Happy 2012

On the cusp of the New Year (in fact it's already 'next year' in Australia) and we have another 'guest' in our garden. A fat rat! Actually I am presuming there, it hasn't been seen but it's probably living in our shed and tunnelling into the compost heap which is right next to the shed. We've created a perfect home for it (or them:- apparently rats can produce up to - wait for it - a thousand young a year!). So, the check list for a rat is
1. Shelter (our shed)
2. Food (our compost bin, although I don't think we've put in anything other than fruit of veg we must have done something to encourage the blooming thing)
3. Privacy (being shy creatures they don't want to be out in the open and our compost bin is conveniently tucked between the shed and the greenhouse - we couldn't have made it more suitable if we had tried!)
4. Bird seed and nuts from the bird feeders.
5. Dry conditions (the lid on the compost and the roof on the shed ensures our rodent is cosy in the rain)
 Need I go on? Seems there is no alternative than killing it (oh dear!) although there are a few measures we can try before that. It seems wrong, at the start of a new dawn to be planning the death of an animal though, doesn't it and I hate that option. I want to be able to discourage it but I sort of feel outfoxed (well, you know what I mean) by this intelligent creature and I respect it's ability to source the perfect home for itself. We've always been careful about not adding cooked food to the compost pile but we also live on the edge of a field and woodland so we were always prone to attracting wildlife. Is it true that we are never further away than 12 feet from a rat? Oh, listen to me, I am truly rattled (oh gosh, there I go again, RATtled!). Anyway, enough of this talk. I fear that if, after turning the compost over, soaking it and checking it in a week's time, the signs are still there it's curtains for our furry friend.
I feel a real fraud now, wishing you and yours a Happy New Year (but do have a lovely 2012).

The North wind shall blow..., but not today.

Tonight some friends are calling around for mulled wine and mince pies with thick cream. I've tidied the house to within an inch of it's life, tacked up the last few pictures and stashed a basket full of logs by the wood burner. It's been very cold and wet today so the fire has been burning since early morning. As the light fades and the grey finger of darkness points across the sky I'm drawn to the amber, flickering flames. In fact I am ready for an afternoon sleep which will be a huge mistake as I will then be awake throughout the night. I think I may put on an old Fred and Ginger film and enjoy the schmaltz of Christmas. Jack's cat, Socks, is curled up on my lap, her warmth is a welcome touch. Having locked up the chickens at 4.15pm (before it gets dark) I thought about pulling up the beetroot to make more soup but decided I'd just dash back in before getting soaked by the insistent rain. Luke bought a large bag of peanuts for the birds yesterday, the price is astronomical due to transport costs so he was told. The birds have become dependent on their ready meal and it's a joy to watch them sweeping in and out all day, mind you, they have had to cling on the swinging feeders today whilst the wind buffeted them. Best to stay in and leave Nature to blow herself out.

All creatures great and small

After almost two years  in this rural location I have spotted my first fox. As I scanned the field just behind our garden I could see a young amber fox in the long grass. The same week I watched as a sparrowhawk sat atop our small Acer which acts as a feeding station with four bird feeders hanging from it.After a ten second scan it suddenly alighted and swooped low over the neighbour's gardens, twisting in mid air to chase a blue tit who was trying to evade capture. Only the next week we had another visit which I was alerted to by the squawking of hysterical hens. The sparrowhawk had landed on top of the chicken run with the girls just cms away from it. Shakira raced for cover under the hen house and drew blood when she hit her head against the hanging feeder. This is a dangerous thing to happen to a chicken as, once the others have a taste of blood they will keep pecking at the bloodied chicken and can often kill them. Our two seem to be oblivious to that though and no harm came of it but they took a good while to calm down. The sparrowhawk sat on the fence and fixed me with it's beady eye before slowly taking flight. Since then it has been a fairly frequent visitor to the garden. I suppose it was always going to happen, once we had encouraged all the birds to feed in our garden it was bound to attract a hungry hawk.

Merry Christmas.

