We've had some lovely weather :)

Oh the sun has come out to play over the past week and boy am I happy to say 'Hello' to it. We have even had breakfast in the back garden one morning - yes! it was warm enough - crazy I know!! Even Maggie kept running into the house, grabbing a mouth full of her favourite Bran Flakes, spitting them out on the patio and then eating merrily with us (Maggie LOVES her food and eats with great gusto)

The birds were brave and ate right beside us on our super multi feeder. Blue Tits, cheeky little Sparrows, our friendly Robin and recently 2 collared Doves :) I have also seen a Chaffinch but A. hasn't yet and it's a sore point, hehe. Remember to feed the birds, my lovelies - fat balls and peanuts are going down a treat here. I'm just waiting for the day when one of the Pheasants comes bounding in - that would be a sight, or the Falcons that live on top of the power station chimney; actually they might take Maggie off for lunch :O

So with the cherry blossom still looking lovely we have also had visits from bees and butterflies and it's a veritable Disney paradise out there (if you ignore all the building debris and rubbish). Yet another bed has been built and now is waiting patiently to be filled with soil. We have some of our pots round from Mamma  G's house (one of them had an evil snail on the bottom and we didn't realise until the next day and those tell tale sparkly trails - grrrrr I HATE slugs with a passion).



I know, they need watered, I'll do that in a minute!



We still have to plant our tulips in the cherry tree bed but they are looking very healthy and can wait another day. And apart from that, the celeriac seedlings are happy and the broad beans (crimson flowered - thank you Celia) are planted and of course being stared at every 15 mins to see if they've germinated yet - yes I am that sad. :)

We haven't forgotten about the Lottie, honest. I'll do a post from there after the weekend. It's just we've been doing housey stuff and WHY am I defending myself??? !

Namaste xx

Seeds and seed swapping :)

Oh dearie me we through out a heck of a lot of out of date seeds last week. Here is the carnage...oh goodness blogger won't let me post the photo - even it's ashamed!

Some were from 2009 - oh for shame! But compared to the number of seed we do have and the variety this was okay, through next year I reckon we'll be buying a lot more as the use by date on many of the ones for this year won't be viable for another season.

But this is where a cool new UK based seed swap website comes into play. Set up only very recently Seed Swappers is a cool new site where you can do exactly what it says in the title - swap seeds! Such a cool idea when you want to try as many different varities as you can without spending a load of money - just buy a few packets and share the seed with others and they can give you those seeds you have wanted to try and it's all just the cost of a stamp AND you aren't wasting lots of perfectly good seeds (like we did - see photo again *blush*).

Give it a wee looking at and there is a blog to go with it too, where the lady who set it up 'Splodger' will be talking about what to plant when. Plus, there is a Facebook page (where I am an admin) were you can keep up to date as well. I personally think it's a great idea and encourage you to take a look xxx

Wonderous news from the back garden

Andrew had a few days off and went mental in the back garden one of those days - he was so happy and now just look at it!! Joy, happy, happy joy, joy!!

So let's look over here first.

This is the very first bed that was made and now it has the beech hedglings in and a fabulous pleaching support erected around and above them. GROW you wee buggers!
In front of them we already had a Christmas Box planted and were all set up to get more gradually as they can be a wee bit expensive. But lo, Andrew walks into a large DIY shop and there these are all reduced and when Andrew took them to the till, hehehe, he got all 6 for £10. Good job.

Then over to the Cherry Blossom Tree and my isn't she adorable all in bloom :) Under planting this beauty is a load of Carex 'Comans Bronze' which all came from division of one plant in the allotment = free plants - yipppee. These are (hopefully) going to grow into little hillocks and have bulbs planted in between them. We already have some very healthy Tulips 'Queen of the Night' ready to be planted :)

You will also note that we have one of our bamboo's planted at the back of this bed. We've had this little fella for years and although he may look sorry for himself, having been in a pot and somewhat neglected throughout the whole moving house saga, I have a good feeling about him. With all the goodness in that soil (remember the worms and everything) I think, give him a little while to settle and he'll be super happy. This is a clump forming type called 'Fargesia' by the way.

