Rain at last!

It is really weird having proper rain, you know, the kind that gets your feet wet, soaks your hair. The garden is getting a well deserved soaking. Looks like I bought my slug traps just in time. I removed a snail from a sunflower plant this morning. It had devoured one of the leaves. I lobbed it onto the compost heap.

No gardening will be done today, so I can't escape Mount Ironing!

Oh, the endless ironing!

I have been ironing most of the morning and it seems the pile has not decreased. I am taking a break. It is too nice a day to be indoors. I have managed to plant the strawberry plants. A couple already have berries on them. Look forward to tasting them soon.

Off to the London Green Fair tomorrow. Particularly looking forward to a talk by chap from North London on growing vegetables. I will also feel compelled to buy a few plants.

Had to pull out my Rainbow Chard plants. They looked very unhealthy and I had no clue how to cook them anyway!

I am off for a massage to ease my aching shoulder. I have no clue what is causing the pain but the massage will help (I hope).

Buddha and blooms in my wee garden

Thought I'd share some photo's of my progress.

Sunshine and strawberries

Tomorrow I will be planting my strawberry plants and my long awaited cucumber plant. Not the best week to be vegetarian what with the ecoli. I figure it will turn out to be from meat.

We are meeting friends for a meal in a couple of weeks for dinner. I just checked out the website and it's a French restaurant with no sign of a vegetarian main course. Hopefully the website is not up to date.

After no initial signs of slugs in all this dry weather, I am now battling slugs as well as the cat from next door. How do you know what has been eating your crops? All I know is something has had a go at my kohlrabi plant.

I had to Google to figure out when I could harvest my spuds. I really haven's got a clue. And I didn't know what a sideshoot was until my OH should be last night. Still the tomato plants are flowering which is good. Will need to feed them tomorrow. So much to learn!

The garden is beginning to get interesting

I have been remiss at posting but I am back!

I have been on my Introduction to Permaculture course. It was very interesting. The people were very friendly but I felt a bit out of place at times. My experience in environmentalism is minimal but my interest is growing.

This week I bought 2 rather fetching pairs of Converse shoes and became vegetarian. So far I am not missing meat. I am still cooking meat. I can't see my omnivorous gang refraining from flesh anytime soon. My eldest son has been eating some of my vegetarian fayre which is encouraging. It is mind boggling the amount of resources used to produce meat. The smell of bacon tomorrow will be a test. I am most missing chorizo. I am still eating eggs and dairy. I can't seeing me chucking out my leather goods and turning vegan any time soon. A life without cheese, would be too hard to bear!

My first potato crop should be ready soon. It has been great eating all the salad from the gardening. I am not quite into the habit of regular sowing for constant crops. Today I harvested some radishes and sowed some carrots, iceberg lettuce and some poppies. The flowers in the garden and I am looking forward to more blooms. I will be eating my own courgettes soon. The plants have lovely bright yellow flowers. I may have to deep fry them, a la Jamie Oliver.

I hope to post some more pictures of my little polyculture project soon.

I spent the afternoon in the garden with my 14 year old son. He was a great help, He fixed the fence, made me a tripod and a bird scarer. I am all set for planting my vegetable seedlings tomorrow. I am so excited. I need to get some netting tomorrow to stop the birds eating my seedlings.

We attempted to make a video of the garden but my commentary was woeful. You won't be seeing it on youtube any time soon. Tomorrow I will post some pictures of my progress in the garden. I now have to go and read through my companion planting book to make sure I put all the plants in the correct place.

More digging!

I am trying to motivate myself for more digging today. I need to edge the bed and put some wooden planks down for edging. I attempted it at the weekend but the ground was too hard.

My seedlings are coming on. Unfortunately, my sunflower plants have flopped. I think I will sow some seeds straight in the ground. I am itching to fill the empty bed. So far it only has a French lavender plant, 2 coleus canina plants and some garlic. My vegetable plants arrive at the weekend but I am not sure if I can put them out yet. I think I need to wait to be sure there will be no more frost. I am now obsessed about the weather. My head is buzzing with different growing instructions. I definitely need 'L' plates for this gardening lark.

