London Riots

Well whilst I currently live in Southampton this is not where I am from. My parents live just on the outskirts of London and currently this is where I am! 

I have gone back to my parents for a few days to help out with work and bring my sisters hiking stuff up from Southampton.

I think it is awful what is happening in London and would like to extend my thanks and support to the Police officers who are trying to keep it under control, also to the fire fighters and ambulance/hospital staff out there. 

Last night I found it hard to sleep knowing that a number of my friends were in London at the time and a number very close to what was happening. 

Sometime after midnight I heard a series of loud bangs and knowing that some of the rioting had reached local towns I wondered if something had gone down near me. 

Looking out of my bedroom window I saw a plume of what could have been smoke against the orange glow from London (this is normal due to the street lights etc) but when my dad had a look it had spread out and looked a lot more like a cloud.

After this I had a very restless nights sleep, but upon waking up this morning the smoke/cloud was still there with barely another cloud in the sky and I realised I had been right in my first assumption that it was probably smoke. 

Driving to work this morning this was undeniably confirmed when huge clouds of black smoke were pouring off a nearby industrial estate.

 

Reuters

 Reuters

Here is to hoping everyone I know and anyone you know is still safe xxx

The weather...

The weather has finally broken...

It is pouring down with rain. And whilst this is good for my garden it did mean that I didn't want to get out of bed this morning! But it is at just the right time. I am going to have to go home for a day of work tomorrow and was really worrying about how long I could leave the garden for with out killing my veg.

Especially the courgettes, they are very thirsty and have been battling with a bout of powdery mildew. I have found the best way to fight this is to water them almost every day!

Thank you rain, although please stop for my dash to the train station later x

Wordless Wednesday

Flowers of my Garden:

 

My house smells of christmas

My house smells of Christmas, weird I know but its true...

I am making spiced plum jam and its is filling the house with a nice christmassy scent.

Oh my house is being spoilt by smells today.

Bubbly goodness

And on a happy note, Camera is back to talking to computer. But it does appear to be at the cost of my left mouse button (probably not related hey!)

Productivity

Lately I have been lacking in motivation and therefore productivity. Hopefully this will be changing soon, I am slowly getting my motivation back and have been accomplishing things.

Yesterday I went into town and accomplished a few thing but most important was writing the letter to my nan which has been put off for a while because I didnt have time, and had lost my writing paper in the big kitchen clear up.

Before leaving for town I made myself a dress which was nicely satisfying to be wearing something that you had made that morning.

Here is a photo of the dress. It does look slightly like I am still wearing the duvet (or a hospital gown :p) but it was so nice and breezy which was amazing on the stupidly hot day yesterday.

Last night I made it through my Google Reader back log and came across this post which even though I almost never know which day of the week it is so Sunday doesn't hold a special place for me making bread certainly seemed like a good thing to do.

Waking up this morning I have put washing on, started making bread, harvested as many blackberries as I could (putting a step ladder in the veg patch to reach the blackberries with a unwound coat hanger is not something I would advise for any other reason than the comedy value!), a few plums and some strawberries. The strawberries went onto breakfast with a few from the other day. 

This mornings harvest...

Its not even 10 yet and the washing is out on the line and the bread is rising in the sun (as I can never find a place warm enough to rise bread in my house).

Next task is to make spiced plum jam and source some cooking apples to make blackberry jam with... That and cook the bread :D

Wishing everyone else a productive day. There should be a post on the Herb Garden later in the day, if I can get my camera working with the computer again :D

Satisfaction

This morning I have a wonderful feeling of satisfaction. The last few days have gone well and I have actually got a lot of things done, although my To Do list doesn't seem to be getting any shorter! I keep thinking of more things to put on it!

Yesterday I decided to see what the potato plants had or hadn't done. Recently they keeled over, I think I may have neglected their watering a little bit as they are in one of the patio bags... Ohps. 

Well I dug around and transferred the soil into another container and low and behold there were a number of potatoes :o

Although a number had already succumbed to the slugs! Nasty little buggers...

Combining this with some Chard from my garden (I used the leaves for this meal):

Greek yoghurt pot for size comparison :p and yes I did take this picture on my floor...

These combined to make dinner where only the chicken didn't come from my garden (def don't have room for them here)

Again Blogger has rotatoed a picture for no reason!

Also I have made a dress this morning which I am going to be wearing when I go to town this afternoon :D 

Made along the lines of this pattern, but out of a gingham duvet cover :p lovely and soft but I definitely need a better belt to wear it with...

And to top it off I have a half full Herb bed. A blog post to follow on this shortly. (hopfully I will have my proper camera talking to my computer by then...)

Wishing you all a good day. xx