Red Crocsimia

I took this in my daughter's garden this afternoon. This shows just one flower from a whole stem of them and I think they are crocsimia.

I have not done a whole lot of things today, the weather has been very hot so apart from going to have physio on my back I have not done a great deal.

Busy day tomorrow though.

Green Grapes

Today has been dull, but warm with no rain, so this morning I did some gardening at the front of the house. My husband pruned the grape vine, which tends to ramble all over the place if it is not kept in order.

We watched the Formula One, from Silverstone, here in the United Kingdom; it was not the result I wanted, but an exciting race. Now my husband is mowing the lawns.

I thought today's blip should reflect what we had been doing so here is an image of some of the grapes. It looks like being a very good crop this year and when they turn purple around September time I will blip them again.

Gluten Free Cake Pops

I went to the Newmarket Gluten Free Food Fair today with my grandson and bought these cake pops, which seem to becoming very popular. They are a little expensive for what they are so I think it is time to experiment and make some.

The food fair was not as good as it has been in the past although there were some free goody bags from the top suppliers and things to sample, there were no sausage suppliers and much of the food for tasting was sweet rather than savoury. The other problem this year was that they were selling only coffee, from a tent outside, rather than having the proper area open to sell hot drinks as well as cold; this in my opinion was a big mistake.

Still overall, even though there were not as many suppliers as before, it was still worth while visiting.

Raspberry

I took this blip of a raspberry in my neighbour's garden. There are quite a few red ones and we will be eating them tomorrow; there are also some strawberries, which we are to have too. 

We have had sunshine and heavy showers today, more like April weather than July weather.

Tomorrow I am off to the coeliac food fair at Newmarket Racecourse with my grandson who is also a coeliac. There should be lots of things to taste as well as, hopefully, some nice things to buy.

Bow

This is Bow, the dog we are looking after this week, waiting patiently for his supper.

Another busy day, but I found time to have lunch out with my husband and to do a little shopping before supervising my grandchildren after school.

It has been raining on and off for most of the day, but now this evening the sun is out, for how long I do not know.

Only a Rose

I have just taken delivery of a new Nikon 18mm to 55mm lens so I wanted to try it out on something; this peach coloured rose seemed a good idea.

Today I submit my Open University assignment for T189 - Digital Photography. If anyone is interested in this course details can be found here on their website.

The First of Many?

This is the first tomato to turn red this year. It is in a hangling basket situated in the pagola. I have four baskets of these Tumbling Tom Thumb as well as other varieties in pots on the veranda. I am also growing runner beans in pots this year as back problems have prevented me from cultivating the veg patch; well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Today my daughter has started work again full-time after almost fifteen years of raising children and working part-time at the local school to fit in with small children. Now they are older and at Grammar School they are much more self-sufficient, but I have volunteered to supervise them for an hour or so until she comes home. I will also look after them during some of the summer holidays; something me and my husband are looking forward to. 

Today I have almost completed my assignment for my Open University course. I have my ten images ready and my answers to part two questions completed. However, they need a little more editing as I am well over the word count on one of them. I will leave the answers overnight now and finish it off and submit it in the morning.

 

White Everlasting Sweet-pea

It is back to the garden today after an exciting day yesterday at the carnival. I back blipped a shot of the judo team which can be seen here if you are interested.

Today has been a quiet day at home. It has been quite warm, although very overcast. Today's blip, this white Everlasting Sweetpea, is growing near to the pink one I blipped on the 22 May 2011. It is still in bud and looks cream rather than white at this stage. I may blip it again once it is fully open, depending on what else is available in the garden.

Saffron Walden Carnival - The Judo Club

The Saffron Walden Carnival is held every three years and raises an enormous amount of money for charity, many of them local. This shows the Saffron Walden Judo Club, including some of my family members, at the end of the parade, having walked four miles in very hot sunshine.

Juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker

Another bird blip today and I make no apology for including it. I have photographed this bird, or one of its siblings, on several different days this week and have not had one sharp enough to include until today.

This is a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker identified as such, by the red on its forehead.