There isn't much going on in the garden right now although the chickens have been presented with a new waterproof roof (marine plywood clad in roof felt), the compost has been forked well to try to locate the vermin that seems to have nested in it, the Autumn fruiting raspberries have been cut back to 10 inches and we've tried our best not to walk on the sodden lawn. Our Christmas gift from Nature this year wasn't 20 cms of snow and minus 13. 5 degrees centigrade as we had twelve months ago. This time there was over 20 degrees difference to last year and a mild and sunny day. was enjoyed by us on our Christmas day walk. A great swarm of plovers covered the sky, alternating in colour when they showed their underbellies - one moment dark, the next cream - like a giant tick in the sky.

Christmas is coming....,

and I will have some time to blog what's been happening (I'm currently knee deep in DIY) but I will tell you about the visit from the fox and the sparrow hawk. The chickens are safe but we are keeping a close eye on them now the threats are out and about. Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying yourselves. Meanwhile, back to the painting! It never ends!

The smell of pine.

Another day, another garden centre, another mass of Christmas trees. We have obviously got to Christmas present purchasing time as the only cyclamen available is as part of a be-ribboned wicker basket gift. Ah well.
The birds are going through the peanuts and Nyger seed at a rate of knots and every day we see little dive bombers dipping and rising across the garden. The lone squirrel has not visited again after getting a few shots of it in the tree behind the fence. We are waking to misty mornings and seeing the day light offer violet streaks of cloud  before rapidly turning to darkness by 1700 hours.
I was reminded by two people that a year ago today we had snow and plenty of it. By the end of the day we had gone from a few swirling flakes at 11am to 20 cm of white powder 7 hours later.Total chaos for us Brits who weren't used to it. Hello Russia, someone kindly reads my blog from that cold country and must chuckle when I mention 20 cms of snow and -12.5 degrees. Small fry to Russians, I expect. Anyway, today we had a warm sunny afternoon and people were wandering around in short sleeved tops. A funny old world in which we live, don't you think?

Give me a break.

Having planted some late purchased tulip bulbs in big pots (I like to plant my bulbs deep rather than just under the surface as some gardeners do, using them as annuals.) I find tulip bulbs are too pricey to throw out after a year, besides, they are happy to come up more than once. Anyway, I digress! I buried them in the pots for springtime colour but that leaves a bland soil top and 'naked' pots. So off I went to the local garden centre to get some cyclamen and winter flowering pansies only to find trees, Christmas trees and hundreds of them. MY choices were fruit bushes, hellebore or Christmas trees. It's November! The weather has been so mild that dahlias are still in bloom and now we are weeks away from spending fifty pounds on a cut tree.
So with no choice at the garden centre my pots are still bare but it meant I got home earlier which allowed the chickens to have a good time attacking the ripe raspberries. I think they were the winners today.

No need to be dull

We haven't hit the freezing temperatures yet that will cut any tender plants down to size so there are still patches of colour in the garden though you do have to look for them. This is where the evergreens start proving their worth by offering shape and colour when the annuals are well and truly over.
Here's our last bit of 2011 colour.

A handsome chap

This is our regular morning visitor. He arrives at half past eight and spends ten minutes hammering away at the peanuts. Sometimes he's joined on the tree by great, blue and crested tits, sparrows. crows, magpies, chaffinch, green finch, dunnocks and goldfinch whilst the robins and our chickens hover underneath for any messy eaters' leftovers.

An Autumn stroll before all the leaves have dropped....., frost has been forecast for next week and my  last few tulips which arrived in the post last week have been planted up into large pots for moveable displays. We are getting through the wood at a rate of knots (wood, knots...., sorry for the pun) and Christmas is round the corner - the Christmas trees have taken over the garden centres. However, some of the Spring flowering bulbs, planted up in the pots, are already shooting through the soil. Life's a funny old thing, isn't it?

Unseasonably good weather.

Nick, our neighbour couldn't get over the fact that he could wear a tee shirt this far into November. Unbelievable to think it's so close to Christmas. Last year (if you check December 2010's posts) we were snowed in at Christmas with 20cms of snow. This year, so far, we have enjoyed Autumn temperatures and as a result are still picking the raspberries that are too high for the chickens to steal (and chickens will jump for those hanging rubies). Whilst the ground is almost boggy (I think I'll be adding sharp sand for the next ten years) the grass has shot up so I risked getting the mower out and happily did both back and front in record time. Luke commented how much better it looked cut and I sadly agreed. It's my least favourite job, especially as I have to move the hammock frame every time. Oh, but it does look better. I always say that though!
We drove 200 yards down the road to our neighbour's as he had cut a large cherry tree down and wanted to get rid of the wood. We heaved great logs of it into the car and then had to buy a decent axe for Luke to do his man thing and hack it to manageable sized logs.

The chickens came out and jumped up on the step by the greenhouse to be let in for their dust bath. They have dug deep into the row of carrots but at least a fine row of peas has sprouted (I didn't even know they were there - Luke planted them a little while ago when he put in the broccoli).
The pak choi is fat and lush in the veg patch, the salad leaves have bolted and have leggy yellow flowers swinging atop reed-thin stems and the outdoor broccoli is thickening up although the caterpillars have attacked a few. Our broad beans are strong and erect although once the snow comes we'll see what happens. But today, with low, weak sun still giving us it's warmth we've had a joyous day. I love each chance we have to remember how beautiful this country is before the grey, dark, wet days we'll have in the new year. The wood is stacked up in the wood store, we have two loads by the wood burner just ready to be tossed onto the flames and we know that in the morning we'll be able to watch the returning woodpecker have his breakfast of peanuts from the feeder. It helps slightly with that Monday morning feeling. But, oh, for another day in the garden.

The cold wind does blow and we shall have snow..

Well, whilst it's positively Mediterranean here still considering it's November the temperature has certainly dipped this week; from 20 degrees of two weeks ago to 6.5 degrees centigrade this morning. But the beauty of a spider's web caught in a silver shaft of light is exquisite. It's always worth remembering to look where others aren't looking. If we spend too long watching our step we miss the beauty of life. Have you ever wandered along a High Street and looked up above the shop fronts to see curlicue plasterwork or amazing architecture? It's a bit like that in the garden - if you look for something wonderful Nature always seems to provide. So, whilst we all pull out our winter woollens I'm spending a few minutes looking at each little plant to see what this season is changing it to. All the while whilst viewing the birds flying to and from the bird feeders. What joy to see a little plain sparrow in flight, it's wings a multitude of browns.

Getting ready for winter.

Shame on me. What's it been two, three weeks since I last blogged? What's been happening since then......?
I've been leading on a few work projects which finished last night so today it was back to watching the flash of red that denotes the lovely goldfinches on the Niger seed feeder. Winter is definitely here if they are back to feeding from the garden. We've seen hide nor hair (nor feather) of them all summer but with the onset of the colder weather they have made an appearance and it's a welcome return for us.
I also got hurriedly called into the bedroom to view the woodpecker in our tree this afternoon. All the birds are lovely but some are so common that we don't get so excited by them but this lesser spotted woodpecker is a rare guest in our garden. Looking like a bandit with black strips and a red flash he stayed long enough for us both to have a good squint at him through the binoculars before he arched around the trees and disappeared into the field beyond.
As the weather becomes less clement I have doubled up our chances of veg through the winter with broccoli grown inside the greenhouse as well as in the vegetable patch. Lukey dribbled some carrot seed in rows in there as well but then I let the chicks in there to bath in the dry ground and they scooped out huge dips exactly in the centre of the row. Whoops.

Although we should have a greenhouse heater to keep a consistent temperature throughout winter we have never yet got around to purchasing one but I have given the greenhouse an interior duvet system with the roll of bubble wrap (or piribond as they pronounced it in Venice) that we got with the treadmill. It wasn't enough for the entire greenhouse but all four sides have at least got a warm lining up to head height. I used extra strong waterproof tape to ensure it doesn't lose it's bond so we hope that will help the broccoli even more. I'd washed it all down a week or so ago to get the green algae off the glass and now it has it's coat on (inside out) it should keep it usable whilst winter rages. We've been warned of a dip in temperatures very soon and even this morning there was certainly a dip in the temperature although my roses are all in bloom or heavy with bud. None of the perennials have been cut back by frost yet but it's only now a matter of time.
As the great oak sheds it's golden leaves and shows us it's frame we have stocked up the newly made log store in time to hide indoors and nip out only for reinforcements.

