Sammy Scarecrow works overtime at the minute

My first Greenhouse and I'm hooked!

My amazing hubby and father-in-law sorted out the greenhouse we managed to acquire a few weeks ago and straight away I filled it with all manner of plants. On a rainy day with a cup of coffee, there is no better way to while away the hours, trust me they fly by!

I have 3 different varieties of tomato and aubergines, chilli's, cucumbers, 2 hanging baskets of strawberries, peppers, a lemon tree (as mentioned in an earlier post) and trays and trays of flowers (sunflowers, pansies and lavender) as well as a few trays of sweetcorn seeds that will be heading off to the allotment shortly.

It's magical to see how plant flourish in the warm temperatures, they love it!

How did I never have one of these sooner?

A Lemon Tree has 9 Lives

Brad bought a lemon tree last year for the grand old price of £1 and we figured we would give this notoriously tricky fruit a bash - it's my favourite and I've dreamt of owning my own fruit laden lemon tree ever since I saw my Auntie Joan walk into her garden and pick a fresh lemon for our Gin and Tonics on a hot summers day in Johannesburg a few years ago.

Our climate in Norfolk is nothing like it is in South Africa so I knew I would have a hard time keeping it alive, never mind fruiting!

Last summer it grew about 10cms and gave off a few lovely leaves - enough to give me hope....and then a very very harsh winter came and even though I brought her under cover the few days of -8 degrees seemed to have killed her off. In spring, with a heavy heart, I went to pull her from her pot to make way for yet another Hydrangea and noticed signs of life, she had indeed survived, if only just!

I watered her and brought her into our new greenhouse where, very quickly, a leaf appeared,  and then another and another!

Watch this space....that dream may yet come true...

Bircham Windmill

Anyone in North Norfolk on a break with children HAS to pay Bircham Windmill a visit, it's loaded with things to amuse, entertain and educate inquisitive children. There are a variety of farm animals that they can get close to and even feed. Sheep are milked, bread is baked and farm activities are taught, all in order to show children how it all works.

As a family you can hire bicycles and head off into the countryside with a picnic or scoff freshly baked - and very yummy - scones freshly baked on the premises.

Honestly, no visit to this area is complete without taking your children to this little treasure.

Blakeney and Morston

What is it about crabbing that reduces even the most hardened adult to a screaming child?

Brads nephews came to stay and all they wanted to do was go crabbing, and to be honest so did we!

The quay in Blakeney was lined with families squealing with excitement and delight as they filled their buckets with more and more crabs, children ran between the groups to compare hauls and exchange tips, while their parents kept on crabbing and crabbing and crabbing. What a fun way to pass time and tire out excitable children.

Janet Jackson was right, the best things in life really are free!

And The Roses Keep Coming...

Everywhere I look in our garden the roses are in bloom and I can't pick them fast enough, every possible bottle and vase has roses crammed in, each room as them in a variety of colours. Surely this is on of life's simpler pleasures? Every now and them I get the sweet smell of roses as I enter a room or pass a table hosting these  beautiful blooms and I'm instantly reminded of the sweet summers of my youth when roses seemed to REALLY have scent.

Our Jasmine is coming into bloom (my favourite summer scent by far)  - it's just outside the back door so I don't have to go far to be reminded just how wonderful summer really is and just how blessed I really am.