighbour for a few minutes, before driving off.

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Sun!

Today the weather has been glorious, resulting in our first lunch in the sun of the year. I’ve taken advantage of the blue skies to paint the gate. Late yesterday afternoon I got it into my head to do it. so I wire brushed it and washed it ready for this morning. I’ve applied two coats of Cuprinol grey paint (found in the shed from when we painted the shed. Nearly a full tin and, once stirred, as good as new) I’m pleased with the result, it was beginning to look a little weathered and tired (perhaps the look I too often sport!), now looks a little smarter and more cared for.

Returned to school on Wednesday, but before that on Tuesday it was time for a bit of tree surgery, lopping off some branches from the tree in the corner above our compost bin. Does look better, although if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t think we’d taken anything off.

The garden is looking good, the lawn in particular, with drifts of forget-me-nots, swathes of daisies, a few tulips to provide a splash of colour and the first of the alliums about to flower. It has been lovely to spend much of today outside, soaking up the sun, reading, and also finding time for a small little snooze!

(and just for info, to give a point of reference in time to my blog, this week, on Monday the Pope, Pope Francis, died.)

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Car dramas!

I’m writing this a day late as we had a little car drama yesterday. I’ll get to that in a moment …

I have had an enjoyable week at home, on holiday, largely just pottering about outside, getting a few jobs done. The weather has not been stela, but on the whole it has been dry, so I’ve been able to be outside much of the time. Fearful that it might fall down, I tackled the exterior of the porch, replacing some rotten fascia timber, replacing much of the window putty with silicone sealant, painting the woodwork and replacing the guttering and downpipe with clean, new white plastic guttering. It does look so much better now, although I still think its long term days are numbered.

I also refereed on the YDL league on Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon – good to keep my hand in at refereeing adult men’s football. Ran on Sunday, a 5K run, good to get the legs moving again.

On Tuesday I replaced the oil pressure switch on Sophie’s car, and the yellow warning triangle has gone away – hurrah! But possibly the only thing that did go smoothly with respect to her car …

We’d booked it in to have the timing belt done on Monday, which happened, but as we were collecting the car, the spotted the oil leak, did a little investigation and determined it was the crankshaft/main engine seal (I thought it might be) so it went back in on Wednesday to have this done. They also found a leak at the corner of the oil sump, so fixed that, plus the clutch plate had got contaminated by oil, so that was replaced, too. By Thursday evening we had the car back, all done …

We then enjoyed a pleasant Good Friday, Easter Saturday and after lunch on Easter Sunday – having spent the morning soaking up some sun in the back garden – Sophie headed back to Cardiff.

About 40 mins after leaving, my phone rang. It was a distraught Sophie: on the middle lane of the M5 the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree, and the car went into limp mode. She made it to the next junction, and pulled up in a layby before calling me. The car was throwing engine misfire codes, but could be reset with the OBD device. Becky & I drove to meet her, Sophie got in the Ka with Becky, I got in the Fiat with the intention of continuing to Cardiff. However 5 mins on the M5, as I got above 70 mph, the same thing happened to me. We swung round, and all came home; Sophie then went back to Cardiff in the Ka, giving me some time to ponder and fix the problem.

First thought was spark plugs and or coil pack (again – I’d changed these last summer) but further research on the internet suggested this was a fairly common problem on the Fiat 500 after a timing belt change, and all that was needed was for the ECU to re-learn the position of the various sensors using a “Phonic Wheel Relearn”, using MultiECUscan (which I procured last year) The more I read, the more convinced that this was the problem, so today I carried out the procedure and then drove the car to Cardiff, swapping it for the Ka which I brought home. This being Bank Holiday Monday, the traffic on the way up was heavy and, before the M49, I only managed to get up to 70 once or twice (my aim was to go on the motorway and get to 80+mph to see if the fault came back), once on the M49 I was able to open her up and travelled at 80 mph for some while. Again, after the bridge, and then again after the “Newport 50 stretch” I was able to get up to 75- 80 mph, with no problem at all, so I am confident the problem is fixed …

So, I’ve been to Cardiff and back today, a bit of a slog in the traffic, but I’m glad its all done and the status quo is returned to normal.