Sunday

Project Pond

My little piece of peace :)

Even though I'm a non-swimming Piscean I do still love water. And so, when the other day someone online mentioned a miniature pond I thought that was something I could try.

I would love a proper pond but my nerves would constantly be on edge every time Stella was in the garden so this seemed a more sensible safe solution.

Having searched a few gardening websites for ideas including those below I went & got some bits and pieces together and was pleased to discover that a local garden centre also stocks aquatic plants.

Pond Expert

Gardeners World

BBC Gardening

BBC Wild About Nature

The water took an age to do as we are still under a hosepipe ban and this gave me lots of opportunity to change my mind on layout, positioning etc. But, I finally settled on a spot I was happy with and Stella took note of the "leave it" command for once!

I found an old broken terracotta pot and some big pebbles that I thought would add interest and over the next couple of days these changed position too.

Luckily 3 of my chosen plants were already in aquatic pots but I couldn't locate any others until Friday so now the 2 remaining plants are in the correct type of pot for a pond and of course this led to another move around!

I *think* I'm done now though :)

Unfortunately I'm very far from green-fingered as far as "normal" gardening is concerened so I'm hoping and praying that these aquatic plants flourish better than my previous efforts!

I'd love to see these plants come into flower...my individual choices can be seen below.

Hardy White
Waterlily

Miniature
Reed Mace

Rough
Horsetail

Scarlet
Lobelia

Water Violet

The latest addition is a discarded roof tile from my parents' newbuild which looked like a handy ramp should any creature topple in that needed to get out again.

Hopefully I can show you later in the year that it's coming along well. Fingers crossed everyone!

Four-legged Foodie Foto Friday

52 week food photography challenge

This week we would have reached "U" if I'd continued on alphebetising the theme but, as the only "U" food I know is Upside Down Cake which I used to make a lot of in the good old days before *normal* wheat, eggs & dairy became the enemy, it's time to do a u-turn of sorts; random Foodie Foto Friday will take over :)

So, this week I hand you over to Stella who has made a good subject choice :)

Modelling her cool water soaked Dickybag bandana from Crufts

It was jolly warm today so on the way home from doing a few jobs I stopped off at the pet shop. I wouldn't let Stella come for a car ride like she usually would as it was just way too hot.

I decided today was the perfect day to revisit the Billy & Margot freezer cabinet. I was right.

When there was a free taster session the other week Stella turned her nose up at both flavours but I think it just wasn't exciting when the weather was being, what shall we call it, British!

I didn't dish up much as she's such a scavenger at the moment on her epilepsy medicine but I think she liked it!

Don't you?! :)

Woof Wednesday

Stella's week.

As the weather's been nicer we've managed to get out much more over the last few days, this makes us both happy :)

On Friday I had to go to Newmarket so Stella & I took a hike along part of the Devil's Dyke footpath. I'd forgotten how steep it was and soon abandoned all hope of getting any geocaching done up there!

On Saturday we did a puzzle type geocache and had to get clues from the churchyard at Babraham. Always feel very conspicuous doing them but keeps the brain cells ticking over in the fresh air!

Sunday was Big Walkies day and because neither founder member could make it Stella (and I) were asked to lead the group round. 

The walk went well with no problems, Terry the Jack Russell attended & was very much still in love with Stella's rear end! & best of all the rain stayed away :)

Monday wasn't a great day but the sun was still shining after work so I took a photo of Stella in the garden for my Blipfoto entry. I like it, I hope you do too :)

& today we overslept and didn't make it to the Wicken Fen health walk as intended this morning but we did get out geocaching again. 

Let's hope the nice weather stays a while longer :) 

Foto Friday

52 week food photography challenge

"T"

T is for tomatoes this week :) 

Don't know why the labels have normal tomatoes on when inside the tin is plum tomatoes though! 

Woof Wednesday

My Woof Wednesday

(by Stella, a very brave girl, aged 8 and a half)

Well, I've had a very busy day! I'm literally dog tired now I can tell you!

Wednesday mornings are always good because it's Mum's day off from work so I get to shout at people at the bus stop and also it's bin day so I get to shout at the dustmen too!

First thing this morning I had to supervise Mum doing her exercises. I'm good at this. She says I'm under her feet and if I'm not careful she'll trip over me but I need to keep a close eye on things.

Then we had breakfast thank goodness because I was starving!

Then she started doing housework so I went for a lay in the garden, the sky was blue, such a change from last week!

