Monday, 19 June 2006
It is 6.45pm and I have just sat down for some tea – after a really busy day.
We spent two and a half hours up the allotment this morning. Undergardener kindly watered the tomatoes and squashes, whilst I mowed all the lawns.
Naturally my job was harder work and took longer as I have to start with the blades at their highest point because of the weeds that grow through along the fences from the other side, and then I gradually lower and lower them.
I like to give it a shortish cut so that it will last a least a week, and we are actually forecast some rain tomorrow night or Wednesday, so I just had to get it done.
KoKKo, Adelaide and Ginger laid a nice big egg each – so no egg eating has been going on – yippee. I had gone from a glut of eggs to none – everyone seemed to want them at once over the weekend, even the bantam eggs went. The bantams are laying one a day – I think that it is Pumpkin as the other two are broody and Dilly looks like she is moulting as there are lavender coloured feathers in the nesting box and elsewhere.
So back to the allotment talk. The soil is like concrete up there, but somehow the weeds manage to thrive, but I am being sensible and not attempting to dig out the deep rooted ones and hurt myself, so I have given them a hair cut. I use all the grass cuttings – of which there is a lot up there, to mulch as much as I can which helps, and by now I would have mulched a lot more with the horse manure too – but again, I have not been up to it, even with the weeds that I do have (not an enormous amount) it still have far less weeds than all the others.
My next task is to weed around the climbing beans and plant some more, which have failed for one reason or another. I need to sow some more salads and cucumber and other crops – brassicas - that got eaten by the rabbits.
Before I came home I picked some broad beans. It is amazing how they have ‘bounced’ back after their near death experience, being snowed under, hit by perma frost which made them die back, then they got nibbled by rabbits and deer and pecked by pheasants and pigeons. But I picked 18 ½ lbs of lovely big bean pods – which we will be podding most of the evening!
There was one more task before I left and that was to dig up another potato plant. I just love doing that, as you never know how many potatoes will be lurking underneath. I dug up one early Colleen, and harvested 2.5lbs of lovely sized potatoes. I have had big crops from late varieties, but with such little rain, I was really surprised to get the amount I did from Colleen. We have enough for meals for 2 days, and the seed potato was still big and perfect so I have cooked that for the chickens, the leaves went into the compost bin – how’s that for waste not want not?
We had lunch – at 3pm – not a good idea – then had a rest for an hour. The boss mowed the lawns at home which didn’t take long and they are at least flat and almost weed free – just daisies and I like those. Whilst he was doing that I top and tailed the 8 lbs of rhubarb I had pulled – 6lb from up the allotment this morning and another 2lb from a plant I had here behind my shed. So it is now washed and vacuum packed in the freezer, so that I can use it for jam, chutneys, etc during the winter when I have more time. I made some rhubarb crumbles and we have just had some for tea.
My son and daughter in law bought some double cream last weekend when they came, and I forgot to use it. It would expire on 22nd June so I used it to make butter and now have 9oz of unsalted butter and over half a pint of buttermilk. The buttermilk I will use tomorrow either in the bread or I will make scones. I froze half a pound of butter in and the rest I will use.
A while ago I made some cream – face and body cream, and bought the little plastic pots and lids with a view to put the cream in them, but they were too big. I used one though, and put it at the back of the fridge and forgot about it. A couple of weeks later husband made some toast and got a pot of butter out of the fridge – luckily I walked in just in time – he was about to spread my cream onto my toast! I have learnt an important lesson, needless to say.
No photos today, you all know what vacuum packed rhubarb and a large carrier bag of broad beans look like – and my home made butter too!
Off to continue shelling the beans!
Monday, June 19, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Sunday - A day of rest.
After my mammoth allotment and gardening sessions yesterday, I am taking a well earned rest – well almost.
I went up to see the chickens first thing and collected two eggs with no sign of any shell or yolk.
Next stop was the village bee keeper to buy some more beeswax.
Home to prepare Sunday lunch with all the trimmings.
I have just made Banana Bread – which is not a bread loaf, but a wonderful, moist cake.
This recipe came from book that I bought my Grand daughter for her birthday last month.
Banana Bread – River Cottage Family Cookbook
75g Ready to eat dried apricots
75g Sultanas
1 Lemon
100g Unsalted butter (soft)
125g Caster sugar
2 Large eggs or 3 bantam eggs – free range of course
3 Large very ripe bananas
200g Self raising flour.
Loaf tin 2lb size 12x23x7cm
Lined with baking parchment of loaf tin liner
Preheat oven to 160c or Gas mark 3
Chop up apricots roughly same size as the sultanas, and grate lemon
Cream the butter and sugar and add eggs one at a time beating each one before adding the next.
Add the lemon zest and dried fruits.
Mash the bananas and add to mixture
Sift flour into the bowl and fold in carefully
Pour mixture into the lined loaf tin and gently level top
Bake for 1hour – checking after 50 minutes.
Cool in tin on wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out.
Mine took one hour exactly.
It tastes delicious still warm, and makes a wonderful dessert if you add a dollop of double cream or a couple of scoops of icecream!
My next task is to go to my studio and make my youngest grand daughter a birthday card for Tuesday.
Then later on the watering pots and allotment chores if rain is not forecast.
I went up to see the chickens first thing and collected two eggs with no sign of any shell or yolk.
Next stop was the village bee keeper to buy some more beeswax.
Home to prepare Sunday lunch with all the trimmings.
I have just made Banana Bread – which is not a bread loaf, but a wonderful, moist cake.
This recipe came from book that I bought my Grand daughter for her birthday last month.
Banana Bread – River Cottage Family Cookbook
75g Ready to eat dried apricots
75g Sultanas
1 Lemon
100g Unsalted butter (soft)
125g Caster sugar
2 Large eggs or 3 bantam eggs – free range of course
3 Large very ripe bananas
200g Self raising flour.
Loaf tin 2lb size 12x23x7cm
Lined with baking parchment of loaf tin liner
Preheat oven to 160c or Gas mark 3
Chop up apricots roughly same size as the sultanas, and grate lemon
Cream the butter and sugar and add eggs one at a time beating each one before adding the next.
Add the lemon zest and dried fruits.
Mash the bananas and add to mixture
Sift flour into the bowl and fold in carefully
Pour mixture into the lined loaf tin and gently level top
Bake for 1hour – checking after 50 minutes.
Cool in tin on wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out.
Mine took one hour exactly.
It tastes delicious still warm, and makes a wonderful dessert if you add a dollop of double cream or a couple of scoops of icecream!
My next task is to go to my studio and make my youngest grand daughter a birthday card for Tuesday.
Then later on the watering pots and allotment chores if rain is not forecast.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
I won't let the rabbits get me down - had a good day today
Saturday, 17 June 2006
Today was another hot day, so I decided to just go up the allotment and let the girls out and collect the eggs………and maybe start on the fruit cage.
Under gardener said that he would come with me, just for a look see.
So we went in my little old banger which is always loaded up with my ‘junk’ that is needed up the allotment.
First disappointment was that there were the remains of an egg shell in the run. It must be today’s as I moved their run yesterday. There were two eggs in the nest untouched thank goodness.
As I couldn’t reach the eggshell in the run, and didn’t fancy dismantling it all to do so, I shook a strong mixture of mustard, pepper, and horseradish, seed mixture (which is powerful stuff which I use in cooking) through the bars and covered the eggshell. Did it put them off? Not in the slightest, when I let them back in their run a few hours later, they tucked into the seeds and then the eggshell!
I saw Tim as I was going home and he said that he had some chickens that did that, and nothing he did would stop them, so he had to pull their necks! Hmm – I don’t think I will go down that route.
Under gardener was chatting to our neighbour Mike who was strimming some of his plot. He is a bit overwhelmed and fed up at the moment, but in all fairness, you can’t have allotments as big as ours and only spend a few hours, (if that) on it each week. You have to keep things under control especially the dock, thistle, and bind weeds – I spend more time digging up weeds than anything else.
The 'newbies' look at my plot and don't realise that I work up there for at least 23 hours a week minimum.
So whilst they were chatting, and talking football, I got on with the fruit cage. In the winter I cut down the summer raspberries leaving just 5 stems per plant, lifted up the black membrane, dug it all over, and dug in barrow loads of muck and replaced the membrane.
Left to its own devices it had gone crazy! The raspberries had shot up and there were more than double the amount of canes, plus runners too. There were rogue dock weeds here and there 5ft tall in places which were difficult to reach amongst the fruit bushes. It was like fighting my way through a thick forest – so there was nothing for it, but to cut all the raspberries down except a few on the perimeter. It sounds awful waste and a shame as they had little fruit on a lot of last years canes, but I do have some elsewhere further down the plot and with just those I had plenty to give away and freeze. So I cut them down and UG dug out the roots. We had at least six wheel barrows full – heaped high – to take down to the huge compost bin next to the hedge where we put things that will take a while to rot down. We have pulled up the membrane and left it up, so that I can dig it over and add more muck. Getting rid of a lot of the raspberries has revealed the strawberry plants with fruits on which should now get some light to ripen them.
On the left hand side of the fruit cage, the currant bushes have doubled their size this year which was a bit of a shock as they are all touching like a hedge, despite planting them spaced according to the instructions. The good news is that for the first time, and at last, they are bearing fruit. Some of the branches are so loaded that they are touching the ground. I am not sure what to do about them, and I will have to read up to see how to prune them, as they fruit on old wood, but there will be so much of it, it will need cutting back.
My original solitary gooseberry bush in the corner, from which I took cuttings is now ‘fenced in’ by the currants so I will have to carefully get to it, to pick the berries.
There are some lovely strawberry plants, so I am hoping for a nice little harvest from them, especially as the ones outside were such a disappointment.
I am also fighting back against the rabbits. I have cut down the weeds that have sprouted up along the fence and have put heavy wood all the way along the side that I think they are getting in – it will be interesting to see what happens over the next week. They have now eaten right down all my wonderful Oriental poppies, the smaller Delphinium plants, more of the Achilleas and the Rudbeckia. They do not eat the rhubarb, gooseberries, roses, and the asparagus ferns, and now that the broad beans are ready to harvest they have left them alone too. They have dug so many holes though and had a go at lots of flower roots.
My task for next week is to replace the climbing, French and Runner bean plants that the rabbits ate – with seeds – or maybe I will grow them at home and plant them out again later. I need to grow on some more cucumber plants too as they have all been eaten, and I might put in some more butternut squash seeds.
I am really pleased with how the fruit cage is looking now after all our hard work and we have dug out the dock weeds. We will no doubt get more, it is inevitable with all the seeds that have been blowing over the past few years.
My last task – a nice one to end on – was to dig up a potato plant to see if there were any new potatoes. I actually didn’t even need to dig them.
Where I had earthed the plants up and kept the rows weeded and clean, I only had to rub away the soil and it revealed lovely and clean new potatoes.
My hard work over the autumn and winter preparing the soil was worth all the effort. I barrowed over so many barrow loads of well rotted manure and dug it in, and it has really paid off. From one plant we had enough potatoes for two large meals for 2.
Last year I planted the potatoes on virgin soil where we had cleared and weeded a plot for them. We were very happy with the yield and had so many that we shared them around family, and friends and neighbours – but I grew twice as many as I have this year, and am getting double the yield per plant this year than I did last.
All of which reinforced my reason for growing my own food despite the disappointments and crop failures! And when we had some for lunch I was reminded of how wonderful home grown potatoes taste – from plot to plate within one hour.
My spirits have now lifted, my enthusiasm has now returned. So much so that after spending three and a half hours up the allotment this morning, after lunch and a rest, I spent another couple of hours transplanting chillies, asters, and tomatoes.