Then tantalisingly over at the far corner is the new bed's foundations (eeeek!! so exciting, ) and just infront of Maggie, a strange big bucket full of cement (hummmmm?) but that's all I am going to say about that for now.

Okay, it's been a while but we've been busy :)

First off the SPUDS ARE IN! Hoorah. As tradition dictates the spuds are to be planted on St Patrick's Day and so that is where we were on the day, up to our eyes in good old lottie muck :)

We (and of course by that I really mean Andrew) chitted and planted these beauties this year:
early - 'Sharpes Express'
main - 'Maris Piper'

We went for a V shaped trough this year (on my recommendation so let's hope it goes well - eek!) and planted them out a good 30-40cm apart chitting shoots up of course. I love this method; so much easier to do than digging individual holes or using the black membrane stuff. You can see clearly where everything is and then just push the soil back over the top like a zipper. Done.

I cut a heck of a lot of grass from around the beds (about 5 buckets full; Andrew needed to sharpen my shearers half way through!) and we used this as a protective cover over the newly planted potatoes. In time this will of course become hay and keep the heat in like a big cosy eco friendly duvet.

It was a happy sight to see so many caterpillars and worms and a ladybird but lordy bless us all why oh why could St Paddy not have gotten rid of the darned slugs at the same time as the snakes!! I hate them so much and sorry to my plot neighbours but at one stage I got really peeved and threw them all over the place as hard as I could and they are probably in your soil now *blush*. Though Dougie you escaped as I wasn't up that far :)

It was cold and rainy but we had the whole place to ourselves which was a great way for me to get back into the feel of the place. As I do this more for the Ecotherapy (by that I mean it does feel like therapy and makes you mentally tired just like a talking therapy session) aspect than the pure joy, it is hard for me but I'm glad I did it. Next time will be easier too.

There was also a little bit of the old seed sowing done :

• mixed lettuce (which is under a mini sun tunnel)
• peas 'kelvedon wonder'
• beetroot 'blotardy'
• and leeks 'lyon 2 prizetaker' and 'musselburgh'

Andrew fixed the dodgy downpipe into the water butt - hooorah! I love gaffer tape (never thought I would write that! hahaha)

And here is a photo of one of our guerrilla daffodils planted last year ;)

Happy Days :)

I'm okay again :) so let's catch up

When I think of what has happened in Japan and the surrounding area I feel foolish and selfish for being so depressed, so overwhelmed by life and anxious. I know I have an illness, I fight everyday but god do I feel stupid today. This post is a distraction from those feelings, a bit of 'normality' in the media world just to help me see that life goes on regardless. My thoughts are of course with any and all sufferers in this world but for me, well, today ironically has been good so far and dare I say it?...I kind of feel ok. And I am not going to feel guilty for that.

So catch up time from the lottie and the back garden and life in general.

It was last Saturday that we ventured to the plots, it was a failed attempt at getting some work done. Both of us were thinking about our back garden the whole time and how it was more important to us at the minute than the allotment which we don't see all the time. We dandered round talking about how we ought to do this and that and then I took a couple of photos and Andrew got the wheelbarrow. Who were we trying to kid??! We know eachother so well that both of us knew what the other was thinking so....we attacked the manure heap, filled two big bags and hoicked them into the car and left. Sorry lottie.

prettiness in my flower bed



Definitely not looking good PSB





worms - hello friends :)



We drove straight to the nursery and bought grit and compost and then went home, feeling happier and funnily full of more energy as we were now going to do something we really wanted to do.

I worked super hard - wow!!

Here is our little back garden now - we're going well, it's very clay-y and heavy soil to move but boy it is worth it and now the gorgeous cherry tree is in place, well, a garden is emerging. Maggie had no interest what so ever and slept the whole day on the sofa, she still shuns the 'garden' as she doesn't really do muck, haha.

Oh and did I show you the jar of rhubarb and ginger compote Andrew made?? :) It was so good and there is loads more in the fridge and in the ground waiting to be given the same treatment - hooorah and yummmyyy!

