A Few On Fursday!!

Hello there.

Before I start I just want to check, as usual, how everybody is. I hope, wherever you are, that you're keeping safe whatever the restrictions are for you and yours. xx 

Yesterday I took my eldest for his last "check in, catch up and prepare" day at school, which also happened to be his last day in Year 8. He's very excited about being in year 9 from September, best year in school according to him, although more excited that he has NO MORE HOMESCHOOLING to do and can have a lie in, obvs minus the fag!😁

The youngest has his last day tomorrow and will feel the same way about the issue of homeschooling, but is an early riser so he'll find something to do until he persuades his elder brother to play tennis in the garden or drags him to the next thing on the list of jobs to do, which they will STILL have during the holidays as they have done alongside homeschooling!

I admit to having found the whole assisting the boys with lessons really quite stressful at times so I will also be glad to see the back of them. I love the mornings when I can get up unnecessarily early just to have some time to myself, organise my day and enjoy a whole pot of coffee uninterrupted by empty-legged tweens on the hunt for food. 

We've been informed that the youngest will be back in school on September 10 and the eldest on the 9th but for how long and for what regular days we are unsure just now. Also no confirmation about transport yet - I've been running them these last few weeks but by then they may be taking their bus routes, but I'm happy to be taxi service of mum if needed.

I was chatting to my very good friend Tracy from Our Smallholding Adventure the other day saying I'm more than a little anxious about a new outbreak of the virus. As the summer holidays begin, the children are no longer 'in school' and relaxations are made on quarantine for returning travellers there may be a new spike. I also went food shopping yesterday for what, I hope, will last for at least three weeks - not even bothering trying to get a delivery, never had one yet as others are more needy. I'm still happy to stay at home now as much as possible. Jon will be on leave for two weeks from July 24 so we'll all be at home together, safe, and it will be exciting, too, as we are gaining a new member to our homestead, a sheep dog for Jon.👏👏👏

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Ok, after that little ramble my blog today is also about the garden and poly tunnel, as normal. I never really manage to do the Six On Saturday on social media, hence the title of this blog post.😀

The weather these last few days has been changeable; we've had rain, not much sunshine but humidity so this has been causing me a little anxiety regarding my poly tunnel. Why, you may ask, well since I had issues with a bit of mould and mildew I've been keeping a close eye on it.

This morning I took a turn around the garden to take the photos and see how everything is doing after some rain and the weather today being a little warmer than yesterday.

Starting in said poly tunnel it is looking quite healthy just now. I have some gaps  but still on that learning curve but getting there. The new path is much safer now. I am wanting some floating shelves put up on either side for trays, tools etc but that is a job that can wait until Autumn I think.

The tomato plants are doing fairly ok. Some of them have leaf curl which I get every year; sometimes the leaves then go really tough and no flowers appear so I have taken them out of planters and the poly house before as no good feeding them when there will be no return. However, there is good fruiting from two of them which are Tomande in the background and the nearer ones are Cuor di Bue which are two of four plants given to me.

Now finally I have some growth on my Marketmore cucumbers; I really  was beginning to panic! 

Here is the biggest fruit from my butternut squash Vegetable Spaghetti plant given to me by a friend; it is coming on very well but I did cut back some of the leaves at the weekend as it is enormous.

At the side of the poly tunnel my boys have cleared a patch of ground where I hope my pumpkin will grow. The space is a meter square with plenty of room for spread. As the ground is not in super condition I'll put some compost there ready to plant and see what happens...

This is the plant, given to me by friends.

Across from the poly tunnel, alongside the poly house, I have three tall planters and all have beetroot in at the moment and all looking pretty much like this.

Here are the maincrop spuds flowering, funny that the second early ones which can be taken up any time from this coming weekend are not flowering at all; I'll be leaving them in a bit longer I think.

I have extra dwarf beans growing outside in the crate as well as those in the poly tunnel. They are just flowering so I do hope they'll be providing soon.

