A few changes. (Long post)

Hello folks, I'm finally posting after what seems like months.

For those of you in the UK you know we are in the middle of a heatwave - I don't function too well in the heat!

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Hello to my new followers!  Hope you stick around even though I'm not posting too regularly.

Then, thank you again for all the wonderful, supportive comments I've received.  I truly do appreciate them - you're a wonderful lot!

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There's been a lot going on.  Further to Mom's assessment (last post) I received a copy of the report.  There were three large inaccuracies in it.  Firstly it stated that she 'was unable to hold a pen' - Mom had held the pen and written a legible sentence when asked.  He'd also stated that she was 'unable to handle money' - This subject had not been broached when he asked Mom if she shopped on her own, she has no problems with this at all.  Then, thirdly he's started a paragraph with 'Mary lives alone.  Florence has no insight into her problems' and went on to describe Florence's other problems.  I wrote to the Memory Service nurse pointing out the inaccuracies (I hand posted it, sending a copy to  Mom's doctor).  I received no reply and have had to chase it up.  Finally, yesterday I received a reply stating that they use a template that should have been blank before typing.  Even though it had been checked before sending out these problems hadn't been noticed!  Gives you a lot of faith in them eh?

Just had to add this photo of my first cherries ripening - looking forward to tasting them :o)
As the next photo was featured for my post (How off-putting.)

Do you recall the garden bench covered in bird poo? (Ugh, shudder.)

Well, it's had a bit of a facelift..

The metal frame was made by my maternal Grandfather as a wedding gift to Grandma (in 1914)

So it's almost an antique!  I've painted it with smooth Hammerite paint, and we've put new seat and backrest boards on.  These have had three coats of Ronseal  Woodland colours 'Bluebell' wood treatment.  I need to paint the table now, along with...

The new arbour seat :o)  When it cools down I shall paint it with the same bluebell colour outside, and ash white inside.

Do you remember the bug boxes I put up on the new fence?  This morning we've discovered that some Leafcutter bees have found the tubes :o)  I'm really pleased about this as the garden MUST be BEE FRIENDLY!

I've added a Cedar wood Lacewing Box too.  I followed the instructions and stuffed it with straw after smearing lacewing attractant on it.

It's quite large and was a bargain from Amazon.

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One of my neighbours had put out a water feature for the scrap/rubbish man to collect.  I have a small pebble pool in the back garden that we rarely use as the water reservoir below ground is rectangular and the returning water 'misses' so it emptied quickly.  I thought the bottom part of the feature would be better, so asked if I could have it.  It turned out that it all worked and they were just altering the layout of the garden.  It wouldn't have been my choice in a garden centre - but for free? 

;o)

Nice and weathered - it'll do for me!

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On the wildlife front.

Hedgehogs GALORE!  We had ten in the garden the other night, a three, a four and a two.  All different ones.

The other evening I 'captured' one to mark it.  Meet Ted.

Yes, leather gloves were required - a VERY prickly character ;o)

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I've been toying with buying a Wildlife camera, and finally decided to plump for

The Bushnell Natureview HD (The link takes you to Wildlife Kate's site, please take a look around while you're there.)  Kate has been on BBC's Springwatch, and gave them the idea for the mouse cave.

I'm still playing around trying to get the settings right, and the place to set it up, but here are some of the results.  (Date/time bottom right)

Juvenile Starling

Female Blackbird

Over-exposed Hogs :o(

Once I get the settings sussed I can do videos too.

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The border in the back garden continues to 'fill out''!

(Blue Strawberry planter continues to disappoint, no good for strawberries and as far as I can see little use for anything else!)

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Well, I've waffled on again for too long.  So I'll sign off now - I REALLY need to visit some of you!

Best wishes

xXx

A project, a mouse and a beach.

Though overcast it isn't raining (yet), but I had occasion to pop outside in the downpour yesterday and guess who was sitting sheltering by the pond and looking totally fed-up with the weather?

 He made me laugh out loud!
(focus not too good as it was howling down)

Do any of you remember the cream painted wash board I got from Dagfields around a year ago?

Well I've FINALLY done what I was thinking of doing with it, hanging it on the laundry door (with a little tweaking!)

(Sorry there's no natural light here in the back hall way.)

I've given the wash board a couple of coats of light blue emulsion and a dry brush over with grey.

I've had the wash tongues for years, and I've been on the look out for the 'Laundry rules' at a bargain price - finally found on e-bay for a song.

(If only they worked!)  I just added a couple of pegs and Bob's your Uncle :o)

As you know it was my birthday, and (lovely) Hubs had ordered my gift that arrived this week.

The tissue paper may be a clue?

Robert 'Mouseman' Thompson :o))

Now the word 'furniture' may be a little misleading, because what I wanted was...

a breadboard, with it's signature mouse and adz marks - it is after all hand made. 

Isn't he cute? It's going to be a real family heirloom.

  I have followed the directions and lightly oiled it with sunflower oil ready for use,

that's if I can bring myself to cut on it!

Hope the little chap cheers you up as much as it did me.

I did manage to get my feet in the sea last week and it did me a power of good.