I have not met on 'real' gardener that does polyculture gardening. Most are perplexed at the thought that my veg are going to be nestled amongst flowers. I read one website saying that it is not very established in home gardens and that people that do are pioneers! I like the idea of being a pioneer, all be it a clueless one.

One of the plants arriving is called kohlrabi which is a seriously weird looking vegetable. Think alien veg! I think that will have to be well disguised before I serve it up. In the meantime, I am looking forward to my first salad leaf crop in the next couple of weeks. If there are any left. Youngest son was in the garden yesterday with a friend showing off the plants and eating some of the little leaves.

Hopefully, in the next month I will have some more pictures of my endeavors. I am facing the fact I am middle aged. Instead of heading out on a Friday night, I now tune in to Gardeners World. Monty Don kindly give out a list of things to do in the garden. When I get more plants in, I will feel like I have a garden.

Still undecided about the AV referendum. Leaning towards no at the moment. Actually feeling a wee bit sorry for Nick Clegg, though not much. Not looking forward to seeing my payslip next week. Anyway enough blogging, time to spring into action....or have another cup of tea!

Black Wednesday but at least the sun is shining

Oh dear, more gloom and doom on the news. Thanks goodness I have finished in the house and can escape to the garden. I cannot look at Danny Alexander's face anymore. His patronising tone is too much, I have an urge to slap him. As for the three posh stooges talking about the NHS, help! NHS safe in the ConDems hands, I don't think so.

I did flick the telly this morning while I was doing the ironing and came across the Housewives of Orange County. What a bunch!

More planting to do and then I will read my book in the sunshine.

I am looking forward to the Easter holidays. It is such a luxury only getting myself ready in the morning for work. Anyway, the sunshine calls.

April showers

Rain has stopped play. No work in the garden today. Next week I take delivery of my vegetable plants so I hopefully the rain won't last.

Busy morning getting the boys off to school. I had to make a peasant costume for youngest's Tudor feast at school. It's amazing what you can do with scissors and a pillow slip.

We survived the outing to Southend. No children were lost, only one puked and all slept in the car on the way home.

The decluttering continues. Need to get it finished. I don't want to scare off my new cleaners when they come to see the house next week.

Less stress from 16 year old son but 14 year old's hormones have kicked in with a vengeance. Unfortunately, his brothers enjoy setting off his furious outbursts.

I think I have finally figured out what the 'Big Society'. The government provides money for less and less services. Volunteers are to pick up the slack, but we are all working longer hours and to retire later so this might not work!

Waiting for the sunshine...

In the meantime, I have some baking to do. A cake for youngest son's birthday sleepover and cakes for the school cake stall. Then some ironing and if the weather forecast is correct, then I have some time in the garden.

I am slightly peeved about the amount of charity events at the primary school. It is getting too much. Encouraging the children to raise money is admirable but they seem to have gone overboard. Resisting the temptation to shoot off an email. A deep breath and this peeve will pass.

The big day trip to Southend is tomorrow. I think I am organised. The only thing I can't sort out is the weather. Fingers crossed it is dry. I am not thrilled by the thought of shivering in the rain while the kids zoom around on all the rides.

I have a tortilla (Spanish omelette) going begging. I considered freezing it but can't imagine it would be appealing when defrosted. Might give it a try.

Killed my cucumber plant!

And the aubergine pots were knocked off the window ledge. More sowing of seeds. Third time lucky.

Some good news though. My coleus canina plants have been dispatched. Here's hope they deter the cats. There is always something to do with this gardening lark. My salad leaves look good and I am looking forward to tasting them soon. I think I may well have bought too much compost but better too much than too little.

I am looking forward to filling the beds with plants soon. They look rather barren at the moment. I have been trying to swot up on companion planting. I hope that my little polyculture will thrive.

I now have gardening chats with my neighbour, instead of just a brief hello or comment on the weather, which is nice.

Scarecrow wanted

Work was busy but that's me for the week. I have a busy week planned spring cleaning. The clutter has built up again. We are definitely not a minimalist household.

I need a scarecrow. In view of the bad hair day I am having (think Iggy Pop), I think a photo of me on a stick should do it. I spotted bird prints next to the seed I sowed yesterday. Will have to wait and see if any survived.

Time for the evening madness.

Where is the sun?

I hope this sun comes out again soon. It has gone into hiding. I have an afternoon of pottering and potting planned.

