Tanya from Allotments 4 You set me a challenge last week to post the 8th photo from my 8th photo album. It turns out that the photo I had to post is connected with another of my hobbies, genealogy. This photo is of my great grandparents on my dad's side, and was kindly sent to me by a distant relative who I met through tracing my family tree. The lady on the left is my great grandmother's sister. I had a bit of a problem tracing further back than the gentleman in the photo as it turned out that his father was born with a different surname to the one he later took. I did eventually manage to get back to the 1700's on this side of the family, but I'm stuck again. I don't think I'll manage to get any further back as my leads have dried up. Genealogy is a great hobby with many twists and turns, and I've met many distant relatives who I never new existed.The following are the blogs I would now like to challenge to post the 8th photo in their 8th folder:-
Eight by Six Gardening Blog
Flighty's Plot
Growing Our Own
Ma Larkin's
Moj Vrt
Pam's English Cottage Garden
The Green Grower
Two Chances Veg Plot Blog
I should have spent much more time on the allotment this weekend than I did, but I couldn't let the beautiful weather pass without making the most of it. On Friday evening we went for a walk in some woods near where my parents live. I used to play in these woods as a child, and it brought back lots of happy memories. The bluebells were in full bloom and looked so pretty.
On Saturday we decided to head off to Yorkshire Lavender. This place will look fantastic when the lavender is flowering, it's planted en masse and everything is really well labelled. There are quite a few plants to buy and many herbs, including lots of rarer varieties which you don't usually see in garden centres, but I found them quite expensive so I was very restrained and didn't buy anything. I don't think I've seen as many mint varieties all together in one place before.
About three miles from Yorkshire Lavender is Castle Howard, so before heading home we decided to call in to their plant centre. I was surprised by the wide variety of plants on offer and at reasonable prices too. There is a courtyard at Castle Howard with a farm shop, book shop, gift shop, craft shop and cafe, as well as the plant centre, and you are able to go in all these without paying the admission fee, which I think is rather steep for a family.
On Saturday evening we had a quick trip to the allotment and I managed to get my dwarf French beans planted, as well as giving everything a really good water. I was pleased to see that some of my potatoes are just showing through the soil so after a little more growth I will have to earth them up.
We spent yesterday in the garden. My son was off playing cricket, my daughter had her paddling pool out and had friends round whilst hubby and I did some tidying up. One of my Christmas presents off hubby was a walk in plastic greenhouse, quite a bit bigger than the four tier greenhouse which I use inside my normal greenhouse, so we put that up yesterday and moved some of the seedlings in to that. I haven't used it before as it's a little flimsy for cold weather. I didn't want to put my seedlings in any danger of getting frosted, but I think they should be ok now. I'm trying to free up some space in my normal greenhouse as it's time that my tomato plants were potted up and set in to their final positions. They've started flowering so it won't be long now before they start setting fruit.
This week is Chelsea week. I'm not lucky enough to have a ticket to go, so I shall be watching all the highlights from the comfort of my own home. Some days there are three programmes on, so to avoid missing anything I have already set Skyplus to tape them all.
Thanks for the challenge. I hope it will be something interesting as your photo and story behind it.
ReplyDeleteI love getting garden gifts (my favorite gifts of all), and to get a whole greenhouse - that is something special! I am sure you will make a good use of it.
Of course I accept the challenge but I will have to cheat as I won't be able to post the 8th photo from my 8th photo album as they don't exist as such. No worries though I'll figure out something suitable to post!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a busy and enjoyable weekend, making the most of the glorious weather.
Happy gardening! Flighty xx
What a busy weekend.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see the sun though so we have to make the most of it.
I will have to think about the photo cos I don't actually keep all I take, only the ones I really like. And sometimes I miss the old fashioned way as now I hardly ever get hard copies.
Claire x
Hi Jo, what a good idea, I can do 8x8 since we've had our laptop, I was a bit worried it would be a dull old vegetable but it's actually turned out quite well. About to post soon, see what you think.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great weekend Jo. We went to Castle Howard a few years back and I loved the beautifully designed and stately gardens. We have to make the most of the good weather here in the UK - fleeting as it is!
