In the garden .

The above still to be identified. My friend had a go with the earlier picture which I had taken, but it was from a distance! My brain is definitely on its way out. The part that can store names of things has obviously fallen apart. The garden here has a lot of shrubs some of which I am very familiar with and therefore can be named. But a lot I do recognise but the name will not come. I have decided to follow friends and start a garden journal and list what the plants are I recognise and can name, and with a photograph, and where they are in the garden, if I also lose the memory of where I am. Does anyone else set off purposefully in a direction and then ask oneself why am I going here? I used to blame it on multi tasking, but as I now find I really can only do one task at a time, its worrying! Some of the blogs I read put me to shame. Gardening, cooking, crafting, reading. Some people do more than one blog. Would that my life were so full! Guess I am still in recovery from having been so busy catering for others in the bed and breakfast.

Here is a bed I made today.

This morning was lovely, sunny, only a little breeze, and warm. I sat or knelt and cleared all the weeds. Planted the second Buddlea and a Potentilla, (top right). As one of my books said, "Not a highly attractive plant, but does flower almost all summer long."

Now I hope you are not getting bored with all these wildlife pictures. But Mike seems to be going from strength to strength. This is a Roe Buck. Note the antlers. Taken this morning.

I cannot believe you can get so close to these wild animals. The hare below actually ran towards him, and then posed!

The flock of pheasants in the field behind us keeps on growing. There were six females, including this one which is, Phasanius colchicus tenebrosis, the male of her species is almost black. Not sure where he is. We have only seen this type of pheasant near Turrif, some miles away. Too far for her to have flown here. She is far prettier than the common pheasant female I think.

Unfortunately the weather worsened as the day went on. Now we have not got our screen of Leylandii we could watch the rain, coming down from the sky, moving towards us with the background 'music' of thunder. Fantastic.

The wind has picked up as promised by the weather forecast. So more work in the garden will have to wait.

Mike managed to get in the chicken poo fertiliser where the Leylandii were and all is ready for us to plant our climbers, clematis, ivy, quinces, and my Rogersii.

He has also been cooking stuff for our party mid June and putting it in the freezer.

I had veered from getting in outside caterers to just doing a trolley dash in Tescos! I used to love cooking, but became all cooked out running the b&b when we also provided evening meals. Fortunately Mike loves cooking and now has free rein in the kitchen! Although I do occasionally dare to make a comment, like a few times I had to remind him we do have a fan oven here, so reduce the temperature. I still have my head, not quite bitten through.