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.

Roses are red

Or rather roses are red or yellow or pink or white or combinations of all...

The man who lived in our house before us was clearly passionate about roses, the garden is filled with them in every shape and colour, I myself have bought a load of roses since moving to Norfolk so our garden appears to be that of a crazed rose fan - like the crazy cat lady down the road when I was growing up (they were EVERYWHERE, loads of them!)

I am by no means an expert when it comes to these beautiful flowers, they survive and flower in spite of and not because of me.

But there is nothing more pleasing than a house filled with roses.... in jars, bottles or vases all picked from your own garden.

Farewell Speckled Lilly

On Wednesday evening I rushed up to the allotment to collect Lilly and take her home in the hope that I could make her better, she had been getting better earlier in the week but I received a text from my friend Lorraine to say she had taken a turn and was very poorly indeed.

So I dashed from the train to find poor Lilly in a wee pile inside the coop, the severe winds that have been bashing the North Norfolk Coast this week had done nothing for her fragile state, she didn't fight or make a sound she just gave in and let me tuck her into my arms and take her home where she let me open her beak and feed her-not a good sign.

Anyway, I took her outside for some fresh air and with a shiver and a sigh she died in my arms, my heart broke a little as I wept.

I buried her under a rose bush in the garden so I think of her daily. I still feel a twinge each time I collect eggs and there is no speckled egg from her, I think they were my favourite.

Lilly loves a drama

Late last week the lovely Lilly started acting oddly and wasn't her usual busy self. Being a novice to all things ''chook'' I thought it might be that she was either Crop or Egg Bound - so I furiously set about steaming and massaging the poor thing to no avail. Her crop was large and full of liquid that sloshed about when it was rubbed. So I googled the symptoms and was surprised to learn that she might have 'Sour Crop' Why have I never heard of this?!?

I did as they suggested and turn her upside down and massaged her crop to empty it - which occurred immediately and did it a couple more times for good measure.

This morning I found my old Lilly back to her usual self - the relief! But I will be keeping a close eye on her for the next few days

The chook education continues!