The sun sets

 Here in the greenhouse, cleared of the aubergines and salad leaves, the broccoli is planted up to see if it lasts longer than the outdoor broccoli already pretty well established. Although there are lots of jobs to do in the garden now for me it feels more like the sun is setting on it for the winter. This is the view from our front bedroom window last Saturday. Just two more weeks before the clocks go back.

Goodbye to veg.

Luke getting into my usual role, lawn-mowing

Me, pulling back the husks of the sweetcorn to reveal their corn.Not that there was much of it.

 Luke pulling the sun-dried pods off the discarded beans before laying them in the greenhouse to dry out. Black pearls.

The start of the last supper, courgettes, carrots, potatoes, garlic, onion and aubergine from our garden

For my friend, Rob.

A friend of mine asked for a run through of Shakira's moult. So I've put together photos of her before the moult started in August, through to yesterday.

Above is Shakira in her finery with the second one just showing a hint of downy things to come.

The shock of opening up the hen house to find almost a whole chicken in feathers alone can't quite be captured on film. On the droppings board, underneath where the hens sleep, is one night's feather loss.

And then suddenly she is almost 'oven ready' - the parson's nose!

 As it grows back you see a hedgehog type appearance with little quills through which each feather will break through. The splinters of these sheaths can be found at the start of each day on the droppings board where they have broken off overnight.

 The downy feathers, somewhat ungainly start to trumpet out.

 Another view of our chicken's backside. If she only knew!

 The moult is going on all over, in patches, giving her a dishevelled appearance.

 Then suddenly, from an ugly duckling comes the very beginning of a beautiful swan.

Then just when you thought it was all over, Buck Bucky lifts a wing and hey, presto!

She's started too!

Lady Bountiful.

Today up came the fruits (or more specifically veg) of our labour. Tonight we are having roasted vegetables to use up the last of the aubergines, a red onion, baby courgettes and some bought parsnips (well they were only ten pence for a bundle). To accompany them we also have various sized carrots, our own potatoes and a sprinkling of parsley and mint. My Mum and I have an understanding that when we start talking about what we are having for our dinner we have run out of things to talk about and it's time to say goodbye so I'm a bit concerned about starting this post with talk of food but it is relevant. Luke has planted Autumn purple sprouting (in case the outdoor ones which have been in for over a month get hit by the frost), some hardy peas (yum) and I've potted up some parsley into the greenhouse as well as some for the kitchen. As Luke cut down the beans and collected up the pods and I dug up the sweetcorn our chicks roamed the garden hoping for any tidbits we may find, one unfortunate earwig ended it's days in the beak of a speedy chicken. Their back feathers are splitting out of the quill barrels or should I correctly say, the sheaths which sprouted from their bare patches have now protected new feather long enough to burst open when the feathers are too big to be restricted any longer. Luke said they look like little blusher brushes, a long plastic handle with a tiny fat brush at the end. He's quite correct, they do look this that.
I dug in two bags of sand, finished planting up my bulbs and replanting anything that needed a new home. I'm sort of done for the year now. Although I'll be blogging any new activity it's probably just going to be bird watching now they have come back after summer's harvest, to their peanuts and Nyger seeds. So lovely to see the Goldfinch again and apparetnly the Redwings are on their way too. There's always something good to look forward to.

Have you missed me?

I have missed you but I've been so busy with work that I haven't been getting home till late and by then I have been too tired to write. Well, that is my apology. But today, ah, today - how lovely it's been. A day off after an extremely long week and the end of the sunshine if the weather reports are to be believed (& why would they lie?). Next week we have been warned of freezing temperatures, frost and perhaps a smattering of snow! But today we sat outdoors, eating raspberries straight from the cane and talking about what we need to harvest from the vegetable patch before the cold wind reaches us. Tomorrow we are going to pull up the sweetcorn, cut down the beans (leaving the roots in to nourish the soil) and take off the blackened pods for next year's beans.We may plant cauliflower under glass (or in the greenhouse as we don't have cloches) as well as hardy peas or broad beans. We've got to take out the aubergine plants from the greenhouse and add to the compost heap and I need to mow the grass for what may be one of the last cuts of the year. It's the one thing that I don't miss. I shall miss my weekly trip into the garden though. As I've planted up most of my bulbs into pots there isn't much more to do and as soon as the temperature drops I shall be hiding indoors in the warm.
The chickens have also enjoyed today as Luke let them out very early on and they have pecked around the garden to their heart's content.

