SHARING MY SPACE

Last summer we let go of so much that was 'ours'.....primarily our own space - our own area of living - the home that we had made 'ours'. And we have adjusted, massively helped along in the knowledge and confidence that this is where God has us. So little of what we have use of these days is actually ours and yet we are surviving wonderfully well - we've just let go of the trappings of life (well some of them!).

The view from our bedroom is something that is 'ours', for now anyhow. And yet this morning as I looked out over the grass and trees, once again made fresher and greener by even more rain during the night, I realised I was sharing my view with an intruder......

......now that is one canny spider!!

STORM DAMAGE!

Everything was coming along really nicely in our vegetable garden until we were hit by the storms last Monday and the wind just ripped through the whole garden. I appear to have lost a couple of sprout plants, a couple of cauliflower and the leeks have taken a real battering. I'm taking no chances though and today I've planted a couple of extra sprouts and a fresh lot of leeks.

When I arrived home from work on Monday I could not believe the devastation - the avenue was actually blocked by THREE fallen trees - leaves, twigs and branches were everywhere. I had to get out of the car and clear the way to allow me to drive in - though I could only drive in a few yards - and I had to park the car and wait for Jonathan to arrive home with the chainsaw. Poor men!...they do get the heavy end of the work....he's been working every evening this week to clear the fallen trees and broken branches - and some of these branches are actually trees split in two! He does have everything sitting so tidy and neat now - it just looks like a different place from Monday!

I did take some storm pictures on my phone - hopefully I'll get them uploaded here soon.

VEGETABLE PROGRESS

GREAT progress being made! Oh the goodness of God!.....really when I think about it... the KINDNESS of God! We are not in a position of need and yet it has pleased God to allow this little garden of ours to proper...thank you Lord!

I have loved this cherry blossom which overhangs the vegetable garden BUT I must remember not to plant next year until the blossom is past - what a mess when the flowers fell among the plants!

VEGETABLE GARDENING

In past years - but not recent years - Val has kept a vegetable garden and, in her vast garden area it has become my favourite spot. Last winter I thought it would be lovely to try to work this area and grow some vegetables so, in February Jonathan rotavated it for me and, after some work we now have a selection of our own vegetables growing. Oh the satisfaction of seeing them thrive week by week!

I think we could have been rather too enthusiastic or ambitious in our selection which just kept growing and growing (pardon the pun), anyhow we have potatoes, peas, brussel sprouts, leeks, beetroot, parsley, cauliflower, red onions, carrots, lettuce, courgettes, raspberries and strawberries.....and I think that's the lot!

It's a real thrill to just pop into the vegetable garden every day, check things over and just watch it mature. I'm hopeful we will get a dinner or two out of it yet - we even have a red side on ONE strawberry right now...though we'll not get the ice cream out just yet!!