Inside and out, this and that, keeping on keeping on, still!

 Hello.

I really am loathe to start with my usual how are you all doing opener. Things are detreriorating with the pandemic in many places just now which is very sad indeed; we really have gone back many steps. I continue to feel very guilty about not wanting to go out more than necessary, yet want the boys to get their education in school as I think that is so important - I can't do a good enough job with the home schooling. I've been shopping and stocked up, sensibly, on top of the shopping trip I made last week so hope to not need going again for a couple of weeks at least apart from fresh fruit an veg if needed until the garden get going with autumn growing.🤞 We're going back a little to how we cooked, baked and ate in the early days of lockdown so I feel this will start to make me feel a little more comfortable. I hope with the nights drawing in that people MAY beginto stay in more and help with slowing the spread of infection but who knows. 

I continue to say we're doing our own thing andTracy at Our Smallholding Adventure talks about here in her latest post, what we are dealing with right now IS right now, normal for the foreseeble and we just have to deal with it - keep on keeping on.

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Anyway, here's me cheering myself up with inside and out of my little patch of paradise. 

If you read my last post the week was set to end with some really warm days and it did, however this weekend there was a distinct change. We'd already lit the wood burner on Friday night...

 and on Saturday morning with this lovely ice pattern on the bathroom Velux window.

the decision was made to light the Rayburn; yes, the old girl was fired up!

I feel sooo cosy just looking at this photo and as I type this my back is lovely and warm! We cooked our chicken Sunday roast in and on it yesterday and I'm looking forward to start baking bread and goodies for the tin.

The woodpile has been ready for this moment for a good few weeks now, even having a third extension plus roof so the Welsh rain doesn't ruin Jon and the boys' stacking efforts, so we're good to go for a lovely warm Winter indoors.

On Saturday afternoon the temperature in the poly tunnel was a surprising 32 degrees but I started work on something Jon and I had talked about; just a little project outside in the garden. The sink outside the poly house was cleared and will have new compost added and the sage, thyme and oregano are now housed in one of the tall planters on the garden side of the veg patch.

We plan on putting herbs in all the three planters so I'll need to check which herbs like living together. I know there three are happy house mates but will have to do a little homework reseach - just may ask the lovely Sara at Hawkwell Herbs for some advice.

I'm planning on growing flowers in the sink and toilet so have to move the two mint plants, replace that compost and get my bumbs organised - I would love to have some cutting flowers.

Also around the garden my multi-sown leeks seem to be coming along very nicely so fingers crossed we can have those on Christmas Day - unlike my second cropping spuds as blight has done for them I'm afraid.

  

Looking around I spotted these strawberries in some  planters I've left outside for some time. 

Still seem to be fruiting and just today I saw these others in the poly tunnel. They are some of  the runners I've planted - obviously one pot had some seeds in it already which I didn't realise!

My tomatoes are just about coming to an end. They are finally ripenening and read somewhere that laying the plants down can help with the process so giving that a go.

We haven't had anywhere near as many tomatoes as we would have liked but what we have had have been much better quality than in the past so maybe I'm getting there, finally!

I'm so pleased that the runner beans are really flowering now but not sure when I might get any pods.

I'm really please that the first lettuces I sowed and planted are doing very well so hope for the same with the ones planted later.

Earlier this morning I took a llittle walk a few minutes from the house and picked a couple of things to go with the crysanthymums and gourds I bought yesterday. A taste of Autumn in the kitchen so brighten my days.

That's enough of my ramblings and, as usual, I say stay safe.

Bye for now,

Lou.xx

Seasons And Colours Are Changing.

Autumn is in full swing now, and I love it! The colours around the house and garden are changing. The creeper on the front is this fab red.

Then the tree I always wrongly call a wonky Willow but is actually a Hazel is looking great and I can't WAIT to bring some of this in as part of the house festive decorations. Eeeek!

And talking of decorations the big, varigated holly bush is looking fab so there will be plenty for cupboard top and table centre displays. 

Can you tell I'm getting excited? 

I've already printed off my Christmas planning sheets - see here.!!! and created another decoration for the house.

On Sunday morning it was a little chilly so we lit the woodburner in the living room whilst we had out first brew of the day before getting on with a few jobs. Have to admit that this view, which is from my regular spot, will be even more wonderful soon as the tree will be placed for Christmas where the small table is in the far corner. I am getting excited which I normally hold back on until after Halloween but this year JUST can't seem to do it! 

Anyhow the weather for the last couple of days have been bright, dry and cool which I absolutely love but today is damp and we have a wet weather warning here for tomorrow and Saturday. The Rayburn is already lit, of course, but I may light the woodburner for when the boys come home; we are going nowhere this evening plus they break up for half term today so perfect night for a cosy time by the fire.