This weekend we really do have to go to the allotments and get cracking - the spuds need to be planted on St Paddy's day!!! Plus we now have our dining area sorted out and the seed potting up can begin in earnest now. Oh lordy - I manage to get rid of loads of house moving clutter and now the whole place is going to be a greenhouse substitute! I just have to laugh..

And here's that wee tete-a-tete out in the front garden, makes a delightful change from the cement and dust and builders everywhere -

Enjoy your Friday and may the weekend bring a smile to your lovely little face xxxxxx

cherry blossoms in the garden :)

Just for you (especially Diana) - the cherry blossoms are opening in the garden = smiles xxx

The barren soul

My heart is gripped in a vice; my mind is confused, addled and disjointed, thoughts come and go again like the ebb of the tide. I am not well.
The back garden is going on at a steady pace; the allotment lies there untended but with promise; there are stunningly beautiful, delicate blossoms on the cherry tree, now planted in her own raised, walled bed.  There is a random little tete-a-tete that has survived the housing development and is showing her bowed, shy, yet joyously bright tiny head in the midst of the trampled grass and dust of our equally tiny front garden.
But I can't even work out how to get myself from this spot to the cameras, from there to the leads and do the uploading, to show you these things that ought to be making me happy. But which are not.
I have hit a wall, fallen down a well, had a smack to the face with a large shovel. This morning I felt ok, good even but at 12.25pm I crashed and I can barely cope.
I don't know what to do. But I needed to talk, to cry out for love from this vast world so full of people yet so filled with loneliness. I guess I just want you to know I am here.

Another Onslaught on Gault Allotment Glory ~14b

This time it's A14b and to be honest there is very little glory but if I was honest in all my titles would you really ever read them? ha - I know you too well.

So here is the reality of our second baby - there is a lot to do but I am not one to bulk at hard work (or at the very least, not scared of photographing other people doing said hard work). Well here we go....

The weeds aren't ours, honest I am taking this from the neighbouring plot :) Oh so much to do, turnips have been left to go massive and everything else just needs chucked in the compost and given a darn good digging over.

 See, here is Andrew doing just that; though I started off all the work in that bed - you know, in the same vane as loosening the top of the jar ;) The other large bed was once the joy filled squash bed - it will be again and those cold frames and the mini greenhouse will so be full with babies!!! It will, I must keep telling myself.

 Look, see loads of garlic - doing super well, though if you remember the garlic we thought had died, didn't so, ummmm....not so sure where we'll plant all this - lucky we like the stuff! And here is the unforced rhubarb looking gorgeous and getting to be a good size. We ate the forced stuff last night cooked down with some stem ginger and whipped up with cold cream - delicious!!!

Lastly, here is the last chilli that got away from us - but to be honest I thought it was so beautiful with all those shades of orange and red into black that I wasn't upset to see it at all. I may even give this photo a wee tweek and see if it's nice enough for my shop.....

I have some more photos of other peoples' plots but I'm not feeling so good these days so forgive me if it takes a wee while for them to be posted.

PLUS - another wall has been built in the back garden and a new plant was brought home today and put in place - it's a wee be green and cherry blossom-y out there = *big grins*

Huh?!!! *rolls eyes*

Okay so no collages as I have had to upgrade my blogger/google account (boo hiss) and it will take 24 hrs for it all to catch up. Apparently I like to write and post lots - is that so wrong?? Well I am £4 down so you better continue to love me or I shall have to demand that money back from Google and they are big and I am wee and I think they'd win. Money doesn't grow on trees, or bushes, or as tubers (believe me we have tried) so.....