I have even potted up the Brussels sprout stalks that the rabbits had left after their feast. There is only about 1 inch of stalk, but I rescued them all, and put them in compost and watered them, and today I noticed that each one had the signs of a tiny weeny new leaf, so I have now put them in their own individual pots, with the hope that they will re-grow. You never know do you, they might.
My lean-to has never looked so tidy, with all the pots neatly stacked and trays of potted up plants. The chillies I have put in a plastic mini green house, so I hope that they like it there and I get chillies for the first time.
I should really take it easier tomorrow as I am being ‘paid back’ for doing so much today, but it is such a nice feeling to have achieved so much.
If possible, I will harvest the broad beans, and some more gooseberries from the bush in the fruit cage, and some redcurrants if there are some ripe. They looked very pink today, so there might be some.
The weather is still scorching hot with no rain for many days – apart from a shower one evening when we were away – Tuesday night – but the next day there was no sign of having had any rain at all.
Thanks for all your wonderful messages, I do read them and take your advice on board.
Have a good weekend
Today was another hot day, so I decided to just go up the allotment and let the girls out and collect the eggs………and maybe start on the fruit cage.
Under gardener said that he would come with me, just for a look see.
So we went in my little old banger which is always loaded up with my ‘junk’ that is needed up the allotment.
First disappointment was that there were the remains of an egg shell in the run. It must be today’s as I moved their run yesterday. There were two eggs in the nest untouched thank goodness.
As I couldn’t reach the eggshell in the run, and didn’t fancy dismantling it all to do so, I shook a strong mixture of mustard, pepper, and horseradish, seed mixture (which is powerful stuff which I use in cooking) through the bars and covered the eggshell. Did it put them off? Not in the slightest, when I let them back in their run a few hours later, they tucked into the seeds and then the eggshell!
I saw Tim as I was going home and he said that he had some chickens that did that, and nothing he did would stop them, so he had to pull their necks! Hmm – I don’t think I will go down that route.
Under gardener was chatting to our neighbour Mike who was strimming some of his plot. He is a bit overwhelmed and fed up at the moment, but in all fairness, you can’t have allotments as big as ours and only spend a few hours, (if that) on it each week. You have to keep things under control especially the dock, thistle, and bind weeds – I spend more time digging up weeds than anything else.
The 'newbies' look at my plot and don't realise that I work up there for at least 23 hours a week minimum.
So whilst they were chatting, and talking football, I got on with the fruit cage. In the winter I cut down the summer raspberries leaving just 5 stems per plant, lifted up the black membrane, dug it all over, and dug in barrow loads of muck and replaced the membrane.
Left to its own devices it had gone crazy! The raspberries had shot up and there were more than double the amount of canes, plus runners too. There were rogue dock weeds here and there 5ft tall in places which were difficult to reach amongst the fruit bushes. It was like fighting my way through a thick forest – so there was nothing for it, but to cut all the raspberries down except a few on the perimeter. It sounds awful waste and a shame as they had little fruit on a lot of last years canes, but I do have some elsewhere further down the plot and with just those I had plenty to give away and freeze. So I cut them down and UG dug out the roots. We had at least six wheel barrows full – heaped high – to take down to the huge compost bin next to the hedge where we put things that will take a while to rot down. We have pulled up the membrane and left it up, so that I can dig it over and add more muck. Getting rid of a lot of the raspberries has revealed the strawberry plants with fruits on which should now get some light to ripen them.
On the left hand side of the fruit cage, the currant bushes have doubled their size this year which was a bit of a shock as they are all touching like a hedge, despite planting them spaced according to the instructions. The good news is that for the first time, and at last, they are bearing fruit. Some of the branches are so loaded that they are touching the ground. I am not sure what to do about them, and I will have to read up to see how to prune them, as they fruit on old wood, but there will be so much of it, it will need cutting back.
My original solitary gooseberry bush in the corner, from which I took cuttings is now ‘fenced in’ by the currants so I will have to carefully get to it, to pick the berries.
There are some lovely strawberry plants, so I am hoping for a nice little harvest from them, especially as the ones outside were such a disappointment.
I am also fighting back against the rabbits. I have cut down the weeds that have sprouted up along the fence and have put heavy wood all the way along the side that I think they are getting in – it will be interesting to see what happens over the next week. They have now eaten right down all my wonderful Oriental poppies, the smaller Delphinium plants, more of the Achilleas and the Rudbeckia. They do not eat the rhubarb, gooseberries, roses, and the asparagus ferns, and now that the broad beans are ready to harvest they have left them alone too. They have dug so many holes though and had a go at lots of flower roots.
My task for next week is to replace the climbing, French and Runner bean plants that the rabbits ate – with seeds – or maybe I will grow them at home and plant them out again later. I need to grow on some more cucumber plants too as they have all been eaten, and I might put in some more butternut squash seeds.
I am really pleased with how the fruit cage is looking now after all our hard work and we have dug out the dock weeds. We will no doubt get more, it is inevitable with all the seeds that have been blowing over the past few years.
My last task – a nice one to end on – was to dig up a potato plant to see if there were any new potatoes. I actually didn’t even need to dig them.
Where I had earthed the plants up and kept the rows weeded and clean, I only had to rub away the soil and it revealed lovely and clean new potatoes.
My hard work over the autumn and winter preparing the soil was worth all the effort. I barrowed over so many barrow loads of well rotted manure and dug it in, and it has really paid off. From one plant we had enough potatoes for two large meals for 2.
Last year I planted the potatoes on virgin soil where we had cleared and weeded a plot for them. We were very happy with the yield and had so many that we shared them around family, and friends and neighbours – but I grew twice as many as I have this year, and am getting double the yield per plant this year than I did last.
All of which reinforced my reason for growing my own food despite the disappointments and crop failures! And when we had some for lunch I was reminded of how wonderful home grown potatoes taste – from plot to plate within one hour.
My spirits have now lifted, my enthusiasm has now returned. So much so that after spending three and a half hours up the allotment this morning, after lunch and a rest, I spent another couple of hours transplanting chillies, asters, and tomatoes.
I have even potted up the Brussels sprout stalks that the rabbits had left after their feast. There is only about 1 inch of stalk, but I rescued them all, and put them in compost and watered them, and today I noticed that each one had the signs of a tiny weeny new leaf, so I have now put them in their own individual pots, with the hope that they will re-grow. You never know do you, they might.
My lean-to has never looked so tidy, with all the pots neatly stacked and trays of potted up plants. The chillies I have put in a plastic mini green house, so I hope that they like it there and I get chillies for the first time.
I should really take it easier tomorrow as I am being ‘paid back’ for doing so much today, but it is such a nice feeling to have achieved so much.
If possible, I will harvest the broad beans, and some more gooseberries from the bush in the fruit cage, and some redcurrants if there are some ripe. They looked very pink today, so there might be some.
The weather is still scorching hot with no rain for many days – apart from a shower one evening when we were away – Tuesday night – but the next day there was no sign of having had any rain at all.
Thanks for all your wonderful messages, I do read them and take your advice on board.
Have a good weekend
Friday, June 16, 2006
A few photos taken today
This pure white clematis with flowers the size of dinner plates has flowered for the first time this year in my garden in the raised be just outside my patio door.
Now that did really did cheer me up after today's trip to the allotment
Atlantic pumpkin protected by a Wallowater.
Courgettes and shallots so far intact.
Safe, so far, from the predators - peas at the end and some of my tomato plants in the cage
The rabbits did not eat the squash plants but ate the cucumber plants
The few remainging parsnips that the rabbits missed and I have sowed yet another packet, and netted it.
The two rows of carrot seeds that I did yesterday, covered by my attempt to keep out the rabbits.
Ecky thump - hot weather - shame about the pests
Friday, 16 June 2006
We all get ‘one of those days’ don’t we? Well I am having a run of them and I wish they would go away and pick on someone else as I really think that I have had my share lately.
I slip, slap, slopped on the factor 50 sun lotion, wore long sleeved shirt over tee shirt, long trousers, big floppy hat and sun glasses – if that isn’t enough to put you off going up the allotment – I don’t know what will…………………….
Except perhaps………..rabbits.
Today’s devastation consisted of Brussels sprouts, psb, and a chewed and felled tomato plant (surely we don’t have beavers in this neck of the woods, we are a bit short on water and dams). Obviously the rabbit did not like the taste of tomato plants.
8 mini cauliflower plants – rabbits or slugs – hard to tell.
Dwarf beans – ditto above.
Climbing beans – signs of a mouse hole burrowed underneath the rows – well a few, or maybe a rat hole? The beans that have survived are a bit slug damaged on the lower leaves but are climbing now and looking healthy, but I have lost 80% of my bean crop. It rained the day we were away, so the slugs must have had a field day and the rabbits too – as they ate all my next two neighbours climbing bean plants too – they had bought theirs and they were lovely.
Three dead birds – for no apparent reason and not showing any sign of injury. Old Geoff found a few the other day on his plot. Maybe it is the farm cats, but it is a bit odd.
Only one egg and the remains of an eaten one!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel downhearted, defeated, and down in the dumps.
I can’t find where the rabbit is getting in. Surely someone is not opening the gate at dusk and then closing it (joke). My gates are pieces of corrugated iron and fixed with posts.
I just had to give myself the proverbial kick up the rear and get down to work.
Today’s task was to tie up all the tomato plants to their canes, and pinch off all the bits growing at the leaf joints. I started with the ones in the cage, and weeded whilst I was in there. Then I did the ones outside and found the tomato plant ‘felled’ and it was a big one too.
Doing all that took me almost three hours in the boiling hot weather in the sun. I was going to go back tonight and water the tomatoes and courgettes and pumpkin plants but the shingles has decided to play up just to remind me it is still there. So I am doing my blog instead.
I don’t know what got into the chickens this morning, and they have never broken an egg and eaten it before. They free range at least 3 hours a day, and their run in on the meadow, so plenty of opportunity to scratch up any extra grit they need, but their food contains all that they are supposed to need anyway. Maybe it was a thin shelled egg and one of the stood on it and it cracked. I will give them the benefit of the doubt this time!
So ladies and gentlemen – forgive me for not being my usual happy chirpy self.
I did cheer myself up picking some gooseberries – glad the rabbits don’t like those, and pulled some rhubarb stalks – and just to ‘make my day’ when I stepped over a chicken wire fence to go and put the girls back in, I found myself flat on my back a few seconds later – having whacked my arm and feeling rather uncomfortable with a big sharp stone poking in my back. It took me a few moments to work out where I was and what I was doing!! I rolled over on my side then gingerly got up on my hands and knees. Just another few bruises to add to the rest! Still my dearly beloved won’t mind – he can’t even give me a cuddle to make me feel better as the shingles are like electric shocks! He He He.
Off for a shower and to top and tail the goosegogs.
Things will look better in the morning, so the saying goes, and my beloved said he will help me water the plants in the morning. (he is out bowling tonight).
We all get ‘one of those days’ don’t we? Well I am having a run of them and I wish they would go away and pick on someone else as I really think that I have had my share lately.
I slip, slap, slopped on the factor 50 sun lotion, wore long sleeved shirt over tee shirt, long trousers, big floppy hat and sun glasses – if that isn’t enough to put you off going up the allotment – I don’t know what will…………………….
Except perhaps………..rabbits.
Today’s devastation consisted of Brussels sprouts, psb, and a chewed and felled tomato plant (surely we don’t have beavers in this neck of the woods, we are a bit short on water and dams). Obviously the rabbit did not like the taste of tomato plants.
