Snow, Seeds and Stuff.

Morning.

We have had our first significant snow of the year. This was yesterday; apologies for Radio 4 travel news in the background!

The boys have both got to school but one came home early; they are both praying for a proper snow day.

On Monday I received both of my gardening mags which is always fab and this month a mountain of free seeds came with them. Sowing and growing will commence soon!!!!

I've just ordered from Thomson and Morgan, thanks to Martin Lewis's Money Saving Expert website I have to say, a selection of fruit canes/bushes as it was an offer I just couldn't resist. Instead of paying £52 + p n p I got them for £17.49 total. (Sorry about the poor photo.) 

The offer I think is still available until early next month/whilst stocks last and they are posting out after the cold snap. The temp in the poly house yesterday was 5 degrees but I think these will have to stay indoors for a little while. 

I'll also have to get my bum in gear and tidy the fruit area in readiness for them. A bit of strimming is required and I REALLY do want to get it covered with matting of sorts and then wood chippings to properly keep the weeds down; soooo many jobs/plans.

I am also waiting for delivery of my seed spuds also from T & M. 

This year I have gone for:

- 1st early Swift (approx 16-18 tubers)

- 2nd early Charlottle, including some growing bags as part of an offer (approx 16-18 tubers)

- late maincrop Cara (32 - 36 tubers)

The spud order has prompted me to really get a grip on where I'll be planting things out. I'm not always very good at timing so planting out can continue once something has been harvested, but I am trying! 

We've had to put back the plan of making a new veg patch due to the work on the new Airbnb listing taking priority -  we it will be listed for the summer. Talking of which, here are some photos of the interior; Jon is well on the way to getting the plaster board up in the kitchen/living area which always makes things look great. It will be a lovely light space with 2 Velux windows, a door and a window in there plus a row of three windows in the bedroom.

We also recently celebrated my youngest's birthday, 11, how did that happen? Compared to my first boy which is always a struggle for most people I think, this one came into the world at 3.40pm in just over 5 hours from start to finish; it was a lovely birth being in the day time where as the first was night time as he arrived at 6.30pm with the experience taking a lot longer than that. I'll stop there as I could talk about my pregnancies for ever and it isn't everybody's cup of tea!

So pancakes with blueberries were requested for breakfast.

We're not given to big celebrations in our house but we asked him what he wanted to do. He asked for Domino pizza and this is a real treat for everybody as we have a 26 mile round trip to collect them, but worth it. This is his cake I made; he is not keen on lots of butter cream so we went for a Victoria sponge with a jam filling a couple of twiddly bits on top.....

As I write this we are expecting more snow this afternoon and possibly tomorrow. The temp is 0 degrees just now so really feel for people who still have very cold weather after the very chilly night most of us had, not to mention what is happening in The States! Brrrr.

Right, that's is all my ramblings for now. Off to get a few jobs done and then some leftover yummy homemade butternut squash soup for lunch.

Bye for now.

Chilly Day Catch Up.

Hello!

Today we woke up to a frosty start but a clear sky across to the church and the Canolfan.

I thought I'd take a few pics of what's going on around the place; nothing too exciting but just a record of the start to the year.

The Alliums are ALL doing really well so I'm very pleased about that - the garlic,

onions

and shallots.

I have more onion sets to plant out in Feb but soo not yet sure where I'm going to put them!

Yesterday Jon started the tree-cutting-back project that we have in mind before Spring arrives. He began by starting in the far corner near the small veg patch and hopefully within the next couple of weeks he'll get the roadside done; he also plans on taking a couple of trees down in the chicken enclosure ready for when we replace the taken ones next month.

Now, Spring cabbages, these will, hopefully, be ready to harvest in May or thereabouts; I was quite worried about them when I first planted them as they took ages to look like they were doing anything!

The temperatures in the greenhouse and poly house respectively were

In the poly house I planted the dwarf Meteor peas and really pleased with them.

These will harvest in around May with any luck, too.

A few outdoor shots - down the side of the poly house

and over the wall to the field across the road.

and I love the view over the gate of our neighbouring farm.

The flat leaf parsley has bounced back after it was cut back...

and I'm chuffed the snowdrops I moved from the bottom of the garden last year settled well

and the ducks continue to be happy.

My niece had an operation recently so I've made this card for her and l'll be posting it today.

Ok I think that is it for now.

Bye.

New Year Pottering!