Cracking on. In the week I shunned the ironing board and headed out to the garden. I'd already cleared this bed, no. 3, so set about preparing it by filling it with a mixture of chicken poo/bedding, bought compost, some of my own made black stuff along with some I'd taken from planters to use as a mulch. This bed is now ready to plant with garlic and onions. (Please ignore the weeds surrounding this area!)

This is the bed behind the poly house. I've done the same preparing this one but it will be covered over soon ready for Spring.

I'd put two planters behind the lettuce sink which last year had tulips growing in outside The Snug. If you look REALLY, REALLY closely you can JUST see new shoots growing through! 

Talking of bulbs I did more preparation by clearing the planter outside the Studio. I  planted a selection there including some given to me by my lovely gardening next-door-but- ones.

I'm quite pleased how it turned out but obvs can't wait until we see the colours coming through!

Sorry if you saw this on my Twitter feed but for those who didn't....

#SMEGFEST ALERT!!!

Jon found on Facebook a Smeg fridge freezer that looked a bargain, to say the least!

It was priced at £62, apparently needed work as the thermostat wasn't working, the top cover was missing and one of the doors didn't close properly. It arrived home with Jon, confident as ever that everything could be fixed. After about an hour working on it, sitting over night then switched on for 12 hours or so... ta da!!

The blue lights, which apparently help to keep the fruit and veg fresh, flash on and off when you leave the door open for too long!

I absolutely LOVE it.

I've been suffering with swollen glands and a cough etc. for about a week and I still don't feel my best. I started my new Welsh class last Thursday, da iawn a mi, but I'm not sure I'm going to go today; piggin' shame as only week 2 and it's half term next week... I'll see.

The odd Airbnb booking is still coming in with three last weekend and one this weekend so the chalet will be ready for them shortly.

Well that is my little catch up.

By for now.

Lou.xx

Autumn Planting, Sowing and Growing.

Good morning.

This is just a little update on what is going on in the garden right now; I am so loving this bright, and at times chilly, Autumnal weather. Even though it all looks a little thin on the ground I still love wandering around looking at things, normally reminding myself of jobs that need doing!

This was taken yesterday.

I've been busy planting out the garlic, onions and shallots this last week.

I have prepped one end of the main bed for the onions, used the raised bed at the back of the poly house for the shallots and one of the six tyres for the garlic.

The garlic is variety Provence White.

I've potted on the strawberry runners so have eight plants now I think sitting under the bench in the greenhouse. All looking quite healthy and I also put a couple to sell out front.

Over the last couple of days I took a look at my second compost bin. I haven't had anything out of this in possibly a year or so? It looked in such great condition and I've used this underneath the polythene covering as part of garden prep on the main patch until Spring. 

This was taken earlier this morning and today is just gorgeous, another chilly, bright day.

As well as the newly planted onion sets I still have some carrots in the small patch and spinach beet, dwarf green beans, leeks and swede in the main patch. I'll cover over the remainder of the space as and when it becomes empty but I'm getting there.

In the greenhouse I still have one sweet potato plant and the beetroot; not sure when the latter will be big enough to harvest but plan on pickling it and will not grow any next year.

I've also sown a little kale in the poly house raised bed just for me. It isn't taking up any necessary space and will hopefully grow well. Does anybody else grow kale undercover over the Winter?

I've been thinking of sowing a small wild flower area, perhaps near The Snug, but need to look at whether its best to sow seeds direct or to over Winter some and plant out in the Spring. Anyone have any experience of this? I think it would be better to have a dedicated bed to avoid my lovely husband mowing over them!!

In other news the boys break up for a week on both Thursday and Friday due to the youngest's school having an inset day. They're going to spend a few days with The Gramps from the Saturday so hope my back is feeling better by then as I hope to do some jobs outside. Struggling with a bit of a twinge I don't feel like aggravating just now, but sooo missing not being outside. Jon and I hope to go our for a meal one night, too; we don't often eat out alone so it is nice to do so some times.

We have been really busy on weekends with the Airbnb room recently even though we are into the later months. Jon needs to do a little maintenance here and there so hopefully we can get that done in the next week or so before our next booking at the beginning of November.

Right, I think that is me for now. Not too much going on but hope you are still enjoying my ramblings.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Back To Basics

Good morning.

The weather has changed quite dramatically over the last couple of days. We were having monsoon-type rain ie. wet and warm but this weekend it has turned decidedly chilly and we succumbed to lighting the woodburner in the living room on Saturday evening. This morning is a might chilly also but a glorious morning all the same.

The shifting of the seasons brings most gardeners and growers of their own around to planning for the next growing season, and that includes me.

I have some overwintering plans in place which I'll update another time but just now I have a few other bits and bobs to share. To this end I have just received some new seeds. 

