Have You Ever . . .

Hello Friends!

Have you ever placed an order for frozen food and then, when it is already on its way, realised there isn't any room in the freezer?  That was my dilemma this past Thursday.  I'd ordered a dozen assorted pasties, quiche, and pies from Chunk of Devon not giving a single thought to the lack of available space in the freezer!  Thankfully, a quick rearranging of things, and removal of some bags of peas that were more ice than peas, not only was sufficient space released for the pies, but enough over to accommodate the five boxes of Nuii that came from Tesco where they are on sale {the only time I succumb}.  They are the best ice cream chocolate coated bars I've tried by a country mile.  My freezer drawer now looks like an advertisement for Chunk and Nuii!

At least I now know that an empty draw will accommodate at least 18 Chunk pasties or pies, and alongside will fit up to 15 Nuii bars! 

I promised to share with you the news of an exciting discovery in my "vestibule" {which is what I call my tiniest of all front porches}.  

I have a flowering spike growing on my Aloe Vera plant!

A few years ago, I offered up my {too large for me} upright freezer and it was taken by a lovely lady from a nearby town.  I wasn't taking any money for it, and she gave me a lovely Aloe Vera as a gift in exchange. It has lived in the "vestibule" ever since. I was amazed, the other day, to discover it is producing a flowering spike, which is something no one I know seems to have seen before.  I did a little digging on Google and this is what it said:

Apparently, being a native of the Tropics and warmer climates, it is quite rare for them to flower further north in colder climates. Even rarer, it seems, if they are kept in pots as houseplants.  However, there is a wealth of information, most of which focuses on the optimum conditions and, it seems, that my tiny vestibule is a perfect growing climate to encourage the Aloe Vera to flower!  How lucky am I?  Here are a couple of photos I've taken, not much to see at the moment, but I am so excited to see what does happen in the coming weeks.

As luck would have it, I think Aloe Vera is one of the plants we will study later in the year for the Wild Welsh Herbal Medicine 2026.  If you snap off a leaf, it exudes a clear gel like substance that has very good healing properties for the skin and is a soothing substance to gently apply to burns.  It is used in the treatment of several skin conditions and is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.  

*as with all herbal and complimentary medicines, it is imperative to consult with a qualified professional for contraindications, etc.

It has been a bit of a headache, with everything that has been happening lately, to fit in my walking challenge, but I've managed it most days.  It was inevitable that one day I would go out and find that the Council had sent a man with a weed whacker to do their worst, and that day was yesterday.  The only redeeming fact is that the strimming has been limited to the bottom of the hedges and verges.  Thankfully, the foxgloves, yet to flower, have been left untouched!  However, the middle part of the hedges are mostly stripped to a chopped up mess and looking rather bare compared to a day or two ago.

Nothing is left of the tiny patch of Silverleaf that I was hoping would flower soon.  Also known as Silverweed, it is of the Potentilla family.

I feel deeply for these plants that have been so wantonly destroyed. It hurts me now to walk by where just a few days ago there was so much life here, not only in the plants but in the tiny animals and insects that lived here and fed upon the plants now gone.

This has all knocked in the head my plans to record and research the hedgerows and plants throughout the year.  Some of the ones that had just begun to grow are gone.

Ending on a happier note, though, the horses and pony have been moved down to this field!

Until next time

💙🌷💙

Autumn Whispers on the Morning Air ~~~

Hello Friends!

“There are two times of year: waiting for Autumn, and Autumn”

As we slide, softly, sometimes scorchingly, into mid summer, and July is over half way spent, my mind turns more and more to that most delicious season of them all ~ Autumn ~ when nature's paintbox goes into overdrive with one last Hurrah! of colour, fruits, and harvest.

I can wait no longer to sing out everything autumn! My Pinterest boards are burgeoning once more with many themed pins!  Hygge tugs at my heart, and the nights are already coming earlier with promises of cosy nights, curled up in front of the fire, candles burning, stacks of books and magazines waiting to be read, and handmade quilts made just for snuggling under ~~~

To make Autumn even more delicious this year, my favourite author and illustrator, Susan Branch announced on her Twitter feed, just this very week, that her new range of art illustrated mugs will soon be available in the UK! Did you hear me squeaking with excitement and delight? Saving of pennies commences!  I want them all, of course, but I have a particular favourite ~ can you guess?

There is a certain feeling in the air that my heart searches out in earnest every year, that day when the air quietly whispers that autumn is on her blissful way ~~~ and this magical morning I felt those first gentle words on the west wind as it whispers across my garden from the salt laden ocean ~~~

The wild field poppies are giving one final burst of summer colour ~~~

The apples are swelling with the sweet summer rainfall and ripening in the warmth of the summer sun ~~~

Rosehips which will feed the birds in the winter, encouraging them to continue foraging instead of pecking at the supplementary feeders ~~~

The blackberries on my two hundred year old stone wall are preparing for a generous pick, and soon there will be Blackberry and Apple Pie, a Cobbler or two, and jam ~ always jam for a sweet reminder of the summer and autumn months gone by, and a dose of Vitamin C!

Just the other day, I shared with you my excitement over the unexpected flowering of two of my succulents here.  Each new day now brings a change, and here are the photographs I took yesterday as the sun started to slip into the evening and they are opening beautifully ~~~

There's not a lot of change this morning, but I'm hoping there will be some movement during the day, once the sun comes around and warms them up, maybe they'll open up some more, revealing their gorgeousness and contrasting colours ~~~

Until next time ~~~
~~~Deborah xo