Sorry it has been a couple of weeks,lots to share.

Well  how are all my following people ,I am wondering if you are well and ready for sharing my news and finishes with me,  I think a  cuppa may be an idea while you come with me on my ramblings.
A first and most important bit of news is that Jack our grandson has heard he has got a first degree with honours at University  in Engineering. We are so proud  of him  and the young man he has become. 
The other news is  we may be having another Golden Retriever, we have our name on a waiting list and keeping everything crossed  that we will be lucky. The puppies are  due on  the 12th August ,not too long to wait , the mums  name is Molly and we  were excited to see in her pedigree line she has a relation  of  our first and  last  dog and another of the 2nd one we had. So keep your fingers crossed  for  us too. There will be lots of pictures no  doubt.
So what has been happening since I last spoke. Well I have 4 ,yes  4!!!! finishes. Whoo hoo.
So the first one to be finished was  The Happy Couple by Brookes  Books.  This is now framed and  on my Austen shelf. 

I did love stitching this one  , and it fits well with all my other "Jane" bits and pieces.I stitched it over one on 28 count fabric.  Next was Jubilees  Sheep by Little  House needleworks. Again  stitched over one ,I did this  in  the parlour on Wednesday nights  over at Needlecraft Haven. 

I think I took this at a strange angle as it looks as if it is slightly bowed  but it isn't. Next is Spring  ,at last ,I think  Summer can  wait a while  .

I did take a couple of photos a bit closer. Hmm lets  see what they turned out like.

Now ING.

I was a bit concerned the fabric  was a bit dark but after  I had done  a few letters I decided to carry on with it. This is by Cross Eyed Cricket, again on  28 over one.  I  do like  how over one looks when  finished .Last but  not  least is the Spring Makeover by Madame  Chantilly. I still have to decide where I am going to hang  it so at the moment it is on  the back of a chair.

I added some sheep brooches I had , Christine may recognise the  middle one  as she made it. I loved stitching this and it gave me many smiles.So my friends lots of new  starts  this  week  .  I will  show you wips next time.  I love having new  starts  and I was determined to finish these  before  I  did start  anything  else. Martin too has been playing with glass and these are his finishes.

I really thought this one looked just like  the bay in Weymouth  , this is fused glass .

A sunflower plaque, made  by the same method,and lastly an abstract where he was just playing.

So that was our handiwork for this month.Now for the rambling bit. We decided  last week we would go to a garden that was featured  on  Gardeners  world.East Lambrook Manor Gardens.We were either a little too late for the cottage garden that we expected to  see so  a little  disapointing .  However the setting was lovely and I did meet a very friendly cat ,that I might add I could  have smuggled  home.

He/she joined us on our stroll  around the garden and even came and sat next to me on a bench.  We thought the medieval  house was  so sweet ,the ham stone  that is used round this area  is  such a warm  lovely colour.

I was suprised to not seeing it here. We did  take  a few pictures .

This sea holly seemed as it it was glowing.

A summers day garden.

From this you can  see  what it was like.  Pretty but not  what I was expecting from  a cottage  garden. We then decided to go onto Martock ,I have shown  you there before  it has a lovely craft  gallery and  shop  there as well as being a woodturners paradise. We had lunch there and then I went to the shop and Martin went to the wood shop. I did indulge in a book ,but more of that later. We met  outside the gallery where  we admired this wonderful chap which now resides in  the back garden.

The lady said she had sold one of these already that day. I also bought a nice blue  bowl for the kitchen  . I  should  not be allowed out really.

So that was our day out last week. I had a request from  my friend Tina (no blog) that she wanted  to see some pics of our garden , so after the rain stopped  yesterday I ventured  out into the (jungle) and took some.
Here is  the view down the garden from the back door.

The red hot pokers are really something this year.A little  further down.

The roses are almost over now , we may get  second flush who knows. This is a ginger which is growing by the table and  chairs.

 One of our bananas can just be seen  on  the right.We are  so pleased with how  the garden has  developed although not  your typical  garden, everything is so big!!!!.

This is  the untidy bit looking back toward the house,  and  right at the bottom is a sitting  area.

I think  maybe the gardener that came and did this a few years ago will have  to come  and do a  bit of "thinning out" lol. The front  too  has grown beyond belief and  a few pics of that to show you. 

The bottle brush has been spectacular  this year. The agapanthus are in flower too.

The blue one ,with visitor.

So there you have some  of our garden  Tina.  Lots of places for a puppy to explore!!! The book  I bought at  Martock was this ,just could  not resist it,   will   have  to have a play for  next time.

Now we  are on  the subject  of books . Yes I have got  more  books. I saw these and they came  last week.

Also some  serious books  as  I am  doing a genealogy course  ,my brain is wondering what has hit it.

Martin  has decided to  join me and  so I have a clever person  to ask  lol.  It is  very interesting so  far and  we are  on  Week 4 starting today. 

So my friends now your tea  has gone cold and you have had enough of my twittering on, I will leave you with the little display I have by the front door ,the seals I got for  99p from ebay and  the driftwood came from  The outer Hebrides where we  went on holiday. 

Hope you have a good week , I think  it is  the Photo hunt next  week as we are at  the end of July.  Oh help better go take some  photos then .  Thanks for listening to me and for any comments  ,they are such a  joy to  read  .  Take care of  yourselves  and this comes with hugs from me.

Love Barb.