8 mini cauliflower plants – rabbits or slugs – hard to tell.
Dwarf beans – ditto above.
Climbing beans – signs of a mouse hole burrowed underneath the rows – well a few, or maybe a rat hole? The beans that have survived are a bit slug damaged on the lower leaves but are climbing now and looking healthy, but I have lost 80% of my bean crop. It rained the day we were away, so the slugs must have had a field day and the rabbits too – as they ate all my next two neighbours climbing bean plants too – they had bought theirs and they were lovely.
Three dead birds – for no apparent reason and not showing any sign of injury. Old Geoff found a few the other day on his plot. Maybe it is the farm cats, but it is a bit odd.
Only one egg and the remains of an eaten one!!!!!!!!!!!!
I feel downhearted, defeated, and down in the dumps.
I can’t find where the rabbit is getting in. Surely someone is not opening the gate at dusk and then closing it (joke). My gates are pieces of corrugated iron and fixed with posts.
I just had to give myself the proverbial kick up the rear and get down to work.
Today’s task was to tie up all the tomato plants to their canes, and pinch off all the bits growing at the leaf joints. I started with the ones in the cage, and weeded whilst I was in there. Then I did the ones outside and found the tomato plant ‘felled’ and it was a big one too.
Doing all that took me almost three hours in the boiling hot weather in the sun. I was going to go back tonight and water the tomatoes and courgettes and pumpkin plants but the shingles has decided to play up just to remind me it is still there. So I am doing my blog instead.
I don’t know what got into the chickens this morning, and they have never broken an egg and eaten it before. They free range at least 3 hours a day, and their run in on the meadow, so plenty of opportunity to scratch up any extra grit they need, but their food contains all that they are supposed to need anyway. Maybe it was a thin shelled egg and one of the stood on it and it cracked. I will give them the benefit of the doubt this time!
So ladies and gentlemen – forgive me for not being my usual happy chirpy self.
I did cheer myself up picking some gooseberries – glad the rabbits don’t like those, and pulled some rhubarb stalks – and just to ‘make my day’ when I stepped over a chicken wire fence to go and put the girls back in, I found myself flat on my back a few seconds later – having whacked my arm and feeling rather uncomfortable with a big sharp stone poking in my back. It took me a few moments to work out where I was and what I was doing!! I rolled over on my side then gingerly got up on my hands and knees. Just another few bruises to add to the rest! Still my dearly beloved won’t mind – he can’t even give me a cuddle to make me feel better as the shingles are like electric shocks! He He He.
Off for a shower and to top and tail the goosegogs.
Things will look better in the morning, so the saying goes, and my beloved said he will help me water the plants in the morning. (he is out bowling tonight).
Thursday, June 15, 2006
I am fed up - fed, fed, fed, fed, UP!
It takes quite a bit to make me feel fed up - and it was quite a bit that finally did it!
You will remember when I first got shingles and was in such a lot of pain, that it took me an hour to sow each row of carrot, and parsnip seeds.
All four rows I have lovingly tended and hand weeded, for weeks now. Only to discover that today a rabbit/s have somehow managed to breach my 'inner sanctum'.
I thought that it was the one safe place that they could not enter. -It has been for the past two years - but no longer.
Today I discovered to my horror, that the little blighters have eaten all my carrots and parsnips. Four 30 feet rows, and I was only away one full day!
It must have been the tiny baby rabbits that can squeeze in anywhere - but for the life of me I can not find a gap or hole in the middle area, and we dug down a foot and sank the wire in so they are not tunnelling under it.
I was so fed up that if I wasn't a grown up I would have cried - or yelled. But I didn't!
I picked myself after being on my hands and knees, brushed myself off, and started all over again.
It took me almost four hours.
I had to hand weed all the rows and between the rows, dig it over - again with the hand trowel, rake it, pull out trenches with the hoe, and sow two more rows of carrots - then devise a way of proctecting them.
I took the plastic off all my cloches, so that I just had the skeleton metal frames, then luckily I had some fleece in the shed. So my mission was to make a 30ft tunnel over two rows of carrot seeds, and try and make it rabbit proof, wind proof, - lets hope that it is successful.
I rescued about half a dozen parsnip seedlings, and had to repeat the process above.
The frame to this tunnel I covered with some plastic netting that I found rolled up at the back of the shed and had to untangle it, which took an age.
I have to admit that whilst doing this in the heat of the day, I wondered if all this effort was worth it! That I must be mad, and why don't I do like most people do and simply go to a supermarket and buy them! I wish I knew the answer to that.
In between all this work, and walking backwards and forwards to my shed umpteen times, I found a bird caught up in some netting. I heard some chirping, but I thought it was a bird just sitting in the long grass so never took any notice. But as it was there for a while I decided to have a look in case it was a deserted baby.
The poor thing was an adult black bird that had somehow flown into some black netting and had it on its body and one leg. I ran to get some scissors and picked it up, whilst it pecked my hands frantically, and carefully cut it off bit by bit, all while being pecked by the poor bird. I had to gently fluff up its feathers to find the various bits and cut through them, and untangle its foot.
When I had done so, it gave me one last peck as I put it gently down in the shade, and it flew off and hid.
The time really flew by today and I achieved none of the things that I had intended too.
I wanted to harvest the broad beans, the gooseberries, rhubarb, and some red currants that are ripe. All of which will have to wait another day - tomorrow weather permitting.
The chickens litter tray will need emptying too, and the meadow needs mowing yet again, so too some of the paths.
The little bit of rain that fell Tuesday evening whilst we were away, was enough to get the weeds going, but not enough for the courgettes, pumpkins and tomatoes.
I also wanted to tie up the tomato plants and pinch out any side shoots, sow some more salads and celeriac, and some climbing and French beans.
There are just not enough hours in the day!
On a brighter note, the delphiniums are looking wonderful and I think that I might pick some from up the allotment for indoors. The damage the rabbits did to the rudbeckia, whilst making them look a funny 'clump' seems to be tailing off now, as in inner stems of the clump are now getting tall and the rabbits can't reach any leaves, so they are surrounded by short stems that reach as high as a rabbit can! The remainder should now grow their full height and flower in a month and keep flowering all the rest of the summer. Same too with the achillea - that has been pruned by the rabbits but now that it is getting taller, I think that the leaves and stems must be tougher or not so palatable, and there are flower buds forming.
On the downside, all those chrysanthemums that I planted so carefully, seem to have failed. There is one or two that might make it, but I am not optimistic. Those that I gave my friend have not grown either - so it is not my skills - or lack of them. A friend of hers that knows about chrysanthemums in particular, said that they needed to have some green growing when planted, to grow - but our didn't. So all that time and effort and muck shifting was a total waste of time too.
But nature is like that isn't it - that is what makes it so fascinating and challenging - trying to work with the elements and get results. Some are good, some are not.
My lettuces and rocket have been and are fabulous, and the lettuces huge. I took one to my son and wife, and there was so much there that it fed us all for the evening meal and the rest we had with the bbq the next day. I picked another couple today, a red frilly one with a green centre and a big crinkley one. They were from a mixed packet that it why I do not know their individual names.
I was too worn out to take photos and the 'boss' was back from golf and waiting for lunch - which we did not have until 3 o'clock!
Guess who needed to rest up for an hour this afternoon?
No.2 son arrived safely in Barcelona early this morning, the temperature was 23c and he was spending the day sightseeing and wearing shorts. The hotel that he and his friends are staying is just three minutes walk from the daytime venue of the festival they are going to see, and 8 minutes walk from the night time marquees, where the concerts are being held. So that is good.
I got a phone call tonight and when I answered it I heard a chuckle. I said, 'Hello' and I heard my baby grandson 'talking' to me. My son has it on speaker phone so that he can hear me, and the little one always wrestles the phone away. He is not yet six months old, but he repeated all the noises I made. For some reason he started doing little coughing noises yesterday. He hasn't got a cough, but just did it, I laughed then he did it again when he wanted to get my attention. So I made the same noise of the phone and he copied, as well as other ones. It was so cute.
It is gone 11pm so I had better sign off for tonight and get some rest.
Hopefully there will be some photos tomorrow
You will remember when I first got shingles and was in such a lot of pain, that it took me an hour to sow each row of carrot, and parsnip seeds.
All four rows I have lovingly tended and hand weeded, for weeks now. Only to discover that today a rabbit/s have somehow managed to breach my 'inner sanctum'.
I thought that it was the one safe place that they could not enter. -It has been for the past two years - but no longer.
Today I discovered to my horror, that the little blighters have eaten all my carrots and parsnips. Four 30 feet rows, and I was only away one full day!
It must have been the tiny baby rabbits that can squeeze in anywhere - but for the life of me I can not find a gap or hole in the middle area, and we dug down a foot and sank the wire in so they are not tunnelling under it.
I was so fed up that if I wasn't a grown up I would have cried - or yelled. But I didn't!
I picked myself after being on my hands and knees, brushed myself off, and started all over again.
It took me almost four hours.
I had to hand weed all the rows and between the rows, dig it over - again with the hand trowel, rake it, pull out trenches with the hoe, and sow two more rows of carrots - then devise a way of proctecting them.
I took the plastic off all my cloches, so that I just had the skeleton metal frames, then luckily I had some fleece in the shed. So my mission was to make a 30ft tunnel over two rows of carrot seeds, and try and make it rabbit proof, wind proof, - lets hope that it is successful.
I rescued about half a dozen parsnip seedlings, and had to repeat the process above.
The frame to this tunnel I covered with some plastic netting that I found rolled up at the back of the shed and had to untangle it, which took an age.
I have to admit that whilst doing this in the heat of the day, I wondered if all this effort was worth it! That I must be mad, and why don't I do like most people do and simply go to a supermarket and buy them! I wish I knew the answer to that.
In between all this work, and walking backwards and forwards to my shed umpteen times, I found a bird caught up in some netting. I heard some chirping, but I thought it was a bird just sitting in the long grass so never took any notice. But as it was there for a while I decided to have a look in case it was a deserted baby.
The poor thing was an adult black bird that had somehow flown into some black netting and had it on its body and one leg. I ran to get some scissors and picked it up, whilst it pecked my hands frantically, and carefully cut it off bit by bit, all while being pecked by the poor bird. I had to gently fluff up its feathers to find the various bits and cut through them, and untangle its foot.
When I had done so, it gave me one last peck as I put it gently down in the shade, and it flew off and hid.
The time really flew by today and I achieved none of the things that I had intended too.
I wanted to harvest the broad beans, the gooseberries, rhubarb, and some red currants that are ripe. All of which will have to wait another day - tomorrow weather permitting.
The chickens litter tray will need emptying too, and the meadow needs mowing yet again, so too some of the paths.
The little bit of rain that fell Tuesday evening whilst we were away, was enough to get the weeds going, but not enough for the courgettes, pumpkins and tomatoes.
I also wanted to tie up the tomato plants and pinch out any side shoots, sow some more salads and celeriac, and some climbing and French beans.
There are just not enough hours in the day!
On a brighter note, the delphiniums are looking wonderful and I think that I might pick some from up the allotment for indoors. The damage the rabbits did to the rudbeckia, whilst making them look a funny 'clump' seems to be tailing off now, as in inner stems of the clump are now getting tall and the rabbits can't reach any leaves, so they are surrounded by short stems that reach as high as a rabbit can! The remainder should now grow their full height and flower in a month and keep flowering all the rest of the summer. Same too with the achillea - that has been pruned by the rabbits but now that it is getting taller, I think that the leaves and stems must be tougher or not so palatable, and there are flower buds forming.
