Monday 27 June 2016

Dogs, Logs And Bits And Bobs.

Our neighbour has a dog called Meg, a very lairy Border Collie who loves having a crazy run around with Jake. She is a lot smaller than him so manages to squeeze into quite small spaces - no more.

This weekend as part of solving this problem we cleared the bottom corner near the veg patch ready for it being our fruit tree 'orchard' when the time comes. Jon cut down lots of over-hanging branches to add to the bonfire pile ready for the next dry day...  and I blocked the bottom of the existing fencing with some old caravan awning metal pegs. Just the job.




We used the remaining chicken wire from when we bult the girls' enclosure to fence off where Meg had been getting in. The dogs sometimes run over the veg patch and now things are coming on really well I just can't have that! 


 After the picket fence was put up last week we now have a gated section for the whole growing area so no animals will get in there at all.



Other news, Jon has made me a lid for the compost heap that you may just be able to see above and we have now installed the second water butt. With all the rain in the last couple of days they are BOTH full to the brim! Really chuffed as easier for the boys to get water for the chickens and much easier for the Poly House watering.



Jon has built a kindling section along side the butt, as you can see above, next to the woodpile, chopped some of the branches for kindling and logs and we are now waiting to get a load of wood from the saw mill then we are set for the winter or the odd chilly day we may get here and there.






Alfie is beginning to turn into something like the 
Pied Piper of chickens!He loves going in there to talk to and feeding them but there is always an arguement between both boys when they have to take turns in changing their drinking water.




Baking was needed this weekend. I was given yet more rhubarb by our neighbour, we were low on bread and the cake tin was just about empty so on I went. Chocolate brownies, although I missed putting in the baking powder so they a bit dense but yummy all the same,



two loaves of bread

and rhubarb crumble with pecan nuts on one side for an extra bit of crunch.Mmmm



This morning I have given our bedroom a good top to bottom clean including mopping the floor boards - they get so dusty especially under the bed! All upstairs is vacuumed, bread is on the last prove, yes MORE bread, and I have to get the chicken house cleaned out before the rain comes - holding off so far.

I will probably do a couple more little jobs outside like the straw on the strawbs and put the courgettes and squash outside for a bit of sun. Can't remember if I said the other day but I turned over the compost heap and the bottom layers are starting to break down quite nicely which is great after only a couple of months.

Ok, well I'm going to get the bread in the oven then head to tidy the girls house up.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx



6 comments:

  1. I am exhausted just reading all that! Every time I read your blog I think 'I'd love to do that..' but it is totally pie in the sky as there is no way I have your energy and determination.

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    1. Ha Greta! We thought that as much as we have done since last September was pie in the sky, by that I mean we said we would give oursleves a year to do the house, but that was finished by November - 3 months I guess! Jon and I are very funny and as bad as each other. We always say things like, right we'll do that next weekend but as long as it doesn't cost any money, and that is the crucial thing, we always end up doing it in the middle of the week! The vast majoirity of projects we have done in the garden have cost us very little or no money and when that is the case you can just get on with things. As I type this Jon has just headed back to the saw mill where he works with the boys. He is collecting the big tyres that we are keen to use as planters for spuds and other veg. Watch this space, when I have the top soil - yes, that again!x

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  2. You have come so far, well done to you all, it is lovely to see the boys have taken an interest in things.
    Good idea getting wood ready for the winter xx

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    1. Thank you Marlene.They came home from school yesterday and went into the shed and started making Harry Potter wands from kindling. Who needs a screen?! Yes, good to let the wood sit a while.x

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  3. I love seeing the kids outside. Don't get me wrong, we like to curl up and watch a movie when the weather or feelings dictate but mostly we are outside. This time of year it is u til 9 or 10pm which is great. Not the kids tho lol x

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    1. I agree. The weather is driving me mad at the moment. On a day like today when it rains and rains so you can hardly do anything outside and then it does what it's doing now which is brighten up but I'm bushed from being busy doing other stuff inside so won't go outside. Arrgghhh.

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Thank you so much for finding the time to comment. I really appreciate it and will always try to reply.xx