Busy, busy, busy!

What another lovely day, I had to go out and buy some chicken for Chimarnie, as he keeps being ill everywhere. The vet wanted him back in for an exploritory op to see if there was a problem but I am very reluctant too, as he is an old chap now, so spoke to my neighbours who own a pet shop and we will try a week on chicken before we go back to the vets!!!

Came back and hung out 2 loads of washing , then cleaned out the chucks (2 eggs today). Then just general tidying around the vegetable patch. Did I tell you how disappointed I was with my sweetcorn, it grew magnificently about 7ft tall. A couple of cobs on each plant, they looked wonderful, when I picked them, but once cooked they where hard as the hobs of hell!!!! Mind you the chickens enjoyed them!!!!

So during my tidying I ended up with these

I thought now what can I do with these, then it came to me..... I am fortunate in having alot of ivy growing around my garden, so bugs and insects do have hotels to stay in, but I thought I would create a 5* hotel

just need somewhere to put them any idea?

Here is my nice tidy vegetable patch. I gave it a good digging over, I was really surprised how many worms I had so that has got to be good! I now empty the tray from under the chickens onto the veg patch twice a week, I must ask Lottie if I can put this on all of the beds as I'm sure there are some vegetables who don't like freshly manured ground. I was reading her website (link on the left) and she has loads growing still, puts mine to shame! But it is my first year! I had no idea that the late salad crops that Lottie is growing could be done outside I thought they needed to be in a greenhouse, unfortunately I can't spare the room in the greenhouse at the moment. So I will have to have a go at those next year, cos I really like fresh salad. Anyway I still have some chard, leeks and 2 parsnips!! Oh yes and at the end of the right hand bed are some alpine strawberries which are fruiting again and a small butternut squash!

I really need to hit the bottom flower bed it needs serious re-development, so I might have a go at that next week. I have a number of plants that need moving, to make way for the covered chicken run and also ones that have out grown their space. Mark is off over half term so I think then would be the ideal time to construct the run. I had better get a move on then hadn't I!!!

I have actually taken the pic from the side so you get a better view!


PS I may not post for a few days as I have to go into hospital for a minor op tomorrow (Fri) should be out either late tomorrow or Saturday depending on what they do??

All Sorts!

We left home at 9am it took us 44 minutes just to get through Chippenham, 44 minutes and there didn't seem to be any reason except traffic!!! Anyway we made it to Bath for 10.25 appointment with 10 minutes to spare, passing the Bath Rugby Training Ground and they where all there,training away, unfortunately for me the traffic at that time was not going slowly so I didn't get a good look:) Anyway Tori is done and dusted at the ortodontist, they are very pleased with her and said what magnificent teeth she has (all the better to eat you with!!).

So now what.................. what to put on the blog, uummm, so took a wander down my garden to see the chickens, who decided to only lay 1 egg today, 4 chickens and only one egg hhrumph! Can you tell I'm not in a good mood!!!

I found Autumn is on the way!

I don't think I have ever seen so many berries on the Pyracantha. In the front I have a Cotoneaster which is also smoothered in berries, alot more than usual. When I visited my sister in East Sussex just over a week ago we went out for a walk and the holly trees where also covered in berries. So are we in for a hard winter???? I wonder!

I don't suppose many people have one of these

I can't believe this Brugmansia, I have recorded 5C a couple of times on the patio at night and look its still flowering and more buds coming, it still has the most magnificent scent! I don't know how I will fit it in the greenhouse this year, it has got so big, probably have to dig a hole!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally

any ideas what this is? I had forgotton how late this plant flowered, this is just one of the buds, I will take pics over the next week and we can watch it unfurl. I might even tell you what the plant is, if you haven't guessed by then!!

Boring Housework and Mango Chutney

Thought I had better do some housework today, then got totally carried away by also cleaning the oven and the windows! I must be ill, so made up for it by messing up the kitchen again. I made some Mango Chutney

so here is the beginning with all the Fresh Ingredients

the middle

and finally the end result, which we now have to wait 2 weeks before we can taste it!

Down the garden path again!

Let the chickens out for a troll round the garden and look what they did! Messy egg layers!!

Then thought I could show you where I planned to put the new greenhouse, it is only going to be a small one 6 x 4 and no heaters are planned.

Basically it will be just this side of the trellis, move the bench and slabs, bring the raised bed down to where the bench is in the pic! Then move the bench here!

need to do some trimming back, but put the bench under my neighbours apple tree, just behind the galvanised chicken feeder full of plants on the left. Where the canes on the right are, will be where the edge of the new chicken run will come out to, hopefully roofed well protected from the elements.

The greenhouse, all cleaned and ready for its bubblewrap undercoat! Followed by a picture of my huge banana that is now planted outand producing babies left right and centre, this will need 3 -4 stakes around it wrap with fleece stuffed with straw and a hat to stop any water getting in the crown which would make it rot, but they are relatively hardy to -5

My tree fern is one of the plants that will get tucked up in the greenhouse this winter!

Moulin Rouge Party at Worcester Uni

Just had an amusing conversation with Kathryn on 'skype'. Her halls had a 'Moulin Rouge party' on Saturday, so thought I would post a pic!

This is Kathryn with Jenny (warden).

and this was some of the entertainment!!!! Apparently the lap dances where hysterical and nobody had the 'full monty' but I hate to think what the terms and conditions would have been!!!!

A Christening!

My friends daughter Megan Michelle was christened today in St Marys Church, Calne. It was a job lot.. 3 christenings in one go. I do not mean to be offensive but when vicars get shall we say a visiting congregation... don't they go on!!!!!

Prior to this I had been down the garden, working my little heart out, when I came up with a stunning idea about where to put the new greenhouse, so simple really.......... as suggested by Mark, put it on the right as you enter the veg garden but............... instead of losing half the raised bed move the bench down to under the apple tree and extend the veg patch to where the bench used to be!!!! Basically just move everything down 4ft on the right!!! Although under the appletree is more exposed it is actually alot shadier in the summer so probably more pleasant to sit and drink a coffee/tea etc, it will also be opposite where I plan to construct the new, new chicken run, it will also give me a view of the bottom part of the garden where the pond and flowers are as well as the veg patch and chickens!! Simple, why didn't I think of it earlier!