27-May to 02-Jun 2012

Sun 27-May: Off to the Cambridgeshire Garden Show at Wood Green Animal Shelter this morning with Beth. Packed with things to see so, although she wasn't able to come (on holiday in Cornwall), we followed the Becky Method Of Making Sure You Miss Nothing... only look at things on the right on the first pass round, then the other side on the way back. Had lunch at the tea tent before spending out and hauling it all back to the car... for us various potting plants, some unusual shrubs and climbers from our favourite stall and a fig tree to grow against the back wall of the house. Here they all are... by late afternoon potted up and positioned on the window shelves so they can peek through into the living and dining rooms.

Mon 28-May: Another hot sunny day, another quick whip around some tile shops trying to find the kitchen splashback tiles. Came back from St Ives Tile & Stone with a couple of sample boards, then into town where we ended up on the patio of The Dolphin having coffee and cake. Here's something special... a beautiful steamboat, all brass and teak and powered by coal, gently chugging it's way under St Ives bridge and up The Ouse. Good news is by the evening we'd not only selected the kitchen tiles, but also the paint for the walls and the colour of the floor vinyl. Hurrah!

Tue 29-May: Off across the fields with Jazz (or Jasmine as I've nicknamed him) this afternoon heading towards Woodhurst. Here's the usual format, him heading out strongly in front, me hanging on for dear life. Exceptions to this are... 1. Beginning of the walk, when there's lots of flipping on his back to get his tummy tickled 'cause he's so pleased to see me. 2. End of walk, when there's lots of flipping on his back 'cause he realises he's on his way back home and doesn't want to go. 3. If we meet another much larger dog and he's made his usual attempt to savage it and got told off and... yes, you've guessed it... there's lots of flipping on his back to say how sorry he is and don't I want to give that tummy another tickle to reassure him? It's a miracle he's still got any hair on his back! On the way back my mum called to say thank you for her flowers and I got a chance to briefly chat to my brothers and sisters, all at mum's house to celebrate her birthday. Can't wait 'til the July trip home and a chance to have lots of fun at the Scone Palace 80s Rewind Festival

Wed 30-May: Spent just about all the day on the allotment, a big chunk of which was taken up mowing grass. Had several breaks to sit in the lovely warm sunshine by the pond for tea. Lots of mayflies hovering over the water... here's a couple mating. Spotted a strange striped stick like creature in the pond for the first time, about an inch or so in length. Not got a clue what it is.

Thu 31-May: Here's the herb bought on the holiday to Hunstanton a month ago and which I'd been searching for ages. The balm of gilead herb is doing well on the study windowsill, being kept under close scrutiny to ensure it gets the conditions it likes... hot, sunny but moist. Hoping to harvest seeds I can try growing, and if it works I'll give some of the extra plants to friends. Always love the wonderful smell from its leaves.

Fri 01-Jun: Got great hopes, but also some trepidation, about what these seeds will bring. No,not about to start climbing a beanstalk or anything. These are Alien Spaceship 2 seeds... one of four types of gourd seeds I've given my own names since I can't remember their original titles. Great hopes? That I again sweep the board in the Squash and Gourd class at this year's St Ives Flower & Produce Show. Trepidation? I've given some seeds to Richard and Mark, both master growers, and challenged them to try and wrest the Master of Gourds title off me. Must be mad, but always up for a challenge and it would be so boring if I was the only one displaying gourds again this year. Read more at the Allotment Heaven post Game On!

Sat 02-Jun: Here's Bridge Street in St Ives all decked out for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee street party. By the time we got there at 15:00 the activities were finishing, the stalls in Market Square were packing up and the flyover of the Lancaster bomber hadn't happened late as we hoped, but on time at 14:00. Earlier we'd taken Beth, Chris and the kids for lunch at Johnsons Farm at Oldhurst as a thank you for Chris fitting our new kitchen. Saw the crocodiles fed and played football. Beth arrived in a sparkly Union Jack dress, looked brilliant. This snap is the only one I got of her in the dress... she's the one on the far right talking to a friend.