The bed at the back of the poly house is looking great! The perpetual spinach at the front, given to me by the same friend as the tomato and butternut squash (pattern developing here where donations are doing quite a lot better than my own grown!)👀 . is doing very well. Chuffed with the caulis at the back along with yet more salad leaves.  

In the bed in the far right corner of the growing area I have my three broccoli plants and two courgettes. 

Very excited indeed to see that the head of broccoli has become visible. Eeeek, I've never managed to grow it before; just hope my netting and my Grazers Eco Spray will continue to keep away the cabbage whites.🤞

The Tondo di Piacenza are showing and hope this one doesn't fall off like one did this morning! Love these stuffed!

The Goldena did not do well last year but I have a few on this plant here (there are two more courgettes in planters, too - another Goldena and a Zuchini (not from Mr Fothergill).

Finally, I have the first bloom? on my multi-headed sunflower...

and one of the dahlias I planted outside the Studio last year has come back to life so very pleased about that.

Things seem to be taking a little longer to come to fruition, fruit and veg, this year or it could just be my usual impatience!

The weather this weekend is set to be nice and warm so hopefully this will bring on a few things and harvests will improve beyond the salad leaves and dwarf beans!

Stay safe everybody, if you are staying at home over the summer as we are I hope you enjoy your own little patches of paradise and I look forward to seeing lots of trug shots of your wonderful harvests.

As always, take care,

Lou.xx

Foody Fest!

Good morning.

I thought I'd just do a catch up with a few food things.

I've finally got round to some preserving, two jars of the gherkins which have done so well this year, sold a few and given away a couple. The pickled ones are now in the cellar store room, adding to the goodies in there!

I quite frequently make apple turnovers but decided to do cheese and ham ones this time and the boys found them very delicious, so after them trying them I still have a couple in the freezer for another day.

It was our local flower and produce show on Saturday. I managed to make the long journey to the Canolfan (for those of you who don't know I live directly opposite our community hall!) in the rain that was teeming down and had a go at entering one of the baking classes and a veg category with some success.

Camp fire cup cakes...

salted caramel and chocolate

and most surprisingly 3rd place for my cucumbers! They were huge and thought I stood no chance due to them looking more like marrows!

Still working my way through the gifted apples and so far have cored, peeled, sliced and frozen 9lbs! Still as many, and more, to get through. Hope to bottle more in syrup like last year and make cakes and puddings, too.

Ooh, a very exciting thing has occurred recently. I have been asked to contribute to the Thompson & Morgan website as a blogger. Amazed, chuffed, honoured and all that so watch our for my first ramblings! 

Right, better get on as the washer is calling.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Sunset, Snug and Sunflowers.

Good morning. I'd sat down to finish this post when Jon arrived back from the saw mill with logs for the Winter woodpile so we have spent half an hour stacking those. Very satisfying.

My little patch of paradise is great right now; this was the sun setting over it the other night. Aaaahh, I soooo love where we live, we are very lucky and must always remember that.

I'm getting fairly regular harvests of things, not truck loads but with the second early spuds Alf and I took up a bit over 5lb from two plants the other day which is fab, but wait 'till the maincrop spuds come in!!

Some are already in flower and I'll be making sure my hessian sacks are clean and ready for storing them in the cellar. Very excited as I love the idea of having our own spuds in the cellar for whenever we want them for the next few months, fingers crossed.

The harvests are enough for me to be proud of and, again, I've really learnt lots this year ready for when I begin planning for next year, and boy do I like to plan.

Things I still have coming through are climbing peas; not sure what the harvest on those will be but I'm giving them a last go.

Talking of spuds, my second cropping ones for Christmas were planted out on the first days of this month and are already showing proper signs of life. I'll keep a really good eye on them in case of blight....

I ordered 2kg of tubers and this proved just a few too many for the containers/grow bags I have so I've given a few away to neighbours but still managed to plant about 17! Nom nom.

