The First Family Gathering

We have two special birthdays this weekend. We met up at my parents' house for the first of these. My sister who is currently living in the States has come over to celebrate her 60th birthday. This gave a great excuse for a party.

There was plenty of time for the Birthday Girl to have some fun time with her grandson.

                                                                  

Older daughter tried out a bit of technology with her grandparents.

It was also of course an ideal chance for some family photos for the album.

We now have another birthday to celebrate over the next two days.

The Photo Hunt Link Up

It's now nearly the end of July and time for another link up to Rinda's Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt. I have explored quite a few of the prompts this month. You can see these by following these links.

No.2 A footprint or paw print

No.3 A skeleton, bone or X-Ray and No. 10 A bicycle

No. 6 A camper or caravan

No. 8 An art project

No. 11 Fresh Produce 

Then for No. 21 . A photograph of you with a newspaper or calendar page from the time period covered in the hunt. I have chosen the Saturday after what must be one of the most talked about days of this year. 

A catalyst to a lot of political change in the month of July and a changing future.

This is not the first time I have taken a photo of a newspaper of an important political event. The summer of 1982 found me on nights as a student nurse while important matters were being settled in The Faukland Islands as my colleague shows.

Six Word Story

Miriam's  short story is making us think ahead. This week's word is Autumn. Oh please Summer is not finished yet!

Two in One

The end of July is approaching rapidly. It is almost time for another link up with Rinda for The Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt. I had a stroke of luck on Tuesday or perhaps I should say it was a brain wave. I remembered something I have seen in Bath many times and would as one says "kill two birds with one stone". In other words could qualify for No.3 A skeleton, bone or X Ray but also for No.10 A bicycle.

Perhaps he ( or maybe she ) has been over doing the exercise? 

Don't you just love those feet!

Well technically this is actually a tricycle not a bicycle so for argument's  sake here are a few more I spotted. All of which are being used in some commercial way.

I can't imagine they do deliveries.

A new type of sign.

Advertising.

Ice cream anyone?

A cafe sign (this one was near Bradford on Avon).

Then a popular green alternative in many cities. I wonder how popular this is in hilly Bath.

Snap : Through the Arch

Anyone who has seen a few of my photos will know that I like to photograph through windows, doors in fact anything! Today to join Helena in her Snap I am looking through different kinds of arches.

1. I actually took this when we in search of the loos in the Connaught Gardens in Sidmouth!

2. This was in a similar vicinity looking back to where we had just climbed up from the beach.

3. I have now transported you to the kitchen gardens at Barrington Court. The white box is a thermometer. I would like to see the arch again with the courgettes grown up onto it. Note all the different thyme along the edge of the path.

4. Lastly a view down through an arch in one of the "rooms" in the Gertrude Jekyll gardens at Barrington Court.

Pinks and Purples

It is a little while since I took you for a walk around my mother's garden. It is full of summer colour at the moment with a predominance of pink and purple.

Here are a few close up snippets.

I must remember to plant some of these alliums for next year.

The Lavender makes a good background.

There is plenty to attract the bees and butterflies.

I hope these all bring sunshine to your day!

Memorandum Monday : New in the Kitchen

A happy Monday morning to everyone and a welcome back to our hostess of Memorandum Monday Sian from her holiday. So what's new this week?

 It has been a quiet weekend here but I did get round to putting a new item in the kitchen. Our customers who make bread and have already given us several loaves had another gift thie week. An egg rack made by one of them. 

There has also been quite a lot of fresh produce appearing this week. These globe carrots are from seed we were given by my niece. The flavour of a carrot fresh from the garden is nothing like those sold in the shops that have been stored all winter. Oh and the horse enjoys the tops too!

Then I had a large box of peas to pod. Are you like me? Can you pod these without popping a few in your mouth? I certainly can't!

Finally I was touched by the actions of younger daughter who continues on her trip around Europe. Their travels took them to Nice this week exactly a week after the terrible atrocities on Bastille night. It was I think an emotional experience for them. A message came through with a photo of the flowers they had bought to place with all the other flowers, candles and notes at the pavilion. My thoughts and prayers go to all those families whose lives have changed forever.

Calf meets Horse

Cattle are naturally curious and usually want to see what's going on. These cattle were no exception when I went with Older Daughter to check them.

She had been checking these Shorthorn cattle for a neighbouring farmer while they were away. 

Some of daughter's calves have been let out in the field for the first time.

It was their first meeting with a horse. Jaws took the lead in exploring.

Make Hay while the Sun Shines

The requested sun for hay making certainly arrived on Tuesday. Temperatures soared to 34C and it was all stations go! All three tractors were working in the hay field. Fortunately for the drivers they all had air conditioning to keep them from boiling.

One was used to turn and spread the drying grass to help it dry under the sun's rays and in the warm breeze.

Then it was roared up into a swathe ready for baling.

Then it was time to bale the dried grass into small bales.

The new hay will be hauled back to the farm for storage. It will need to dry and age before it will be ready for the sheep and horses to eat.

The need for speed to get the job done meant there was little time for stopping for meals so I transported our cooked meal to the field to eat in the shade of a tree.

It would be hard to find a better view in any restaurant.

The rest of the grass that was cut has taken longer to dry. Two dull days proved unsuitable for drying the grass. Yesterday the sun shone and it was all hands to the deck again.

This time it was a cup of tea under the tree.

The eldest member of the family came down to observe the action.

It was back to work after a quick cuppa.

There was the occasional hitch.

However by the end of the day all the hay was safely gathered in.