Evolution of a Steamed Pudding

House Guests

We have house guests for the month of July. They seem to be enjoying themselves. They are checking out our new cooking utensils, pots and pans, and Pryex tops. I seem to have passed approval on my organizational skills, as soon the pots and pans were replaced by ...
...the hammock. Because after a while, inspections are boring, but swinging is always fun.

Back to the Garden

It is about time I let you know how the garden is doing. It was such a rainy June, not to mention that we were in England for most of it, that the garden is only now really growing now that we are in July.

We do have scarlet runner beans! Well, it is more like bean, but still it is very exciting.
We have spent the past few weekends mulching-- 39 bags and counting-- and weeding. The figs are ripening and the few tomatoes we have are still pretty green. We are about to tent the upper garden as the birds are just as impatient as we and keep pecking at the figs and tomatoes. Rotten birds. We have started a second round of sugar snap peas and our great potato experiment *may* have failed. The plants themselves are super tall- like 5 feet-- only our mounds are about 6 inches... ahem. Not being here in June meant not keeping up the mounding. Next year, we will actually dig a pretty deep trench for the potatoes and not disappear to get married. Still the potato flowers are quite pretty!

The Ashes

The Ashes

So once again England and Australia are competing for the Ashes (a three inch high wooden urn that contains burnt ashes, surely the smallest trophy in sports) Five, 5-day test matches of generally high drama.
The first test in Cardiff ended in one of the most exciting draws possible. England hottie Collingwood (according to Miriam) batting for 6 hours against hostile bowling to save the match from certain defeat.

Regardless - I know few of you are interested but for a bit of a taste listen in to the TMS (Test Match Special) commentary for while. They are an entertaining bunch and its well - free - so you have no excuse.

The Hauss Invasion

We came, we saw, we conquered, and England survived....

barely...

Water Maze

At Hever Castle, there was a fantastic water maze with a "mountain" in the middle that one is trying to reach. Annabelle and Will both think that they know the way...


Chloe and Brando are already there waiting for you to reach them.

And Mom, Matie, and Diane (and a rescued Brando) are waiting for the rest of us to make it out alive!!