Some where, round about

We continue living in a home with two views; proximity to the coast line makes for interesting times with mist out of one window and sunlight the other, view of the far sea one way, yet No Fields In Sight the other. Thank you gardening magazines, for both seeds and reading matter! In no special order: Chillies and tomatoes didn't germinate. Two lots of lettuce went great guns but the next two lots look.....Sulky. Radishes ( long white and globe red) growing beautifully. Brassicas have taken off- must make collars and coverings. Carrots holding firm n steady. Garlic n Onions are doing OK. Think I will go back to sets next year though..... Kohl  Rabi and Celeriac are at the six leaf stage....they need to grow, we need sun. Potatoes are in. Peas are in. Beetroot and turnip are looking reluctant to me, so they ve been given some shelter. Chard by the yard, but not big enough to be planted out. Coriander, basil, Welsh chives and ordinary chives are galloping on. Flowers are a thing this...

 it has been windy. And cold. Foliage has been shredded and early flowers frosted.  It's not been a pretty sight. Flowering currants took a particularly bad hit.  The celandines and dandelions have kept the bees and butterflies ok but they have had their moments, queuing for the nectar is a thing! As is working in the garden and having the butterflies right up close by and the bees happily brushing against my hands. Odd. But quite lovely... Springtime has showed just how much plastic clutter there is in the garden, from the very necessary pond liner to random buckets and pots left about the place. Now. There IS method in the madness...when the pots Are Full Of Plants, but the ones i saw today were more of the " Oh That's where those two buckets went to" thing. Brassica germination has happened! Overwintered cauliflowers are out with feverfew interplaneted. I'm hoping their scent might deter the dreaded cabbage white. The cabbages are being raised in pots , will be...

Although official hibernation ended,  March was an odd one, requiring a degree of reflection. Sunshine a-plenty. Not too much wind. Hopes of fabulous germination. The reality of this dratted virus (TDV) sunk in. For a slew of reasons, the media generally became an unsafe place.....for me. So no handy radio. Who knew I used the radio that much! Starting an intentional 40 days of mindfulness (sitting with an image) in another place came Just At The Right Time for me to take my own medicine. Serendipity strikes. Rather than hauling this out last year, I have just left it be. And look! There is much to be said for sometimes letting things alone. Garlic has been bedded in for a while now, surviving the earlier frosts fine. Trying some Very basic wind shelter to halt the 45 degree bends we had last year! Carrot seedlings requesting sunshine! Please! Now! Or yesterday for preference! Claytonia Perfoliata  aka Miners lettuce is a stupendous success, in greenhouse! Only!  Although...

  At least, on my window sill the growing season has started anyway. May I introduce the garlic? My first lot of garlic were rooted in the greenhouse during November, hardened off outside during December and planted out last week. The second lot were rooted on a window sill over Christmas and potted up last week, currently in a greenhouse. Now these beauties! It is exciting, the beginning of springtime. Tbh I had been utterly unwilling to get out of bed in the mornings for the past few months. That has changed! I ve been in the greenhouse before now  but today saw the studio opened and the woodburner lit. Radio on too as I sorted and catalogued the seed packets. So, where are we up to from last year's over wintering? Claytonia Perfoliata, aka miners lettuce. That has done really well, but should have been germinated earlier. These taste great and we have already enjoyed a decent salad from the interestingly shaped leaves, so this pot looks a little depleted. . It will Not be a...

First day of 2021 and I am baking while in other parts of the house pictures are going up. Outside,  the wind is making its presence felt a little and rain is smattering against the north side windows. Sometimes it seems as though the various sides of our home have their own climates! I will add to this in dribs and drabs during the month, but for now we are all still mid covid and now post b__x_t. I won't dignify that word with a capital letter, nor will I spend anymore time on it. No sooner do I finish that last paragraph than a week passes and 'innocence is lost' as the tv presenters are fond of saying. Dont know about that, but Certainly I never thought to see senators cowering under seats and rioters smashing windows, heads or hearts on Capitol Hill.  Across the US relatives and friends are counting the cost of their loved one's hitherto apparently harmless allegiances . And the thing is, when hatred is allowed to course through our veins it Never ends well.  There...

   December 2020 is proving to be rocky  That Dratted Virus (TDV)........  very practical fallouts across our country as a direct result of TDV ......widespread heightened emotion as a result of TDV .....Brexit itself....... the process of Brexit.....shorter days......less chances for casual catching up with friends and neighbours.......weather finally took a dip......in short, we are all in a bit of a pickle and everyone seems to be reacting to our situation in different ways. In the past I might have thrown myself into action, those days are long gone now.  The energy to be outraged is absent. There remains sadness that we can find ourselves in this situation, but I have no inclination to take to my keyboard and share my (very strong) thoughts on the leaders in Westminster. Maybe I will leave them to God, history and the universe.   A few years back, our local supermarket was selling these off in January and in spite of their probable far eastern origins....

 Apparently there was ❄ snow!  ❄  just outside the village recently.  My response has been to: 1)  ensure enough candles in,  (but non scented only as my lungs can't  cope with the beautiful smells that Are out there. ) 2) continue stacking wood for next year, hauling forward This year's supply. 3) remind my brain how to cook and especially how to bake and preserve food.   The drafted virus is still with us but lockdownproject.co.uk is inviting a  diverting few moments. Will it? Or won't it? I know not. I have sent off an image though. Worth a looksee.?..... Upon using a bank card ......In A Real Live Shop .......for the first time since March ( hardly unique i think?) , it was declined . To be fair to them, I had to input a code. But as my  memory is an exctinct specis.......plus mask and glasses combine to ensure that I wouldn't have been able to see anything like four figures in the depths of my wallet/ coat pocket / on arm /  ev...