Saturday 30 August 2008

And The Winner Is - With some August Ramblings

300 post Giveaway Draw! The post on mother Shipton's Cave was my 300th and I just want to say how much I appreciate all those that follow my blog and comment. I appreciate the E-mails from 'blogging firends' and I enjoy visiting your blogs too. I learn so much not only from your posts but also from the research I do for many of my own posts. I have also had the pleasure of meeting 3 other bloggers, one of them staying in my home. We have come a long way from the 'pen friends' of old (yes I had several as a child) to this new world of cyber space friendships.


And the winner is?



Something from my garden first. This is my new garden furniture. Having replaced the wooden bench seat at the bottom of the garden early in the Summer I took advantage of a half price sale and renewed some more. Every Summer we look at the wooden furniture that always needs rubbing down and painting and sometimes even needs parts of the wood renewing. Sometimes it gets done and sometimes it does not. This new furniture is coated alluminium so we can n ow forget about maintenance. I have only one wooden bench seat up next to the house now and that was sanded and painted this year. I have to say that it has rained and rained since I bought this furniture. We have used it once.


The reason for our very wet August is because the Jet Stream usually rests North of the British Isles but this year it has been pushed South so has held the dryer weather from the African continent way South of us. We are a small island where 6 weather patterns converge so no wonder we have a reputation around the world for our obession with the weather.




The roses are coming into their second flush and although they are never as fresh and large as the first flush, they still show some vibrant colours against the black spot and mildew that attacks them this time of year.
























I received this award a little while ago from Vee Thank you Vee. This is a different picture to the usual one. I pass it on to Linds who makes me smile and wince in equal measure. Linds is an excellent story teller.


Also this award from Zetor . Thank you Zetor I am honoured. I very rarely visit a blog without commenting. I like to know that people have visited me and I know other bloggers feel the same. I am passing this on to Patsy. Patsy is a fairly new visitor to my blog but she always leaves valid comments. She is the same age as me and has been a Christian for the same number of years.


Now what is left of these August Ramblings? I have not taken pictures of the drawing of the Giveaway as I have so many photos that I am dealing with at the moment but trust me it was carried out in the same way as my other Giveaways - drawn by my dear husband Alan. Out of 18 contestants the winner is:


Congratulations Teresa, you will need to E-mail me with your address and I will send you the Mini Kath Kidston bag with a surprise inside.
I don't know how I got through this post - 'blogger' has played up at every turn.


22 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

You new garden furniture is wonderful, as is your lovely garden!

Patsy said...

Thank you, Thank you, I am so honored with my award. I got the info about how to accept.
OH! Your roses are just breath taking. I know I should live in your garden as a little fairy, but it would more likely a big toad in my fantasy world.
Patsy

Judy said...

Beautiful new garden furniture...you will enjoy it for years (the rain will end one day as well!). Your roses look lovely despite the rain.

Charm and Grace said...

You have so many beautiful blooms in that second blush. Lucky you. My roses are blooming out again after a hard, hot season. We've had lots of rain recently, so they're much happier. Hate I didn't win, but then I have never won a blog giveaway (have entered many.) It gives me a chance to be happy for someone else. Lucky Theresa!

Happy Saturday,
Christi

Anonymous said...

Oh, Oh, Oh! I enjoyed getting a glimpse of your lovely colourful roses! They are doing very well in their second flush. Mine are in summer dormancy and are looking pretty ragged. But hopefully the weather will cooperate and we will have a nice fall flush. Enjoy your lovely new garden furniture!

Vee said...

Wow! That was a zinger..."the winner is...but first" that is. :D

Your new furniture looks beautiful in the garden. I think that you'll enjoy the maintainence-free aspects for certain.

Your roses are gorgeous. I can't tell if they are less lovely than before or not because they look fantastic to me.

I'm so sorry that you've had all this nasty weather, too. It seems like summer was a no-show.

Hearty congrats to Teresa on her win!

Sue Seibert said...

Congratulations, Teresa!!

Barbara, I do love seeing all your photos. Your garden is beautiful. The roses...mmmmm. My mother's name was Rose, and I always love to see them.

Love the lawn furniture, too!

Another English friend wrote recently that you all are having an English summer...wet. We here in Texas have actually had a very mid summer, with only a few days over 100˚F.

Have a great weekend!!

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Love the garden furniture and I can almost smell those roses! Congrats to your winner too.

Susan said...

Congratulations to Teresa. The new furniture is lovely and your roses are always a sight to see.
Susan

Paula said...

Congrats to Theresa!
Yes, Barbara, you're roses are as beautiful as ever.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

How enjoyable to see all those lovely roses...wish I could also smell them!

Your new garden furniture is quite classy - I like it tremendously. Have you checked Google Earth to see if they've updated their data looking down into your garden? Or perhaps there have been so many rain clouds the satellites cannot take photos! That's amazing you are at the convergence of six weather patterns! Whew!

I think we have only one weather pattern in SoCal - hot and dry! Well, that's not really true, but sometimes seems like it.

Congratulations to Teresa...that is a very pretty bag you were giving away.

Teresa said...

Barbara, first I was going to tell you how smart your new furniture looks, especially with the black and white gingham print next to those square white stones. Then I was going to ask you if there are garden judging events in your town, because I am certain you would get first place blue ribbons. But I guess what I want to get to is a big thank you, for the Kath Kidson, bag. What a generous thing to offer, one of her bags that you purchased in, Yorkshire. I was really shocked when I got to the bottom of this post and saw my name. I had to click the link to make sure it was not another, Teresa. Please tell Alan, I am so grateful, and thank him for me.

I just read the other comments here. Thank you, for the congratulations sent ladies.

Willow said...

Congratulations, Teresa!

I love the new garden furniture. I'd love to go back and sit in it and have some tea or coffee or Horlicks :)

Linds said...

I love the new garden furniture too, Barbara! And thanks so much for the award! I am sick of the weather, though. What summer???

Elizabeth said...

Wonderful late summer roses!
This is my favorite time of year.
Hope you get lots of pretty autumn days to enjoy your chic new furniture.

Anonymous said...

excellent blog, with a very very beautiful photos of flowers .. I like strange rose steven

Unknown said...

Love your garden furniture, wish I had a much luck with roses as you do.

Anonymous said...

I just now came across your blog...It is delightful! I will be keeping an eye on you !
Come see me
Bernideen's TeaTime Blog

Lenna Green of Stitching Cow said...

What a beautiful garden, thanks for sharing it with us. I hope to visit your lovely country one day.
Warmly Lenna
http://www.stitchingcow.com

Unknown said...

The bugs just photogragh so pretty and my children enjoy seeing them. So, I guess you are just a natural with the roses. I still try. I don't give up on things very easily.

Lavinia said...

Congratulations on your awards! ANd thanks for persevering with this post....so many gorgeous photos of the stunning roses....

a woman who is said...

Congratulations Barbara on your 300th post! Your garden is looking so lovely, and the new furniture seems to have settled in well in spite of all the rain =/