On the downside, all those chrysanthemums that I planted so carefully, seem to have failed. There is one or two that might make it, but I am not optimistic. Those that I gave my friend have not grown either - so it is not my skills - or lack of them. A friend of hers that knows about chrysanthemums in particular, said that they needed to have some green growing when planted, to grow - but our didn't. So all that time and effort and muck shifting was a total waste of time too.
But nature is like that isn't it - that is what makes it so fascinating and challenging - trying to work with the elements and get results. Some are good, some are not.
My lettuces and rocket have been and are fabulous, and the lettuces huge. I took one to my son and wife, and there was so much there that it fed us all for the evening meal and the rest we had with the bbq the next day. I picked another couple today, a red frilly one with a green centre and a big crinkley one. They were from a mixed packet that it why I do not know their individual names.
I was too worn out to take photos and the 'boss' was back from golf and waiting for lunch - which we did not have until 3 o'clock!
Guess who needed to rest up for an hour this afternoon?
No.2 son arrived safely in Barcelona early this morning, the temperature was 23c and he was spending the day sightseeing and wearing shorts. The hotel that he and his friends are staying is just three minutes walk from the daytime venue of the festival they are going to see, and 8 minutes walk from the night time marquees, where the concerts are being held. So that is good.
I got a phone call tonight and when I answered it I heard a chuckle. I said, 'Hello' and I heard my baby grandson 'talking' to me. My son has it on speaker phone so that he can hear me, and the little one always wrestles the phone away. He is not yet six months old, but he repeated all the noises I made. For some reason he started doing little coughing noises yesterday. He hasn't got a cough, but just did it, I laughed then he did it again when he wanted to get my attention. So I made the same noise of the phone and he copied, as well as other ones. It was so cute.
It is gone 11pm so I had better sign off for tonight and get some rest.
Hopefully there will be some photos tomorrow
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
A day off for good behaviour - no allotment news
Thanks for all your lovely messages. I have just got back home having been to Bedfordshire to see my sons, daughter in law and grandson.
I was going to spend today spraying my studio, but did the sensible thing and had a day off. We travelled last night and had a whole day with the family. Gary did a great BBQ and Haruko did a wonderful lunch, and all the preparations of course!
OH and myself had a lovely walk into town with baby in the pushchair - more sights and sounds to amaze and delight him. Whilst it does make a pleasant change to walk around an old town, I much prefer spending my twilight years in the country with hardly any traffic.
Younger son is off to Barcelona tomorrow for the weekend - what a wonderful city that is. How much he and his friends will actually see of the city I do not know, as they are going to a music festival. What type of music I do not know either, my son said that he doesn't know himself as it was all in Spanish!
So long as the sun shines they are bound to have a great time.
I am putting my feet up today and depending on the weather - depends what I do tomorrow - but if it is of any interest I will share it with you.
I was going to spend today spraying my studio, but did the sensible thing and had a day off. We travelled last night and had a whole day with the family. Gary did a great BBQ and Haruko did a wonderful lunch, and all the preparations of course!
OH and myself had a lovely walk into town with baby in the pushchair - more sights and sounds to amaze and delight him. Whilst it does make a pleasant change to walk around an old town, I much prefer spending my twilight years in the country with hardly any traffic.
Younger son is off to Barcelona tomorrow for the weekend - what a wonderful city that is. How much he and his friends will actually see of the city I do not know, as they are going to a music festival. What type of music I do not know either, my son said that he doesn't know himself as it was all in Spanish!
So long as the sun shines they are bound to have a great time.
I am putting my feet up today and depending on the weather - depends what I do tomorrow - but if it is of any interest I will share it with you.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Errrrrm..............your words came back to haunt me
Having spent most of the day yesterday clearing out my office, then putting everything back in its place, then taking lots of things to my studio and getting sidetracked and sorting things out there - then spending over two hours up the allotment last night - all of the above carried out in 30c heat, I have to admit that I think I over did it.
I thought I was stronger than I am, as the painkillers are working a bit on the shingles at last, but not well enough to give me total pain relief, just a short spell now and again LOL
When I woke up and got up I was really faint, so went back to bed - like a sensible old woman for once - well it at last tipping it down with rain so there was nothing I could do anyway.
It is now 11.30am and still raining. Silly me is still weak and wobbly, so a sensible and sitting down day it is for me today.
I might just potter a bit at home, some plants need potting up into bigger pots, but I will see if I get a surge of strength back to do that first.
Methinks it was the heat wave that did it really - not me overworking otherwise you can say, 'We told you so'. He he
Egg news
I was just adding yesterday's egg totals and realised I hadn't posted them on here lately if anyone is interested.
I have had KoKKo, Adelaide and Ginger for 222 days and in that time up to yesterday they have laid a total of 537 eggs
My adopted bantams Dilly, Pumpkin and Freckles I have now had for 89days and they have laid a total of 131 eggs.
It is strange because Dilly was the first one to lay any eggs and but she has now laid the least with only 28 eggs. Freckles has laid 42. and Pumpkin the last and reluctant layer has been laying consistently ever day since the other two went broody and she has laid 61 eggs.
It reminded me of the Hare and the Tortoise story. Dilly was off straight away, and Pumpkin was the slow one. Dilly ran out of eggs quickly, Freckles was going great guns and ran out of 'steam' too. But good old Pumpkin, got off to a slow start but came out the winner in the end!
I can see in my 'minds eye' quite vividly, all three bantams lining up at the start line dressed in running shorts, wearing vests the colour of their feathers - Dilly in lavender, Freckles, in a black vest with ginger spots, and Pumpkin in a bright orange vest!
Hmm I am having a funnier turn today than I thought!
Just off to the Starter's dias with my starting pistol!
I thought I was stronger than I am, as the painkillers are working a bit on the shingles at last, but not well enough to give me total pain relief, just a short spell now and again LOL
When I woke up and got up I was really faint, so went back to bed - like a sensible old woman for once - well it at last tipping it down with rain so there was nothing I could do anyway.
It is now 11.30am and still raining. Silly me is still weak and wobbly, so a sensible and sitting down day it is for me today.
I might just potter a bit at home, some plants need potting up into bigger pots, but I will see if I get a surge of strength back to do that first.
Methinks it was the heat wave that did it really - not me overworking otherwise you can say, 'We told you so'. He he
Egg news
I was just adding yesterday's egg totals and realised I hadn't posted them on here lately if anyone is interested.
I have had KoKKo, Adelaide and Ginger for 222 days and in that time up to yesterday they have laid a total of 537 eggs
My adopted bantams Dilly, Pumpkin and Freckles I have now had for 89days and they have laid a total of 131 eggs.
It is strange because Dilly was the first one to lay any eggs and but she has now laid the least with only 28 eggs. Freckles has laid 42. and Pumpkin the last and reluctant layer has been laying consistently ever day since the other two went broody and she has laid 61 eggs.
It reminded me of the Hare and the Tortoise story. Dilly was off straight away, and Pumpkin was the slow one. Dilly ran out of eggs quickly, Freckles was going great guns and ran out of 'steam' too. But good old Pumpkin, got off to a slow start but came out the winner in the end!
I can see in my 'minds eye' quite vividly, all three bantams lining up at the start line dressed in running shorts, wearing vests the colour of their feathers - Dilly in lavender, Freckles, in a black vest with ginger spots, and Pumpkin in a bright orange vest!
Hmm I am having a funnier turn today than I thought!
Just off to the Starter's dias with my starting pistol!
Monday, June 12, 2006
A peculiar occurance up the allotment this evening
Feeling rather drained in the hot weather - the temperature was 98f when OH came off the golf course!
I have been doing indoor things for most of the day - with the curtains closed in the rooms where the sun was shining, and all the ceiling fans on.
I sorted out my little 'office' and filled a huge cardboard box of paper back books for the charity shop. I also decided to go through all my file of recipes cut from magazines or off the web, and if I hadn't made them in the past year they were shredded and went up my allotment this evening. After sorting out the filing, etc I ended up with a sack full of shredded paper.
The garden is looking stunning in the heat and sunshine, and all the flowers are in bloom at the same time, rather than being staggered as usual. It is almost as if they are rushing to flower and set seed, as without any water they might die. I hope that it does not look sad in July and August. Even the lilies seem to be rushing.
It is a kaleidoscope of colours and the perfume is fantastic. Even my son remarked on it yesterday afternoon when he walked through it. He in not one to comment on things like that usually!
I went up the allotment this evening when the sun had weakened with the intention to just change the water and food for the chickens, and maybe do a bit of watering if I felt up to it. I should know better than to make 'plans'.
As I walked down the length of my plot to the chicken's meadow, I saw a very big rabbit in my flower bed area - in the third quarter of the plot.
I did my scissor jump over the fence and the rabbit ran away but could not get out at the bottom. It tried to jump the fence and bounced off. It then ran up and down the grass paths when I walked towards it and made a running jump from one side to try and leap the side fencing, but even bounced off that. It was so funny to watch.
It then kept repeating the same thing but running headlong into the fence at regular intervals all away along the fence until it disappeared through it!
I looked closely at the fence to find a perfectly round hole in the chicken fencing a few inches above ground level. It looked as though it had been cut out especially for a rabbit entrance! I am not suggesting any ill doing - but it does rather look suspicious. It is close chicken wire, and not rusty, and there were no ragged edges. A mystery to me.
So after that bit of excitement I continued on to let the girls out and set about moving their run, as they had eaten all the grass in it, in just over 2 days.
I like them to have lush fresh grass. The metal tent pegs that hold the mesh to the ground were set like concrete, and I had a real job to get them out, it can only be because of the dry weather and the soft ground contracting as it dried out.
I could not shift the fencing posts of the moveable mesh fencing so it had to stay put until it rains.
When I am up there, I leave a big gap in it so the girls have free range whilst I am working. They are never in any hurry to 'escape' the enclosed area. They always rummage around for insects etc and I have to call them before they come running outside.
There seemed plenty of insects for them tonight to keep them amused. It was really a hard job to move the run tonight - I must be getting weak!
As 'the boss' was expecting me home within half an hour, I had to phone him to expect me a bit later - over 2 hours later it turned out to be. I never wear a watch so have no idea of time when I am up the lottie.
The 330 feet back to the shed seemed a long way tonight especially as I made quite a few visits. I had to drag some chain link fencing out which was entangled in some bindweed that had crept over from the other plot.
It was too heavy for me to carry so I did the sensible thing and got the wheel barrow, which I loaed up with all the tools that I would need - but I always end up going back for something else.
It took longer than I thought to repair the fence by putting the length of chain link along the side of the original chicken wire fence. I really needed a bit just a few feet long, instead of the long length I had. Banging supports in to the ground was tough, and it took me a while to attach the fencing to them and then to the chicken wire to double the protection. - If they get through that I will give up the fight and let them eat the flowers and try and grow ones that they do not like - cactus might be a good idea in this weather.
It was just getting dark by the time I had finished.
The chickens happily rushed back into their run when I called them and ate some of the fresh food as if they hadn't been fed for weeks!
Pheasants were calling to mark their territory.
On the telephone wire that spans the field a flock of birds flew in and settled on the wires so many - and they were all facing my way and looking at me.
It felt like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds!
I soon locked up and headed for home - in a bit of a rush, as I forgot to put the tools in the shed, so have them in my car.
No way was I going to unlock all the padlocks just to put the things away with dozens and dozens of black birds watching me.
Not that I was bothered though!!!!
I have been doing indoor things for most of the day - with the curtains closed in the rooms where the sun was shining, and all the ceiling fans on.
