Sunday 14 September 2014

Happy Lately

I haven't posted anything at all for over a week. And as is always the case, another lovely blogger articulated much better than me about erratic summer blogging (thank you Gillian).

I'll tell you another thing; I have been hiding. For years. Behind the pages of a book, prettier girlfriends, being the funny one, as an under-achiever, a very bad pa, being nice when I should have been a bitch, saying yes when I should have said no. And lots more besides.

And now Pops has started school. I can't hide behind him anymore. Oh no. Swirly whirly brain. Can you tell?

So a happy/lately post. To get me back in the swing of things. You know how it is.





My garden is still putting on a show. The Dahlias are finally in bloom. I thought it was never going to happen. But our gorgeous late summer has persuaded them to come hither. I adore Dahlias. One of my rose bushes is having a second flush of flowers. I never expected that either, but am very glad that they are. And I have hips! And this is my pollinator corner. Olly and I draw up chairs and watch them go about their business. It's absorbing. I love my garden. There are plans afoot for it. I am very excited!




During the summer holidays Olly and I kept a nature list of all the wildlife that we saw. It was quite a long list by the end. It went into his holiday diary that his new teacher gave him (me) to complete over the holidays. After a little research, I believe (but am happy to be corrected) that these are an oak bush cricket, rose chafer beetle and a small copper. One on the beach, one at Godrevy and one in our bathroom!!


 
I have gathered so very many blackberries and sloes. It is a bumper season for them. The sloes are in the freezer, waiting to be bashed into submission and then thrust into gin for Christmas festivities. I have made jam and many a crumble with the blackberries. Some of them are in the freezer too, because September brings the obligatory diet. For Christmas. So that I can eat loads and not burst at the seams. Literally.




We have been out and about in West Cornwall in Betty, soaking up the last of the summer. I love Betty. I'm not bothered that she is the other woman in my life. Not any more. Today we went to Godrevy to put some flowers down for Granny. It's been three years since my beloved mother in law passed away. We all miss her still. She was fabulous. It was a super evening, and we spent it eating hot dogs, playing Frisbee and watching two curious seals watching us watching them. Oh and there were a lot of biscuits....

There now. That wasn't so bad. I can still do this, even with Pops in school.

Onwards!

Big love to you all,

Leanne xxxxx



22 comments:

  1. You are a gem, Leanne. I am so proud to know you. I know exactly what you mean about hiding because I do it too. You're going to be fine. I love these happy things and I love the way you share the stories behind them

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  2. Hi Leanne. Of course you can still do it! I love your photos and that mutant dahlia with the deformed petals sticking out from the middle is amazing. I am going to make a pollinator corner next year and sit in front of it all day long. Ollie is one lucky boy to have you as a mum, I bet his holiday diary is the best ever. Christina xx

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  3. Good to see you back. :) I made some blackberry jam yesterday - as you say it seems to be a bumper year for them. I hope school goes well. x

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  4. Hi - I haven't commented here before even though I have been reading your lovely blog for some time now - not sure why that is - anyway just to say that I love your idea of a pollinator corner, might pinch that one for my own garden. Just as your dahlias are coming into flower mine are have practically gone over. It certainly has been a gorgeous start to autumn - how can anyone not love it. Have a great week.

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    1. Hey Elaine.
      Thanks for reading and commenting. I think my garden has gone a bit loopy this year. There has been thevusual hit and miss. But some complete disasters. And then real surprises.
      Leanne xx

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  5. Definitely a Small Copper- well spotted! Nice to have you back xx

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  6. Hi Leanne, I have read your blog for sometime now and thoroughly enjoy reading about lifes ups and downs that we all have. I very rarely post anything don't quite know why because I really enjoy reading them. I believe we have a mutual friend - Jenny - she is my quilting buddy. Love your garden the dahlias are beautiful. I remember back in the 1970's they were very popular. My brother used to grow them for the house. Have a good week. Lynne xx

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    1. Hey Lynne,
      Yes Jenny told me last week! What a small world we live in. Have a lovely week too xx

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  7. I love your idea of keeping a nature journal over the summer with Olly. You both must have been on the lookout all summer for new things to write down. I've only just learned what sloes are. I don't know if they grow in Canada. Blackberries we have in abundance however. In fact, they are considered an invasive species. I hope this fall is a wonderful time for you, and that the transition to having Olly at school is much easier than you are anticipating.

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  8. I remember keeping a nature journal as a young child. It was full of observations such as 'saw a big snail on our garden wall' ! I really loved it! I carried around with me so as not to miss anything! X

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  9. It has made me happy to read your post. Not just the marvelous bugs (I have grandchildren and we are bug and beetle lovers too) an not just the flowers ( oh, such beauty, I love dahlias too, they remind me of my daughters wedding and now unfortunately of a slug the size of Jabba the Hut who gobbled up every new dahlia shoot one year) Oh goodness, I Ioved your post because it is so wonderful to read the wistful, gentle yearnings of a fellow pilgrim on the rocky road of life where good news often comes packaged as bad news and vice versa. You are going such a great job in your role of mother/mentor.

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  10. Great to see your garden blooming, and I love your wildlife photos. We found a dead shrew the other day and put it in the freezer, but although I think it still looks cute I'm not going to put it on the blog as some may disagree!

    We were hanging out at Godrevy yesterday too, down on the beach after camping at Gwithian. The weather was just fab after a poor start and I could happily have stayed all evening. I haven't walked the other way yet to see the seals but it's on my list of 'hidden gems'. x

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  11. Lovely to see a post from you! Your pollinator corner still looks so full of flowers. Sarah x

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  12. I think it's great that dahlias are 'fashionable' once again. Not long since they were a total no-no, but there are fashions even in gardening, and now they're back 'in' again, and I just love them. Maybe chrysanthemums will also make a return before long? Hydrangeas, also long out in the cold, are back in again - you only have to look in the style mags to see vases of them everywhere, and I have always liked them.
    Great photos of your Cornish landscape, too! I'm not familiar with your blog, only been reading it for a short while, so who or what is Betty? At a guess, I'd say a car or camper van?
    Margaret P

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    1. Betty is our 1974 VW campervan. She is gorgeous.

      Leanne xx

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  13. Yay, you're back! Excellent dahlia. My neighbour's front garden is a riot of blooming dahlias in every colour and it's a sight to behold. I'm jealous that you saw seals at Godrevy. And I'm glad that you're taking tentative steps to come out from the sidelines, because you're fabulous. x

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  14. Lovely to read this post Leanne. I know exactly what you mean about hiding. I am always the quiet one at the back. Cornwall is looking beautiful as ever. I love that you and Olly wrote down all of the beasties you saw in the summer, I shall try that with my littlest boy I think, I'm sure he'd love it. I still miss him when he's at school. The biggest boy was home all last week, so today I was missing him as well. Sometimes I wish I was homeschooling them so they never had to leave. Wishing you a good week. CJ xx

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  15. The garden is looking truly fab, roses have had a really great year.
    Have a good week Leanne.

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  16. Lovely post,lovely lady x

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  17. Hi Leanne, I am quite new to your blog and so I looked back over some of your archives. You wrote about selling your house and moving in one of them, is that still happening, or have I missed out a blog where you moved?

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  18. Plans have had to go on hold for time being. Several reasons why xx

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    1. Hi Leanne, thanks for replying to my nosy enquiry. Seeing how lovely your garden and home are, I have house envy... Keep on being you in your blog, you are one of the good ones!

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