ReplyDeleteI adore lavender gardens and also have an obsession with different varieties of mint ...
Your photo challenge picture is a really interesting one.
Jeanne
x
Glad you took up the challenge Jo.,...and what an interesting hobby you have. I too have seemed to neglect the plot a little with the hot weather...as much as anything I just thought my seedlings would be better off where they were until the weather cooled a little so i am hoping to plant next weekend...I have quite a few potatoes through now and really need to get them earthed up..and some weeding done!!
ReplyDeleteWatching Chelsea from an armchair is my treat of the week too Jo - one big plus is that there are no crowds :) Interesting to see your ancestors. Hope that you might make another breakthrough in the future. We have traced my dad's family back as far as 1780 but seem to have hit a wall for the time being. Mum's family will prove more of a challenge as she is Italian :)
ReplyDeleteOoooh cool, I'll get to the challenge later this week if thats ok... Is that the 8th folder sorted alphabetically or date wise tho? lol not that it really matters I guess.. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked reading about your hobby as it reminded me of my childhood. i had this huge desire to be scottish as i just loved the idea of having my own kilt. So my mum decided to trace our family tree to see if i could claim a tarten. The bad news is that i am 100 per cent middle england. Not a trace of anything on any side for generations. Not even a bit of northen or southern blood just central england. I was gutted and lost all interest in family history.
ReplyDeleteAnyway i know go out with a scotsman who actually owns a kilt so i am nearly happy. tarten by proxy lol
Interesting ! I too have recently got into genealogy, and my husband gave me a greenhouse for my birthday. Perhaps it's our age ;-)
ReplyDeleteThe greenhouse is being used now, Vrtlarica. It's certainly given me more space for all the seedlings I've got growing.
ReplyDeleteWe have to make the most of the weather whilst we can, Flighty, I really enjoyed the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing the photo you choose, and I don't mind you cheating.
I only keep the photos I like too, Claire. It's so much easier now we have digital, but I do tend to get hard copies of my favourites to go in an old fashioned album.
I enjoyed seeing your 8X8 photo, Damo. It's good to see what other hobbies we gardeners have.
I agree, Jeanne, we have to grab the good weather whilst it's here. I did enjoy the weekend, it makes trips out so much nicer when the weather is on our side.
My potatoes need earthing up now too, Tanya. That's a job for this weekend along with the weeding, it's never ending.
I wouldn't know where to start tracing Italian ancestors, Anna. I've found genealogy so much easier now that many records are on the internet, but I do enjoy scrolling through the microfilm in the library. My dad's family seem to have stayed in Leeds, or thereabouts, since the 1700's so it's made it quite easy for me to trace them.
I don't think it really matters how you choose your 8th folder, Paul and Melanie. I'm pleased you're taking up the challenge and I look forward to seeing your photo.
If you can't claim a tartan for yourself then grab a man who's got one, Tanya. My dad's side of the family haven't strayed far from Leeds since the 1700's, perhaps that's why I've lived here all my life too.
It's interesting you mention age, Elizabeth. I certainly think that you hit a certain age where you start thinking about how you got here, and those that were here before. Be careful with your new hobby though, genealogy is very addictive.
What a fabulous photo - so poised and formal as was the style of the day!
ReplyDeleteLove your photo and story, Jo. I am happy to accept your challenge, and am actually working on a post now. So look for it soon. P x
ReplyDeleteAs I sit here catching up on my gardening blog, my husband is next to me on ancestry.com tracing his family tree !
ReplyDeleteLove old photos ;0)
Just to let you know I've done the photo challenge now (at last lol) :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe my luck when an unknown relative sent me the photo, Jules. It really is a find.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you accepted the challenge, Pam. I enjoyed seeing your photo and reading your post.
Genealogy is so addictive, Lynda. I hope your husband manages to find some leads.
I enjoyed reading your challenge post, Paul and Melanie. Thanks for taking part.