Friday 26th July

 A day with 

fine weather

only one thing in the diary, for the morning

which must mean..........

WE CAN GO OUT!!!

So we went to the Prairie Gardens again, this time with a very good friend who hasn't been there before.

These flowers were humming with bees, and covered with different butterflies. 

The brown shapes in the photograph below are life size (I imagine) of buffalos, or bisons, or something like that, made out of a cut out sheet of metal rusted to this shade of brown. They have been there since we first went, probably fifteen years ago.

 It's hard to make out the huge variety of foliage shapes in all the plants. The marquees are for the Indian Bazaar which will run all through August.

Of course we stopped for tea and cakes...

What a perfect afternoon! 

  

Thursday 25th July

After yesterday and the day before's apparently non-stopness (that might not have been a word before I just typed it but it look likes a good one to me) (is it 'typing' when I am jabbing at the letters on the tablet?)

anyway, after the past two days, the cancellation of the home visit by the optician this morning (Not Specsavers, there are other opticians doing home visits) and then the rain preventing my excursion to meet a friend for coffee this afternoon all came as a relief.

I'm currently enjoying reading old notebook swaps. I'm on the second volume, starting in January 2023. I covered this book in March this year, judging from when I took the picture because the actual book has rather unexciting black covers.

I'm interested to note how much I like the feel and texture of the fabrics. It adds to the pleasure I get from revisiting our 'conversations '. So I've decided to make a cover for one of my friends books which has just been completed. I'll surprise her with it when I send it back.

I popped out of the kitchen door for a breath of fresh air when the rain stopped, around 5pm.

'Help!' I cried. BB came out... I'm sure those Monster Molluscs changed direction to s-l-o-w-l-y pursue me across the damp path...

Slugging tongs and bucket were our weapons of choice, and I reckon three dozen humongous slugs have been chucked well into the waste ground beyond the back garden. I must check how great a distance their homing instincts will work.

Ang and I seem to be charging ahead with our Cover Story collaboration. I know she's working on her second piece. And so am I. 

Wednesday 24th July

Typing in a hurry because I've got a bookclub zoom starting in 10 minutes! The book was 'The Wren, The Wren, by Anne Enright. I read he blurb and a review and decided it was not for me; I shall find out tonight what I missed. It sounded deep and meaningful and a  REAL commentary on modern day life for three generations of women ill-treated by men... I'm more into cosy stories, happy endings and not too much tears and harrowings and fears on the way at the moment.

The vinegar cake is very good and well worth the very slight effort of making it. I need to tinker with the cooking times - it came out just on the verge of being slightly dry. Soaking the fruit first would help - half of mine came from an old packet and they were very shriveled.

Here's the recipe and my notes;

I will add mixed spice as well next time. If you substituted marg for butter it would become a vegan recipe.

.....

The next book club choice is The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks. Now this sounds more my cup of tea!