Falling Arches

We once had an arch in our small garden that held a beautiful Wisteria and a yellow Honeysuckle. Last year the Wisteria didn't do anything after doing some research I found out that it can go dormant so we thought we would leave it and see if it did anything this year. It didn't and on snapping a branch it confirmed it was definitely dead. However the Honeysuckle was doing well and we had a dilemma of what to do. The metal arch was well and truly rotten and only held up because the Wisteria was tightly wrapper around it.
I took some cuttings of the Honeysuckle but they didn't take so I took some more and I think they are doing ok at the moment. At this point the arch was now lying horizontal due to some high winds and was looking a mess.
For a number of years M has wanted to build a new arch but because the wisteria was so tightly wrapped around the metal arch there was nothing he could do until now that is. The dead plant was rotten at the base so was easy to dispose of. The Honeysuckle turned out to have new growth near to the base so all the upper growth was disposed of in the recycle bin.
M drew his design of what he wanted the arch to look like and made some changes and then went to get his wood bits and started to build.
It's a lot bigger than the original but looks amazing. He's even included seat. It's not quite finished yet as we need to remove and dismantle the water feature, fill in the hole and lay four more flags which will be from another area of the garden. We have a climbing rose in a pot that will be replanted where the Wisteria came out from. And some of the wood needs sanding and varnishing
Our garden has been neglected over the past two years so this summer it's going to have a tidy up and a sort out and no more money spent on it. I'll do a before and after shots when it's done.

Gala update - We got 1st for visiting queen at Preesall and Knott End gala and the Princess go 2nd at St Anne's gala. We are both at Bispham tomorrow. The weather forecast is dry but very high winds.

L's operations was pencilled in for next week but when I phoned the hospital last month they  said it has been put back to September - Not happy with the delays. Third time it's be put back. Might have to politely complain next time. There is a bonus we can now go camping this year and we are taking L's friend too. More about that when we come back.

What ever you are doing have a lovely weekend

Carolx

Three Down and Three To Go

Hi everyone

Since I last wrote we have done three more galas with three more to do.

Here we are at Fleetwood and it rained all the way round the procession until we were on the last stretch and then the sun decided to shine and it shined for the rest of the day. I can't take credit for this photo but a photographer from Fleetwood called Robert Stead took it.(I just love it) He is also a judge at our annual flower and craft show.
Lots of people came out to watch the parade despite the rain and we all enjoyed it. We got third prize for visiting queen.

 Nine umbrellas drying in our bath and seven rain ponchos hanging on the line.  


The next gala we attended was Lytham Club Day. We got up at 6am so that I could do L's hair which can take me up to an hour with plaiting and back combing and pinning and the rest. As we borrow a wagon from the council it has a tachograph attached to it and you can't go over 30mph so it took us almost an hour to get to Lytham for 8.30am. After arriving we needed to set up the chairs on the back of the wagon and do any quick repairs ready for 9am judging. During the week we made two exra panels for the wagon to hide the toolbox, I painted them white, L wrote and painted the names, in the colour of their dresses, of all her attendants and M stapled on some artificial ivy that was leftover from our previous gala season. Then I varnished the boards so that the paint doesn't run if we have any more rainy days and finished them off with some gold glitter spray.

We had lovely warm weather with a cool breeze which was ideal for a long walk. We went down the high street and back along Lytham's promenade and almost every street was lined with crowds of people. It was lovely to see so many people out to support such a great event. Later the sun came out in time for the crowning ceremony at Lytham Hall. We finally got home around 4pm after a fantastic day. We came fourth in the visiting queen section.

Yesterday we were at Hambleton for their crowning ceremony. There was no street procession as they struggled to get marshals to help with road closures. For the first time ever they crowned a king instead of a queen.

Hambleton is village and not enough children were interested in the part. The queen who was uncrowned is in the same year as L at school and they know each other quite well which was nice. All the queens and their retinues paraded around the arena and were judged followed by some great kids entertainment (best ever) and then the trophies were presented. We got first for visiting queen and our Princess and her retinue also got first. (yeah) The little girls (and boy) are so beautiful and get on so well. So proud of them all.

Next week we're at Preesall and Knot End for another very long walk with a pit stop halfway round at a very welcome pub. Good for refreshments and bathroom breaks.

It's just started raining here after a little bit of thunder. We had a smashing thunder storm earlier in the week and another on Friday night. It's saved me from watering my tomato plants.

I'm off to visit my dad now as he came home from his holiday yesterday.

Carolx