The vegetables get going

Posted on Sunday 20th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I had a better day today and spent most of it in the garden.  I finally sowed the runner beans in pots.  I re-potted a couple of tomatoes and some herbs I bought from the supermarket.  I have now started growing my own herbs.  In the picture below you can see coriander and basil on the left – I didn’t think the basil would germinate as the seed is out of date.  The second sowing of pumpkins and courgettes are growing (after I lost all the plants when the mini greenhouse blew away).

Even though it’s been quite cold here this week, the turnips are just starting to germinate in the raised beds.  I didn’t expect them to start growing quite so quickly.

You can just about see the turnips!

After a horrible day yesterday, and all the difficulties I’ve had with getting my first proper attempt at growing vegetables this year, I’m glad I didn’t give up.  There’s still a way to go, and I’ve got to deal with the Frugal Hill slugs, but I’m feeling positive that we might have some vegetables in the summer.  And I’d much rather spend the day gardening than shopping.

How are your vegetables getting on?

Until next time, Tawney x

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I hate shopping

Posted on Saturday 19th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

This afternoon I went shopping.  My brother gets married in a few weeks and I wanted to buy a pair of shoes.  I had forgotten how much I dislike trekking round malls.  All the shops sold exactly the same thing and not what I had in mind at all.  There I was, walking round in flat shoes, jeans and waterproof mac feeling distinctly scruffy, while everyone else was made up to the nines and wearing their best clothes to buy more clothes to wear to the mall next time.

After 2 hours I had had an argument with Bee, my feet hurt, and I was thoroughly fed up.  We came home, and I’ve decided to wear a pair of shoes I already have.  (There’s a story to those shoes which I will tell soon).  I want out of all this consumerism.  Last night I was talking to a former work colleague who shared my views – I really think that the simple life is attracting more and more people.

Tonight I have got something to look forward to.  I’m meeting up with some friends on Frugal Hill for a party – we’re all bringing our instruments and we’re going to have a bit of a jamming session.  OH has even dug his keyboard out and will be taking that too.

How are you spending your weekend?

Until next time, Tawney x

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Being flexible

Posted on Tuesday 15th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I had all my evening planned out today.  I  was going to do some music practice,make some vegetable pasties and then tally up my bank account and do some writing.

Of course, things didn’t work out that way.  I started off with violin practice but after about 20 minutes I broke a string.  I was convinced I had another string somewhere, but I’m not sure if that was a figment of my imagination.  Despite hunting around, I couldn’t find the one I needed and I will have to get another one tomorrow.  I’m cross with myself for not being organised and having a complete set of spare strings handy.

Our oven has broken again.  This time the heating element has gone.  OH has ordered another part to fix it, but that knocked the pasty making out.

Feeling a bit fed up, I went upstairs and began to tidy up our bedroom.  I still had a feeling that I might find a violin string somewhere.  I sorted out all the socks and put all those that were clearly never going to have a partner in the rag bag for the charity shop.  I found an old shirt and a purse which can also go to the charity shop and picked up all the bits of paper.

It wasn’t perfect when I’d finished, but at least I had made use of my evening and got rid of a bit more clutter.

How do you manage when things don’t go to plan?

Until next time, Tawney x

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Finishing off the raised beds

Posted on Sunday 13th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I managed to finish off the raised beds today.  (I will put some photos up when I’ve re-charged my camera battery).  I’ve been digging out the bottom of the compost heap, and I’ve put a lovely layer thick layer of compost in each bed followed by a bit more topsoil.

I had a look at a few gardening books and for rotation purposes I’ve divided my vegetables into three groups for each raised bed:

  • purple sprouting broccoli, spinach and turnips
  • runner beans and peas
  • courgettes, pumpkins and cucumbers

I will grow the tomatoes in pots, and I’m going to keep them in the mini green house to try and avoid them getting blight, along with the peppers.  I’ve sown some salad leaves in a pot on the patio.

If I can manage to grow relatively small amount of vegetables successfully this year I will be happy.  I can move on and do more next year.

How do you rotate your vegetables?

Until next time, Tawney x

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A different way of spending a wet bank holiday

Posted on Saturday 12th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I’ve been planning to post this article all week, but  life has taken over a bit.  Anyway, as you might remember, Bank Holiday Monday last week was forecast to be a bit wet after lunch.  We decided to take a risk with the weather and join  an organised ‘orchid walk’ to go and look at wild orchids.  This started from the next village over the other side of Frugal Hill and then went up on to the moor.

I thought I knew the area quite well, but I’d not really been up on the moor before.  There is a whole network of paths up there which were used by leadminers.  There were lumps and bumps everywhere which were the remnants of old mine workings, and we went past several capped shafts.  We also saw a cottage DH Lawrence stayed in for a while.