Mum came and threw my ball for a little while but I got tired and needed to back indoors for a little lie down. I wanted to conserve energy as I knew we were going for a car ride at lunchtime and that usually means we're going on a geocaching trip :)

But, we came to this place instead! :(

I had to have my epilepsy check-up. & I thought I was seeing Viktor the Vet but instead it was a new lady called Katherine and she was very pleasant and everything but I did my best shaking and pacing and drooling anyway so I got lots of fuss and got called "a very brave girl". Then she took me away from Mum & I got very upset and they took some of my blood & I got very upset again but they finally took me back to Mum and said I'd been "a very brave girl" again.

So I have some more of my medicine and Katherine told Mum I seemed to be doing very well on it and she will ring her with my results. Unfortunately, she had no ideas what to do about my excessive bottom burps when Mum told her that the charcoal biscuits had stopped working. I stink so much at times that it makes Grandad pull a funny face and say "Oh Stella, you're such a smelly dog!" when we're at work but I can't help it.

Mum says if anyone has any ideas what might help please leave her a comment.

But then the best bit of the day came and we *did* go geocaching! This was a treat for being "a very brave girl" and Mum had found one in the same village as the vet hospital :)

We found some bluebells as well as the cache. Aren't we clever?! 

On the way home Mum stopped at the shop which was very boring for me so when we got in I went to bed and did my sleeping with eyes half-open trick. It always freaks her out!

Foto Friday

52 week food photography challenge

"S"

These are deliciously naughty little cappucino SHORTCAKES. Very naughty for my diet and very naughty for my sensitive tummy but as they were a gift it would be rude not to enjoy them so I take my dairy intolerance medicine and try not to eat the whole pack!

it's Thursday... it's Top Of The Tops

Keane - "Strangeland"

This week saw the release of Keane's new album and as I'm a big fan of theirs I pre-ordered the deluxe version which is a 16 track cd & a dvd encased in a hardback book. 

It was waiting for me when I got in from work on Tuesday night & I wasn't disappointed. All things Keane are usually beautifully presented and this is no different. 

The A4 size book features lyrics and photos as you'd expect but also a short story by William Boyd, and the DVD with it's live acoustic performances is a very nice addition to the package.

But, what about the music? 

Here's my humble opinions after the first play:

1. You Are Young. 

A good start with a good melody. Makes you want to listen to more...

2. Silenced By The Night.

I wasn't sure when I first heard this track that it was strong enough as the debut single for this album. However, I soon grew to love it and it contains some of my favourite lyrics from any band so far this year: 

"If I am a river, you are the ocean
Got the radio on, got the wheels in motion

We were silenced by the night
But you and I, we're gonna rise again
Divided from the light
I wanna love the way we used to then"

3. Disconnected.

The next single and another strong tune. I was bound to love the slightly Stephen King influenced video too! :)

4. Watch How You Go.

A pretty little melody. A nice album track.

5. Brilliant. My favourite new song and would've been my first choice as a lead single for this project. I have a feeling I'm not alone in that. This track appeals massively to my nostalgic & sentimental side. Awesome tune.

6. On The Road.

On first listen, purely an album filler. Faster paced but nothing to get excited about. If they do it live I can see Tom running out of breath!

7. The Starting Line. 

A pleasant tune with more of Tim's superb lyrics. I think I may grow to love this on further listens.

8. Black Rain & 9. Neon River

Neither of these are bad but not at all favourites at their first play. Maybe they'll be growers for me.

10. Day Will Come.

Another faster paced track. I can imagine the crowd jumping up and down at gigs to this.

11. In Your Own Time.

Another nice melody. Not outstanding but I like it all the same.

12. Sea Fog.

Very sweet song. Lovely. Big tick!

13. Strangeland.

Like a few here this is a slow starter but nice enough &, as the title track, I'm pretty sure it's going to get better with every listen.

14. Run With Me.

Not sure about this one but I do have an aversion to lyrics with the word "baby" too much in them. 

(Baby One More Time & Bye Bye Baby are notable exceptions to this rule!) 

15. The Boys.

I like this. A good toe-tapper already.

16. It's Not True.

Another sweet tune. Maybe a bit of a low to end on but a lovely lyric from Tim again.

Have I used the words "nice", "tune" and "melody" too much?! Keane are a nice tuneful melodic band! 

Tom's voice does Tim's songwriting proud and with excellent back-up from Richard & Jesse, "Strangeland" was worth the wait :)