Until tomorrow xxx

P.S. Did I mention I am up for an award for my photography blog?? You can help- see the post below xxxx

The lovelies

Please do note the button to the right and please vote for me in the Lovely awards. Oh golly - I'm 2nd in the Best Photography Blog section and I am so excited I could possibly pee my pants!!!
I haven't won anything since I was 6, at Eden Primary School's sports day where I won the potato and spoon race. Oh I still revel in that glorious day and can remember it so well!!!!
So please, all it takes is a click on the button and a click on the 'like' above my banner - you could make me very happy and it wouldn't cost you anything :)

Big angelic smiles xx

An onslaught of photos from A24a :)

 Here she is, our first born A24a, in all her current ummm, glory?What a crappy grey day, week, month it has been eh? The ground is sodden -

It's not necessarily cold but that horrible dampness is in the air that just gets into your bones and sort of makes your nose run and make you feel like you need to pee lots. Sorry to be crude but it's true :)

So everything is budding that should be, the Blueberries, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Cherries, Apples, Pears, Plums etc - but I shan't bore you with photos of endless buds, hahaha. I'm not that evil! Imagine a fruit tree budding and you get the idea. Though that doesn't mean that we are merely taking this for granted, oh no! - each bud had been oohhhh-ed and ahhhhh-ed over and genuine excitement is hard to hide.

But here is a little collage of some of the more interesting things that are going on.... forgive the lighting it was harsh and white.... 

So down the left hand side we have:

 A beautiful lettuce still hanging on, what a gorgeous colour it is!!

Bolting Kale

And Garlic - you need to click on the photo to get the full glory :)

In the middle here is:

A newly cultivated bed all ready to go - yipppee

My favourite Dogwood cut back and ready for a new year

And on the right we have:

Rhubarb being forced - it's so acidy yellow inside and then there is some poking out the side too - this plant just wants to grow and grow and that is okay with me :) I can't wait for my 1st Rhubarb and cream (I hate custard) of the year

And lastly our Purple Sprouting Broccoli is showing signs of survival after the pigeon attack - hoorah.

And this is the view from the other side and I think it looks pretty darn good! Especially when you consider the state of the plot I am standing on to take this photo - it's just all dead like this; sure I'd like to see it full to the brim with lovely budding plants and a shed and beds etc but at the moment, to be honest, I am kind of enjoying that fact that it is making our plot look so good - hahahahaha. I'm not really that evil - you would feel the same, I just tell the truth ;)

More tomorrow - the other plot :) HUGS  xxx

Our Little Hedglings

Here it is guys, that 1st photo of the new, soon to be amazing, pleached beech hedge. (I am dreaming big here!) It is in it's utmost infancy; a little troupe of brave hedglings at their first day at big school. But aren't they doing well? Standing tall? We all have high hopes for these little fellas.......

Enjoy your weekend xxx

Okay Okay.....

Right, we haven't been sitting on our hands (well Andrew hasn't, I sort of have after the tattoo experience - I can't get it dirty or wear gloves at the moment)!!!!

The allotment, has been looked at. I really did fear, it would be a 'I don't think we're in Kanas anymore' situation and that there would be ruby red slippers poking out from under the shed - the wind, oh lordy, the wind has been terrible. But no, our humble plots were not worse for the wear, in fact, nothing had moved. There is a theory in my mind that everything on our plots has sort of given up, allowed itself to become infected by our own lethargy and thus even the elements couldn't shift a thing over there - oh dear!

So, no camera and utterly freezing you will just have to take my word of it when I tell you what work we (and my that I mean Andrew) did last weekend.

1. The plots were given a general tidy and rubbish put in the bin etc.
2. A raised bed was dug over. Another neighbouring one will be done this weekend and they shall be the spud beds - yippppeeee! However there are lots of Leeks in the second neighbouring one so they need dug out with love first - I'll do that (I love harvesting)
3. The Roses were pruned and all dead leaves were lifted as disease still lingers within them my friends - be vigilant!
4. The Garlic was seen to be poking through!!! WHAT! Yes the garlic we thought had given up the ghost and thus we (again I mean Andrew) planted lots more are doing okay - again can I have a collective Hoorah!!? We shall have loads and loads of garlic again this year then - hahaha, take that Vampires!
5. Lastly, the Raspberry canes were tidied up and tied in.
6. The whole place was given a darn good looking at.

Don't believe me??? I shall over do it with the photographs this weekend and then you will be in no doubt. Watch out - next week this blog will just be a load of photos everyday and maybe a word here and there if you're lucky. Oh, apart from tomorrow, that is, when I shall reveal the planted beech hedglings - what??! did I hear you 'eeek!' with joy - I think I did ;)............

