Slugs, Snails and Rain

Firstly, I wish to begin by thanking you all for your birthday wishes and lovely, lovely comments! You really know how to make a 44 year old girl feel good! It is a wonder my head could get through my workroom door after reading all those kind words ;-)) Joking apart, I was very touched by all your lovely comments! Thank you. xxx

As mentioned in my previous post, we had a lot of things going on at the weekend, so we didn't really have time to celebrate my birthday. Alan has said we'll celebrate this Saturday instead, I look forward to that!

Over the past few days, the sunny weather has changed to rain. Although having sunny weather is nicer, I am glad to have some rain as it freshens up nature again. This morning I took a walk around the front garden in between the rain showers and I noticed how well the apple tree is doing. It looks like we'll be in for a good crop this year.



With the rain come the slugs and snails....
We get an abundance of them if left to roam freely in the garden. It is frustrating when they eat your newly planted flowers! However, I don't like killing them... and I don't like pesticides etc either... I am a 100% organic gardener. So this is one of the things I do:

I lure them into a pot with a piece of fruit of other left over food and come back later to find several of them eating away in the pot.




As well as doing that, I search for them on the lawn, path and plants. I pick them up (with gloves! Not keen on the slime) and put them in a pot. Then I take them to a new home, at the bottom of the field nearby. Over a period of time, the numbers of slugs and snails in our garden go down. It needs to be done regularly and the best time to catch as many as possible is early morning and at dusk but I am not always free then so today I did it mid morning.




As I made my way to the end of the field, the steam train went by much to my delight. Even though I am used to seeing it go past my house every weekend and on Wednesdays it still feels me with joy when I see it. I love the smell of coal in the air after it has gone by.

Larry usually follows me when I go for a walk in the field. He was waiting for his sister to get closer so that he could pounce on her! Lilly spotted what he had in mind and ran back towards the house much to Larry's disappointment.

The good weather is set to come back towards the end of the week!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

BOUNTIFUL NATURE - Part 1

Today, Alan is spending the day driving around West Somerset villages to take photos for his 3d photography website.

Miss P and I stayed at home and decided to go out berry picking around the lanes and fields nearby. Within 10 minutes of arriving at our first chosen location, we heard some miaowing. We could tell it was Larry. He was some way from home, he had crossed the railway line (steam trains only) and ended up in the middle of brambles and bushes. He had obviously followed us but taking the awkward route!

Eventually he managed to find a way through and joined us with the blackberry picking.


The blackberries were plentiful


Larry enjoying some attention.


Time to head back closer to home.
As it became a lot warmer, we went back home to get rid of our coats before going back out again.


A train went by as we looked for more blackberries


We left this field for another one nearby, this time in search of...


Hawthorn berries


Elderflower berries


and Sloe berries


Ooh hello Larry, back again?...


A colourful harvest




It certainly beats supermarket fruit!

We've had a great time. Miss P has always shown an interest in the outdoors, especially insects, wildlife and plants. She is gradually learning more and more about the flowers/wild berries/plants/trees around us and what some of their benefits and uses are.
I like using plants and essential oils for therapeutic or healing properties.

More to follow...In my next post (Part 2) Find out what I will be making with the berries....

I hope that you are all having a great weekend!


A bientôt!


Isabelle x

P.S: Niki, yes I would agree with your last comment in previous post which made me laugh. I definitely am a bit of a country bumpkin at heart ;-))! Although I have lived in towns most of my life, living in the countryside suits me far more.

Steaming through the Somerset Countryside

The Birthday Girl

I have just returned from a lovely day out with my daughter, she will be 9 years old on Saturday. As she will be away with her Father on that day, I took her out on a Mother & daughter outing today. We went to East Somerset Railway at East Cranmore where Thomas the Tank engine is visiting. Over the past couple of days we have seen it go past our house and Miss P has been running out to wave to it. This time we were the passengers.


East Cranmore village. It has a very good pub called the Strode Arms which we go to from time to time.


Entrance to East Somerset Railway


Platform from a distance






View from the platform as you arrive


How different today's suitcases look...not as lovely as these



East Cranmore platform




I love the red telephone boxes, I do hope that they are never phased out.


The inside of the telephone box.


Such character!






Time to hop on to the train for a ride





Miss P is very excited! "Look, our house" she shouts out


Scenery on the way



We stop briefly at Mendip Vale Station to watch Thomas go to the front of the train, ready to make it's way back to East Cranmore

The show is about to begin


Miss P watched the Punch & Judy show (something I never took to, I still don't always get the British sense of humour sometimes...)


Wheee!!!!


Just had to come back with a little something to remind me of the day out. I look forward to trying out some of the lovely West Country recipes.


I really like the covers of this range of books by J. Salmon


I had a great day out!

We both enjoyed the day, weather was good. The only down side were the wasps! They were everywhere. That time of the year...


Thank you for all your lovely comments on DEVON BLISS posts! :0))


A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Dodging the showers

Today has been a bit of a mixed day weather wise. Sudden heavy rainfalls then sunshine again. Phoebe and I went out for a walk and bike ride close to the house. I put three loads of washing out but got caught out on the third lot, heavy downpour!


This field is in front of our house. Phoebe frequently runs out there when she hears the sound of the steam train approaching.


Here it is ... We often go a lot closer to the track at the bottom of the field and see the people in the carriages waving.


I LOVE having a steam train pass so close to the house. I love the sound and smell of the coal that stays in the air for a while after passing by. Nostalgia on my doorstep! Even though it goes by every weekend and in the summer every day, I never take it for granted. I appreciate it's sound and love watching it go by. I imagine that it is a scene that could easily have looked identical had I been there in the 1930's.


After having watched the train go by, Phoebe and I headed for the lane which runs parallel to the field.


We headed down the lane towards the railway bridge, where Phoebe likes to have a shout to hear the echo. She calls is echo bridge, has done since she was a toddler.


I love the cow parsley adorning the banks of country lanes


After a short walk and cycle down, we turned around and made our way back towards the house again.




Almost home


Phoebe cycling back up the lane


This beautiful embroidered picture arrived in the post today. I bought it on Ebay recently. I love the colours and detail and the fact that it is a thatched cottage scene.

I wish you all a very good weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle x