The Garden in March

Hi there everyone 😀

This year we seem to be on a bit of a mission in the garden. Last year we were away so much that it got a bit neglected.

That, coupled with the fact that a lot of the planting has been in for a long time and had gradually got less and less impressive, had left everything looking a little sad.

Whilst the weather in February wasn’t brilliant we did have a couple of sessions out back and managed to clear a good portion of the autumn leaf fall and prepare the grass for seeding … it’s certainly looking better than it did this time last year …

We also managed to rejuvenate the strawberry bed …

… and repot the blueberry …

We had a week at the lodge at the beginning of March but now need to be at home until Easter time so that we are here for grass watering to give the seed its best chance. 

We’ve also made a start on some jet washing and cleared the pergola area and finished clearing the leaves and I finally decided to risk taking the flower heads off the hydrangea …

At the weekend it felt like time for a bit of a treat so we headed off to The Garden Warehouse, where we managed to find pretty much everything we were looking for, and came home with a boot laden with goodies …

We were then blessed with a lovely sunny day so finally got to planting the new raised bed that we built last year …

We’ve planted a clematis, delphiniums, peonies, scabious, foxgloves and a couple of ground covering plants and I’m hoping for a real summery display of pinks and purples …

For now, we have had to try and ‘fox/cat-proof’ the bed to protect it from digging whilst everything establishes. I know it looks a bit strange but I just couldn’t face coming down to find dug up delphiniums to be replaced with cat or fox mess.

It’s definitely a work in progress but it is slowly starting to come together.

And following just that little bit of sunshine we’ve had things are starting to come back to life …

The magnolia is looking pretty spectacular …

… but as you can see … this does come at a price …

Right now … Martin is getting ready to jet wash our little bit of front garden so I’d best dash to help move the pots out of the way. Bye for now 😀

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Exploring :: Aber Falls

Hi there everyone 😀

We got really lucky with some good weather for our first lodge visit of 2025 and, as well as doing a fair few of our favourite local walks, we tried something a little more ambitious.

A visit to Aber Falls has been on my list of places I wanted to see for a fair old while … but with Martin and I not being the fittest it was something we weren’t sure we would be up to.

Well on Saturday … our last full day and another bright sunshiny day … with Martin’s new knee and a sudden burst of enthusiasm … we decided we would at least go and have a look at the lie of the land.

Having read lots about the narrow lanes and difficulties with parking our plan was really to just suss out the situation in readiness for a future visit.

In the end it did take us a while to get to the car park, which is down a single track road, and after lots of reversing, and there being just one available space, we decided to park up and have a bit of a walk …

It was a bit further than we would normally walk and we weren’t sure we would make it to the waterfall but with plenty of of opportunities for pitstops along the way …

… we were really pleased to make it all the way … and it was very much worth it …

Once at the falls there are plenty of spots to rest awhile and just take in the view …

There is also plenty of opportunity for scrambling across the rocks for a closer view though we weren’t feeling that adventurous. We did have a wander across to the other side of the little wooden bridge for a different perspective though …

The going on the way back was far less strenuous, though it was a bit tough on the knees … being downhill all the way. We hadn’t quite realised what a long steady uphill walk it had been on the way out …

It really had been a lovely afternoon. The waterfall was well worth the effort and we were both feeling pretty tired but quite proud of ourselves too. 

We will definitely be back … but next time with sandwiches 😜

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At the Castle with Sir Bobbalot 🏰

Hello everyone 😀

It was the last day of half-term, and we had a trip to our local castle planned … an adventure packed with plenty of things to keep Sir Bobbalot entertained, including The Great Storybook Escape!

I love a day out that doesn’t require too much travel, and honestly, it had been years since I last visited the castle. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

Back in the day … when Saturdays meant hanging out in town as a teenager … entry to the castle was free for residents. I have fond memories of dashing around in the rain, playing epic games of hide and seek. I also remember spending hours researching its history for my Girl Guides local history badge.

Over time, the castle has become more of a ‘proper’ tourist attraction, which unfortunately means no more free entry. That said, our visit for four (two adults, Sir Bobbalot, and Nanny) cost just under £40 … not bad compared to other attractions. By the end of the day, we all agreed it was well worth it!

The Adventure Begins
We parked up in Silver Street and made our way under the gatehouse, pausing for our first selfie of the day with Aethelfled … because what’s a day out without a selfie?

Then, we strolled through the park and up the slope to the entrance, where the wind was really making itself known. If you look closely, you can even see Rapunzel’s hair blowing wildly in the breeze!

Nanny and I went on ahead while Sir Bobbalot made a quick dash back to the car … he’d forgotten his helmet! (A knight must always be prepared.) 

Once fully kitted out and ready for adventure, our favorite knight and his noble steed (aka Martin) caught up, and we were off to uncover the mysteries of The Great Storybook Escape! 

Into the Castle
Armed with activity sheets and maps, we stepped into the ancient courtyard, where our first challenge awaited: finding something that belonged to Jack. It wasn’t long before we spotted a beanstalk creeping up against the medieval wall passage … perfect for a knight in shining armor (or at least a very cool helmet). 

From there, we made our way across the courtyard and down into the dungeon …

… where we obviously had to test out the stocks! 

Suiting Up in the Armoury 
Next stop: the armoury. And let me tell you, we could have stayed there all day!

There was dressing up galore …

… and a whole array of medieval weaponry to try out. Don’t worry, all under strict supervision … no actual battles broke out!

Games, Treasures, and Parapet Patrol
After finally dragging ourselves away from the armoury, we took a break for a game of Nine Men’s Morris before checking out a section of the Staffordshire Hoard …

The gold artifacts were stunning, but Sir Bobbalot was far more interested in a giant game of snakes and ladders. (Fair enough!) 

Then, it was time to cross the parapet …

… standing guard and warding off imaginary enemies along the way! 

After all that excitement, we explored a newer part of the castle before heading off for some much-needed sustenance …

A Feast Fit for a Knight
Lunch was at our local garden centre … because adventuring works up an appetite! 

And since no day out is complete without one final burst of energy, we stopped at the play park to let Sir Bobbalot blow off some steam …

We wrapped up our adventure with one last challenge: meeting some giant cockroaches! (Yes, really).

All in all, it was a fantastic day … history, adventure, and a little bit of everything in between. Safe to say, Sir Bobbalot slept very well that night!

🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰🏰

In the interest of honesty and transparency I just want to let you know that I tried something a bit different with this post. 

I wrote it myself, as normal, but thought I’d just run it though Chat GPT, an AI Chatbot, to see what it would do with my writing. 

I asked it to make the post engaging and friendly and I quite like what it did with it … what did you think? Did it

sound different?

It’s not something I’m planning on doing regularly but I felt I ought to at least try and keep up with the times 😜

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