Fun with the Washing Line

Last evening whilst I was waiting for tea to cook I had a bit of a disaster.  We had a torrential rainstorm and then it brightened up.  No sign of cloud so I went out and hung out a whole load of washing.  Came inside and was pottering in the dining room.  Went out a little later to see whether any of it was dry, and found the lot on the floor.  The Line had come off the post it was attached to and everything was in a heap on the floor. Grhh!

To add insult to injury, several of the canes supporting (or trying to support) the dwarf beans have been snapped. I think the washing fell on it! I told you my poor Beans were going through it.  I have noticed though that there is some new growth on some of the plants.  Therefore will need to get some replacement canes come pay day as well if they manage to survive!  It will not be down to lack of TLC.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, G has upcycled part of a growing frame which was not in good condition as shelving for my first greenhouse.  Am quite chuffed with this.  He thinks that he can make another shelving unit for the other house as well (slightly smaller) but that will be for another day. Better for my large greenhouse trays of which I have a number.  So very gradually getting there.  As I have said not expecting much from this year, but it is setting me up in preparation for next year. Even more so if my main greenhouse is recovered as I can heat that but not the little ones.

I have also been looking for my "meat hooks"  for a few days the ones traditionally used for holding cured meat of the beams.  I use them in the kitchen a lot (new ones of course anywhere).  I usually get them from Tiger-Tiger for next to nothing. I think it is about £2 for six hooks. Various colours but I tend to go for a green colour. As I planted up two hanging baskets with tomatoes and they are currently sat on the floor of the greenhouse they really need to go up.  I had some success yesterday evening and found a couple.  So I can now get the hanging baskets into the ceiling of the greenhouse which means I will not be tripping over them anymore. I think they will be happier in the "loft"!

Work is slow on the garden, very much ruled by the weather at the moment so if it is not good weather wise I retreat into the house.

I am working towards the house from the greenhouses trying to get rid of as much rubbish as I can.  It is hard tedious work and I am hoping to get stuck in again tomorrow.  I shall re-organise the growing houses storing my plant pots etc. nearer to the greenhouses in due course and keep those kind of items down the bottom part of the garden out of the way.  Once the slabs are sorted and levelled out, I can then get my patio set on the slabs and that should tidy up things quite a bit.

I also have two conical Ivy baskets that I planted from scratch a couple of years ago. They are hung underneath my Bay tree in the herb border/garden and unfortunately one of the hooks has grown into the tree so I will need assistance from G to get that off and then hopefully onto the hanging baskets on the wall.  I do need new brackets here and I have seen some in B & M for £2 each.  Hopefully will be able to get some new ones sorted soon.  I need some for under the kitchen window and also the bathroom window for holding my large planters on as "Window boxes".  I love hanging baskets and window boxes and planters.  I love growing them from scratch or sourcing plants and then filling the containers how I want them to be and growing them on from here.  I think I have some more hanging planters in the stone shed as well.

The stone shed needs sorting as well, then we can go to the tip again.  I think a Monday is perhaps the best time locally for going to the tip as it is always a nightmare at the weekends, so I am planning weather permitting that will go again to the tip next Monday.

Fingers crossed I will be able to get cracking again.  We were making a good pace on clearing the back garden, but we really need to get on with it.

Today -

I have been in my happy place today as I have been in the greenhouse and the garden for most of the day; just being mindful, pottering in the garden, sorting out plants, repotting a few, sowing more seed (using recycled compost), have planted some cabbages, beans, and one or two other things. Sorting out seed from a large bag that I can grow this year (anything is better than nothing).  

We have had to sort the fence panels out a bit as they collapsed on other side's garden and she has children which I totally understand.  Landlord's Agent is aware of the problem but so far nothing.  It will get sorted one way or another.  Involved cutting part of the Ivy down in the jungle so that we could stack the panels which are broken upright for the time being a temporary solution but will get there eventually.

Have also got my water barrel in situ next to the greenhouse and on its stand.  It does need a new tap, so hopefully will be able to get one of those at the end of the month then we can get that into regular usage and capture some of the rainwater when it is wet.

Tonight will be a late one for me as I am going to move the small growing house frames which I stack my pots on as I do not have the covers for them at the moment, down near the water barrel.  Then I can move the patio table further down the garden near to the slabs. In any event we are slowly getting organised with things even if we still have to do on the clearing side.  I had a bad week last week with the fatigue and not up to much and with the weather it was just nothing got done last week. This week G's back is playing up (he has a degenerative condition with his back which involved him being off work for over a year). He was seen by a Consultant and advised to give his job up as a skilled Engineer and CNC Turner, because the position he had to stand in was why he had a bad back and standing like that. This was making the disc slip out.  It is a long time since he has had bad pain issues where he feels that his back is just going to go, so is having to ease up on what he is doing at the moment. Trying to keep him moving about a bit though.

Tonight's tea is home cooked gammon with egg and chips.  That should do nicely and also give us "ham" for sarnies and use with other meals during the rest of the week

Right am off to get on.

Hope everyone has a lovely evening.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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