I sorted out my little 'office' and filled a huge cardboard box of paper back books for the charity shop. I also decided to go through all my file of recipes cut from magazines or off the web, and if I hadn't made them in the past year they were shredded and went up my allotment this evening. After sorting out the filing, etc I ended up with a sack full of shredded paper.
The garden is looking stunning in the heat and sunshine, and all the flowers are in bloom at the same time, rather than being staggered as usual. It is almost as if they are rushing to flower and set seed, as without any water they might die. I hope that it does not look sad in July and August. Even the lilies seem to be rushing.
It is a kaleidoscope of colours and the perfume is fantastic. Even my son remarked on it yesterday afternoon when he walked through it. He in not one to comment on things like that usually!
I went up the allotment this evening when the sun had weakened with the intention to just change the water and food for the chickens, and maybe do a bit of watering if I felt up to it. I should know better than to make 'plans'.
As I walked down the length of my plot to the chicken's meadow, I saw a very big rabbit in my flower bed area - in the third quarter of the plot.
I did my scissor jump over the fence and the rabbit ran away but could not get out at the bottom. It tried to jump the fence and bounced off. It then ran up and down the grass paths when I walked towards it and made a running jump from one side to try and leap the side fencing, but even bounced off that. It was so funny to watch.
It then kept repeating the same thing but running headlong into the fence at regular intervals all away along the fence until it disappeared through it!
I looked closely at the fence to find a perfectly round hole in the chicken fencing a few inches above ground level. It looked as though it had been cut out especially for a rabbit entrance! I am not suggesting any ill doing - but it does rather look suspicious. It is close chicken wire, and not rusty, and there were no ragged edges. A mystery to me.
So after that bit of excitement I continued on to let the girls out and set about moving their run, as they had eaten all the grass in it, in just over 2 days.
I like them to have lush fresh grass. The metal tent pegs that hold the mesh to the ground were set like concrete, and I had a real job to get them out, it can only be because of the dry weather and the soft ground contracting as it dried out.
I could not shift the fencing posts of the moveable mesh fencing so it had to stay put until it rains.
When I am up there, I leave a big gap in it so the girls have free range whilst I am working. They are never in any hurry to 'escape' the enclosed area. They always rummage around for insects etc and I have to call them before they come running outside.
There seemed plenty of insects for them tonight to keep them amused. It was really a hard job to move the run tonight - I must be getting weak!
As 'the boss' was expecting me home within half an hour, I had to phone him to expect me a bit later - over 2 hours later it turned out to be. I never wear a watch so have no idea of time when I am up the lottie.
The 330 feet back to the shed seemed a long way tonight especially as I made quite a few visits. I had to drag some chain link fencing out which was entangled in some bindweed that had crept over from the other plot.
It was too heavy for me to carry so I did the sensible thing and got the wheel barrow, which I loaed up with all the tools that I would need - but I always end up going back for something else.
It took longer than I thought to repair the fence by putting the length of chain link along the side of the original chicken wire fence. I really needed a bit just a few feet long, instead of the long length I had. Banging supports in to the ground was tough, and it took me a while to attach the fencing to them and then to the chicken wire to double the protection. - If they get through that I will give up the fight and let them eat the flowers and try and grow ones that they do not like - cactus might be a good idea in this weather.
It was just getting dark by the time I had finished.
The chickens happily rushed back into their run when I called them and ate some of the fresh food as if they hadn't been fed for weeks!
Pheasants were calling to mark their territory.
On the telephone wire that spans the field a flock of birds flew in and settled on the wires so many - and they were all facing my way and looking at me.
It felt like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds!
I soon locked up and headed for home - in a bit of a rush, as I forgot to put the tools in the shed, so have them in my car.
No way was I going to unlock all the padlocks just to put the things away with dozens and dozens of black birds watching me.
Not that I was bothered though!!!!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Trying to keep cool on a sweltering Sunday
Just popped on line to tell you not to expect much of a posting today.
Sweltering here, so just chilling out with family and baby - who is sound asleep on a blanket on the lounge carpet with the ceiling fan gently whirring above him. He looks wonderfully peaceful and cool.
Early I took him out into the garden and put his tiny baby feet on flowers and leaves so that they could feel the different textures. He chuckled with delight and put his feet together to pull the flower head of leaves up to his chubby little hands and stroked them. He moved his feet over the different textures and was fascinated.
I let him feel the great big thick hosta leaves and tapped his hand on their rough ridges and he patted them and they made a papery sound when they rubbed together. I put his face near the perfumed roses and I know that he could smell them a he stopped cooing and stayed motionless each time I did it.
I pulled leaves from lemon verbena, chocolate mint, apple mint. spearmint, rosemary, lavender and lots of herbs as we walked around and each one I crushed and put to his nose to smell and he was and cooed and chuckled each time.
I hovered him over my aromatherapy bed, which you see in yesterday's post if you page down, and you should have heard him as I gently put his bare feet onto the different flower heads and showed him how to move his feet so that they tickled him. He was so entranced that he would have stayed there all day, but my back was giving out so after a while we sat on a chair next to a raised bed and he watched the bumble bees to-ing and fro-ing on the blue geranium that tumbles down over the side of the bed absolutely mesmerised.
He chuckled when a pigeon flew up from the lawn in front of us and he nearly twisted his head off to follow it's path. As it flew close over our heads you could hear and feel the draught of its wings flapping - baby just was amazed and seemed puzzled as to where it had gone.
We spent about ten minutes in the chicken pen - Dilly, Pumpkin, and Freckles were all out and busying themselves scratching in the grass that is in there and pecking for insects. His head twizzled as he looked from one to the other and their happy little contented clucks really caught his attention. He was spell bound. Each bird was busying doing different things - like taking a drink, having a feed, scratching about, playing hide and seek under the big day lily, and behind the logs, dustbathing in the shade - it would have kept him transfixed for hours.
Baby almost shrieked with chuckles when I opened the door and gently moved Freckles to reveal a nice little egg - which was perfectly clean, and I gently stroked it on his chubby cheek so that he could feel how smooth and warm it was.
It was with great reluctance that I had to take him in - in my younger days I could have stayed out there as long as I wanted.
He was well protected with a sun hat on, and long sleeves and trousers - it was just his little feet and hands that were bare.
Perhaps he is now dreaming of sunshine and smells and clucking bantams - who knows - he is certainly having a long sleep for a day time nap!
Off to prepare lunch - couscous coated salmon fillets, new potatoes, aspargus that son and dil have just gone to get from the farm, cherry tomatoes drizzled in virgin olive oil and fresh oregano from the garden.
Dessert - a meringue I made last night, filled with cold, but cooked gooseberries from the allotment, and summer pudding mixture of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cooked in their own juice.
With double cream or ice cream.
Sweltering here, so just chilling out with family and baby - who is sound asleep on a blanket on the lounge carpet with the ceiling fan gently whirring above him. He looks wonderfully peaceful and cool.
Early I took him out into the garden and put his tiny baby feet on flowers and leaves so that they could feel the different textures. He chuckled with delight and put his feet together to pull the flower head of leaves up to his chubby little hands and stroked them. He moved his feet over the different textures and was fascinated.
I let him feel the great big thick hosta leaves and tapped his hand on their rough ridges and he patted them and they made a papery sound when they rubbed together. I put his face near the perfumed roses and I know that he could smell them a he stopped cooing and stayed motionless each time I did it.
I pulled leaves from lemon verbena, chocolate mint, apple mint. spearmint, rosemary, lavender and lots of herbs as we walked around and each one I crushed and put to his nose to smell and he was and cooed and chuckled each time.
I hovered him over my aromatherapy bed, which you see in yesterday's post if you page down, and you should have heard him as I gently put his bare feet onto the different flower heads and showed him how to move his feet so that they tickled him. He was so entranced that he would have stayed there all day, but my back was giving out so after a while we sat on a chair next to a raised bed and he watched the bumble bees to-ing and fro-ing on the blue geranium that tumbles down over the side of the bed absolutely mesmerised.
He chuckled when a pigeon flew up from the lawn in front of us and he nearly twisted his head off to follow it's path. As it flew close over our heads you could hear and feel the draught of its wings flapping - baby just was amazed and seemed puzzled as to where it had gone.
We spent about ten minutes in the chicken pen - Dilly, Pumpkin, and Freckles were all out and busying themselves scratching in the grass that is in there and pecking for insects. His head twizzled as he looked from one to the other and their happy little contented clucks really caught his attention. He was spell bound. Each bird was busying doing different things - like taking a drink, having a feed, scratching about, playing hide and seek under the big day lily, and behind the logs, dustbathing in the shade - it would have kept him transfixed for hours.
Baby almost shrieked with chuckles when I opened the door and gently moved Freckles to reveal a nice little egg - which was perfectly clean, and I gently stroked it on his chubby cheek so that he could feel how smooth and warm it was.
It was with great reluctance that I had to take him in - in my younger days I could have stayed out there as long as I wanted.
He was well protected with a sun hat on, and long sleeves and trousers - it was just his little feet and hands that were bare.
Perhaps he is now dreaming of sunshine and smells and clucking bantams - who knows - he is certainly having a long sleep for a day time nap!
Off to prepare lunch - couscous coated salmon fillets, new potatoes, aspargus that son and dil have just gone to get from the farm, cherry tomatoes drizzled in virgin olive oil and fresh oregano from the garden.
Dessert - a meringue I made last night, filled with cold, but cooked gooseberries from the allotment, and summer pudding mixture of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cooked in their own juice.
With double cream or ice cream.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Dilly, Freckles and Pumpkin - in the hot sunshine
It is too hot to do anything today, and no way will I venture up the allotment. Apart from a bit of hoeing or weeding, there is nothing that can be done in this heat, especially with the ground solid like concrete.
This morning we went to the fisherman's farm and stocked up on salmon, sea bream, sea bass, rainbow trout and smoked mackerel.
My family are here this weekend, so I think I will make salmon baked in a cous cous crust, and have it with salads and new potatoes.
I am going up the allotment later to water my neighbour's runner beans, and to let the chooks out into the meadow - at the moment their extended run which is covered at one end with a shade for about 6 feet or so, and at the other end of the run it is covered with clear plastic, and I have moved the run so that they get dappled shade that end from the trees.
I might pull up the salad things tonight or else in the morning. When picking food from an allotment or even flowers for that matter, it is best to pick first think in the morning or late evening when the plants are more turgid.
I just went out into the garden to see what the bantams are up too - they seem a bit quieter than usual.
There are lots of shady places in their pen to shelter including a big covered dustbath that is big enough for 12 bantams to lay out in.
They seem to be enjoying sunbathing!
Dilly likes playing hide and seek -
- but the others don't want to play, no matter how inventive she gets!
Have a great weekend everyone.
This morning we went to the fisherman's farm and stocked up on salmon, sea bream, sea bass, rainbow trout and smoked mackerel.
My family are here this weekend, so I think I will make salmon baked in a cous cous crust, and have it with salads and new potatoes.
I am going up the allotment later to water my neighbour's runner beans, and to let the chooks out into the meadow - at the moment their extended run which is covered at one end with a shade for about 6 feet or so, and at the other end of the run it is covered with clear plastic, and I have moved the run so that they get dappled shade that end from the trees.
I might pull up the salad things tonight or else in the morning. When picking food from an allotment or even flowers for that matter, it is best to pick first think in the morning or late evening when the plants are more turgid.
I just went out into the garden to see what the bantams are up too - they seem a bit quieter than usual.
There are lots of shady places in their pen to shelter including a big covered dustbath that is big enough for 12 bantams to lay out in.
They seem to be enjoying sunbathing!
