First Week of June

 I went to the dentist during the week (check up and Xray only - thankfully). I go to Ipswich as that's where they moved to during covid. While I was on the right edge of town I decided to pop along to Dreams and see about a new mattress, something I keep putting off as it's such a faff.

I drive into the carpark and all the lights were off in all the big warehouse stores but the doors were open and it turned out they'd all been flooded out on Tuesday with huge downpours and hailstones - Dreams and Bensons for Beds are both there - both shut. Back in my village on Tuesday we didn't even have enough rain to fill the water butts. Now I'll have to go back specially sometime - no doubt I'll put it off a bit longer.

The first handful of raspberries were ready this week - the seeds in them seem a bit hard again - like last year - lack of rain I think. . 

From the few old strawberry plants in two tubs I've had about a dozen strawberries and they've quickly finished and I'll empty the tubs now and start again next year.

Disappointed to see that the Commonwealth Games won't be on free TV in the summer - only available on a pay to view channel. Channel 5 will have a highlights catch up in the evening. They weren't even supposed to be in Scotland anyway but Australia backed out. So with a reduced games and no free exposure to the public it could be the end for them.

BUT Queens Club tennis - the start of the grass court season and the build up to Wimbledon - is still on BBC and starts next week , with Nottingham on BBC iplayer the week after and Eastbourne the following week and the first of six Cricket Test Matches for England's men has also started and there's still an hour of highlights each evening on the Beeb. But if England and NZ were both as hopeless at batting but as brilliant at bowling as they were on day one then there won't be many 5 day tests - It was almost a one day thing!

On Thursday there was a thunderstorm - it rained a bit! I tried again with the camera and you-tube. I'm sure the way I get it loaded to the blog is probably the long/wrong way.

Have a good weekend - a very wet Saturday is forecast here - I'll be back Monday

Big Shop

 Filling a post with food shopping again!

Two weeks after my last proper food shop and the first one for June was a big shop. Restocking cupboards, buying lots of lovely summer fruit and all the ingredients for making a big batch of Thai red fish curry as most of the 12 portions of Quorn Korma curry made way back in January have been eaten.

Almost everything was from Aldi but then I popped into Morrisons to get a couple of things that Aldi don't have.

From left to right.............. Salad leaves 65p; Large pack of nectarines 1kg £2.39; strawberries £2.15; 2 x packs of 6 mini apples @ 59p = £1.18; carrots 500g 44p; mini potatoes 75p; head of calabrese 79p; Large bag wonky peppers £1.69; mangetout 200g £1.19; pack of 7 mini cheese biscuits 99p; 2 x peanuts @ 59p = £1.18; 2 x tins plum tomatoes @ 43p= 86p; tin peaches 45p; spaghetti 500g 33p; pack 6 cheese/onion rolls £1.75; 4 wholemeal burger baps 69p; 1.5kg plain flour 70p; 2 x tins coconut milk @75p = £1.50; 400g extra mature cheese £2.49. 1 decaf ground coffee £2.49; 2 x ground coffee @ £2.49 = £4.98; shortbread biscuits 95p; fig roll biscuits 59p; 2 x Dried prunes @ £2.79 =   £5.58; Thai red curry paste £1.29; 2 x Lemon meringue pie mix @ 85p = £1.70; Flora  cholesterol lowering Proactive spread  £3.75; Frozen Sweet potato fries @ £1.99= £3.98;  Icecream £1.35; Basa fish fillets £1.75.

Total spend was £50.42  blimey! hopefully not a lot else will be needed for the rest of June except eggs and fresh stuff. 

As the photo didn't really show all the shopping very well I decided to video it  then took me an age to remember/find out how to upload to youtube and now I've no idea if it works or not. I'd forgotten I even had a you-tube channel! It's just a couple of short bits from the meadow at Clay Cottage, a tour round the garden there in 2019 which is only 7 years ago but I must have aged since then ( errrr yes Susan you are 7 years older!) as I doubt I'd manage all that gardening now. The most recent video -  an even shorter bit of the view over the village is from 2024 and I don't even remember making it.

I would never have the patience to have a youtube channel that's for sure.

Back Tomorrow

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

 The problem with Hummingbird Hawkmoths is that they don't sit still for photos.

The hummingbird hawk-moth migrates to the UK from Southern Europe each year. It can be seen hovering over flowers, feeding with its long proboscis; its wings move so quickly that it 'hums'.

This is only the third time in all my years of having a garden that I've seen one. It was on the Valerian which is one of those plants that just arrives and spreads.

Red valerian was introduced in the 1600s from Europe, but is now naturalised in the UK. Its pinky-red flowers grow from old walls, roadside verges, railway cuttings and cliffs, and provide nectar for insects.

Hooray for patches of garden where anything is left to grow and to being in the right place at the right moment to spot this intriguing creature.

Back Soon