In the poly house I have some things growing away nicely; red and green lettuce in the drainpipe..

parsley to hopefully keep over winter...

 mizuma in the long planter..

and I've rather nervously decided to start off some spring Cabbage. It is looking ok just now and it'll need potting on this weekend. I've decided they will be planted out in some of the now empty tyres as I feel I will be able to look after them easily over winter. I hope to be able to keep anything from eating these ones!

I have this and another large cucumber out front to sell as I have plenty coming and need to make sure I have two for the local show at the beginning of September. You really don't have to wait too long for them to get this big, just a bit of patience; these are Marketmore. I sold two at the front door yesterday, too!

The kale is doing ok but not as well as I had hoped; I've it covered over with netting now, perhaps a little late, but this is also protecting some beetroot. Another lesson.

In the greenhouse are my four pepper plants and they have teeny, tiny fruit on so I think I'll move those into the poly house for some extra heat and help.

The tomato plants are still not heavy with fruit but it is coming. I've invested in some good quality feed and hope this will help. 

I've moved two of the plants outside to see if that makes a difference; I covered these over as I was nervous about birds getting them, and still am!

Alongside these two plants are my beautiful sunflowers.

These multi-head flowers are bloomin' gorgeous I think.

Now we have been working on a project that will be added to our Airbnb listings.

This is the summer house we have been giving a revamp for guests, and us, to enjoy.

We have the two comfy chairs, a small table with a little cloth and a fabulous storm lantern with a candle, not LED.

On a small side shelf we have provided dominoes and postcards for people to send....

along with a radio, a drawing game and a couple of books.

We thought it would be fun to provide binoculars for bird watching, along with my old bird book from school, or for stargazing on a clear night.

We plan on getting a couple of throws for the chairs but right now it is quite warm in there. We really do hope our Airbnb guests will enjoy using it - the room has been ridiculously busy this month with hardly a vacancy which is FAB U LARSE! This is the view from The Snug up the garden which we hope they will also enjoy.

I've done some baking, apple turnovers yesterday with some of my bottled apples

and have dried sage I'd cut back. I love having fresh herbs in the garden and the house.

Harry is back from cadet camp so we are a complete unit again. Whilst he was away Alfie has been a star as I was unwell for a couple of days and he cleaned out my car, moved some things into the shed for Jon and went to the sheep market with our neighbour - properly earned his pocket money and then some. Harry is going to have to keep up!!

Today we may be taking a little trip out to collect a piece of furniture we have won on a well know auction site to go in the next Airbnb room. We are waiting delivery of beds that can be twin or a double to maximise business and then I have shopping to do for bedding and all the twidly bits, love that part of it, so Charlies in Aber look out because I'm a coming!

Right better crack on with something.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Bits and Bobs Into The Weekend.

Yesterday the May issue of Grow Your Own magazine arrived through my door. I am so pleased I decided to subscribe to it as it's helped me a great deal since my journey of sowing and growing began. I love that you get help, tips, advice, offers and free stuff, like peas and beans this month!

Now, a good while ago GYO were asking for readers to submit gardening tips so I duly sent in mine and look what happened!

It's me having one of my letters published, again, so I will be very happily receiving £40 worth of vouchers by the end of the month to spend with Thompson and Morgan. I am ridiculously excited and it couldn't be a better time to buy things for the garden; I think first on the list will be my sweet potato slips but not sure what else just yet. Wish I could get paid to write stuff, that would be just fab.

Another exciting thing happening is that tomorrow I am going on a one-day poly tunnel course. Now I know I don't have a poly tunnel but it will still be a beneficial experience. Even more fab is that it is one of the courses run by the lovely Kim Stoddart at Green Rocket Courses here in beautiful Ceredigion whom I wrote about recently. I shall be setting off bright and early whilst Jon takes care of the boys for the day. I already have parental guilt piling up as I always feel I am skiving off my family duties when I get to do something on my own, but I'm getting round to the idea,  butI am on duty for Alfie's football tournament on Sunday morning.