Dilly likes playing hide and seek -
- but the others don't want to play, no matter how inventive she gets!
Have a great weekend everyone.
Friday, June 09, 2006
A few photos of my garden
My garden is looking great and is transforming from it's blues era through to purples, pinks through to burgundy.
Just a few pictures to give you an idea.
I love to leave the pot of chives to flower. The bees literally make a bee-line for it and I could watch them for hours. I have chives dotted around my garden, particularly in 'Nell's' Sensory Garden which is full of plants for all one's senses.
One of my favourite geraniums. Once it has flowered I cut it back harshly and it grow and flowers its little heart out again later.
There were even more flowers on this stem of clematis but I couldn't get them all in.
Angelica standing proud with green balls just about to turn white and huge!
This garden bed in two tiers I call my Aromatherapy Garden. Every single plant is aromatic, either the leaves, or flowers. If only you could smell it. I love nothing better than sitting on the raised bed and breathing in the wonderful perfumes and also every time I go past I just have to pull off a leaf of something and rub it in my hands to release the aroma. I have lots of plants around the garden that are there not just for their flower, but for their perfume.
I bought some white foxgloves last year - and they are just about to bloom and are all pink!
This little baby Rogisera (sp?) that I bought last year has grown into a lovely structural big plant this year.
I do not water my garden - and look what happens - I have a wonderful spike for the first time and do not have a clue what it will look like when it opens.
The grape vine has finally gone into leaf - it doesn't like the dry weather we have been having, but it is just managing to cast a shadow on the pation.
But the wonderful burgundy flowers of this clematis still show up against the pale green leaves of the vine
Just a few pictures to give you an idea.
I love to leave the pot of chives to flower. The bees literally make a bee-line for it and I could watch them for hours. I have chives dotted around my garden, particularly in 'Nell's' Sensory Garden which is full of plants for all one's senses.
One of my favourite geraniums. Once it has flowered I cut it back harshly and it grow and flowers its little heart out again later.
There were even more flowers on this stem of clematis but I couldn't get them all in.
Angelica standing proud with green balls just about to turn white and huge!
This garden bed in two tiers I call my Aromatherapy Garden. Every single plant is aromatic, either the leaves, or flowers. If only you could smell it. I love nothing better than sitting on the raised bed and breathing in the wonderful perfumes and also every time I go past I just have to pull off a leaf of something and rub it in my hands to release the aroma. I have lots of plants around the garden that are there not just for their flower, but for their perfume.
I bought some white foxgloves last year - and they are just about to bloom and are all pink!
This little baby Rogisera (sp?) that I bought last year has grown into a lovely structural big plant this year.
I do not water my garden - and look what happens - I have a wonderful spike for the first time and do not have a clue what it will look like when it opens.
The grape vine has finally gone into leaf - it doesn't like the dry weather we have been having, but it is just managing to cast a shadow on the pation.
But the wonderful burgundy flowers of this clematis still show up against the pale green leaves of the vine
We’re having a heatwave…………………………..
Have you missed me? Did you notice my absence? Nothing major – just a couple of health hiccups.
For those of you visiting from overseas, we have been and still are having a heatwave. Really hot and dry – and me being a typical English Rose, wilts a bit in the hot weather, and despite wearing factor 50 and covering myself up from top to bottom and wearing a hat – the sun still makes me go red and wilting.
But I have managed to work late in the evening and therefore have not been blogging!
I have spent 10 hours up the allotment this week so far – we are off to water the plants in a minute when the football has finished!
So what have I been up………..
The boring stuff has been mowing all my paths and the big bit of lawn where my shed is and where we park and where the climbing bean frame is. I had to have the mower on the highest setting and gradually lower it, so it involved going over the area several times.
I also rotorvated in what was the broccoli netted ‘tent’ last year, and under gardener barrowed down 8 lots which I dug in. I needed to do so to help retain any rainfall if and when we get some. I also planted up my tomato plants in there.
For each one I dug a big hole, and filled it with rotted manure which was nice and damp, and added the tomato plant and a support. I bought 30 canes which I thought would be enough – only to find that I needed to buy another 30! I filled the netted area with 60 and had some left over so planted more outside the cage – I have 70+ tomatoes plants – all of which I have grown from seed in a cold frame. I am very proud of those, as everyone I know has greenhouses to grow theirs in and started ages before me.
I have some that I am going to grow at home under the lean-to in pots with the bottoms cut off and sat on a tray of gravel – (permaculture fashion) so that the roots get the water from the tray and I feed them when they need it into the pots.
Of course my chickens get my top priority and they have been out every day in the meadow, mainly lying on their sides and dozing in the sunshine or scratching about in the flower beds.
They are still churning out three eggs a day, but Adelaide has been laying funny patterned rippled ones – but they are huge and taste great.
Dilly and Freckles are still broody but they come out more during the day, especially if they hear Pumpkin clucking with delight as I give her some unexpected goodies – as they did just now when I took her some lettuce and some corn mix for the evening meal.
Here is a ‘normal’ sort of day for me – today.
No golf, so I collared the boss to help me in the kitchen. We had a delivery late last night of pork and chicken from Paula’s rare breed farm - see link on the right
So last night I mixed spices into the pork ready to make sausages. I have bought a new machine so it was a trial run – and it really did turn out to be a trial as the instructions were brief and basic! They only mentioned the meat grinding side that the machine does and never mentioned the sausage stuffing side of things!
We were working from 10 – 12pm, and someone near and dear to me was not amused! In the end, after making three sorts of sausages, and packing up the chicken mince into bags and freezing it, we called it a ‘day’ and put the rest of the mixtures in the fridge over night.
I posted on a sausage making forum for help – and they all rallied to my plea. So following an early morning read of their suggestions, all of which I took on board and implemented, it took us just 30 minutes to make around 2kg. Apple and Pork, a spicy sausage with a mixture of dried chillies and peppers which I bought the from same site on line and were a success last time – called Fire Cracker, and I also did some traditional ones and a batch of dried mixed herbs and garlic.
If the weather had been cooler I would have been more adventurous and made lots more with fresh herbs and spices etc. but it takes quite a time and you have to get the sausages made and frozen within 24 hours!
The other half took a ride into town to get some things he needed and some petrol for our mowers and rotorvators, and I whizzed up to let the chickens out for an hour or so whilst I moved their run and put another 4 pints of fresh water in their water containers. The don’t drink that much each day, but I like them to have plenty of fresh and clean water just in case I can’t get up there for any reason. They also have a full hopper of layers mash for the same reason.
I was reward with four eggs today – that has happened about once a week lately for some reason perhaps that might account for Adelaide’s rippled looking eggs, if she has been doing overtime.
Whilst they were ‘doing their thing’ and dozing and scratching etc., I took a look around and noticed that the gooseberries were ready for picking. This is only the third season with the allotment, and I am particularly pleased with the soft fruits this year. Last year I only had a few gooseberries – about 4lb in total from the 6 bushes. But I was pleased with that for their size. I pruned them in the autumn and cut out any branches that were facing in the centre to make the bushes nice an open in the middle to try and prevent any diseases they are prone too. I also mulched them with horse manure last year to keep the weeds down and dug it in in the autumn, and I have been well rewarded for all my effort.
I started on the first bush – gently lifted up a prickly stem – and underneath it was full of berries. This pattern was repeated on every stem – they fruit on old wood – and I spent almost an hour picking fruit of just one bush! (a) because it was so prickly and fiddly to do, and my fingers are sore from the pricking of the thorns and (b) because there were so many gooseberries on the plant. I had to stop and get back home to make lunch and when I weighed them there were 6lb 2oz from just the one bush!
I also grabbed a couple of lettuces – a red Lollo Rosso with crinkly curly red leaves’ a green tight Webbs lettuce and a handful of lovely peppery wild rocket and when you mix them all together in a salad with oregano and tarragon – herbs from my garden – it really gets the taste buds going.
We had fresh salmon with a pesto topping, and alas not home grown cherry tomatoes yet, but nice and sweet all the same, with red and orange peppers, cucumber, beetroot, and gherkins.
I spent a lot of time this afternoon topping and tailing the gooseberries – it took ages, but spouse was watching sport on the television and I am not a fan of watching much TV as you will have guessed. I have now washed the berries and vacuum packed them in 1lb bags, so that I can get them out of the freezer and use them in all sorts of recipes as and when I wish. A lot of them will be destined for all sorts of combination jams and chutneys, and I have some on the go for a gooseberry pie with puff pastry I think. What I shall do with the other five bushes full, I do not know yet. We have to do some serious re-arranging in the freezers to make room!
Well I am just off to water the tomatoes, pumpkins, courgettes, and beans – the rest of the allotment has to fend for itself!
Back soon – but I do have relatives staying over the weekend so you may have to wait until Monday.
For those of you visiting from overseas, we have been and still are having a heatwave. Really hot and dry – and me being a typical English Rose, wilts a bit in the hot weather, and despite wearing factor 50 and covering myself up from top to bottom and wearing a hat – the sun still makes me go red and wilting.
But I have managed to work late in the evening and therefore have not been blogging!
I have spent 10 hours up the allotment this week so far – we are off to water the plants in a minute when the football has finished!
So what have I been up………..
The boring stuff has been mowing all my paths and the big bit of lawn where my shed is and where we park and where the climbing bean frame is. I had to have the mower on the highest setting and gradually lower it, so it involved going over the area several times.
I also rotorvated in what was the broccoli netted ‘tent’ last year, and under gardener barrowed down 8 lots which I dug in. I needed to do so to help retain any rainfall if and when we get some. I also planted up my tomato plants in there.
For each one I dug a big hole, and filled it with rotted manure which was nice and damp, and added the tomato plant and a support. I bought 30 canes which I thought would be enough – only to find that I needed to buy another 30! I filled the netted area with 60 and had some left over so planted more outside the cage – I have 70+ tomatoes plants – all of which I have grown from seed in a cold frame. I am very proud of those, as everyone I know has greenhouses to grow theirs in and started ages before me.
I have some that I am going to grow at home under the lean-to in pots with the bottoms cut off and sat on a tray of gravel – (permaculture fashion) so that the roots get the water from the tray and I feed them when they need it into the pots.
Of course my chickens get my top priority and they have been out every day in the meadow, mainly lying on their sides and dozing in the sunshine or scratching about in the flower beds.
They are still churning out three eggs a day, but Adelaide has been laying funny patterned rippled ones – but they are huge and taste great.
Dilly and Freckles are still broody but they come out more during the day, especially if they hear Pumpkin clucking with delight as I give her some unexpected goodies – as they did just now when I took her some lettuce and some corn mix for the evening meal.
Here is a ‘normal’ sort of day for me – today.
No golf, so I collared the boss to help me in the kitchen. We had a delivery late last night of pork and chicken from Paula’s rare breed farm - see link on the right
So last night I mixed spices into the pork ready to make sausages. I have bought a new machine so it was a trial run – and it really did turn out to be a trial as the instructions were brief and basic! They only mentioned the meat grinding side that the machine does and never mentioned the sausage stuffing side of things!
We were working from 10 – 12pm, and someone near and dear to me was not amused! In the end, after making three sorts of sausages, and packing up the chicken mince into bags and freezing it, we called it a ‘day’ and put the rest of the mixtures in the fridge over night.
I posted on a sausage making forum for help – and they all rallied to my plea. So following an early morning read of their suggestions, all of which I took on board and implemented, it took us just 30 minutes to make around 2kg. Apple and Pork, a spicy sausage with a mixture of dried chillies and peppers which I bought the from same site on line and were a success last time – called Fire Cracker, and I also did some traditional ones and a batch of dried mixed herbs and garlic.
