Hello! Here I am, organised with my blog post today, no last-minute rushing, and I can give you my attention for the next hour, no interruptions, and no rushing off. Lovely.
I was thinking about my neighbour's window boxes today, and wondering when their Daffodils and Narcissi are going to say hello. I'm not a curtain twitcher when it comes to the neighbours, (I don't peer from behind the curtains, watching for the neighbours comings-and-goings, though I do like to make sure 'Auntie' Anne next door is well).
But I do notice their flower pots and window boxes.
One of the neighbours a few doors down, has a window box, which for a start, I'm amazed stays perched on the window sill, and secondly, I'm always astounded that it has anything growing in it, it just looks, well............... barren and untended, totally neglected. But each year something struggles to appear from it, which makes me want to give the flowers a medal for tenacity, quite frankly.
Actually, I'm a fine one to talk, I've got a very dead Marguerite bush in the pot outside our front door. It never survives the frost, so each year I have to dig up the dead plant, and replace it. I put the same variety of plant back in, and each year we get a huge bush of white daisy flowers, which wouldn't look out of place at Chelsea Flower Show. I like to think!
Anyway, back to the subject of tough and courageous plants in my neighbours window box.
Last year I took a series of photos of the said window box, when taking the dogs for their afternoon walks. We would pass by, and I'd get my camera out, and look decidedly dodgy, photographing my neighbours window box.
A lady walking up the street gave me a very strange look, so I made sure she saw me unlock our front door and go inside the house. I was very close to announcing to her, that I was not some burglar eyeing up the neighbour's house, I was a proper neighbour, who just happened to be taking a lot of interest in their flowers.
Last year there were three bulbs in the window box. Narcissi have a nice habit of reproducing themselves and spreading their sunny goodness around, so I'm hoping that this year there will be at least six plants, rather than the three that appeared last year.
I shall keep you posted on the progress of my neighbour's window box.
I quite like the reflection of the people walking by on the walls, that you can just see in the glass behind the narcissi. You see the figure with the pram?
Wonder what that person thought I was up to.
And now for something which I've been meaning to show you, which has absolutely nothing to do with plants or flowers, or neighbour's window boxes, but which are equally dear to my heart................... no, dearer!
My babies. One fully grown baby, and two tiny babies.
One of them seems to have woken up.
Douglas, who is outstretched on Hugo, above, spends his evenings reclining on his lord and master like this, if Hugo is watching the t.v.
It's very unusual for Ellie to be snuggled up like she is.
Ellie does most certainly NOT like sharing her space with Douglas, so that is why quick, blurry shots like above are taken, trying to capture the unheard of, before Ellie decides she has had enough, and Douglas is to bloomin well clear off.
It's mostly a case of Douglas having to rely on humans for a cuddle, and he really loves cuddles. If he tries to climb into Ellie's bed with her, there is much gnashing of teeth from her Royal Highness, Queen of all she surveys, Ellie.
Hugo has a theory that they cuddle up together when we're not looking.
Anyway, time to change the subject again.................
You know my Little Squares Scarf? (Pattern in my sidebar to the left). Well, I was excited to get a nice message from Bley, of Bibliosophy blog today, saying she was inspired by my Little Squares Scarf to make a baby jacket! Isn't that fantastic?! Bley is waiting for the imminent arrival of her baby, and has made the jacket incase her baby is a girl. The jacket she made is GORGEOUS, you can see it here. She provides a free tutorial on how to make it, and if I had a little someone to make this for, I would be following it immediately. (Her free pattern for making her 'Pretty Slouchy Bag' looks enticing too).
Gosh, is that the time? Fifty-five minutes has just flown by.
Well, I think I might go and get my knitting together, and hang up the damp washing. It's Wednesday night knitting group this evening, which I always look forward to. Here's to empty window boxes suddenly sprouting lots of lovely spring blooms! See you on Friday. Love Vanessa xx