First trip 2018

New Forest, Hampshire 

We saw loads of these

 Did a bit of this

 Some time on these

We have been away in our camper van, we returned to a campsite we visited last year, loads of other sites were closed to vans due to the wet ground, click on the link above if you want to see more. Both hubby and I commented on how much standing water there was everywhere. It will take a couple of weeks before the ground is back to normal, but on the flip side, everywhere was lush, so many shades of green and beautiful blossom.
I was pleased with our cycling, doing three and a half miles, ending at a tea room, lovely coffee and cake, and then back to the van, it was hot, but breezy, and whilst the hills going up were a chore, going down was just bliss. We stayed on the road whilst cycling, not wishing to get stuck or muddy trying off road, plus it is so easy to get lost and make your journey back far too long.
We are extremely lucky to be so close to the New Forest, it's a perfect place for a couple days break, plus being so big, we hope to go to different camp sites and see much more of the area.
Our van was completely dry, no over winter issues, everything worked, it is set up so all we require is our clothes and food. We take our own food, this time I just transferred some of the stuff from our house fridge to the small fridge in the van.
We are now planning a couple more short trips and then a week away in June, going further up country, we both would like to return to Lincoln, with the possibility of taking our small car as well, to get about once there.
Last night we had a few thunder storms, one at 8pm, a huge storm at 10pm and another in the early hours this morning, again heavy rainfall, our poor grounds will take ages to dry out. The middle storm was spectacular, we sat at our bedroom window watching, we had sheet lighting across the sky from the east, and in front of us over the hill there was fork lightening, which silhouetted the huge tree in the garden behind us.
This morning it's blue skies again, I will have to pop to the garden our lawn is pink with Magnolia petals. We are truly lucky our area does not flood, I hope if you had the storms you enjoyed their show and everything around you is alright.

A finish and loads of growth

Another finish, I stitched this heart a week ago, and was longer in making it up, now Laura has received her parcel I can show it here, I am so glad she likes both items.

 European Cushion is coming along, I am adding to this corner to get a feel of the design, so far just 3 colours, they blend well, not the original shades, you all know what I am like. It's fun.

 Just a couple of flowers from the same part of the garden, 

here they get the morning sun.

Hubby is busy in the garage, humm I think he has a plan for our bikes.

 It must be summer, the big bike is out, we have had a couple of rides, but it has to be sunny and warm.

We have a weekend at home planned, if it is nice then we will pop out on the bike tomorrow. Today we have a farmers market in town, so a visit is planned, at this time of year there are loads of plants for sell.
This afternoon is back in the garden, not alot to do, still a bit early for planting most things, we were told to expect a frost last night but it missed us.
Monday both Fliss and Su will be back home so we should see them and Josh and Sam.

Sunny Monday off

Yesterday we had the day together at home, our visitor did not arrive, so we relaxed in the garden, mid afternoon we were bored, so we popped to a garden centre. I have been wanting  a Jasmin for the corner where we sit, this has a pale yellow scented  flower called Clotted Cream, I have also a Lotus, berthelotii, with a flame red flower which will tumble down the front of the pot. 

I also got some lemon grass. 

 Kev has been making seed cakes for the birds and refilled the worms, so the thugs (Starlings) arrived in numbers, they are not scared of us, two fight over the worms hanging in the tree and throw loads on the lawn, which the masses eat. Later the squirrels were out.

 This morning we went for a cycle ride, not to long, I am still a beginner, we cycled the scenic route to the castle, then walked shore line around the castle and then through the castle grounds, which was full of families. Then we cycled to our local shops for a ice cream, and then cycled home, we were out for a couple of hours, so good excise.

 Dream sample as of last night, can you notice the yellow flower is gone, I broke my rule not to stitch when a good programme is on TV, just one stitch out. So now I will do the 4 blue flower sections and the yellow flower last.

Another nice sunny day here, I have to plant my Jasmine this afternoon, and then some stitching, another perfect bank holiday weekend, the breeze is cool, but in the sun shine we are warm. Both May long weekends have been good, does that mean we are going to have a summer at long last.