Friday Smiles 2026 # Week 30

The temperature has dropped just enough to make this a more pleasant week so my time has been divided between sewing in the garden and making cards up here in my craft room. This week I have made a set of six Christmas cards each with five little angels on it, so there was some colouring to do, but fortunately my Silhouete cameo did the cutting out for me. You can read more about how they were made here, on my craft blog.   

I am sewing little bits of my counted cross stitch/embroidery project most days, but in the evening the light is not good enough for this so I have done some simpler sewing and made a set of four of these Christmas decorations. They are cut from thin wood, and the pattern marked on them using my laser cutter. Then two identical ones are stiched with embroidery floss, and then blanket stitched together which hides the untidy back of each one.

When there is enough shade to sit in outside I do my sewing and am entertained by all the birds. A pair of wood pigeons visit daily and their wings make so much noise and always make me jump. But this week we had some other visitors. These three baby sparrows are just fledged. They followed their mother onto the fence and then sat there, not quite sure how to take off again. They chatted together, demanded food, and eventually took off to land on the fence on the opposite side of the garden. One of them missed and needed a second try but he made it OK.

Then this very scruffy juvenile blackbird hopped along the path. I think he is just shedding his baby fluff and getting a full set of feathers, but he is very untidy right now. I fed his parents all through the winter so it is good to see they have successfully raised at least one young.

I really wanted to grow some runner beans in the garden but the ground just wasn't ready in time. So instead I have four tomato plants, one golden cherry, one red cherry, one standard red and one big beefeater type. I bought a very flimsy box to plant them in, and because it kept blowing over and falling apart, it is now roped to the wall. 

Despite the rough ride they have had, they are growing well and yesterday I picked my first two 'sungold' cherry tomatoes. There are lots more to come so I hope the sunshine keeps coming for  while yet.

There has been nothing particular in the park this week, but now some of the schools have broken up, there is no shortage of people to watch. It is very well used throughout the day.

Friday Smiles 2026 # Week 29

 In contrast to last week when I had more photos than I knew what to do with, this week I have very few, so I will keep this a short post.

My week has been dominated by all the horrifying photos coming on the news from Spain. The wild fire was, of course, right by what was my home village until last year, so I recognised the area, and knew many of the people mentioned and interviewed. Although the fire was not actually in Los Gallardos village it was in the area under its juridiction, and it did come right up to the perimeter of the village so the smoke and ash have left their mark, and the air quality is awful. Plus the death toll is so sad and there is still fear for the more than twenty people who are unaccounted for. We went up to Bédar many time, and took our visitors to a restaurant there that we liked. Because the houses are made of stone, many are still standing but the wooden parts, door frames, outbuildings etc, are gone. So too are the livelihoods of the Spanish families who have lost their orange groves and almond groves. This should be the week of the big annual fiesta in Los G. but that has of course been cancelled. It all has made me very sad.

But this post is supposed to be about what has made me smile so here are a couple of garden photos.  As the back garden is not yet ready to do much to, I scattered a packet of marigold seeds over some pots, (each containing a baby fruit bush that hopefully will come into their own next year), and they have given me so many flowers, making a lovely splash of bright colour out there.

Also, despite the heat, our new rose bushes are giving us a second flowering and the little 'tequila sunrise' is so pretty. The flowers are smaller this time, but they are very full and frilly, and go through a lovely range of yellow, to orange to pink. I am really glad we chose that one.

As it is too hot to sit outside until late afternoon when the garden has some shade, I have been busy in my craft room. I made three birthday cards needed this month, and also a set of six Christmas cards using a clear script stamp which is one of the very first ones I owned. It was bought on my first visit to the NEC craft show in Birmingham some thirty plus years ago. I was fascinated by Barbara Gray (Santorelli then I think) and her Clarity stamps. I stood watching her demonstrating for ages and this was one of the stamps I bought.

And that is it for me this week. Stay cool and hydrated everyone.