Saturday 21 February 2009

Gardening, baking and inventive modes of brick transportation

Yesterday was a busy day in Locketland as we tried to sort out our front garden after a couple of years of neglect.

This is what it looked like at its best in 2006 before we got properly hooked on the allotment.


I surprised all the neighbours by turning the front garden into a mini-allotment as I was determined to grow my own veg and had run out of space in the back garden. Anyway, I reckoned that vegetables were beautiful and deserved to be on display - much to the amusement of everyone that walked past. I think it proved quite a talking point at the time!

Unfortunately it became a talking point again - but this time for the wrong reasons...........


this is what it looked like yesterday morning - awful.

So Team Locket swung into action. Everyone was assigned job titles: Fred was "Excavation and Relocation Engineer" - in charge of digging and shifting soil, weeds, wood and bricks; Daisy was "Design Manager and Relocation Expert"; Mr Locket was "General Dogsbody"; Dorothy wasn't feeling very well so she became "Catering Manager" and I was officially "Bossy Boots"!

Here they are, hard at work clearing weeds and dismantling the rotten raised beds


Meanwhile Dot was in the kitchen busily cooking Cheese and Rosemary Bread


and Cheesey Snowflakes for lunch


YUMMY!!!

Once the soil and boxes were cleared Mr Locket and the two smallest Lockets went off to the DIY shop to buy compost, black plastic and bark chippings and then the grand Brick-Relocation-Exercise began!

We have been storing a whole pile of lovely old bricks in our back garden that I was given by some friends a few years ago when they had finished a renovation project on their house. Now was the perfect time to make use of them - albeit in a very slap-dash, propped up, un-thought-out manner. But first we needed to get them into the front garden.

They came by basket,

toy trolley,

go-kart (she is sitting on some while she drives it!)


and finally SLEDGE!!!! How did that girl pull so many????? She has always been incredible strong and used to move furniture around when she was a toddler!


Once the bricks had been laid, the bark distributed and the compost scattered - this is what it looked like by the end of the day.


Much better. All it needs now is a bit more compost and bark and a lot more plants!

And then I looked up at the sky..............


WOW!!!!!

18 comments:

Mrs Moog said...

Oh my word Locket, that sky is truly amazing!!

Grand job on the garden Lockets and superb organisational skills, Bossy Boots :-)

xxx

p.s. lovely looking lunch, Dot!

Mrs Moog said...

p.p.s I was first!!!!

Kitty said...

Tsk, I bet Mrs Moogs got the tip off that you'd posted via text or some other 'insider dealing' type method.

That sky is utterly wow - it looks like flames! As for the garden - brilliant work Team Locket!

x

trash said...

Wow! You really know how to do things in Locketland. Under whose aegis was 'painting the sky' detail because that Locket needs a payrise!

sewkalico said...

That really is a wow sky!! Loved your 2006 garden, looking forward to 2009's version!

Little House By The Sea said...

The garden is looking good, job well done. We saw that sky when we were coming home from a bowling party, so pretty. I really must do something with the garden here (front and back).

Sarah x

If you get this twice blogger is messing about, sorry.

Michaela said...

That sky looks like something from a sci-fi film. Very other-worldly.

Liking the look of the front garden project, can't wait to see how it progresses throughout the year.

Great lunch Dot!

Gina said...

What a busy and productive day! I like the look of your lunch. Yummy!

Tacha said...

Wow - what a busy day you had! Looks like a huge improvement and lots of yummy food too!

And what a fantastic sky. Isn't it red sky at night shepherds delight?

Unknown said...

My gosh, you guys work quickly, you deserved that amazing sky in reward for your hard work.

Twiggy said...

The sunset here last night was truly amazing too. Well done on your industry, I'm very impressed.
twiggy x

May Kristin said...

The sky is amazingly beautiful!
You all did a great job in the garden. It's allways much more fun to do the job together than on your own!

Anonymous said...

Great sunset picture! Well... when we're ready to revamp (it's a blank canvas!) our new yard we'll let you guys know! Definately bring Dot along for the cooking too!!! Our yard is about an acre. I know! Farm houses have BIG yards! Well done on your garden... can't wait to see the next installment!

dottycookie said...

Looking good there, Missis Locket! Both the garden and the sky :-)

rachelmp said...

What a huge day! Didn't all the lockets do a fantastic job!

Jodie said...

Awesome job Lucy !!!and that last photo is spectacular

est said...

oh gosh! the pic of the abandoned garden looked like it's been 'bombed'! lol great effort of all of the lockets helping to restore it! and mmm~ ms. dot really got a real talent in the kitchen! yummy!

. said...

Can I hire team Locket??? I pay well (in cupcakes and muffins and cups of tea)..... I could do with the Locket treatment on my front garden too!

WOW is the right word for that sky aswell. I love when you catch moments like that.

xMx