Friday 9 August 2013

Red, white and blue


So enjoying this lovely summer of ours here in beautiful Britain.


Little duckies and dozens of peacock butterflies at Slimbridge.  We took a picnic.


Blackcurrant crumble.  With a few other berries in there for good measure.  Dealing happily with this little glut.  I had some great courgette recipe suggestions in the comments for the last post that I shall be trying.  I may also take to referring to them as zucchini when the children ask me what they're eating.


Even the guinea pigs are getting some summer deliciousness - the peel from an allotment cucumber.  They love it.  If I should find myself with too many cucumbers they'll get a bigger chunk; it's one of their favourite things.

I got a bit of a bargain at the local Sort-It Centre a couple of days ago.  I was after a spade and a fork that I can keep at the allotment.  They had some, but not in the shop area.  But the nice chap there let me choose a fork, and take the only spade, for free!  It really made my day.


Especially as the fork has these magic words on it.


It also says "Unbendable" which makes me happy too.

Enjoying the summer rain, even when it's a bit of a deluge.


Drying onions in between showers.


A little garden inspiration from the library.  The Allotment Folk are wonderful.



It's been a happy busy few days of picnics, parks, pools and friends.  I visited a friend near Ashton Court in Bristol today, where the Bristol Balloon Fiesta is taking place.  At 4 o'clock, this happened.


A flying display by the unrivalled Red Arrows.  It was absolutely thrilling, and we were all shrieking every time they flew over.  Fortunately you couldn't really hear anything over the screaming of the engines.  It's hard to articulate how sensational they are.  I had goosebumps.





Oh I do love Britain in the summertime.

22 comments:

  1. Hello Cj, I've tagged you in a post on my blog
    http://heidis-box-of-various.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/a-game-of-tag_10.html
    It'd be lovely if you want to join in by posting 10 little known facts about yourself and linking back to my post.
    Have a lovely weekend,
    Heidi x

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    1. Thanks Heidi, hope you had a good weekend too.

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  2. That blackcurrant crumble looks delicious, and I'm glad to see that the guinea pigs aren't being left out of the allotment harvests. I feed all the feathery foliage from the carrot tops to my rabbits, they go mad for them. You've got a great onion harvest there, I've yet to pull mine.

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    1. The piggies love carrot tops too, but I'm rubbish at carrot growing so they are a rare luxury around here.

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  3. This really is the perfect summer post with terrific pictures.
    The onions look good, I've started lifting mine to dry as well.
    It looks you got a real bargain with the fork and spade, the books look interesting and the Red Arrows are always worth watching.

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    1. Thanks Flighty. The fork and spade made me ridiculously happy, it's not the sort of thing that normally happens to me!

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  4. And I forgot to sign off! Flighty xx

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  5. Oooh, you've been to Slimbridge again.. duckling envy.

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    1. They are so sweet, and really quite tame at the moment.

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  6. Your last comment about loving Britain in the summer time was just what I was thinking as I read.

    It's half a life time since I was last at Slimbridge, but then it's half a life time since I left Bath/Somerset. Lovely place.

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    1. Slimbridge has changed a bit in recent years, but I still love it there.

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  7. Those garden tools were a bargain and the crumble looks scrumptious!

    I have had to restrain myself from photographing peacock butterflies but I found another subject which will feature on this week's Wordless Wednesday :)

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    1. I'm intrigued, I shall be popping by on Wednesday to see what you have.

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  8. I'm loving this hot summer too! How lucky you are living so near to Slimbridge,I think I'd always be visiting. Your food looks delicious, lovely to hear that the guinea pigs are sharing as well! And we've occasionally seen the red arrows fly over us on their way to the Mall. It is an amazing sight.

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    1. If it was up to my oldest son we'd go to Slimbridge every weekend!

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  9. I feel like I always say this, but it's the little things isn't it? A free shovel would totally make my day too.

    p.s. that crumble looks to die for!

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    1. You are so right. It doesn't take much to make me happy!

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  10. Those little ducks are absolutely adorable. It looks like your summer has been wonderful with lots of fun adventures. It's been raining a lot here, too, so it makes it extra special when the sun finally comes out. Hope you're having a great day!

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    1. We've had so many adventures we're worn out! A couple of easier days are required I think.

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  11. I love red arrow shows. When I was in Barcelona last year I went to the beach and a red arrow show started right above the beach, they were even doing stunts with commercial aeroplanes. It was pretty incredible!
    http://myfroley.blogspot.com

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    1. You're right, it really is breathtaking to see.

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