Last night and Today

Last evening after tea.....

I ended up going into the garden again and shifting a load more bags in readiness for going to the tip.  All the green waste bags have been transferred to the patio slabs and I have made sure that the bags are intact for transporting.  

I was tired when I came in and it was gone 9:00am and I had planned on doing some cross stitch.  Change of plans and I ended up tidying up a crochet square (sewing in the ends) and working the two extra white rows on the grey, turquoise and white blanket throw.  So at least I made the most of the time available to me.  This is what will happen if I cannot get to the cross stitch in an effort to not waste time and make the most of the time spans I have.  Time a most valuable commodity, but to also ensure that a UFO eventually gets finished and completed and put up in readiness to use.  This is why I like crochet as you can fit it in with whatever you are doing and it grows quickly.  Tonight though, I am going to do some cross stitch.  I will start it earlier on before I get over-tired.

Today......

We were intending to go to the tip today but it is far too hot.  I am therefore going to concentrate on the kitchen a bit more today, and then any further rubbish from there can go to the tip tomorrow with the other stuff even if it means a couple of trips.

Breakfast

G had his brekkie.  Was planning on going to the Butcher today - may still do so - but if not it will be tomorrow as am nearly out of eggs.  I get twitchy if I do not have bread, milk,  cheese, potatoes, onions, bacon and eggs available to use in my fridge/pantry as you can make so much from these.

So into the garden

To start with and open up the greenhouses to start with and check to see if they require water.  They did get water and feed last night and I do not think they will require the water but one never knows.  I checked the Cucumber today and have found three Cucumbers forming.  I might get another Cucumber plant as I usually make Cucumber Pickles for the Pantry shelf.  It would be nice if I could produce all the Cucumbers this year.  G eats these like sweeties.   I might also get a couple of Aubergines.  Never grown these though so will be entirely new territory.

I am literally trying to get back to my roots and provide for myself as much as I can on the food front.  Do what my Nan and Pop did and my Mum and Dad did.  It is the land that is important as with it you always have the ability to keep yourself fed.  I know I will not be able to produce a lot, but there will be something that will be useful on the fresh food front that always helps the purse and keeping a good supply of food available for us as well as being able to make preserves.

And, five hours later....

I am still in the garden starting to clear the overgrown garden from brambles and all sorts of other nasty plants that you need gloves on for.  I used the loppers to take the plants down to about half way and then have got back in.  I have also tackled some of the overhanging ivy which was completely restricting the Sun to my first greenhouse.  Quite a lot has been lopped off and there is sunlight in there now.  It is still shaded a bit because there is an apple tree that overhangs and there are trees and bushes behind that.  The garden is a blooming mess.  I have been stuck in trying to tame it and it is going to be a slow progressive task.  The greenhouses look good though.  I have put a lot of work into them and to tell you the truth I really am enjoying doing it.

When we first moved in here 37 years ago, the garden was a wilderness and it took some taming then.  When I started having difficulties with things, the garden got left to its own devices a bit, even though for the best part I used to do a little bit I could not tackle some of the larger jobs that needed doing So they got left.

Last year I did not grow anything at all and I missed it.  It was  a mistake on my part, because we had cleared everything down the year before and done a good job of it.  However, we had other priorities last year, and I regretted not growing anything as a little bit of fresh homegrown tomatoes or fruit is always a blessing.  I vowed to myself that this year I was going to garden.  It is taking some serious effort on my part and my back and body is not particularly happy about things, and has been complaining bitterly.  However, I take it that it is very good exercise for me.  I shall put some spray on later on to relax the muscles a bit.  I am taking my time and resting up in-between.  So in effect today has been a gardening day. Tomorrow will be the kitchen day as well as having to go to see the Vampires!  I just could not face the kitchen today especially as it was just too nice outside and not as hot with a lovely breeze.  I am not afraid of hard work at all, never have been, it is just that things take so much longer for me these days.  Perhaps I over complicate things but I also take the view that if I am doing something I might as well do it to the best of my ability as it often saves having to go back over things several times. That drives me insane. I prefer the most productive way of doing things at the end of the day.

On a brighter note, I have managed to bag everything I have chopped down which is a result in itself.  There at least 25 bags plus to go down to the tip and that will not be the end of it.

I also nipped to the shop, and ended up buying some Lobelia for Hanging baskets and planters, which at one point I was not going to do. Told you the plants had different ideas as they keep jumping out at me.  £3 a tray or three trays for £6.  Sitting on the ladder waiting for room in the greenhouse.  Will be sorted before I close up.

I have transferred most of the pots down to the patio that also looks a blooming mess. However there is a method in my madness. Tomorrow we go to the tip which will probably take a couple of trips at least. I have everything bagged up and ready to go. That is on the patio, but there are a lot of pots with the remnants of compost in them. I am going to remove any plant life from said compost and recycle it. Unfortunately some of the patio slabs have sunk and so the plan is to actually put some of the compost underneath these to level them up. I will also be able to sort the plant pots, hanging baskets and other planters and trays up and get them cleaned and stacked back on their racks.

I have today in any event cleared the water barrel of brambles and weeds which is down one side of number two greenhouse. I have also recovered two long plastic planters that used to belong to G's Mum, Jessie.  They are still in good condition and so these will be pressed into use, probably with some Spinach, or Salad leaves and will be placed back alongside the greenhouse again. The soil is covered with a layer of debris at the moment my intention is to rake this up and get that into a bag and then I should be able to start digging around this area, getting rid of any roots and twitch. Even if I do not get into the garden everyday, I will attempt to do a little digging every evening as I have a load of stuff that needs to go into the garden. Potatoes being one of them.  My Dad always used to say that they were good at cleaning the soil. It is going to be a lot of hard work, but I hope will look reasonably good by the time I have finished.  It will look worse before it gets better though.

I have had the Robins with me again today, today venturing down near my feet and not at all perturbed.  They seem to come to me as soon as I go out into the garden.  It is a pleasure to have them with me.  There is a long history of Robins and gardens in our family.  My Nan had a resident family that used to renew with the generations as did my Dad.  It would seem it is now my turn.  I take it that loved ones are near.

I may in a little while attempt to sort out and weed the old Herb border again which also has the grapevine in.  That needs trimming and tying in a bit, which will be a job for another time, but I can tackle the weeds.  That will be another job out of the way with and once the grapevine is tied in that will complete that bed.  There are already grapes forming on it.

G and a little trip to the Butchers

I wanted to go to the Butchers but this time round as I was so busy, G went on his own.  He came back with what is called an Orchard Pie very delicious too. A Lamb and Mint tray bake which will be for tea, bacon, sausages, chipolatas. smoked burgers, eggs and some buns.  Should keep us going for a few days.  

Tomorrow then into the Kitchen we will go

It will very much be a kitchen day tomorrow to give me a break from the back breaking work, giving myself a day in-between for doing something else.  Helps to vary things  up and stops me going stir crazy.

Think G will be fishing on Friday so I will be able to get stuck in on something else Missy permitting.  However, this afternoon she has been flat out underneath the fan to keep her cool  Mostly asleep.

Right then must get tea on and then get back into the garden for a little while.  Herb border here we come.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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