The first of which are Nantes 2 early carrots. I plan on sowing these in either the greenhouse or poly house, maybe in containers or one of the raised beds in the greenhouse once the sweet potatoes have been harvested which should be some time within the next four weeks or so.

I also have plans for dwarf pea Meteor; these are very hardy and only grow around 16-18" tall so don't really require any support. I can put these outside or in but probably the latter space willing.

I admit to getting into a bit of a panic recently as my harvests have not been the best this year so....

I'm going back to basics for the next growing season. My aim is to grow plenty of what we all eat as I really want to see how much we can avoid spending money, on vegetables at least, examples being spinach beet and chard. I am the only person who eats either of these so I'm keeping these to a minimum as I had already sown some but these can be grown in the houses without taking up a lot of space. I have never done too well with spring onions so these are on the back burner for now.

So, along with the above new additions, this year I will mostly be growing - 

carrots, cabbages, broccoli, potatoes, onions, garlic (though not masses), cucumbers
NO gherkins this year, aubergines, tomatoes (hopefully a MUCH better result) peppers 
salad leaves, courgettes but probably just the one plant, dwarf beans as they were great this year so more of those, leeks, swede, turnips (not huge this year due to spacing I think but very tasty) and probably NOT climbing peas this year as for a really good harvest I think I need more space than I can allow.

More to the point with all of this I do need more space to grow enough of what we eat for it to make a real difference.

Currently I have the following space to use:
19 x 6 ft veg patch 
4.5 x 10 ft veg patch
3 x 3 ft veg patches, 3 of these including the one in the poly house
1.5 x 6 ft approx. raised beds in the greenhouse, 2 of these...

and this weekend Jon has built me one of three new raised beds which are 1.5 x 4 ft each; there will be three in total.

I like raised beds because at times I struggle with my back and the size of them may look a bit overkill but they are solidly built to last and hopefully make my back last a bit longer, too!

I've been thinking, but not overthinking as Jon thinks that is half my problem, I should be able to make a good go of it next year. I have literally just measured the new beds so really don't know what will go where but they are about a foot and a half deep so would be good for carrots, turnips, garlic, onions but not the brassicas as they will need more planting out space than that.

I look forward to using this new space in the coming months and sharing with you how I get on. I'd be interested in plans others have for the next season of sowing and growing.

Along with all of this I don't think I've yet shared the photos of our new ducks; 1 Khaki Campbell called Crispy and 2 Muscovy and the other are Duck-chess and L'Orange, as in duck a L'orange! They are not laying right now but the entertainment value more than makes up for them being freeloaders when it comes to feeding!

Oh and O M G, major excitement in the house is that we FINALLY have a quad bike.

Everybody in the family are extremely excited about this. It means we can get our pigs next year as Jon can get in the field to prepare things, we can get the trailer in the field to cut down trees for logs to store and the boys are just excited about getting to drive it! Get in!!!

I've just had to stop to put a match to the fire - really quite chilly and it is my birthday so I think I deserve to be warm!

That's all from me for today.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Autumn and Other Stuff.

Good evening.

Autumn has definitely arrived and if anybody is a regular reader of my blog you will know I DO like to decorate.

I spotted these fantastic gourds in Lidl and just had to have a couple for this display.

In the living room I have the books I usually put out along with a fabulous card with foxes on from when I took part in a stationery swap.

In the front kitchen window I have put together a basket of Autumnal goodies and I am particularly pleased with this one. (Another fox card.)

Outside the Autumnal weather is properly taking its toll - on the Poly House! There are too many rips and too much damage now to show but this scene greeted me the other morning. These will not be kept on the top shelves anymore but instead be stored in the planters and containers once they have all been brushed and washed out.

The bed inside the Poly House has been cleared of the gherkins and cucumbers...

so is now ready either for new sowings or to be covered. 

Considering the state of the Poly House I think I will be covering it over until Spring!

Outside I have come to the conclusion that the far corner of the veg area is NOT the right place for sweet corn. It has failed miserably; I had plenty of cobs develop but there was just not the sun for them to ripen.

However I did manage to harvest one cob, which out of approx. 19 plants is very sad. I won't be growing it again next year as this was the best spot for a good amount of plants.

A couple of other things that are still growing outside include the Pak Choi, all be it in the rather now shabby looking cold frame; it looks as though it's growing as it should.

My courgette plant seems to still be the gift that keeps on giving!

One thing that was not wind damaged or unripe was this tasty chocolate chip cake I made when baking yesterday. Went down a treat, especially with my friend after we came back from a lovely walk this morning. Have to say I am enjoying the Great British Bake Off more than I thought I would so will be tuning in to that a little later this evening.

Jon has reached plastering stage in the new Airbnb room.

Jon is a great plasterer and has already finished the bathroom ceiling this evening.

As you can see there is not a lot going on at our little homestead just now.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx