IN & OUT more October 2020

 

The day after we relined the pond, I filled it up some more and rearranged the rocks and pavers a little.

That brings us to the end of the pond project and start of the next. The rain and more water filled the pond up over the next few days - and after adding more mud and a clump of pond weed that Liz gave me, the pond is done.

Next, the house was due to be repointed in the midst of the month - so the next week I spent taking down the mini greenhouse, ripping ivy off the walls, and so forth.

Out front, I had plants to cut back and dead ivy to rip off....

The side wall had to have weeds cut back and the old door yanked up to the plastic shed side.

One of the next two external projects I have to do is replacing that shabby side porch/bike alley.

The scaffolding went up.....2 days before the workman arrived.

There was not much room to get into the back yard - I have to squeeze thru to feed the birds or carry laundry or attend the poly tunnel or pond....but at least I could get into the back yard. The other door up front was not openable...so there was no way into the front from the back.

You can see the other project next on our list - along with the side porch - the gutters and downpipes, fascia and soffits all need replacing. These two projects I hope will be completed by the close of 2021.

IN & OUT EARLY OCTOBER 2020

 

The new month commenced and the first planned activity was relining the frog pond. Above is a shot taken before we began, for Liz helped me do the task.

My first task was to rescue as much pond water as I could, and the waterlily plant, and any pond snails. Liz had given me a half dozen or so snails....but I found they had multiplied by a zillion - well.... there were at least 2 dozen now.

We then had to dig out some of the mud after removing all the water. I had of course to return some for my frogs to hibernate in and for the pond lily...but the rest was placed about the back yard.

I therefore saved a couple tubs of this mud as well as the water, etc

We then cut back the bushes around the edge of the pond.

Coffee and cake break, saw the pavers and rocks piled up to one side, ready to put back once the underlay then liner were laid.

The liners laid, we returned the water, snails, silt, pond lily, and then put pavers and rocks around the edge. I then topped it up as much as I could with tap water. Though I could not fill it too much at this stage as less than half must be tapped in due to chlorine.

So there was our pond after our hard days work.

IN & OUT more AUGUST 2020

 

To begin today, a shot of the front of the house - with purpley mauve stuff - a drooping berry plant and the clematis both fitting in their shades with the front door.

More crops - those tomatoes and corn keep on producing! Before you think that vegetables and plants are all this blog is about - a small DIY project hopped up on me.

It became necessary to replace the hook on the pantry door from which I hang the tea towel and hand towel. Liz and I shopped recently in Dunhelm, and I had  purchased an anchor shaped double hook along with a few other items and it became time to fix it on the pantry door.

The old hook had to be removed first of course. It was a fairly simple job - unscrew the old and screw in the new.

There you go - all done and ready for use in just ten minutes.

This year I decided to save the bean seed to dry and cook with in winter. This is most of the years drying beans - as I did eat some fresh and freeze one bag.

And to finish the post and month off, another selection of August crops. It was a great year for cabbage and corn - and tomatoes ad zucchini.

IN & OUT AUGUST continued 2020

 

Here are the August crops. As you can see, my kitchen floor is in use - with apples, lentils, garlic, onions, etc drying out ready to store.

 

 

And here comes another bunch of crops.

I hasten to inform that the plums are not from a new tree I have planted, but from a neighbor who offered them to Liz and I if we picked them for her.

Just like the floor, the windowsill in the kitchen is occupied with crops in preparation mode.

This is something you have not seen much of from me - a Mexican star bulb. If you remember, Liz gave me a few bulbs a while ago - well they all shot out leaves - and now this one is flowering!

Here you can see it in situ. Above and below show it in the border, the latter offering one of the second flowerings of the lychnis in addition.

Finally for today, the same again from a different angle - this time showing the cyclamen and nasturtium as well.

IN & OUT August 2020

 

Multiple crops are laid out drying on the floor in the kitchen this month. Here you can see the lentils, spuds, onion, garlic and mooli. I have been busy in the kitchen using the crops - here we see a use for garlic onion zucchini and tomato that were home grown - in a home made vegan lasagne.

Taking a look at this kettle - I have no idea how old it was. My father had owned it before I inherited it, so I knew it was at least 11 years old. I was sure that it was starting to leak, though, so it was time for a new one.