When you haven't got the words...

For B.

REMEMBER me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad

 

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Arm art and cement

Interesting weekend here in the Gault household. First off I got my now quite well known Cherry Blossom Tattoo added to. It now has pretty vine like swirls, leaves and the powerful word 'namaste' written beside it. Here it is in all it's glory. This is my biggest exclamation of self expression...

Then as I can't get it dirty or even wear gloves at the moment I wasn't able to labour intensively in the garden or allotment, in the cold and drizzle - how sad!! hahaha But my darling hubby (tis Valentine's Day after all) did work and he worked hard. Both here in the back garden and at the allotment - I am so proud of him and you shall see why...

Here was the back garden last weekend. Remember? I think we were all mightily impressed.

Well here it is now. Yes, before your eyes lays a raised bed, a bed which is now full to the very brim with the topsoil from trench digging in the garden, loads of the least stinky and therefore well rotted manure and 2 big bags of multipurpose compost. (The photo is from before tne compost addition, now it really is up to the brim) The beech hedgelings are sitting there just aching to get in, spread there roots and grow, grow, grow!! But we are keeping the bed covered for a while as the rain is a pain and the soil is very damp. But it's so fabulous!!!!

Andrew also dug and cemented the foundations of another bed. This one is directly outside the kitchen window and will have the beautiful Winter Flowering Cherry in it. Oh lordy, those buds are a-swelling, big and juicy - I simply cannot wait for the first bloom. They are one of Andrew's and my favourite trees - those blossoms on the bare branches just make me tingle and I find it an extremely potent symbol of new life, new hope, new beginnings (hence the tattoo I have).

We also had a good dander around the local nursery and have further solidified in our minds which plants we love and what shall go where. Even down to the pots and a special secret product that Andrew is working on but which I can't talk about - intrigue, mystery....it's all here :) !!!

Okay, as I haven't really done anything, I'm going to leave the work what was done at the Allotment for another day so you will hopefully come back and share that with me too.

May your day be filled with much love!! Oh and don't forget Maggie and I love you too xx

A little tiny fire in my belly - UPDATED (cause I love you)

Andrew just handed me the current issue of Gardeners' World and an odd thing happened. I felt a little underwhelmed and uninterested but then I did the 1st flick - James was recommending the new plant we bought this weekend - Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Carol, my favourite Sweet Pea ever - 'Cupani' (though I haven't managed to get them this year). There are photographs of new seedlings and the news that Monty is back and the show is once again to be hosted with passion from a real garden. It actually seems like there is talk of a future, a real one, not made up for Friday night entrainment but real!, with bright happy days, good food growing and colour everywhere.

I didn't even want to see this much of today, I was ready to give up to allow myself to shrivel up in some dank and dreary corner but now I am again that seed. The humble little bit of nothing that just needs help, support and love and then wow! try to stop me growing :)
Though damn me if that isn't easier to write than to believe - honestly...I still feel really shitty :( really really shitty.

Nothing was done in the garden or the plots this weekend due to the terrible weather but as I say we bought a  Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane' and it really does look like a party has happened on bare steams - there are pom-pom flowers galore in a delicious dark orange/red colour but James takes his description further and says his are 'part extravagantly coiffed sea anemone', I didn't see that but maybe that's due to the difference in variety (his is a 'Jelena') or then again I'm not quite as eloquent.....

We also brought some pots around from Mamma G's house so at least it looks a little more plant-y out there :)


I have the newest plan, just for you, cause I love ya. But my camera battery is dead at the moment so I guess you will have to just hang on...hehehe

 Our 'Diane', she is a fabulous mix of both the orange and the darkest red I am in love and quite frankly this plant makes me tingle

THE PLAN!!!!! - click to enlarge my lovelies xxx

Wind, Chitting and Butterflies

The winds are up, oh boys-a-dear and the builders on site are on top, the tippy top of the new apartments they've built, trying to work on the roof. Oh. My. Goodness. It is scary to see them way up there with the wind rattling around and all 4 of them haven't a safety harness amongst them, some have even taken their hard hats off - which I guess is understandable as I heard one of them blown off and crashing to the ground below (the hat, not the builder!!!!) I would take a photo but I'm not willing to jinx them, lots of insulating panels being moved about now and I have a strange feeling that my posting a photo it will equal having to phone for an ambulance. (I get 'feelings' a lot and they usually turn out to become true). So just imagine the horror and nervousness I am experiencing - or rather don't because its too horrible and nerve wrecking and I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable.

