Birthday Trip

To a garden centre...involving CAKE!!!! and plants...

 and using my birthday present...potting compost!

Elderflower and Rose cordial

 and celebrating after the work! Cordial diluted 50ml to a glassful..and New Zealand Oyster Bay Merlot ...undiluted!!

Elderflower and Rose cordial is easy..I based it on this recipe, halved, and instead of 50elderflower heads,used 40 plus the petals from eight Comte de Chambord roses.
It should have a week's seeping before putting through a muslin/jeely bag..but after 24 hours its awesome already!!

Magpie moth

Out of interest, this is the uk distribution of the Magpie moth, found in North America as well as Europe...and there are others also called the same name due to their colouring.

gardening

 Pirate has started sorting the waterbutts..we have guttering for the workshop and sheds, but need fittings.

 I've been netting the beds..and planning the next one,for fruit.

 Today's incentive was the blackbirds stripping the yet to ripen redcurrants!
The gooseberrys were ripe enough to use for cooking, so I cropped them, and found a fresh Magpie Moth. This was once a pest of goosberry and currant bushes..
 

 I'm not sure if this caterpillar is related, but the colours are similar...I've now found that it is!

 This one was on the elderflowers..

 and the elderflowers are now with petals from the Comte de Chambord rose, making,hopefully,cordial.

and so to bed...

 and now just after 11pm....from the front, then the back of the house...

Troon Harbour

comparison in seeing

etsy shop ..Middle Road print

This is the print that I've tried on Fabbriano Uno paper that is 50% cotton fibre.
It is a cold press paper,as opposed to hot press..so a softer more textured surface.

There are three roads leading towards Girvan, this Middle Road goes directly from Maybole to Girvan.
Its a view I've seen many times on a cycle ride.

I've been changing prices on Etsy, some up and some down, reviewing the whole range including things not on there already.
I'm thinking of small prints, gift tags , notebooks... things easy enough to make and print.

A3 prints ( about 30 cm x 40 cm ) do present a problem.Not in packing,as the post office sell a nice wee box which 4.8 x 4.8 x 31.5 cm...but the problem is how this will be classified by the post office. If its a "medium parcel" it will be over £4 to send, and to Australasia over £5....even though this package with an A3 print in is under 100gm.  This calls for a visit to our best local post office in Prestwick.
Stand-alone post offices are few and far between here, and are worth supporting.

Now lets hope for a few sales, even if just on those I've reduced in price!!

I'm looking forward to getting the new small prints in the shop..with the cards and envelopes at £4, the small prints could be £2.50....