Out of a hat

(Out of an old school hat in fact!)

came the winners name!

And it is

Well Done Becky!!!!!

Becky has won a cushion cover that I made a week or so ago, one of several french-inspired cushions I'm making in reds and browns.

Don't forget to email me your name and address Becky so I can post the cushion cover off to you!!!

Thank You to everyone else who entered!!

***

The weekend was mixed weatherwise for us here in the south-east. Sunday was wet and grey, but Saturday..................

Saturday was gorgeous!
Blue sky!!
 Sun!!!

I was up and outside with Logan and a cup of tea at 6.30!!!

Needed a cushion on that cold metal chair though!!!

And we spent most of the morning pottering round, doing a few jobs, but mostly playing

But I had time to notice the progress in the garden

The camellia has plenty of buds, a few showing redish pink on the tips but we don't know what colour it will be exactly as its our first spring here!

There are a couple of ribes round the side of the house, just starting to open

Round the front, the daffs are finally opening in the rather messy borders (you can just see them amongst the dead leaves!)

There's a beautiful spiraea sprouting lovely firey orange foliage

It needs a bit of trim though

As does the fuschia which needs cutting right down now - it looks so messy but I held off as long as possible to give it protection from the worst of the weather

Growing through the gravel on the drive I found this little flower

I'm not sure what it is - need to search through the gardening books unless anyone knows?

A pieris (i think?)

In fact as I pottered around I saw there is quite a lot of work to be done

Windows and window frames to clean - the birds love sitting in the greenery above the window, eating the berries, as the evidence shows!

 The last of the leaves that we swept to the bottom of the garden to be composted into leaf mould need to be tidied and bagged, although Logan loves running through them!

We bought a few openweave jute sacks for next to nothing which are specially meant for making leaf mould, and when the first heavy leaf fall came in autumn we dutifully swept and packed the wet leaves into these, and continued to top them up until the snow came in December.

But I've heard varying stories about making leaf mould from oak leaves.

Some people swear by black sacks

Others say oak leaves don't rot down

Any advice or comments anyone?????

The previous owners left this sweet sundial behind.

Hope you all had a great weekend!!!