Eldest son is heading off soon for the anti cuts march. I hope there is no trouble and he isn't 'kettled'! Having decided to stay home and do my gardening, I am feeling slightly guilty. I don't think my marching days are behind me, but am I turning Tory! No, that can't happen. But since no-one has convinced me there is an alternative to the cuts, I'll stay home today.

Census form submitted. So many questions.

Spring, glorious Spring!

The clocks spring forward. Farewell dark evenings.

Busy morning cleaning plant pots. I have run out of compost and don't think I can wait until tomorrow to plant more seeds! Might just pop a bag in my trolley on the way home from school to keep me going.

Meeting with Master Gardener went well. I have planted the spuds correctly which is good to know. So far I am doing things ok.

Not much to see but making progress. Youngest son is very pleased to pee on the compost heap for me. Older boys not so keen. At least they can't miss it, unlike the toilet bowl.

My veg and fruit box has arrived. I am perplexed by the beansprouts in the box. Adzuki bean? Mung beans? This is a job for Gillian McKeith. Perhaps I could put them in a vegan cake? Or more likely, on the compost heap.

Fingers crossed this weather last until next weekend. We are taking five 9 year olds to Southend to Adventure Island. Standing in the rain while they go on rides is not appealing.

Still haven't completed the census form. Will get round to it tonight, I think.

Time to go off and enjoy the day.

An early start to sort wayward hair

And not my hair. Fourteen year old son was upset about his wayward fringe, prompted by teasing from his older brother. So we rose early and I tried some of my hair products to tame his cow's lick. He is not convinced it looks any different but I assured him in a few days it would be trained. Any mention of a haircut was met with an emphatic 'no'.

It is going to be 18 degrees today so the garden is a must and Mount Ironing can wait. I have to dig the beds yet again. Being a complete novice to gardening, when I dug up the lawn, I simply turned the soil. Now I have patches of grass coming through. It never occurred to me that this would happen so I have to get rid of all the turned turf. I don't want to look like a complete tube when my Master Gardener arrives to give me advice on Friday. I am pondering asking how you keep your nails look glamorous while toiling Mother Earth. My nails are crying out for a manicure. But since I have developed a seed and compost habit, there are less funds for pampering.

On the cooking front, I am attempting a curry again. Try as I might, I cannot seem to make a decent curry since my one success which the husband missed. Today could be the day I crack my spicy nemesis.

Oh and it's budget day. The day the Condems extract more money from us. I will not be tuning into not so Gorgeous George.

The school run beckons and then back to dig the beds, after removing all the cat poo. Next door's cat think it is a giant litter tray. I fleetingly considered scattering chilli powder as a deterrent but that's too mean! Will try teabags soaked in olbas oil until my cat deterrent plants arrive.

Hasta la juego!

Unsuccessful sortee into green living

I did some volunteer at th elocal tree nursery run by the transition town movement. Thanks to Google and Aly Fowler I have become interested in permaculture. (Google it - too tired for explanations). This led me to transition towns and I found a group near me. I helped out at the tree nursery last week. Met some colourful but friendly people. I was invited to a social event on Saturday. The highlight was a meal of food they had foraged in the afternoon.

To be on the safe side, I ate before I went. Thank goodness! I cannot enthuse about the hogweed and chickpea stew. My offering was a banana and apple loaf. Unfortunately, it was not vegan friendly. I was not feeling relaxed and wearing my leather jacket was a definite faux pas. When some non- vegans chucked some meat on the barbecue, it was about to kick off, so I did a Ross Kemp, viathe bastion of hell (Tesco) for a bottle of wine.

Next week, I am trying a new transition group, hopefully less hard-core. I am now a bit nervous about the permaculture course I have booked for May. Another task for Google - vegan friendly biccies for the shared lunch. Only real issue is what to wear.

How does your garden grow?

I am now totally addicted to garden. I am itching to start planting. I am aiming for a polyculture. Through my research I have found an abundance of resources in my area. It has opened up a whole new world. I can barely contain my excitement when my seedlings pop up. I am looking forward to my new project. It is a very peaceful past time which helps minimise my hormonal meltdown.

I have been hibernating for the winter. I have little interest in going out. I look forward to the clocks going forward.