In other news, yesterday was absolutely glorious here so once the Airbnb guests had gone, washing up done, washing on the line and a quick tidy up I put the boys to work on the leftovers from a fire we had recently; it needed shoveling to fill in a gap where Jon had been doing some building near the tractor shed. 

I then got round to tidying out the shallow sink where I grow lettuce and spring onions, sowing Kale seeds in the old cold frame, Basil seeds for the kitchen window and coriander and flat leaf parsley in the herb loo and sink! I also took out some poorly performing onions from one of the tyres; it was a waste of space for so few and I'm going to possibly put Marketmore cucumbers in there instead - I've never grown them outside so we'll see how we get on.

I had a quick look at the fruit patch; bushes, canes and trees are mostly looking really healthy with lots of shoots so chuffed about that. 

Ok, I think I better get going as probably going food shopping in an hour or so and need to tidy up the breakfast things.

Hope everybody has a lovely weekend and can't wait to report back after my exciting day tomorrow.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

September - How Did That Happen?!

September is here!

I love September; it is the start of my favourite time of the year. The nights are drawing in; already it is pitch dark by 9pm and changing daily. I love Autumn because of the colours due to the changing of the season. I am sooo looking forward to lighting the Rayburn next month but in the meantime chilly nights will have us sitting away from the TV room and being snuggly in the living room with the wood burner. (We do watch TV in the darker months but sometimes we just like 'being'; listening to music, reading and me probably planning the garden for the months ahead!

Therefore I have been taking photos to show how things have progressed thus far and maybe a little show and tell of things that have gone on since we began harvesting from our little plot and beds, things I have preserved and made etc.

I made 5 jars of damson jam and some fruit leathers with gifted damsons; we gifted and sold some, too.
I have pickled 2 jars of beetroot, one given away as a gift along with some jam.  (I plan on making more.)
2 lots of stewed apple for the freezer with giften cookers along with crumbles, some sold and gifted.
2 good sized jars of pickled gherkins.
2 jars of refrigerator pickles which I luuuurve!

A little update, I was gifted some cooking apples yesterday and now I can make some chutney to keep in stock. Not sure what kind yet but very pleased to have received the apples.

Thanks to the wonder of the Welsh countryside I have foraged about 3lbs of blackberries. These have been used with yoghurt for my Slimming World diet, instead of buying mixed berries, for crumbles with the free apples and some are for making blackberry vodka for Christmas.

Now here are a few photos from the garden, using the new camera of course! Here is the Poly House looking a little different to recent times.

The tomatoes are still flowering and there are still quite a lot to pick, too.

Also in there are the chillis...

and also the sweet potatos.

The cucumbers and gherkins are coming to the final flowering I think.

Now for outside. THESE are my Christmas spuds and the variety is Duke of York. I can't believe how well they are already doing; as you can see the ones I have put in a tyre are doing well, too.

The sweetcorn is getting nearer the stage of harvesting but has a way to go yet as the tops of the cobs are not all dried yet.

It seemed we'd had the last of the courgettes but this plant has had a welcome spurt and looking great.

Now, this post also covers Phase Two of our Airbnb project. Jon has been working on it since last weekend after a friend visited bringing with him some building materials we needed.

He started by getting the stud wall up between the bathroom and bedroom...

positioning the basin and toilet...

and setting the shower tray in place.

Jon bought a shed load of windows from various places and this one was perfect for the bathroom; didn't need to be frosted as too high for anybody to see in. He made a brilliant job of the frame so is confident he can make the rest of the frames for all of the windows.

The boys were giving a hand yesterday as he was getting the plaster board up and the flooring down.

  
 

More progress reports soon.

Ok, that's it for today. I have been writing this post after getting home very wet due to watching Alfie in his first football tournament. He is goaly and did really, really well even though their team was knocked out of the group.

Look forward to seeing what everybody has been up to over the weekend.

Bye for now, Lou.xx