We had a (wonderful) day out at Fairbourne Mid Wales on the opposite side of the estuary to Barmouth.

I really needed to re-charge my batteries.  Walking along the pebble beach for me is the ideal way to do it, and it's been too long since I'd done it.  Of course I bought a few more pebbles back for the pond ;o)

and found some interesting rocks - I love the different lichens.

I found a large number of shattered slate roof tiles, and crawling across the was a HUGE Fox moth caterpillar

Then on closer look there were more in the grass.

They were around 3" long and as thick as my little finger!

We watched as the Fairbourne Light Railway chugged past us :o)

Then we went a ride further down the coast - looking back along the coast road towards Barmouth

and then the view out to sea

Bardsey Island is on the far left of the photo, and looking out towards the Lleyn Peninsular.

Then on to Tywyn  to the sandy beach  

Where I had a paddle ;o)

and a view of the groynes

Aah, that's MUCH better!

Welcome to my latest followers - So pleased to see you here :o)

See you all soon, best wishes

Late addition - an apology

I'm sorry if I haven't been replying to emails to 'secondhandrose' address, I've only just discovered that there was a blip and I hadn't received any since Mid AUGUST!  I've sorted it out now (fingers crossed x)

Please accept my sincere apologies, I'll try and catch up this evening - but I've over 100 to go through.

Rose x

New Treasures.

Hello Folks. 

 I hit a bit of a blog wall so haven't posted for a few weeks again - thank you for your patience.

Hello and welcome to my newest follower :o)

To catch up, I still have the hedgehogs visiting, but now there is one this years juvenile that's about half the size of the adults.  The little blighter is certainly camera shy, I've only managed to get a couple of snaps.

You can see how tiny it is :o)

A couple of weeks ago we had a calamity with the pond.  The pump stopped overnight and I lost three of the four lovely silver orf that we've had for around nine years.  The decision was made to clean out the pond.  We were taking it in turns to do this awfully dirty job, it was so hot and humid.  Hubs took a break on the bench and saw something moving in the border, it was one of our little field mice.  We placed some sunflower hearts down by the hole and it kept popping in and out getting food, a welcome break watching the little soul :o)

 (Sorry, no new photo's of mousie this time, this one was taken months ago.)

We also made the decision to have a larger pond - the one we have is very small!  As neither of us can face digging out the hole we have a builder coming this week to give us quote - fingers crossed it'll be reasonable?  (We already have the preformed 6' X 4' liner.)

This weekend the 'V' festival has been on At Weston Park, just about 8 miles as the crow flies.  It's on as I type, the noise has been awful all weekend.  The base has been booming ALL day, and frankly I am a little tired of it!  Sorry - moan over.. I must be getting old!  (Goodness knows how loud it must be there?)

The other day we went out, and as we were driving down one of our local lanes we happened upon these two beauties.

They were huge!  We have no idea where they'd appeared from as there

are no farms or houses anywhere near.  I so wished I had room for them at home...

If anyone out there know which breed they are I'm very curious, I thought at first they were marans, but the tails seemed too fluffy and the legs are bright yellow.

They were a little skittish, so these photos were taken about 40 feet away.

Okey dokey, down to the good stuff!  I have of course been treasure hunting, here's a selection of the latest.

First up, this Wedgwood Jasper ware vase, 8" tall.  A very reasonable £7.50

An OLD Spode Blue Italian bowl, 9.5" Diameter

Marked, hence the £2 price ticket.  Fine for display or Potpourri though.

Some of you may remember I found one of these Gosport Pottery biscuit/butter stamps before, this was also in its own wooden box.

£1 :o)

This sweet button heart,in it's 7.5" square frame was £2 

is now hanging in our bedroom :o)

Two tiny cast iron birds in their own little tin £1, they are now residing on the dresser.

Couldn't believe my luck with this Merrythoughts teddy 10" tall £5.

All he needs now is a smart ribbon bow.

This 6.5" vase is much nicer in real life.  An unexpected lucky find for £1.25

After closer inspection when I got home at the sticker on the base...

I discovered it was also signed - Royal Brierley Studio Glass.

(on the left hand side of the photo)

I was surprised to find these for £2

A BIG bag of buttons.  Some of you will understand!

I was also delighted to happen upon this..

Ideal as a cutlery box, 13" x 8.5" x 5"

£3  I love the flowers.

As you know I'm crazy about cats, so when I saw this Peter Fagan wall of singing cats for £1 I just couldn't resist.

3" x 2.75"

Then I saw these jewel encrusted enamelled photo frames, even though they're modern I thought they were so pretty, just the thing for photos of ancestors.

Two of them are 6" x 4" and the other is 4"x 4"

All for £2.75

This 3" high enamelled Scottie dog trinket box for £1

Two large tablecloths (sorry, I didn't iron them)

Blue and White Damask £3

and a beautiful hand embroidered floral one

Also £3

And finally, I quite like naive paintings of cottages, I found this one for £4

A slightly 'wonky' Keepers Cottage, that now hangs in the dining room below the other naive cottage garden painting.

Signing off, wishing you all well.

Hopefully I'll be posting on a more regular basis again.

Very best wishes to all