June 2020 Part One - The flowers are in full bloom!

The warmer weather and a reduction in the covid deaths were a welcome sight, and left started to slowly return back to normal. Gardens were opening up across the country, and we headed out for the first time to visit the gardens at Kingston Lacy. Normally we go in the spring when all the bulbs are coming up, but this time we got to see the garden in full bloom. The house, tea room & shop were all still closed, but nonetheless, it was lovely to be out again. A particular highlight was the different coloured acers and the wonderful rose garden. Yellow & orange roses are my favourites.




Halfway through June, it was announced shops could reopen. We had a bit of a job getting the shop floor looking ready before we fully reopened. Gaps had formed in places, equipment had been dumped about the place, stock was a mess from us hunting though to find items for customers. But it was lovely to see the place looking really nice again for reopening. Even if it was a challenge, to get it fully ready!
The strawberries were ready every morning!
And there was plenty of ducklings and goslings at Riverside park, who were all friendly and eager to eat the bird seed we always carried with us.

June was also my birthday, and it wwas slightly odd not being able to see everyone and have everyone together like we normally would. But I celebrated as best as I could. Any for my birthday, my Nan had made me a sloth. She had knitted this by hand over lockdown. isnt it fantastic?
Some of you 90's kids may recognise this, I knew it looked familiar, but I couldn't think why until it came to me, the microsoft hill! Granted, probably not the same one, but similar all the same.
The beautiful brick bridge over the river by Bere Mill.
We were having a lovely long walk around Whitchurch, one of the prettiest places, and our walks there are always joyful. (Until the heat gets to me and my feet hurt anyway!)

Trying to make something different, so I made this three bean chilli lasagne. It was nice, but I think I'll stick to the regular one from now on!
The letters on the fridge were changed every other day to something different, a sort of quiz if you will. Can you guess what connects these three things?
We were feeding so many birds, both on our walks and in the gardens, that we had to stock up and order in some more birdseed. God knows what would happen if we left the house without any!
My first Dahlia flower of the year.
This was much more successful, this was goat mince meatballs with rice and salad. Wish I'd diced the onion a bit finer, but oh my goodness they were good! Also I should get a bonus point for remembering to tear the coriander before I threw it on!

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