dahlias

There is a garden in Dunster called the Dream Garden that is full of dahlias of all sizes, shapes and colors. The last time we visited I finally remembered to take my camera...

in the last couple of months...

Our niece was born.

We went to a wedding.

Our other niece won the fancy dress contest at her first gymkhana.

I've been bringing strange combinations of things home from the grocery store (this was actually a happy accident--I have been looking for dill pickles forever and lo and behold, they can be found in the Polish food section at your local Tesco. The fact that ice cream also sounded good on this day and that I happen to be pregnant are mere coincidences.)

A garden is growing. Sadly this is not ours but Sam's parents, however, we do benefit from a lovely organic veg box delivered on a weekly basis:)

I got to see my Mom and we spent a hot sunny day by the sea in Devon.

Friends came to visit!! Leah and I lived a lifelong dream of ours, having tea in England together, which we have been practicing for since we were 10.

It's been a good couple of months!

how to water your plants from afar

Now I know what you're thinking and you're right, I live in England, it rains here all of the time why would I ever bother watering? But tomato plants are needy little things, so I want to leave them with an extra boost of water while we are in Wales next week. All you need is a plastic bottle, a nail and a hammer to poke a hole through the cap and you've got yourself an automatic water drip.

harvesting and picking

runner beans

purple and baby carrot

peas (not sure what kind but you eat the shell and they are beautiful)

cherry tomatoes

Sam digging up our potatoes, yes he is wearing his slippers--that's how we roll.

Potatoes

Our first wild berry pick of the season and we got enough blackberries and blueberries for a whole pie. It was DELICIOUS, and I was so excited to eat it I didn't take a picture.

flowers

I made a startling discovery the other day while checking the weather--the days are already getting shorter!  The sun is setting a couple of minutes earlier every day.  But never mind, I'm going to enjoy summer while it lasts! 

our tiny little garden

Our patio and deck looked pretty sad when we first moved in...

But now it's a comfy place to sit, eat and be inspired.  There is a stream that runs behind the wall in the left of the photo below, and we are able to pull water out to water our plants and also lower a basket down to chill our beers (it's much faster than the fridge).  And there's lots of birds making nests all over the place that we get to watch and listen to.  

These are some buds on our runner bean plants that are about to open up.  Soon we'll have beans coming out of our ears.

These little white flowers will become peas--in fact, since this photo was taken a few days ago we have even been able to eat some!  Everything is happening so fast now.

This is one of our dwarf French bean plants, not sure what to expect from these guys, but they're flowering now which is a great sign!

Tomatoes!

Now if they would just turn red.

Gardening requires a vast amount of patience.  Which, of course, I lack.  It has been very hard to wait for things to happen, but it is so much fun to watch!  I wish I could set up some time lapse photography cameras by every single bean, carrot and tomato and watch every second of it!  

A Few Garden Pics

I took these pictures last weekend, everything is twice as big now.  

Gardening is so magical.  You put a seed in the ground and it turns into something you can eat.  Wow!  We have planted:

-Potatoes

-3 different kinds of Tomatoes

-Lots of different lettuces

-Bell peppers

-Butternut squash

-2 kinds of runner beans

-French beans

-Peas

-2 kinds of carrots

-Onions

-Garlic

-Every kind of herb I can get my hands on

We have a tiny patio but have planted lots of stuff in pots and tubs, it really is amazing how much you can grow in just a tiny space!  I would use all of our window sills too but I'm not allowed to go to the garden center for a while.  Sam is pretty sure when everything is in full swing there wont be enough room for us to sit outside.  He's probably right--I don't have a clue what I'm doing:) 

It's beginning to look a lot like spring time!

I went home to Texas for a week two weeks ago, and when I returned to England it was a totally transformed place! Daffodils are blooming, there are buds everywhere, it's warmer, there's no need to take a coat with you everyday (although an umbrella is highly recommended) and the air is fresh and hopeful. Winter is just about over! I don't see my breath anymore when I wake up in the morning! Here are just a few pictures from around here that will brighten any day...

Ah... wasn't that refreshing? Flowers and veggies and strawberries--lots of things to look forward to in the next few weeks and months. I'm a big fan of English spring time.

Before I left for a week I started a very exciting project that I am completely thrilled about. I'm not quite finished, but let me just tell you, it's AMAZING. I can't wait to show you:) Here's a sneak peak: