Week Seven. Been a bit of a neither here nor there sorta
week. I (again) feel like I haven’t achieved very much but I (again) have done quite a lot.
Homelife
We have been trying new things and for the second and third
time in my life, I have eaten stir fry! We used chicken super noodles, and I
have discovered that I quite like them. Prawn crackers are taking a bit of
getting used to, though.
David bought me two geology map jigsaws so I have started
the first this week. I have done the outside, the cross sections, and started
putting England together. I think this is the most I have ever used a map.
I have finally started sewing together the granny square
blanket! It took me three hours to arrange them all on the bed to get a pattern
that I liked and for the most part it worked out. I am now starting to sew them
together row by row, and then will sew the rows together.
I am trying to get over my ‘guilt’ of having baths in the daytime.
I am having trouble relaxing and always think I have something else more
important to do, so I run a bubble bath and light the candles, and as soon as I
get in the bath I think of all the things I have on my mental list.
I put all the houseplants outside to get some sunlight and
to give them a real good soaking. I do this every few weeks – or rather, I have
been doing so while the weather has been so good. I decided I wanted a couple
of plants for the bedroom. Momma told me of a plant man so I went and visited
him and came back with two new little trees for the bedroom! I have also moved
some other plants from downstairs and now they’re upstairs.
Windowsill Gardening
The yellow courgettes have been moved to the garden, and
have now been replaced with green courgettes and butternut squash. These were
to replace the ones that got lost in the frost but I suspect we will now be
overrun with courgettes. Momma and I never seem to get the balance right!
Garden
The raised planters out the front are looking good. I’ve put
the house number on the front bed so that the Dominos delivery man can find us
easier – although I suspect we have already become regulars. I have sowed
carrot and radish seed in the planter and the first radish are coming up
already! I have also put in some anemone corms so I am hoping for lots of
flowers out the front this summer.
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| The first radish seedlings |
The bird feeding station has been repurposed as a hanging
basket holder. These have been planted up with cupid sweet peas around the
side, white strawberries to hang over the side, thyme plants, and lambs ear. I
have also put anemone corms in them, and I might wedge a couple of nasturtium
seeds in them too. I just need to get some pebbles to top them off.
The peas are growing so well, I am having to tie them in
every day to keep them on track to the mesh. I have also put in canes for each
of the sunflowers and tied them which was a good job as it has been so very
windy. A tree fell over the back which pushed another tree over and onto our
neighbours fence so we had an hour or so chopping trees back with a pole saw.
It was also an excuse to wear my brand new, neon pink, steel toe capped wellies!
We have had lots of salad from the garden. This week David and I
have had a few dinners al fresco in the garden. Yes, we did have Two for
Tuesday from Dominos and ate it in our ‘jamas.
I have also been spending money (oops) and have bought some
herb plants. The thyme was planted in a hanging basket, and the bay and
rosemary are just planted in bigger pots for now. We now have several thyme
plants, rosemary, sage, bay, three types of mint, and chives in the garden. I
would now like some white and purple lavender or lavendula…
Allotment
I have started building a growing frame for the loofah. They
need sturdy growing supports as they are trailing vines, so I now need to get
more plastic mesh from Wilkos and then some peat free compost to top up the
bed, before then planting the loofah plants. I am also going to plant a few
tomatoes in front of them to use the space up.
The pond is needing topping up twice a week as it has been
so hot and sunny with hardly any rain. I have sowed loads of mixed wildflower seed around the pond including campion, heartsease, meadow vetchling, cowslip, and dead nettle.
The alliums around the almond tree are looking FAB and I love
them. Will defo plant more next winter in different areas of the plot.
The mason bees have now capped off 50 tubes! I have also
noticed lots of litter from the tubes with bits of leaf, so I am not sure if
the leafcutter bees are emerging, or if the mason bees are removing the leaves
so they can use the tubes. I do get leafcutters nesting in the same bee houses
so I am expecting to see them soon.
Some other pics from the week...
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| The new allotment beds have been filled with homemade compost from mommas bins. I am going to get some fresh bagged stuff to top them. |
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| I saw this bug buddy on my pond |
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| The blue tits keep coming down for fresh Taffula fluff. |
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| The trough planters are filling out. I have also put anemone corms in these. |
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| Pineapple plant getting big |
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| Great spotted woodpecker on fat balls on my allotment |
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| I put posh numbers on the almond tree bed so people know that Plot 31 is mine. |
