weeding and workshops...

It's a good job I love and understand Springer Spaniels... they do not make very good gardening partners. Harvey saw me pull up weeds from the pot you can see bottom right in this pic, I must have looked away for a minute while he decided to adopt the same process to the pot of freshly planted mint.

It was only when I swept the path that I caught a glimpse of some mangled leaves and thought to myself, 'I didn't think we had any mint...uh oh'. I didn't even swear. I simply said, 'silly dog' and rescued what I could, replanted them and put the pot inside my bamboo cane fortress!

I don't think the mangled mess of mint will survive so I was touched when Mr H returned from taking three children to an indoor play thing, with a very large new mint plant (I had sent him a text to tell him how I was enjoying the peace and quiet and my gardening time, albeit with a destructive companion).

I'm guessing I could add the mint to the muslin pouch of Rosemary I have been using for hot baths. Must read up on herbs and their uses!

So, would you like to see what is beyond the herb patch? Turn right round and you'll see a summerhouse painted blue and stone (and not yet finished!)...

Yes Grandad, if you're reading, this is the shed/workshop I've been wanting since I was ten! I loved my Grandad's shed when I was a kid. It smelt of 3 in 1 oil and had jam jars of screws and all sorts of weird and wonderful things. It was a joy when he had to fix something because that meant going inside this Aladdins Cave! There's a clue on the apex of the roof as to what goes on inside my workshop...

This was the first mosaic I'd ever done. I found it strangely therapeutic and absorbing and knew it would be a hobby I would stick with.

It was supposed to be 100% my own space but unfortunately Mr H liked the look if it once we'd whitewashed the interior and moved his boat building supplies into the other half. My cunning plan is to help him create some space in his own much bigger workshop (next door to mine) so that he can do his boat building in there. Not that I am territorial, but it's kinda hard to have a space to call your own round here!

My potters wheel is in the workshop too but that's a post for another day.

Do you like my painters stool? It came with a fantastic big old easel at an auction. I've long since sold the easel but love these paint splattered stools and kept this one (over the years I've sold 4 easels and little stools). Such a good design having a cut out in the seat to lift it with ease.

Finally, I will leave you with the view from my stool. I can keep an eye on my herb garden and make sure the dog doesn't decide to push the bamboo aside for a good old digging session. Now that the weather is looking up I'll be spending more time out here. I've just started a mirror frame project based on a coastal theme.

I'll miss our dog Jake sitting by my feet though. He used to lie on the old red rug I've got on the floor whilst Harvey ran about like a headless chicken. Actually the cat quite likes my workshop too, which is a good thing because I am wary of things like mice and she's a brilliant mouse catcher.