Smallholding
Happy New Year and all the best for 2024
Monday 1 January, 2024
Happy New Year and all the best for 2024!
Here’s the last two weeks or so in images.
Tuesday 26th December, Dan had a bonfire. Still burning on Wednesday morning .
Home, 29th December. Before the next storm.
Festive preparations!
Monday 18 December, 2023
Monday 11th December
Dan took an hour off in daylight to manure the beds in the polytunnel that will have corn and squash next season and start to put manure on the raspberries and blueberries.
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Manured polytunnel.
I’m still feeling a bit sore but much better, so walked the dogs and got soaked. How much more rain can we get? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this wet.
Shingle bells!
Monday 11 December, 2023
Monday 4th December
Woke to heavy rain. The snow is now all but gone; it’s windy, cold and wet.
Well, that'll be the snow gone.
Dan and I had a walk up the orchard and pig pen as was. A friend of his is semi-retired so he’s offered to work for Dan for maybe a day a week (I hope he has good waterproofs) so their joint project is to take down the internal fences in the orchard and the pig pen, and replant with native trees where there are gaps. We’re also putting in 100m of native hedging along the far end of Home, for wildlife but also to screen the builder’s yard next door, so that strip needs to be fenced.
Snow / Bonfires / Escapes
Monday 4 December, 2023
Monday 27th November
We’ve got real November weather now - cold and damp, light and heavy rain showers. Thank goodness for wood burners.
Still, at least it’s cold enough to worm the ponies. Ashley did Gracie yesterday afternoon and I did Smokey this morning, before he had his breakfast. He was very good – which was great, because it was double dose Strongid P, so I had to do it twice.
Started to clear up at the back door, ready for the Winterfest display. Didn’t get it all done – Dan’s going to make me a new shelf, because the old one is mostly rotten.
Winter blues / Downed branches / Photographs
Monday 27 November, 2023
Friday 24th November
Bit of the winter blues here; partly weather related, partly due to all the shit going on in the world. Just been keeping up with the chores and having a bit of a sort through of the cupboards to give the impression of being productive.
The weather has changed to cold and crisp – windy today, but lovely and dry.
Saturday 25th November
At an all day event in Stirling then out for tea with Karen. Went to a wee restaurant in Bridge of Allan called “Friend of Mine”. Fab food. Took the train – it’s cheaper to drive but more stressful. Love travelling by train.
Water / Weeding / Caravan gone
Sunday 19 November, 2023
Monday 13th November
Wet. Office day.
Tuesday 14th November
I had two appointments in the diary today. Both were cancelled. It’s like getting an extra day. Still wet.
Made biscuits. Turned thoughts to Yule. I think crackers are a watse of money so I've bought little favours boxes, one for everyone and i"ll fill it with little gifts and sweets. Today I bought some locally made goats milk soap. I'll put a packet of seed in each too, and some homemade sweets or biscuits.
Thomas / Squash / Weeding
Monday 13 November, 2023
Monday 6th November
Took Thomas to our vet this morning. Not good. She gave him steroids to try and get him eating and a long acting antibiotic; if the steroids are going to work, it will be immediately. If they don’t, we have to have him pts. Even if they do work, he has weeks. Gutted.
Bought lots of nice things to try and tempt his appetite. He’s been out roaming around and basking in the autumn sunshine.
And it’s all over. Thomas came in tonight and collapsed. We rushed him to the vet and he eased Tommy over the Bridge. We were with him at the last. I don’t know how much he was aware of, but I hope he knew we were there and loving him.
Holiday / Jaundice / Calves
Sunday 5 November, 2023
Saturday 28th October to Saturday 4th November
We had our annual holiday to Gardenstown; third time we’ve been to the village itself and the fourth time along that Banffshire coast. Not the best cottage or the best weather, but we had a couple of nice meals at The Garden Arms Hotel and a delicious lunch at Eli’s, the wee coffee shop and plenty relaxation time.
Gardenstown Harbour on the sunny day.
Wet / Plants / Aurora's birthday
Saturday 28 October, 2023
Monday 23rd October
Frosty this morning, but lovely and sunny. Cows boycotting the shed again – huffy girls.
Put the Christmas puddings on to steam first thing. Set fruit to soak for a Classic Christmas cake.
A huge box of plants delivered; these are wee plug plants to be grown on for the front garden. I’ve opened them up and watered them. Potting up tomorrow. There was a free gift of 40 daffodil bulbs. No idea where these are going to go.
Storm Babet
Monday 23 October, 2023
Monday 16th October
Saw the cows and my pony for the first time in four days. The cows are loving the windfall pears.
I finally picked the outdoor squashes. A wee tiny one in Tesco is £1.60. We’re sitting on a fortune. Dan made spiced squash and lentil soup yesterday and leek and potato today; he’s on a roll but running out of tubs for the freezer. Soon he will start demanndong that my Lego storage tubs be retirned to the kitchen.
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Butternut squash.