Well today was the first time out in my little patch of paradise since the start of the new year. I needed to add to my exercise tally so what better way than to don my RAF surplus jumpsuit and get out there. I managed 40 minutes pottering and garden prep before the spots of rain started, but it was enough to have a good look round and be back inside to check on the spuds baking in the Rayburn for tea; always a quick meal on a Monday as we are out for Slimming World, Boxing and Sea Cadets whilst Jon will have some him time in the shed and then watch Forged In Fire - me and the boys fly home to catch the end of it!

So outside I was tidying up really; I had some chicken pooh sitting in the wheelbarrow waiting for the very job I did today which was covering ALMOST the last of the main patch.

It really did a fantastic job, along with the covering over, for the soil last year; so few weeds due to me taking the no-dig approach when I took things up at the end of the growing season. I just have one small area where there are a few leeks so really should just take them up and finish the job!

I wandered around finding bits and pieces either to go in the compost bin or in the bags for the tip next time we are heading that way so have now a few planters drying out. 

I've moved a drainpipe of spinach beet from the greenhouse to the poly house. It was ok but I think may do better in there, which reminded me I need to get a couple of thermometers for both the houses. 

In the green house are these, my Mixed Spice sweet peas, which are a good six inches tall. They are hardy but not sure I should plant them out just now; best not as we may get snow before the Winter is out so safer there perhaps but may move them to the poly house.

These are my Meteor peas which are also hardy. If sown outside it is done in March but these are quite big so wonder if I should put them in the poly house bed and see what I can get from them? Sneak in before that spot is taken by the cucumbers and aubergines later.

I'm not wishing the time away because I really love Winter but the tulip and daff bulbs I planted are really coming up to say hello and it IS lovely to have a little hint of Spring.

One of the daffs in the garden, there are loads as usual, is even showing a yellow head!

I think we'll have even more snowdrops this year; they've reseeded themselves further along the fence line between us and our neighbour. Never a bad thing - more the merrier.

As short a time as it was outside I really enjoyed it. Will see what the weather holds over the next few days and maybe I'll get outside for another potter.

By for now.

Lou.

A Happy New Year.

A Happy New Year, for us all I hope.

Been too busy to write a post since my last. We had a lovely Christmas, had two days away in Llandudno after Boxing Day and on our return the Airbnb rooms have been full until a departure yesterday. Phew and, suffice to say, the washer is working overtime!

The mince pies and Christmas cake have all been eater, there are no chocolates left in the house and today we have been shopping so we are back on bigger fruit and veg portions after the festivities.

Outside, the weather has been quite chilly over the last few days and today was very frosty. Inside, the Christmas tree is down and being used as kindling for the fires and the other decorations are almost packed away. I'm leaving some greenery up as I just love mid-Winter to be celebrated and there is no better way than to bring it into the house.

Most people make resolutions for the new year. I don't like to set myself up for a failure so generally I prefer to have aims. What are your mew year aims and goals?

I'm aiming to have two no-social-media days each week - normally will be Tuesday and Thursday.

I was really amazed how much I managed to do when I tired it the first time.

One thing I HAVE to do is get back on the wagon regarding my weight loss, or lack of it. Prep for Christmas, guests visiting then and at New Year together with us going away have all contributed to a bit of a gain.... but, I enjoyed myself and I know just exactly what I need to do to get back on track. A new year is just the place to start so that has begun today and I return to my group on Monday evening.

Last night I sorted through my seed box. Oh my!

I have listed them all and decided on some to give away to somebody who can make use of them after posting on Twitter. (I could not hoped to use them all within the date time.)

My next sowings will probably be onions in February. I've already had fun doing my first lot of planning for the coming months - I love that about the Winter nights, the best of both seasons as I get myself snugged by the roaring fire thinking of Spring.

Plans we have here on our little homestead for 2019 include the third Airbnb room; this will be a self-contained unit for two people. Jon is just starting on the electrics and he is going to build a lovely, open country style kitchen and the aim is to have it listed in time for Easter. 

Now here's a question for those of you who are involved in running B n B's, holiday rentals etc. Do you think Brexit will encourage people to take more holidays in the UK? The Euro and £ are already not a good exchange when going abroad so if this is not improved on and we have a pleasant Summer maybe UK tourism could be in for a real boost - we'll be ready for it!!

I'm just finishing my lunch then I am heading upstairs. I'll put the ironing board in the bedroom and see if there is a Columbo on, probably not on a week day sadly but something inane will help me work through the pile I need to tackle. Thankfully I really quite enjoy ironing and with the rooms having been so busy I need to get up to date with the bedding in case that influx of tourists starts early!!

Ok, I'm going to make another brew then get that ironing started.

Lou, bye.

.