We got our treadmill today.
Last Saturday, having got two free tickets to the Michael Jackson concert through work, we nipped first into John Lewis to have a bite to eat and as we walked out we chanced upon a heavily discounted ex-display treadmill. We bought it and it arrived today. I hadn't realised how unfit I had got (although I did suspect it) and my Mum disputed my claims of my unfitness, saying I was out in the garden so often. Five days out of seven though I am standing for seven or eight hours a day with no exercise whatsoever. So, back to the treadmill! I put on a programme for only twenty minutes and by twelve of them I was sweating so much that I expected to keel over. Because it was a multi terrain programme I had the incline option kicking in and every few minutes I was holding onto the hand rest to pull myself forward. The only motorised incline I am used to is the one on the foot rest on the sofas! In fact I am sitting on it now with my feet up infront of me. As you can tell, I survived the treadmill and after a little stretching to cool down I walked outside, into the dark night, barefoot onto the warm deck and breathed in the sweet air. I was just thinking, "It can't get much better than this!".
A lovely day. I hope yours was too.

A lucky lady.

Twenty two years ago today  my grandmother passed away.. I learned so much from my lovely grandparents and from them got my taste for freshly picked sweetcorn, from the plant to the plate within twenty minutes to ensure the sugars didn't turn to starch apparently. Not that they told me that, they just knew how to be self sufficient.
Many years later I discovered for myself how fruitful ('scuse the pun) it was to grow things. Today though I was sad; I still miss them both very much.
So how fortunate am I to have Luke? He put Michael Buble's "I just haven't met you yet" track on and we both got up from the computers to dance! Should anyone have passed our window, heard us laughing and seen us dancing they may well have decided we had enjoyed one drink too many. In fact Luke was just dancing my blues away. How lucky am I? Thank you, Luke.

Just me.

Sometimes all I want to do is sit and be.

This year the raspberries fruited.

A huge raspberry - or hundreds!

 Luke picking raspberries (the rhubarb is growing in the chimney pot to keep it's stems from colouring up too much)

 Big boys, aren't they?

A swinging time

 I've stripped and repainted the hammock frame ready for the winter. It's now a soft lavender to make it sit easily amongst the green of the lawn..

And here is real lavender, note the spider in the bottom right. I love Autumn when all you seem to see are the gossamer threads of spider's webs.

Late summer colour in the garden

 As the last days of summer slip away I can enjoy a few glimpses of colour in the border still.

Who lives where?

If you look through the tops of the sweetcorn you can see a black shape on the hen run. It's only Socks, the next door neighbour's cat basking on the top. Cat ona hot tin roof, if you will!

 Meanwhile the hens have decided to have a sit down on the grass infront of the run. In the foreground I have covered some late planted cabbages to warm them up and give them a fighting chance whilst keeping those blooming slugs off! The pak choi behind them are for the chicks so they keep off the main ones.

 Socks loves the fence, it's an easy route for her from the field behind to our back door.

But what is this I spy in Jack's garden? Only an errant chicken enjoying the sunshine - is the grass greener for Shakira?

No has-beans here.

 The Trail of Tears beans have been lovely again, even though most of ours were blanched (cooked very quickly in boiling water before being drained and refreshed under cold running water to stop them cooking any further) then frozen. Jack enjoyed a few more fresh than we did.

 Almost high enough to climb the beanstalk and meet the Giant.

My neat little veg patch, beans, sweetcorn, rocket, parsley, courgette, pak choi, carrots, ornamental cabbages, broccoli, onions, spinach, chives, rosemary and salad leaves and lots of dead slugs!