If the weather had been cooler I would have been more adventurous and made lots more with fresh herbs and spices etc. but it takes quite a time and you have to get the sausages made and frozen within 24 hours!
The other half took a ride into town to get some things he needed and some petrol for our mowers and rotorvators, and I whizzed up to let the chickens out for an hour or so whilst I moved their run and put another 4 pints of fresh water in their water containers. The don’t drink that much each day, but I like them to have plenty of fresh and clean water just in case I can’t get up there for any reason. They also have a full hopper of layers mash for the same reason.
I was reward with four eggs today – that has happened about once a week lately for some reason perhaps that might account for Adelaide’s rippled looking eggs, if she has been doing overtime.
Whilst they were ‘doing their thing’ and dozing and scratching etc., I took a look around and noticed that the gooseberries were ready for picking. This is only the third season with the allotment, and I am particularly pleased with the soft fruits this year. Last year I only had a few gooseberries – about 4lb in total from the 6 bushes. But I was pleased with that for their size. I pruned them in the autumn and cut out any branches that were facing in the centre to make the bushes nice an open in the middle to try and prevent any diseases they are prone too. I also mulched them with horse manure last year to keep the weeds down and dug it in in the autumn, and I have been well rewarded for all my effort.
I started on the first bush – gently lifted up a prickly stem – and underneath it was full of berries. This pattern was repeated on every stem – they fruit on old wood – and I spent almost an hour picking fruit of just one bush! (a) because it was so prickly and fiddly to do, and my fingers are sore from the pricking of the thorns and (b) because there were so many gooseberries on the plant. I had to stop and get back home to make lunch and when I weighed them there were 6lb 2oz from just the one bush!
I also grabbed a couple of lettuces – a red Lollo Rosso with crinkly curly red leaves’ a green tight Webbs lettuce and a handful of lovely peppery wild rocket and when you mix them all together in a salad with oregano and tarragon – herbs from my garden – it really gets the taste buds going.
We had fresh salmon with a pesto topping, and alas not home grown cherry tomatoes yet, but nice and sweet all the same, with red and orange peppers, cucumber, beetroot, and gherkins.
I spent a lot of time this afternoon topping and tailing the gooseberries – it took ages, but spouse was watching sport on the television and I am not a fan of watching much TV as you will have guessed. I have now washed the berries and vacuum packed them in 1lb bags, so that I can get them out of the freezer and use them in all sorts of recipes as and when I wish. A lot of them will be destined for all sorts of combination jams and chutneys, and I have some on the go for a gooseberry pie with puff pastry I think. What I shall do with the other five bushes full, I do not know yet. We have to do some serious re-arranging in the freezers to make room!
Well I am just off to water the tomatoes, pumpkins, courgettes, and beans – the rest of the allotment has to fend for itself!
Back soon – but I do have relatives staying over the weekend so you may have to wait until Monday.
Monday, June 05, 2006
My first effort at making chutney
I had a go at making chutney for the first time. I bet you can guess what sort it was considering the things I have been preserving recently.
Yup – Correct
Orange and Rhubarb Chutney.
It takes a few months to mature, so I will not know what it tastes like until September at the earliest, but this is the recipe I followed (almost) which came from another forum called creative living, and was one that ‘sandybeth’ had made – but I do not know where it came from originally. Oh and one thing it did not tell you, which is very important - you must not make chutneys or anything containing vinegar in an aluminium pan - which my preserving pan is!
So I used my Le Crueset pan and it just about fitted in.
Rhubarb and Orange Chutney
2lb Rhubarb, chopped
Grated rind and juice 2 oranges
1lb onions chopped
1 ½ pints malt vinegar
2lb Demerara sugar
1lb raisins
1tsp allspice berries
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp peppercorns
I didn’t have allspice berries and couldn’t get any in the village so……….. I looked up on the web to find out exactly what they were, and found the tree that they came from, and other names for it, one of which was Myrtle. I looked in my store cupboard and found some Myrtle amongst some Oz Tukka spices that my youngest son brought me back from his ‘walkabout’ in Australia. So I took pot luck and used that. The mustard seeds were from a selection that my oldest son and daughter in law bought me on their travels too, and the peppercorns I actually had bought myself!
So here is what you do!
Tie spices in muslin and add to pan with all the ingredients. (I used one of OH’s washed oldish which handkerchief’s cut it into four and used one piece. Don’t tell him).
Heat gently until the mixture comes to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1½ hours until thick and pulpy and no excess liquid remains.
Remove spices and spoon into jars, cover and seal.
Another thing it did not mention to say, was that you must not seal the jars with metal lids. (But you can if you cover the jar with clingfilm first then do it).
Makes about 6lb
Mature for 2-3 months
Mine took about 2 hours, and I did have a bit of liquid which I was concerned about, but once bottled and cooled, the next day it was set - I will take a photo of it.
It smells wonderful, so should taste O.K.
Yup – Correct
Orange and Rhubarb Chutney.
It takes a few months to mature, so I will not know what it tastes like until September at the earliest, but this is the recipe I followed (almost) which came from another forum called creative living, and was one that ‘sandybeth’ had made – but I do not know where it came from originally. Oh and one thing it did not tell you, which is very important - you must not make chutneys or anything containing vinegar in an aluminium pan - which my preserving pan is!
So I used my Le Crueset pan and it just about fitted in.
Rhubarb and Orange Chutney
2lb Rhubarb, chopped
Grated rind and juice 2 oranges
1lb onions chopped
1 ½ pints malt vinegar
2lb Demerara sugar
1lb raisins
1tsp allspice berries
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp peppercorns
I didn’t have allspice berries and couldn’t get any in the village so……….. I looked up on the web to find out exactly what they were, and found the tree that they came from, and other names for it, one of which was Myrtle. I looked in my store cupboard and found some Myrtle amongst some Oz Tukka spices that my youngest son brought me back from his ‘walkabout’ in Australia. So I took pot luck and used that. The mustard seeds were from a selection that my oldest son and daughter in law bought me on their travels too, and the peppercorns I actually had bought myself!
So here is what you do!
Tie spices in muslin and add to pan with all the ingredients. (I used one of OH’s washed oldish which handkerchief’s cut it into four and used one piece. Don’t tell him).
Heat gently until the mixture comes to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1½ hours until thick and pulpy and no excess liquid remains.
Remove spices and spoon into jars, cover and seal.
Another thing it did not mention to say, was that you must not seal the jars with metal lids. (But you can if you cover the jar with clingfilm first then do it).
Makes about 6lb
Mature for 2-3 months
Mine took about 2 hours, and I did have a bit of liquid which I was concerned about, but once bottled and cooled, the next day it was set - I will take a photo of it.
It smells wonderful, so should taste O.K.
Friday the 2nd June's work up the allotment
I don’t really know where to start after having the weekend away, it seems ages since I spent over four hours last Friday up the allotment!
Well the best thing to do is to just add the photos and type up what I can remember doing.
I spent hours on here yesterday (Monday) but the blogger kept giving me a message that it was busy and to try later! I gave up in the end. I tried at different times late afternoon and evening.
You might think that allotment has shrunk as it looks a lot smaller - that is because my camera case, hanging down, obliterated a lot of the photos. But I did rescue some and cropped them. But if you see a bit of grey, that is the remaining bit of camera case!
The strawberries that I rescued needed some TLC, so here they are in their new bed, which I re-made.
It is not posh like the ones you men have made on your plots – but it is posh for the likes of us country bumpkins up the field.
The white you can see is shredded paper – an experiment to see if it is better or worse than straw.
I did quite a bit of rotorvating, as it was easier than digging as the silly shingles is still playing up, and bending is quite frankly excruciating, whereas with the rotorvator it still was, but was quicker!
So after digging up any dock weeds that had grown over the winter, I set too and rotorvated it all with my big machine. I then went over it with my little Mantis, and finally I raked the area that is to be the grass path.
I sowed the grass seeds, and hopefully before long, I will have a wide path beside the beds to make it easier to mow, and I shall add one the other end of this bed big bed too.
Since being poorly, it has made me realise that I am not the strong fit 18 year old I was, so I am going to be sensible (just for once) and divide the whole plot up into manageable sized beds with wide grass paths. That way, not only will crop rotation be simpler, I can also cover up one complete bed if things get too much for me to cope with and the plot will still look good.
-Well that is the cunning plan!
Here are a few shots of how it is looking now, having hoed and weeded everywhere!
This is the view the chickens have from their meadow
I hoed and weeded between the potatoes and they are really getting big now and the white flowers are in full bloom. Might dig some up this weekend and see what is there
On my hands and knees I weeded between the onions - but they look good so it was worth it.
I am especially proud of my new double width (but seperated inside) compost bin - you can't see it all, there is more to the left of it! I am hoping that it will be big enough to last through the summer - but I have my doubts.
Well the best thing to do is to just add the photos and type up what I can remember doing.
I spent hours on here yesterday (Monday) but the blogger kept giving me a message that it was busy and to try later! I gave up in the end. I tried at different times late afternoon and evening.
You might think that allotment has shrunk as it looks a lot smaller - that is because my camera case, hanging down, obliterated a lot of the photos. But I did rescue some and cropped them. But if you see a bit of grey, that is the remaining bit of camera case!
The strawberries that I rescued needed some TLC, so here they are in their new bed, which I re-made.
It is not posh like the ones you men have made on your plots – but it is posh for the likes of us country bumpkins up the field.
The white you can see is shredded paper – an experiment to see if it is better or worse than straw.
I did quite a bit of rotorvating, as it was easier than digging as the silly shingles is still playing up, and bending is quite frankly excruciating, whereas with the rotorvator it still was, but was quicker!
So after digging up any dock weeds that had grown over the winter, I set too and rotorvated it all with my big machine. I then went over it with my little Mantis, and finally I raked the area that is to be the grass path.
I sowed the grass seeds, and hopefully before long, I will have a wide path beside the beds to make it easier to mow, and I shall add one the other end of this bed big bed too.
Since being poorly, it has made me realise that I am not the strong fit 18 year old I was, so I am going to be sensible (just for once) and divide the whole plot up into manageable sized beds with wide grass paths. That way, not only will crop rotation be simpler, I can also cover up one complete bed if things get too much for me to cope with and the plot will still look good.
-Well that is the cunning plan!
Here are a few shots of how it is looking now, having hoed and weeded everywhere!
This is the view the chickens have from their meadow
I hoed and weeded between the potatoes and they are really getting big now and the white flowers are in full bloom. Might dig some up this weekend and see what is there
On my hands and knees I weeded between the onions - but they look good so it was worth it.
I am especially proud of my new double width (but seperated inside) compost bin - you can't see it all, there is more to the left of it! I am hoping that it will be big enough to last through the summer - but I have my doubts.
By Request – My attempt at Bonsai tree growing.
Well here it is…………………..
I have been growing this for a number of years.
It gets a bit neglected, inasmuch as it gets left out in the elements all winter and summer.
I have just given it a hair cut which I do this time each year. I also tell myself that I must water it twice a day, and feed it special food as my son recommended – but invariably I forget, and it seem to thrive on neglect.
I don't know which is it's best profile so you have got it from all angles.
I thought that it had finally been killed for sure this year, as someone near and dear to me, put it in the plastic cold frame together with some empty pots when he decided to tidy up a corner.
So it was not until late March when I got the cold frame out to put plants in, that I discovered the poor little thing, which hadn't had a drink of water since last year!
But it survived yet again.
