ANGLESEY ALLSORTS

Sorry its been so long!!

All a bit upside down here - the usual Summer 'full house' with family and guests and Hubby P being rather unwell - enough for the Dr to say he needs a break from work. Nice to have him home, but of course that means less money coming into the home - so as with many of you a further tightening of the purse strings!

And the RAIN!!!!!

We have had so much of it I thought we would be washed away!

At least the apple tree is loving it - all this rain is making the apples grow large and plump!

Hopefully lots to harvest for puddings and jam, maybe even some chutney.

The garden has taken a battering, but this large stand of Elcampane just loves the damp and is thriving

Elcampane I suppose is a bit unusual in a garden - it is usually found in the wild, I bought my cutting from a specialist nursery, having never seen it in the wild (although I have found some since, growing on some rough ground). I like to gather the unusual - well I did end up with Hubby P!

Elcampane is a very tall plant - easily reach 6ft and huge leaves - it needs a big space - it is a rather striking 'full on' plant.

It was used inn the 'olden days' to make a cough medicine, and was said to be especially good for curing Bronchitis. I think they dug up some of the roots mashed them and boiled them up, then made a syrup with the liqueur.

I love to explore all the old receipts and 'cures' - it amazes me what they made from everyday plants growing in the hedgerows, no wonder they called the old women with the knowledge 'Hedgewitches'.

And of course the flowers are so sunshiny and pretty!

Onwards and upwards with the thrifting - and now of course thinking of all and everything to make a few more pennies, so many of my recent finds will have go on ebay to help things along, and we may do a carboot or two if the weather brightens.

Do you recognise 'Julie's' ironing board - I covered it in some of the pretty pink and blue fabric, it looks so sweet. I found the little pink push along trolley today at the carboot - the cheery pink colour attracted me - and how about the Hobby Horse! Who remembers? Who had a Hobby Horse as a child? Hands up!!!!

Found these today too!

Delightfully vintage and shabby! Just the thing to sit under with your G &T - if it ever stops with the RAIN thing!!

A little collection of dusty leather bags, I've had these a while - just took me a while to gather the enthusiasm to get the polish out and deploy a bit of elbow grease!

They came up really quite well - I just love the shabby leather look!

Of course I want to keep them all - I have two already that I use - they are really very shabby, but all the better for that.

It wasn't that long ago, I was in B & Q and a complete stranger - lady of a certain age - stopped me and asked where I had got my 'wonderful' shabby bag from. She couldn't believe I had found it at a carboot and preceded to offer me larger and larger amounts of money for my bag!
Stood there - right in the middle of B & Q!

Of course I said no - it is a very nice bag - and valuable too - or so it seems!

I can never go into B & Q now without thinking of the 'Bag episode' as Hubby P calls it - of course he thought she was completely Bonkers!

The new ones have come up quite well with a bit of polish and plenty of effort - bit boring though - polishing!

Pity I can't find the B &Q lady now - I wonder if I hung around B & Q touting shabby handbags !!?

xxx Must be bedtime! xxx Take care! xxx