It was a bit windy and bleak, but we found lots of orchids.  It was nice to meet new people and explore the countryside close to home.  We were glad we took the risk with the weather – it only started raining towards the end of the walk.

Have you discovered anything new in your neighbourhood recently?

Until next time, Tawney x

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Hoarding and clutter

Posted on Thursday 10th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I don’t watch very much TV these days, but the three of us have just sat and watched a programme about compulsive hoarders.

The cases featured were very extreme, but I began to wonder if there are elements of hoarding in all of us, and what starts as a collection can morph into a hoard.  Looking round our house it’s clear that we have a lot of interests between us and those interests have generated stuff, such as books, music, magazines, specialist clothing and the like.

We could do with a bit of a de-clutter, but we are not in the same category as the people in this programme.  It has made me think that I do need to keep a careful eye on the ‘stuff’ situation and make sure that I regularly get rid of things we no longer need.  The hardest part is going to be finding time to do this, but I have got a couple of bags which will go to the charity shop this weekend.

Have you got a collection of particular items that is threatening to take over your house?

Until next time, Tawney x

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Not a good day

Posted on Tuesday 8th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

There are some days when I wonder what I’m doing, and everything goes wrong.  Today was one of those days.   The final straw was when I came out of work, I discovered I’d left my car lights on and the battery was flat.

Luckily the AA man got the car going again, but I didn’t get home until well after 7 after a mentally exhausting and stressful day.  I’d been rushing first thing, and didn’t pay attention to what I was doing.  I was really cross with myself for doing something so silly.  More haste, less speed, lesson learned.

Today has made me realise how much I want to live a simpler life.  I’ve got a long way to go, but I am determined to get there, step by step.

Have you done anything in a hurry or disorganisation which has caught you out?

Until next time, Tawney x

Posted in Life in general | Tagged | 2 Comments

Back on track in the garden

Posted on Sunday 6th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I’ve spent most of the day in the garden today and I’ve had a lovely time.  I just enjoy pottering about in the open air – so much more fun than that ‘shopping’ as a leisure activity.

After a bit of thought, I have bought another small mini greenhouse to give my plants a bit of a start.  I put it together this morning and this time I’ve moved it to a more sheltered spot and tied it to the wall, so I’m hoping it won’t blow over again.

The new mini greenhouse

 

While I was clearing up the patio, I found six pea plants still alive after last weekend, so I’ve potted them up again.  I sowed more courgettes, pumpkins and peas and I moved the peppers and second batch of tomatoes out into the mini greenhouse as well.  A friend has very kindly given me two yellow tomato plants – she tells me that last year the fruits were delicious.

Peppers and yellow tomato plants

 

After lunch I tackled the compost heap.  It’s going to take me a bit longer than I thought.  I cleared the woodier material on to one side and then dug out the lovely composted material at the bottom.  I’ve put this into the raised beds.  I might have to buy a bit more compost and / or topsoil, but I’m nearly there.

How are you spending your bank holiday?

Until next time, Tawney x

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Progress in the garden

Posted on Saturday 5th May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I’m planning to spend as much time in the garden as I can this weekend to get back on track with the vegetables.

Today I did some more work on the raised beds.  I’ve had to spend a bit of money on some topsoil and I’ve filled the crates about half full.  I’ve recycled all the old potting compost from flowerpots around the garden, and I’ve had a bit of a rummage at the bottom of the compost heap.  There is some amazing stuff in there.  I really need to to turn the compost heap properly to get at the best compost.  If I can top the beds up with that, anything I plant will have a really good start.

Half way there

Tomorrow is supposed to be fine, so the plan is to work on the compost heap, finish filling the raised beds if I can can and put some more seeds in.

Are you planning any gardening this weekend?

Until next time, Tawney x

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Simple suppers – courgettes and couscous

Posted on Thursday 3rd May 2012 by

Hello Friends,

I’m going out in a minute – I’ve started playing in our local community orchestra.  I just sit at the back of the 2nd violins and muddle my way through, but I am slowly getting better.

Going out at 7.30 means I don’t have a lot of time to cook (or blog!) so I need to find things that are simple and quick to cook.

This recipe is one I’ve adapted from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall.  It is supposed to be cooked with quinoa, but when I looked at the price (£4 for a small packet) I decided to substitute couscous.

I fried the courgettes I had left over from the last veg box with some onions and fresh mint for about 20 minutes.

I poured water over the couscous, and after 5 minutes mixed the couscous with the vegetables.

To finish, I cooked some garlic bread which I bought cheap because it was due to go out of date.  All sorted within 30 minutes and I’ve got time to post before I go out!

What speedy meals do you cook?

Until next time, Tawney x

Posted in Frugal food | Tagged , | 2 Comments