On the other hand, my son had a few rather nice specimens – and you can guess what’s coming next…….he fed and watered them and they have all died. Maybe it is because his lived indoors all the time.
I have been growing this for a number of years.
It gets a bit neglected, inasmuch as it gets left out in the elements all winter and summer.
I have just given it a hair cut which I do this time each year. I also tell myself that I must water it twice a day, and feed it special food as my son recommended – but invariably I forget, and it seem to thrive on neglect.
I don't know which is it's best profile so you have got it from all angles.
I thought that it had finally been killed for sure this year, as someone near and dear to me, put it in the plastic cold frame together with some empty pots when he decided to tidy up a corner.
So it was not until late March when I got the cold frame out to put plants in, that I discovered the poor little thing, which hadn't had a drink of water since last year!
But it survived yet again.
On the other hand, my son had a few rather nice specimens – and you can guess what’s coming next…….he fed and watered them and they have all died. Maybe it is because his lived indoors all the time.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Straight out of the oven and onto here - how's that for hot news?
What do you do with a glut of eggs?
Well to start with you can use half a dozen making a couple of cakes.
Mexican Mocha Cake - with nutmeg, mixed spices, and strong coffee - and if you split it in two and make a coffee cream filling. Yummy!
Or how about the cake on the right - Chocolate Orange Cake - with 150 grms of plain 80% cocoa solids, juice of an orange, and some orange oil.
Each one is baked in a 1kg loaf tin so they are HUGE and they freeze brilliantly.
You can have them as a slice of cake. Warm as a pudding with icecream or fresh cream or marscapone or creme fraiche.
How about a slice topped with fresh straberries and cream.
Once cool I will slice them up and freeze them in two slices per pack. - Just in case you turn up for tea.
You should smell my kitchen - and as Mr AL is out bowling - guess who got to lick the bowls. Hmmmmmmmmm (Much better than his sort LOL)
I think I deserve a rest now.
Well to start with you can use half a dozen making a couple of cakes.
Mexican Mocha Cake - with nutmeg, mixed spices, and strong coffee - and if you split it in two and make a coffee cream filling. Yummy!
Or how about the cake on the right - Chocolate Orange Cake - with 150 grms of plain 80% cocoa solids, juice of an orange, and some orange oil.
Each one is baked in a 1kg loaf tin so they are HUGE and they freeze brilliantly.
You can have them as a slice of cake. Warm as a pudding with icecream or fresh cream or marscapone or creme fraiche.
How about a slice topped with fresh straberries and cream.
Once cool I will slice them up and freeze them in two slices per pack. - Just in case you turn up for tea.
You should smell my kitchen - and as Mr AL is out bowling - guess who got to lick the bowls. Hmmmmmmmmm (Much better than his sort LOL)
I think I deserve a rest now.
Soap, strawberries and beans
Wednesday, 31 May 2006
Firstly here are the blocks of soap photos that you requested.
These bars of soap I made in a metal container lined with cling film. I made the top look like Cadbury Flake type bars. I am making soaps for a themed basket.
The soap is called Oatmeal and Lemon Scrub Bar. Its a 'wake you up bar with a scrubby texture and a fresh perfume' Medium soft with medium bubbles.
The above is the big block which was moulded in a ice-cream tub.
And here are the finished bars of soap ready to be wrapped up in a towel and stored for six weeks to cure.
This is the second batch I have made - the first was the St Clements soap which has now cured and I have just started using it.
Now a change of subject - Up the allotment
My total time spent up the allotment this season to date is 134¾ hours and under gardener has spent 39 hours (not all of his was working though!)
Today looked promising – rain and sunshine, so I put on lots of layers for all weathers – which was just as well as I got rained on, sunshine and a freezing wind. It proved to be a good day weather wise for working. So work I did.
The Norfolk Lasses had produced another four eggs!!! So I have a glut of eggs again!
They spent over four hours in the meadow today and they are doing a good job of weeding my flower borders. It is very tempting to let them out on the veggie patch – if only I could train them to eat the weeds and slugs and not touch the veggies!
From the left, KoKKo, Ginger and Adelaide tucking into some green grapes that I took them.
I didn’t know where to start today. I had decided to weed the carrot and parsnip rows of seedlings – but only the carrots have germinated and that is in the past few days. The ground was so sodden and soft that I decided I would do more harm than good so stayed off that area.
Weeding the edging was then the order of the day then. So I started along the strawberry bed – but got sidetracked. I looked at my four rows of what should be strawberries and there were more weeds than plants. And there were not a lot of weeds either! So once I finished edging that part I decided to weed between the strawberry plants – then decided that was silly, it was quicker to just dig up the survivors and plant them elsewhere – then to dig over the whole area when I am up to doing it.
So I went and got the wheel barrow and all the tools I needed and dug them up – then I had to decide where to put them. The plot was like a quagmire so I dare not tread on the earth – I only trod on the straberry patch to get the strawberry plants out because I am going to dig it over and then put grass seed down to extend the narrow pathway next to that bed and the gooseberries.
The only place they could go, was in the last raised bed next to the fruit cage. I hadn’t done anything to it this year as it still had some sorrel and spinach which I was giving to the chooks but it had now all gone to seed. The bed was also full of weeds and raspberry canes that had either self seeded in it or the runners had gone under the wooden pallet fence, under three feet of black plastic that I used as a path way and up inside the raised bed.
Under gardener had been promising to weed it for me and dig up the big docks that have appeared in the pathways – but he hasn’t done it yet. There was nothing else for it but to do it myself.
The raised bed had fallen to bits anyway – well the wooden sides had. So I just pulled them aside and got stuck in. It literally took a couple of hours to clear it, digging everything out so that I got the roots too.
Then I barrowed over 4 barrows full of pig and horse manure mix – very well rotted – and I dug that in. Then I planted the strawberry plants, and the last job was to build the raised bed sides. Again it was done Heath Robinson fashion with odd bits of wood I had to hand (the other bits had rotted). But I did it in the end. I wished that I had taken before and after photos – I only thought of it when I had almost finished the weeding.
But I am very proud of that I have done – and I am hoping that now I have saved the strawberry plants lives, they will reward me with some fruit this year.
After that it was time to go home – I can tell the time by when I need to take more painkillers he he. So I just had to lock the girls safely into their run and enclosure.
Then as I was walking back I got side tracked again. This time by the broad beans. I did an inspection for black fly – of which there were none, but I pinched the tops out as a precaution. I looked at the down trodden broad bean stalks and noticed that they had pods on them. In my mind, broad bean plants are plants with attitude. They survive the most inhospitable conditions, have the prettiest of cream and dark purple flowers, and their pods stick up to the sky instead on hanging down towards terra firma. I can’t think of anything else that does that. Not peas or dwarf beans, or tomatoes.
Anyway, before I digress yet again, I decided to taste one of the small ones raw. I have never eaten one raw, and usually I am not too keen on broad beans but only grow them for the under gardener as he loves them.
I got a real surprise as they tasted wonderful. So I picked a couple of pounds of them, and we had some for lunch. (The ones in the photo above are the raw ones).
I have vacuum packed some for later.
Firstly here are the blocks of soap photos that you requested.
These bars of soap I made in a metal container lined with cling film. I made the top look like Cadbury Flake type bars. I am making soaps for a themed basket.
The soap is called Oatmeal and Lemon Scrub Bar. Its a 'wake you up bar with a scrubby texture and a fresh perfume' Medium soft with medium bubbles.
The above is the big block which was moulded in a ice-cream tub.
And here are the finished bars of soap ready to be wrapped up in a towel and stored for six weeks to cure.
This is the second batch I have made - the first was the St Clements soap which has now cured and I have just started using it.
Now a change of subject - Up the allotment
My total time spent up the allotment this season to date is 134¾ hours and under gardener has spent 39 hours (not all of his was working though!)
Today looked promising – rain and sunshine, so I put on lots of layers for all weathers – which was just as well as I got rained on, sunshine and a freezing wind. It proved to be a good day weather wise for working. So work I did.
The Norfolk Lasses had produced another four eggs!!! So I have a glut of eggs again!
They spent over four hours in the meadow today and they are doing a good job of weeding my flower borders. It is very tempting to let them out on the veggie patch – if only I could train them to eat the weeds and slugs and not touch the veggies!
From the left, KoKKo, Ginger and Adelaide tucking into some green grapes that I took them.
I didn’t know where to start today. I had decided to weed the carrot and parsnip rows of seedlings – but only the carrots have germinated and that is in the past few days. The ground was so sodden and soft that I decided I would do more harm than good so stayed off that area.
Weeding the edging was then the order of the day then. So I started along the strawberry bed – but got sidetracked. I looked at my four rows of what should be strawberries and there were more weeds than plants. And there were not a lot of weeds either! So once I finished edging that part I decided to weed between the strawberry plants – then decided that was silly, it was quicker to just dig up the survivors and plant them elsewhere – then to dig over the whole area when I am up to doing it.
So I went and got the wheel barrow and all the tools I needed and dug them up – then I had to decide where to put them. The plot was like a quagmire so I dare not tread on the earth – I only trod on the straberry patch to get the strawberry plants out because I am going to dig it over and then put grass seed down to extend the narrow pathway next to that bed and the gooseberries.
The only place they could go, was in the last raised bed next to the fruit cage. I hadn’t done anything to it this year as it still had some sorrel and spinach which I was giving to the chooks but it had now all gone to seed. The bed was also full of weeds and raspberry canes that had either self seeded in it or the runners had gone under the wooden pallet fence, under three feet of black plastic that I used as a path way and up inside the raised bed.
Under gardener had been promising to weed it for me and dig up the big docks that have appeared in the pathways – but he hasn’t done it yet. There was nothing else for it but to do it myself.
The raised bed had fallen to bits anyway – well the wooden sides had. So I just pulled them aside and got stuck in. It literally took a couple of hours to clear it, digging everything out so that I got the roots too.
Then I barrowed over 4 barrows full of pig and horse manure mix – very well rotted – and I dug that in. Then I planted the strawberry plants, and the last job was to build the raised bed sides. Again it was done Heath Robinson fashion with odd bits of wood I had to hand (the other bits had rotted). But I did it in the end. I wished that I had taken before and after photos – I only thought of it when I had almost finished the weeding.
But I am very proud of that I have done – and I am hoping that now I have saved the strawberry plants lives, they will reward me with some fruit this year.
After that it was time to go home – I can tell the time by when I need to take more painkillers he he. So I just had to lock the girls safely into their run and enclosure.
Then as I was walking back I got side tracked again. This time by the broad beans. I did an inspection for black fly – of which there were none, but I pinched the tops out as a precaution. I looked at the down trodden broad bean stalks and noticed that they had pods on them. In my mind, broad bean plants are plants with attitude. They survive the most inhospitable conditions, have the prettiest of cream and dark purple flowers, and their pods stick up to the sky instead on hanging down towards terra firma. I can’t think of anything else that does that. Not peas or dwarf beans, or tomatoes.
Anyway, before I digress yet again, I decided to taste one of the small ones raw. I have never eaten one raw, and usually I am not too keen on broad beans but only grow them for the under gardener as he loves them.
I got a real surprise as they tasted wonderful. So I picked a couple of pounds of them, and we had some for lunch. (The ones in the photo above are the raw ones).
I have vacuum packed some for later.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Links at the bottom right hand side - Gremlins on my site
Since the system was last backed up, for some reason all my links and archives now appear right at the bottom right hand side - so you need to scroll down.
I do not have a clue why that has happened. Hopefully when they next do the archiving in June they will pop back up the top!
I do not have a clue why that has happened. Hopefully when they next do the archiving in June they will pop back up the top!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)