Gardeningirl’s blog

This has to be the most hectic week of my life so far.

And i'm not being melodramatic here.

It started with last wednesday. We had a jumping assessment and I was on Murphy. The last time I had jumped him I fell off. So my nerves were all over the place. Found out at the end I was bordering on a pass/merit. So at least it wasn't a fail. Then on Friday I had my British Horse Society Stage 1 Exam, which was even more nerve wracking, but it went ok I thought, the examiners were really friendly as were the horses. I should get the reults this week hopefully!

Then on the Sunday it was Reaseheath Open day! The day of the Drill Ride! So we got down to the yard for 7:30 to get thehorses ready then we hacked down to campus and warmed up. Two horses (Ted and Annie) were leaping everywhere but after a change of riders for Annie they were ok. The drill ride itself went fine (we did twice) and we got a chance to chat to the crowd. Overall it was a great atmosphere and I really enjoyed it! Foxy ( the pony I rode) was so good and didn't spook or play up.

And last night I booke dmy theory driving test! Another exam and more revision. Yay! lol. :)

Warming up

Drill ride

Well what a busy weekend!

I've been staying over at college this weekend on whats known as stocks or yards, this is where you stay over and help look after the horses. It also includes the glamourous jobs of cleaning water troughs and poo picking. The highlights of the weekend though had to be these.

Getting a call from my dad saying he was back a day early from where he works abroad and did I want to go out to tea on the sunday night with him, my mum and sister? Of course I said definatly!

Having a water fight on the yard. It started off with Meg and Sammy chucking buckets of water at each other, then Sian joined in. Then I did! I don;t usually do this being the goody two shoes that I am. :) So I tried to get Meg but both her and Sian came at me so Iegged it round the back of the stables, but as I went to get Sian, Meg and Niaph crept up behind me, then they and Sian and Becky and Chloe chased me into the haybarn and got me drenched. Cheers guys.

The not so good was me having sore feet and having a power cut at college. not nice.

However whilst I was away my dad went into the garden took the trampoline down, laid down wood chippings under the hammock and put down new bedding plants in the borders and plant pots. It looks fab!

College today! But since everyone went to Rodbaston One Day Event Horse trials, me and the rest of the Drill ride team stayed behind to practise. So beneath the lovley sun we practised twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, and trying desperatly to get a tan in between! :)

But we ended up having a waterfight inbetween. Rather refreshing

So after legging it for the bus, I'm now at home typing this and then going out into the garden to pull up a load of old plants and weeds, as were are replacing them with some gorgeous flowers.

The weather!

Can you believe it!

One thing that gets me is that are we ever happy with it? To hot, to cold, to windy, wheres the breeze?

I said to my best friend today whilst we were walking in town that we might as well be thankfull for the warm weather, while it here.

My mum has just sowed some lovely flower seeds  (need to go check the name of them!) she's still out there now, might need to go bring her in before it gets dark. :) The best thing is though she sowed them in my part of the garden! Thanks mum!

Did my first dual carrigeway today, in my driving lesson.

"So Hayley, this is actually easier than driving in a normal road as were all going in the same direction, and you don't have to look out for parked cars on your left okay? Just watch your speed and the distance between you and the car in front okay?" said Eddie my fab AA driving instructor. (He's really good, I've learnt alot.)

"eek" was my reply

It was actually really good fun!

Got a drill ride practice tomorrow. Now if your not sure as to what this is, its horse riders riding in formation to music. I'm part ofa team thats performing at my colleges open day. and as the rest of equine is going on a day out tomorrow we should get a few practises in!

Ce ya folks!

Gardeningirl!

Sounds like I'm a superwoman or something.

But I'm not I;m just your average seveteen year old girl, who has recently fallen in love with gardening. Thanks to my fab mum!

It happened last Saturday when the sun was shining (for once) and mum wanted me to help in the garden. I sighed and said "sure thing" grabbed the gardening gloves and trowel and starting to dig out the weeds and some horrible green spiky plants that had been growing there since forever, from around the base of the bergola.

And now I'm hooked!

Went out there yesterday and de-weeded the rest  of the garden, and now I'm full of ideas for it! Theres a load of really niceplant pots so I want to fill them up, and a patch by the hammock that really needs some colour so me and mum are going to strip it all out and add some really nice flowers to.

I think a gardening shopping trip is in order!

Yesterday I also pruned the tulips. They are gorgeous flowers, we have red, purple and yellows ones flowering every year, and tidied near the base of the apple tree. We have a pear tree to, and a pond. :) Which gets a regular visit from frogs each year.

Now personallyI think something is missing. Chickens! I really want a few chooks when I'm older (pekin bantams to be precise. :)) and a fab orange cube from Omlet. But sadly I don't think my family will be getting any, as we have to many other commitments, but you never know. Watch this space!

The Gravel and Tulips

Below tight is a picture of the very top of our garden. My dad recently gravelled it and laid out some really nice stones, and a bench. Its lovely when its sunny and you can just sit up there and relax. You can just see the yellow tulips on the right and the orange ones top centre.

Well thats all for now, I'll post some more posts soon.

Signing off.

Ce ya!