Paths / Boxes / Peas - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Sunday 14 April, 2024

by Rosemary at 6:25pm in Smallholding 1 comment Add your own

Monday 8^th April

Unsurprisingly, more rain. That said, I’ve made the returns to our accountant for our personal tax and the business year end – never happened this quickly before.

I’d ordered 120 tiny petunia plants; they were delivered today. I unwrapped them and left the tissue paper on the bunker in the kitchen. It’s been Dot’s spot all afternoon.

Dot's tissue nest.

Mickey is settling in; I offered to put his coat on this afternoon, in anticipation of rain overnight but he declined. Quite politely.

Mickey.

 

Tuesday 9^th April

Still wet. The sunken garden has a moat.

Sunken garden moat.

Dan had to spend most of the day at his desk but did get out to weed the polytunnel. It’s come to life suddenly.

I bought a bird bath for the front garden. Gary the landscaper will fix it in when he gets to the centre circle. I’m so excited.

Farrier was here to do the ponies' feet. All good.

Wednesday 10^th April

Nice morning, cool but dry. Rain started about lunchtime, but Dan managed to get the huge pile of brash in the front garden burned, so it won’t be in Gary’s way. The space looks even bigger now. We might plant a sort of shrubbery to break up the view. All plans.

I potted up some hostas and ferns for the stumpery, and the 120 petunias for hanging baskets.

Dot made a spot in a bag of yarn. Strange kitty.

Mickey is no longer scared of cows. The vet came to give him a tatanus jag and have a look at his teeth. He has one very overgrown tooth that will need taken back in stages. We'll do it all again in four weeks.

Mickey and Rora.

Thursday 11^th April

What a lovely day. Actually felt like spring. Dan and Murdo found a path. Well, cleared a path. We knew it was there.

Brick path.

And moved sleepers and did some fence repairs in Sheepfold. They’ll sleep tonight.

Gary started on the formal part of the front garden but finished at lunchtime because The Masters is on.

Work begins.

Dot helped in the greenhouse. I sowed brassicas. She slept in the box.

Dot in a box.

Friday 12^th April

Warm, sunny, breezy. Perfect. We must have had some rain overnight and there was a wee shower about 3pm, but fingers crossed for heading in the right direction.

Feed store this morning for a bag of chick crumbs; picking up the meat chickens next week, plus two POL pullets, so getting prepared. Bought some other bits and pieces and then used my loyalty points so it was free. Result.

Ordered 75 fence posts and some line wire. Not free.

Cooper met Mickey.

Cooper planning to take down Mickey.

More progress with the formal paths. I'll be glad when The Masters is finished.

Base down.

Huckled Diesel off to the vet with a suspected ear infection. Head shaking, clawing, black ooze on his ear. Turned out it was just some black clarts on his head. Who knows where he stuck it.

The cows got a new bale this morning and didn’t want fed; neither did the ponies. Feral. But they were less feral by 3pm.

Saturday 13^th April

Another lovely day. I potted up 96 Hurst Greenshaft peas, planted out the Douce Provence early peas, and some lettuce and rocket. And the sweet peas, Heathcliff and Gertrude also planted out in tubs.

Early peas, salad leaves and rocket.

Diesel and the kittens came to help. They liked the heat pad, but much as I love them, I wasn’t leaving it on for them. Diesel quite often sleeps in the greenhouse, if the door is left ajar.

Cooper and Diesel on the heat pad.

And Dot in a box. Again.

Bits Dot wasn't in the box all day. She made an attempt on the Turkish Hazel.

Dot and the Turkish Hazel.

Water levels have dropped a bit, but it’s still very wet underfoot. Still, it’s moving in the right direction.

Home. Water levels dropping.

Dan emptied the brassica bed and manured it, ready for the tatties later this month.

Tattie bed.

Since the biscuit barrels were empty, I baked some gingernuts. Then baked a variation, with mixed spice instead of ginger and some currants added. They’re rather good.

 

Sunday 14^th April

Sunny showers, cold wind, warm wind. It’s fair shifting about. Dan and Andy were making up comfrey orders, so I cleaned out the summer henhouse. It looks like the roof is knackered. Another job for the list.

Did a bit of reading up about stumperies. Next week, maybe. And baked a date and walnut malt loaf. My favourite.