Lockdown...ish week 21- a sunflower on a rainy day 🌻

Days 143-149 (13th-19th August)

Last week I wrote my blog post whilst sat in front of a fan, looking out the window at blue sky and blazing sun. Today things could hardly be more different, I am listening to the pouring rain and feeling slightly soggy after nipping out to the garden to photograph my newly opened sunflower. It is chilly enough to wear a hoodie and I am glad to be able to stay cosy inside.

I found out I'm possibly going back to work in September so this could be one of my last few lockdown/furlough posts! But I've said that before and it all changed again in a matter of days so I won't say anything with certainty. 

Here is the sunflower in question, it chose the wettest, windiest day to say hello.

Whilst I'm at it, here are the latest additions to the cucumber family.

I know I say every sourdough loaf we make is the best, but this one truly was THE BEST. It turned out really soft and squidgy, unlike the other loaves which had a crust so crunchy that making toast was dangerous. Sadly it was gone far too soon, hopefully the next one will match up.

On Thursday I went to Falmouth for the day with my sister to see her new house, we left early in the morning so I got to see the lovely warm, orange sunrise glow at 6.30am.

Along with Imogen we cleared out this crazy shed in the garden, cutting back the ivy, clearing the ferns, sweeping away the dust and cobwebs, and discovering some massive spiders and centipedes. By the end it resembled a more useable space, to store bikes and things.

Pretty kitchen light.

I also met this cat which I used to see around all the time when I lived in Falmouth, a sweet, serendipitous encounter.

I also found my first grey hair that day...

There hasn't been much garden makeover progress this week, due to the rain and other more pressing jobs, but here I am admiring my tomatoes.

I went for a drizzly run on Monday and stumbled across a new path with lots of blackberries. I am not 100% sure whether I was on private land or not.

Feeding and watering (literally) the snails. They turn one year old this week!

Ed's fish tank turned propagator which I mentioned last week.

I made a slow cooker curry, featuring sourdough starter flatbreads (not bad but not as good as naan).

Little brother playing with nature (who needs toys?)

Ed + I having a candlelit admin sesh.

Enjoying being able to wear a turtleneck and a cardigan (yay Autumn is coming!)

Yesterday afternoon we went for a lovely walk nearby so that Ed could collect some moss, also just to get outside and have a break from writing thank you cards lol. We discovered a dreamy green wood with a trickling river and it was nicely warm and moist after the morning's downpours so it felt like a Studio Ghibli rainforest. The sun had come out and it made pretty light thought the trees. We saw a fish in the little river.

Three buzzards circling above.

Other things of interest:

• My enthusiastic caterpillar venture from last week sort of flopped......most of them died so I released the survivors. Apart from one which had already pupated. I guess caterpillars don't like to be in captivity.
• I finished reading Louis Theroux's book this morning, next up on my list are The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (The Hunger Games prequel) and also a christian analysis of yoga. 
• A couple of days ago I dreamed that I had a beautiful, golden greyhound and I told Ed about it at 4am. It was so sweet and I wish it was real.
• We watched Fantastic Mr Fox and Four Weddings and a Funeral this week.
• That is all.

I'll finish with another picture of Tom from when I saw him this week, stretched out and chilling as usual.