At first, I thought I had been messy filling it - or filled it too full...but when I was extra careful and it still leaked - as in the photo below depicting when I dried it, slightly filled it and boiled it, and that there was sill a small leakage - I knew I needed a new kettle.

Liz agreed, so on my next visit to Sainsburys I hunted down all kettles under £100 that were not made in China. This is the one I selected. I am quite pleased with it so far.

That was not my only in-home purchase this month. I decided to buy an iron and board again. I had not owned one or needed one since moving back to England in 2009, or used the one I had owned when living in Australia that much since my son stopped wearing a school uniform in 1999. However, I now have a linen tunic as uniform for the care agency I work for so thought it about time to invest.

I successfully found a great ironing board - made in the UK rather than China too! I was not so pleased with the iron, as they ONLY had Chinese products, and I prefer NOT to buy 'made in China' items. You can also see the fat balls and a door hook I bought - and a couple of books Liz picked up for our stash, along with a jar of chutney I was given.

To end today's update, another picture of the kitchen to poly tunnel stretch. It shows the nasturtiums that I brought home from the allotment plot have taken as i had hoped. I want them to intermingle with the hedgerow behind the plants on the border so I have less of them down the plot and more space for veg.

IN & OUT July/August 2020

 

Here is a selection of late July crops - including green squash, mooli, blackcurrants, peas and onion. While outside my kitchen window, the multiple flowering plants include lychnis, geranium, nasturtium and Betty-blue.

 

 

Further along, you can see iris and marigold and rose joining in the colors.

 

 

Looking backwards, towards the kitchen, you can still see the lychnis crowning the display.

 

 

Changing the topic - here are a selection of my bramleys. Liz and Edna have been given some, and I have had 3-4 crop-grabs so far, resulting in apple pie, apple tart and Liz's apple crumbles.

 

 

Here comes another selection of crops from late July/early August. As you can see, it's been a really good year for cabbages in 2020.

 

 

The slugs have not been very adventurous and have as yet failed to locate the cabbage patch as it has been so dry this summer so far. This is the second large sized cabbage I plucked.

 

 

My haul of mooli and spuds was luckily brought home by Liz in her car, as it might have been an arm-tug to carry by hand. One more glance out of the window to show how August colors still dominate the border below the window.

 

 

IN & OUT July 2020 continued

Down the front of the plot I have popped a zucchini, a squash, a carrot, some mooli, brassicae, and filled the spaces with strawberries taken from the first of my three raised beds. Beyond one of my twin strawberry planters you can see what is left of the raised bed after I took the fruit out and Liz dismantled the side panels and dug out the weeds. My old weed bin and slug hotel are also in the shot.

Turning the corner, you can see my stash of 7 pallettes awaiting transferral from pallette to strawberry planter or weed bin. The idea is to make 6 new strawberry planters to line up with the two I was given last year in two rows with a small path between. They will go where the raised beds were/are and cover the plot space where the ground is gravel and weed.

Going clockwise around the plot from the last photo, the raised bed yet to be emptied and pulled to pieces that contains strawberries and nasturtiums is clearly visible. Beyond are the beds with cabbage, mooli, pea, garlic, tomato, lentil, corn, leek, pea, bean and brassicae. The larger compost bin is central at the moment and Liz has piled some covered weeds next to it as the weed bin was overflowing.

Turning the corner, we reach the end of the plot where the smaller compost bin resides. Around it is a potato patch, beyond which are more brassicae and tomatoes. Behind/inside, are stretches of raspberry, and further along my gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes reside.

Turning the next corner, in which the massive rhubarb is regrowing ready for a final crop before the end of its long season, we find the 4 blueberry bushes, a row of leeks, and a row of carrots. These are backed by more raspberry canes - of which I have far too many.

Going along the final stretch, we pass the onion bed, empty soil where a half dozen potatoes were recently excavated, and a few strays - onion, garlic, tomato, brassicae. My final shot for today cuts across the plot from part way down this stretch. It shows the third raised bed which I intend to keep a little longer as it is still in tact, if weedy, and a patch of assorted vegetation. It includes strawberry, eggplant, and brassicae.