Peace And Quiet… Sometimes

Outside in the garden once more.
I love this newfound hobby of mine.
Working outside with the seeds/plants is not only great in itself, it provides some lovely quiet time, although that’s not been the case so much recently as the woman who lives next door has taken to bellowing at the husband/dog/kids at full pelt at least once every day, and it always seems to happen when I’m out and about. She’s so loud you can’t help but hear, and it always seems to be about nothing at all. I wonder if she realises a good portion of the street can hear her carrying on all the time.

Anyway, back to the garden…
I’ve potted on my pansies. I’m really hopeful that they’ll grow well, because they’re the only thing I actually went out and bought.
Everything I’ve grown from seed is from packs I’ve been given, or found at work (we have gardening magazines which sometimes come with free seed packs). I thought I’d try them all because I didn’t really know what I was doing so, because they were all freebies, it wouldn’t matter if it all turned out badly, but the pansies, they’re different. I chose them specially, and want to make a good attempt with them.

The tomato plants are coming along nicely now. A friend came over and I think he despaired that I’d let the plants become unruly. He cut them back for me and now they’re doing much better. We will have a crop of tomatoes yet!! The cucumbers are also doing really well. I hope all this stuff tastes good when it finally comes round to eating them.

My cornflowers, well, what to say? They’ve grown, there’s no denying it; they’re almost taking over my little rockery, big spindly things which are all foliage and very few flowers at present. If they don’t start flowering soon I’ll pull them out and put something new in there instead. They’re overshadowing everything else at the moment.

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It’s All In The Past

Another glorious garden afternoon. We’re having an uncharacteristic heatwave at the moment, so it’s nice to sit out.
It’s been so hot though that I’ve invested in some moveable shelving that I can stand outside the greenhouse, because my poor seedlings have been suffering in this heat. Still, I shouldn’t complain; it’ll be pouring with rain soon enough, no doubt.

I’ve also had to extend my trellis for the black eyed Susan, as to growing wild, getting too tall for what I put in originally. It’s going to be huge!! I sort of hope it doesn’t grow all the way to the top of this new layer because I don’t fancy climbing up there to train the vines!

I’ve been trying to read, but can’t seem to settle to it today, so I thought I’d write something instead.

I’ve been trying to find out about my family history.
It’s an interesting pursuit, but also incredibly frustrating at times.
When you’re close enough to the present that relatives can remember and verify your findings it’s smooth enough, but the further back you get, the more confusing it can become, and in some cases I’m totally lost as I have no idea some of the people I’ve found even existed, never mind who they married and when.
I’ve found out quite a lot. I’m over 100 years back on part of the family tree, and have found so many names and dates that almost feel as if I know these people. I ask my nan, and then seem amazed when she can’t tell me anything, before I recall that it’s all way before her time!
I’ve hit a stumbling block now. I found a marriage for one of my great-great aunts, and I found her family on the census, living with her husband’s sister, but after that they vanish.
A man with his name, born in the right place, and with a daughter the right name and age appears on a later census, but his age doesn’t quite match, and they’re in a place many many miles away from where they started. Also, his wife isn’t my great-great aunt.
I did wonder if she’d died. This search revealed a death of someone of the correct name, but the age was out by two years. I don’t know if I’m totally wrong in what I’m finding or if discrepancies like that do occur. With a death I wouldn’t have thought it likely, as deaths are registered pretty quickly.
I don’t really know where to go from there. I have a friend who is into this kind of thing, so I might ask his advice.

A Sunny Afternoon

Seems like ages since my last update.

I finished a really good book, The Passage by Justin Cronin. It’s been compared to The Stand by Stephen King. Much as I do love Stephen King, I’d say The Passage is the better of the two books. For me, The Stand got to a point where it petered out. The Captain Trips outbreak was more scary than anything that came afterwards, and made up the better part of the book. I did enjoy it, but sometimes it seemed overly long.
The Passage retained my interest throughout, and left me anxious to get on with the sequel, The Twelve, as soon as I can. It’s a book of two halves, literally. The first sees the creation of the Twelve, criminals given a virus which is supposed to make them super-human soldiers. It doesn’t go as hoped and they become ‘virals’; vampire-like creatures who escape containment and wreak havoc. Part one ends with carnage as the virals escape into the world.
Part two takes place years after these events, when life as we know it is no more, and a small colony of humans try to survive, not knowing whether they are the only ones left. There are some really good characters in this section of the book, and I can’t wait to see how their stories develop in the next book.

Now I’m reading book 2 in The Wheel Of Time series, The Great Hunt. After that I’m wondering whether for something totally different I should try either Fifty Shades Of Grey or Bared To You. I’ve heard mixed comments about Fifty; one friend hated it and didn’t even bother to finish it, another enjoyed it but wouldn’t read the rest, and my auntie was so engrossed with it she burned the dinner because she couldn’t tear herself away from it!! I’ve never heard any comments about Bared To You.
After that its back to some Stephen King. I’m going to read The Shining because there’s a sequel out quite soon, and I also want to read Under The Dome as it’s been made into a tv series.

The garden project is complete now. My little rockery area was transformed from that messy nothingness into this…

I’ve added some of the plants I’ve grown from seed there as well. I’m loving watching them grow, because when I started out I had no idea what I was doing and was doubtful I’d have any success.
I’ve transplanted my pansies into small trays as well. When they’re bigger I’m going to put them into tubs to add a bit of colour to the garden. I was looking at the seed packet and was surprised to see they’re hardy perennials. I always thought pansies were annuals.

The weather is glorious at the moment, so it’s nice being able to sit out relaxing and appreciating the garden, although there are still plenty of jobs to do.
My cat has taken to relaxing in the greenhouse during the day. He’s mad; it gets up to 35 degrees in there at times. It doesn’t seem to bother him though. I get him out and as soon as his paws hit the floor he just goes straight back in there and curls up again.

I think that’s about all for now. Am going to enjoy this sunshine while it lasts.