Visit To The Beach

Sunny But Boy It Was Cold

   Last night we decided that this morning we would take a trip to the local beach which is around 35 minutes from us, the idea was to have a good walk and to collect seaglass and pebbles but to be honest I really wasn't feeling that great, my IBS was playing up and with the strong cold wind it wasn't the best trip to the coast I've ever had. For the last week I've been feeling a lot better, watching what I eat and trying to get a good amount of exercise, it's just sods law that when we plan a beach trip it decided to make things uncomfortable.
   Well I tried to enjoy it but in the back of my mind I just wanted to go home and sleep, I know it's a cowards way out but that's how I felt, I guess when you put up with something for so long you have a right to get a bit down, but hey there is always tomorrow and I'm sure a full day working at my torch will take my mind off it.
   At least the kitchen garden always seems to cheer me up these days, there is so much going on out there, today I noticed the Alpine (wild), strawberries have at least doubled in size since I cleaned off all the old growth from last year, I love these little plants and always remember watching my mum collect their tiny fruits in an eggcup, tiny sweet little strawberries that to be honest are too small to use in any cooking but make a great treat picked on a warm summer day, better than any sweet.
   The greenhouse in groaning with seedlings, some very near to being ready to plant out, Cabbage and Cauliflower will be set in the beds this week followed by the french bean plants the week after, I'm trying not to get to carried away and put them out too early as knowing my luck we will get a late frost and the poor things will be lost.
   Earlier in the week I made a bench on which we can sell all the unwanted veg and flower plants at the gate, just need to give it a coat of weather treatment, screw on the money tin and fix up a sign on the fence, then we can start putting a few plants out. It's the first time we have sold any plants but after wasting so many each year I felt it was worth a go, plus any bit of extra cash will be very welcome.

   The ponds are full of life and as you can see the first of the king cups are in flower, I love these little plants they are so colourful and a great sign of summer, I just wish they lasted until the autumn but I guess we can't have everything. When I think about how much we all like yellow flowers like a lot of the spring plants, daffodils included, it always makes me wonder why yellow beads are so difficult to sell, I know other bead makers who are often left with the yellow beads at fairs even tho they can be made with great detail and skill, maybe I'll make a few sets this coming week and we'll see if I'm right, I'm sure I will be.
   Ok I'm off to get some dinner then it's ceramic pendants for me this evening, I'm playing with the stoneware clay and having fun too, some larger pendants made so it will be interesting to see the feedback. I'm looking forward to my first pit firing in the new garden fire pit, I want to fire a few pots plus some beads and pendant so I'm eyeing up next Sunday for that, I'm sure Yvonne will be standing by with the fire hose just in case I get carried away !