Docking...

...is a village halfway between me and the coast.  Not long ago an enterprising person had the idea of a local produce market there and Docking Market was born and you can find it at Dr W E Ripper Memorial Hall in the High Street.  It's a great mix of food and crafty gifts and ever growing, and from the 6th June I'll be there...so, I look forward to meeting everyone at 10am on that date!

I'll still be at Swaffham Indoor Market on Fridays...and will be there all weekend over the Jubilee (or that's the plan!)

Also had a great lunch at La Campagna can't wait for the yurt to go up and then visit for an evening.  Such a lovely couple...

And has anyone been watching Chelsea...the garden version, plants and gardens to die for.  So, if I can get rid of the rabbits, and stop next doors horse from eating my garden....I can be inspired!  With the sun shining on it...it's a work in progress!  My little bit of horticulture continued yesterday with a visit to Peter Beales Roses.  I simply love roses...especially the old varieties, but since childhood I've had one particularly in my life, it's called Meg and has large, single flowers of peach-apricot.  Why has it been with me for so long?  My mother bought it for my father on their second wedding anniversary, which was the week before I was born, it moved with us each time the family moved, and now has been settled for the best part of fifty years...and now I have my own...

Oh...and PS....they won gold at Chelsea...again!

Our new...

...kitchen floor is nearly complete. Large slate slabs are being laid to make our two rooms one. Just a few edging ones to do then sealing, grouting and then sealing again to bring them to their full glory. At present they're dusty, dull and waiting... Our floor was a lovely mismatch of levels, and now only slopes gently, well we are talking old cottage... Totally reliant on the two men who've been laying it. A young man and his father-in-law, who have worked hard...in amongst the copious cups of tea and coffee I've made. Then next week a couple of cupboards are due to be delivered... Slowly we're getting there

I've been searching out old...or handmade bolts and latches ready for repainted doors, as those in place are those DIY store versions. It's a shame at some stage all the original pieces have disappeared and now the cottage is owed a little respect and dignity...

Whilst the floor is being laid I've been fighting the garden. Old shrubs have been attacked with vigour, trimmed and when needed, dug out. Grass has been taken from old flower beds, and little sprouts from bulbs now show. I made a small wattle fence, not your full hazel or willow one, but with the cuts from the shrubs(waste not want not), and this has plugged a hole in our hedge where a large bushy tree was cut down, before we moved in, and I must say I'm quite proud of myself. I've also been fighting rabbits. We have burrows in the garden, it might be a whole warren, but the little dears eat anything remotely green and within reach. So yesterday I started the fight back, closing all holes in the garden, leaving them the main one in the outside bank. This morning most of the holes were back...so, fork in hand they were closed again. Tomorrow I'm guessing they'll be back...and the fight for my garden will go on. I want to plant flowers...I like flowers, but if they're nibbled back...it'll be a waste of time and energy. So the rabbits have to go...humanely. They have large fields next door if they want house room, and all the grass they could want to nibble.

I refuse to say anything about last Saturday and football...apart from...*sigh*

Yesterday....

...having a stop for an afternoon cup. I sat looking out through the french doors into our garden, watching the last of the leaves fall, and the birds tipping them up looking for bugs, and scuffling around under the hanging seed box I have out for them. I have a couple of pheasants and a moorhen who are there most of the day. Suddenly something made them take flight, and slowly wandering across my vision was a monkjack deer. He had all the time in the world, but, not enough for me to grab my camera. They're nervous enough and even though I was indoors, my movement would have disturbed him, so I preferred to sit and watch, as he wandered through and fed.

I knew we'd had one around as we found footprints last week, whilst clearing some leaves. I've also seen the squirrels back...the rabbits still abound...and various varieties of birds. Though I've never had the kingfisher back...that was very special and a one off!