Right, talk some sense woman!

On the other side of the house on a very safe and unwindy windowsill are our spuds! Hoorah. We have chosen the delightful Maris Piper again this year as our main crop and are being adventurous with our 1st earlies, Sharp's Express. I have no idea what they are going to be like but I shall eat them no matter what, with the joy that only comes with growing one's own :) Generally I am not the biggest potato fan out there but I do so love, love, love the treasure hunt feel of harvesting them. Plus we are going to a Spud Festival in 2 weeks time and I know I'll become obessed (in a good, healthy way) with everything spud related after that :)

Here they are merrily chitting away in the spare room/everything-still-in-boxes-from-moving-house room. Tis a happy sight, I think you will agree.

You know we were at the Lottie all morning/afternoon on Sunday last. I took my camera, got one wobbly 'before' photo and then it died. Sad really I think it was just because it was so cold - in the house the battery read as two thirds charged. So, no evidence of what we did - sorry. But I swear we both worked hard and got beds cleared, dug over and mulched etc. I personally filled 2 whole wheelbarrows and a bucket, full of weeds, got a sore back, bruised knee and broke a nail -success!

And joy upon joy - tulips and daffodils were poking their sweet hope filled heads above ground. Spring IS around that corner, I got a glimpse :)

And so onto Butterflies. I have a  photo to enliven your day, through it isn't of a real butterfly but one I made. Let me explain, or rather please look at this link to explain

http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/butterfly-effect-open-is-calling-you.html

I did put up the picture and told you about this project back here:

http://growourown.blogspot.com/2011/01/butterfly-effect.html

but I am going to also put the button on the right hand side of this blog so hopefully you'll take a moment some day soon and check it out :)

Here is my humble effort which I need to now wrap up carefully and post to the 'Two Dresses' lady herself:

The main coloured paper bit is a photograph of mine called 'Fireworks' and was chosen as a representation of those little lives and the short lived joy and sparkle they had brought into the world.
The turquoise paper behind has the word 'butterfly' written on it around the edges in many different languages; those of the people who would have perished and of those who helped to save them.
The woolen (and now also beaded) tassel as the body was cut off my own cherished baby blanket and the ribbon flutters delicately just as a butterfly should.

I have tried to make this as personal and as fitting a tribute as I can but let's be honest how could you ever encapsulate the memory of even one single child's death in such a way?? Hopefully when there are thousands of them from all over the world all together, the art will speak......

Anyway I wish you a peaceful and happy weekend - hugs xxx

Developments in the back garden :)

Hoorah for Andrew! Today his bricking laying abilities were praised by the Site Foreman/owner of the company who is building this development - he was even offered a job, hahaha.

Here's the first bed to be built and it has a wee sticky-outy bit too, all will make sense later on ;) I am super proud and even choose to place myself within the new bed to see how it will feel for our bamboos: the verdict was 'very good indeed!'

We're getting more builders' blocks delivered today so Andrew shall be no doubt chomping at the bit to get the next areas started. We already have a list of plants to go into these non-existent beds and it's all getting a bit exciting. I reckon we'll soon be bringing round all our pots from Mamma G's house to make it more green out there and soon, my darlings we are going to have the makings of a lovely back garden. It the moment there isn't anything for me to do so I resorted to buying this at the nursery to make me feel better - I am such a big child ;)

Please do notice that we (I by that I really mean Andrew as my head is usually in the clouds to be honest) are always thinking of the birdies and have nuts, seeds, fat balls and water out there! Now we have 2 Great tits, 2 Blue tits, 2 Magpies, lots of Wrens and a Robin - happy days :)

P.S. I promise I will catch up on all your blogs - honest xxxx