Roofing

Posted on November 13, 2025 Posted in UncategorizedTagged agreed, con, Concerned, Ivy, replacement tiles, Roof, rushed, Work, WorriedLeave a comment

I just had someone who is working next door offer to clear the gutter. He went up to have a look and bought down two tiles which he said were in the gutter I had a look and they are from about a third of the way up. He said he would have to batten and refelt it and do four rows of tiles. I asked for a quote and he said £6000. I don’t have that kind of money and told him. According to his figures the whole roof would cost tens of thousands!
Then, a roofer who came round a few days ago came back and said he would clear the gutters, replace the few loose tiles, remove the ivy and point the ridge tiles for £800..im letting them do it… Am I making a mistake?

He says it will take a couple of hours. I think I’m being conned, maybe the other offer came round to scare me into having the work done today. But they are getting rid of a lot of ivy that’s got up to the roof…

Oh hell….

Long day

Posted on September 4, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged antibiotics, frazzled, Health, Illness, Ivy, Life, Memories, Thinking, Time, Tired, Window2 Comments

My upstairs stairs window.

My life had been quiet during the last few weeks. Long boring days, my ivy has been growing and I can trace it’s growth in my memory, almost like watching paint dry. I need to get someone in to help.

My brain was frazzled by the heat and now it’s getting cold I’m more interested in keeping warm and cozy. The cats keep me company, either on my lap or on the bed. The last three days have been worse, the skin on my legs is sore and I’m starting a course of antibiotics tomorrow. I think I have a temperature. I’ve been too stationary with not being able to drive so I think I need bucking up a bit. I’ll try and do a bit of walking tomorrow. Fingers crossed I’ll feel more myself soon. X

Winter sun

Posted on January 21, 2025January 21, 2025 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Dusting, glass ornaments, Ivy, January, Light, Memories, Sunlight, Tired, Window, WindowsillLeave a comment

Sun glancing through the stairs window in January. I don’t have a window cleaner and the ivy is growing up and in the way and the glass ornaments on the windowsill. But I like the chaotic jumble of colour and shadow. I’m not very organised about anything anymore. By the time I’ve walked upstairs I’m ready to fall over. Dusting? I haven’t done that in a while. I need to get my act together. Anyway not much else to be said.

Sunset

Posted on October 10, 2024October 10, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged allple tree, Clouds, Fine Art, Glow, Image, Ivy, Photo, Playing, Red, Sky, Sunset, symmetrical1 Comment

Sun setting, clouds arrive, leaves are still green.

Symmetrical pattern of view out my back door.

Cat on ledge

Posted on August 12, 2024 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Bedroom, Black and white cat, Buddliea, Cat, Ivy, Life, Sleeping, Trees, Tuxedo cat, Window ledge2 Comments

It was warm in my bedroom last night, so my cat who usually sleeps on the floor next to my bed must have decided to sleep on the windowledge where it’s a bit cooler. The ivy and buddliea growing outside help shade the stairs landing. I need to cut it back but it will be costly. Meanwhile the cat snoozes happily.

Peony tree

Posted on May 2, 2024May 2, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cake, Falling, Garden, Idea, Ivy, peony plant, peony tree, Thinking, Time, walking stick2 Comments

I’d love to have one of these, I have normal peony plants, but this is a shrub with bright yellow, flowers. Maybe I will treat myself to one as an early birthday present. I need to maintain my garden but it’s not easy to look after. It’s on a slope and the ivy is taking over, great ground cover but it’s smothering other plants. I need to do some serious pruning if I have the strength. What’s putting me off? I’m scared of slipping and falling. I always take a walking stick out there now to give me a bit more stability. I might offer friends a gardening and cake day to get some work done? Is that a good idea. I don’t know.

Ivy flowers

Posted on October 11, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged anthers, Bees, Gardening, Holly, Ivy, Leaves, Life, like anemones, Poem, Poetry, Pollen4 Comments

Little spidery flowers

Unfold like sea anemonies

Trapping bees in their anthers.

Pollen spreads to flowers,

Ivy will grow black berries

In the winter.

To go with red holly berries.

“The holly and the ivy

When they are both full grown….. “

Ivy

Posted on September 12, 2023 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colour, extension, Gardening, Growth, heavy work, Ivy, Life, Roof, salmon pink, Silhouette, Sunset2 Comments

Ivy is growing right over our roof and into the yard. I’m worried that the roof of the extention will be damaged. The problem is neither of us are up to the heavy work required to sort it out. So the yard is starting to look like a picturesque ruin. I took a photo because the sun was setting and the sky was a nice, contrastong pink, but I think my camera over exposes photos, so you can only see a hint of the salmon pink it was glowing.

Garden

Posted on February 6, 2023February 7, 2023 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Drawing, Garden, Hedge, Holly, Ivy, privet, Sketching, WinterLeave a comment

Sunday’s #bandofsketchers prompt was garden. Our garden is overgrown even though half the leaves are off the trees. We have Ivy and Holly growing up and although the hedge seems to be dying off we are trying to plant native shrubs instead of privet.

Ivy fairy

Posted on August 27, 2022August 27, 2022 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bushes, Colours, Fairy, flower fairy, Flowers, Found, Gardening, Hidden, Ivy, Laurel, WoodLeave a comment

Found in the garden under a bush. She was wrapped in ivy and laurel leaves. Lost in our garden. A wood fairy or sprite, turned not to stone, but sadly only resin. Still, she slowly danced through spring and autumn, summer and winter. Slowly submerged in vegetation. I’m glad she’s rescued. Now she’s in the yard, surrounded by petals and colours. Nasturtiums, petunias, fushias, begonias, a true flower fairy. Blooming lovely.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Ivy