Ahhh, so this weekend the weather was gorgeous. In between making a gorgeous high tea I was in and out of the garden all weekend. The Fiancé was in the garden all of sunday, until he came inside hot, sweaty and very very tired, to enjoy said Sunday High-Tea. I was on strict orders to relax, which was not only heavenly, but much-needed because on friday I was a sickly bunny all evening.

I realised not too long ago, that if we were going to grow all of the vegetables that we want to (and have already germinated), then we'd better find some more veg-bed space, because that's something that we're very short of. This means only one thing; making the lawn smaller. We have an enormous lawn, really it is large, over 19 metres, and takes a lot of mowing. This means the lawn will be easier to take care of, and will give us the space we really want. So, having decided the size of the first lawn-bed, Fiancé set about doing the hard work excavating the area which now looks like this:


[new veg bed]

Yesterday I managed to plant it to half-capacity with some more potatoes and garlic, the back part of the bed, nearest to the path, will be housing some pumpkins and also some runner beans if I ever get down to the garden centre to get some!

Can you believe that whilst sitting outside I managed to get slightly pinkened? I didn't believe this was possible in April, but apparently so. Like I said, we'll be growing melons here before my days are numbered...

We also spent a gorgeous day in Hexham, a local town, with a gorgeous famers market, abbey and park. Although not a christian, I find the abbey a nice place to sit and think as it is a rare thing to find somewhere quiet enough to do so, and has been dated back to c. 674 AD. The first time we visited we were treated to an impromptu concert by the organist, who was obviously practising his repertoire.

Myself still feeling ropey from the previous evening's sicky episode, we walked dreamily around the town, stopping little and often, finally ending up in the parkland arm in arm, drinking in the sun, the daffs and the sound of happily oblivious children playing.


[Flowers by Hexham Abbey, the heady smell of them in the air]

Today has been spent in glorious bliss watching the rain fall in small, neat droplets from a very stormy sky, which has now disappeared to leave nothing but blue sky in its wake. I made some beetroot and apple soup, a recipe I sort of just concocted, but which tastes very nice indeed, and is such a satisfying colour. I am in a vermillion mood obviously, which is just as well, because this soup is the most stunning colour. Or at least it was, before I engulfed the bowl, replete with locally produced organic spelt bread and butter. Yum.


[beetroot and apple soup, a homemade concoction]