Not a bike collection

Hello dear friends & readers,

A lady wandered up the driveway to the cottage last week in the spring sunshine.

"hello" I went out to greet her...

"Oh hello " she said - "you collect bikes"

"No??" I replied . . . "Oh but yes you do" she said, look how many you have around your garden !!!" . . .

So we chatted about spring & gardens in general & she had a browse & I walked her back to her car.

When she had driven off, I decided to have a serious look at this "so-called" bike collection . . .

Well, I mean to say . . . whats one ol' bike sitting under the tree where you park ???

As I walked around the 1st corner of the driveway I did spot an old rusty trike in the undergrowth but it was hardly noticeable . . .

if you can hardly see it, it doesnt really count does it????!!!!

I do "happen" to have a trike on my deck which I sometimes use for children to ride on to occupy them while their mums are shopping...

As you walk past the deck there is another old planter-style bike once again, hiding in the growth . . . (so doesn't really count)

Then on the lawn, we have the old trike that I planted back in the winter which is now full of colour . . .

As you cross the cobbles to the cottage pathway, there ~~might~~ be is another old derelict bike which has a basket planted but is - like everything outside at present - covered in little pink/white blossom flowers - these spring winds we have make the lawn look like it is dotted with pink/white marshmellows lately . . .

Then - just recently - I ~~was~~ ~~thinking~~ of have moved a bike onto the deck of the cottage & planted a little side basket on its carrier, which I hope will soon be overflowing with flowers & prettiness . . .

Not to mention (of course), there ~~might~~ be is the odd bike on the wall . . .

Now I ask you friends . . . would you call that a "bike collection" ????? She was slightly mistaken don't you think ??? A bit of an over-exaggeration on her part???? :-) (or perhaps a bit of denial on mine)

The garden is coming to life at last & some of my old-time favourites are coming into bloom -

iris's flowering by the pond - grown from a cutting

I Love grannybonnets - one of my absolute favourites & love that they just self seed everywhere . . .

Even the vege garden is showing some life & I have also been planting lots of summer salad veges . . .

A friend bought me some blankets that she needed edging with blanket stitch & they came in this little plastic carry-all bag - she said I could keep the bag & it has made the most wonderful little "mini greenhouse" to raise some seedlings in . . .

Amazing what a bit of improvising can do

There has not been alot of crafting going on inside - truth be told I have felt sooo tired of late - the change in seasons perhaps & also we have daylight saving which has begun here in New Zealand & I have felt tired & unfit & notice my summer clothes from last summer appear to have "shrunk" somewhat !!!??? (I knew that soap powder I was washing them in would do that to them!!!)

I have finished making up a batch of citrus potpourri though & have been bagging it up along with my country garden potpourri as have a large group due next week & always like to have fresh stock of potpourri in the cottage

Needless to say, the house smelt delicious -

& finally folks, Mr big Fat Fluffy has found himself in a bit of "trouble" this past week - what with digging & burying, & generally "sitting" on precious plants etc (believe me, not alot survives when that big fat fluffy thing parks himself on top) - but theres not alot bothers him now & when he gets a telling off from Mum (never Dad) he just closes his eyes & pokes his tongue out at the world & everything in general . . .