omlet: @Daisybumble You're welcome Bluebell and Florence. And might we say how fine you're looking today!

omlet: RT @hungrybin: @hello_im_megan I'm so sorry I didn't hear your tweets, In the UK visiting @omlet, surrounded by thousands of twittering ...

omlet: @rebeccajhurst Eggcellent new Rebecca! Now for the tricky bit...choosing the names of your new hens!

omlet: RT @ChickenDoris: Those darn broody pekins are clogging up my @omlet Cube again. Don't they know MY eggs are the most important??

omlet: RT @hungrybin: @omlet Betty (Cochin) eggstatic re yr follow. "I eggspect you'll upgrade my humble hutch, find the catalogue, and I'll pe ...

At the weekend when it was raining I did some blog surfing and came across the blog Vertical Veg. Wow this man produced so much in his London  home. He planted planters on a roof terrace, window sills, front garden , in fact anywhere he could ! and the produce he grew! He even kept a log. One of the things he used was self watering planter. He talked about ones that could be purchased however he described how to make your own and you can find the information here: self watering containers. So I made my own- unfortunately I forgot take photographs  but I will the next time  I make one.
I used the 3litre milk container but I didn't have any spare yoghurt pots so I used orange juice containers instead. Luckily we had some old pond piping in the shed -so I used that too. This man is so inspirational- take a look at his blog...........

omlet: @Daisybumble hello, you should have received a reply now... so sorry for the delay!

omlet: RT @tanya_weaver: I've 'recycled' my @omlet beehaus packaging. Jess is happy. http://t.co/dszFuM4o

omlet: @Daisybumble Please email stephanie@omlet.co.uk with the details and I will forward it to the relevant person. Thank you!

Today it did NOT rain - so I got on with outdoor jobs - Compostman got out the mower for me and I  mowed everywhere,                            I spread the grass clippings around in the orchard to mulch out the weeds,  and piled the remainder  up awaiting time for me to put  into various compost bins    The hen run and two houses have been cleaned out and disinfected, hen run wood chippings cleared out and composted, ground sanitised and more chippings added into the run, new dust bath areas procured in run from dry compost and wood ash, and the hens have all had a good cuddling session each and been wandering around the garden while I mowed.             The polytunnel plants are all watered, and I pricked out yet more more kale and purple sprouting broccoli seedlings,  


Then I went and posted a couple of letters and admired some owl babies in a secret location nearby,
ate a  yummy dinner and now have settled down with a  book  (Catching Fire, part 2 of The Hunger Games trilogy) a glass of wine and and crochet. Oh and I did some boring stuff today as well - housework-y stuff and bill paying-y stuff and washing-hanging-out-y stuff, but that is not really noteworthy!It felt good to be working outside without a waterproof coat on, for a change.

Greetings everyone, a tired hello from Barcelona!  I was up so early this morning I have no energy to go out, so thought I would update my blog.  Having pilfered all the lovely Aveda toiletries from the bathroom, it's time to sit and write!

On my last days off, I did manage to pop to the garden centre and get a few bits.  I wanted some garden mint and needed a couple of bags of compost to fill the last raised bed.


Just the gravel to order now and the back garden will be done.  Once my brother has sorted the garden tap, I can plumb in the watering system and get planting!

The pear tree that Mum bought me is doing well, even if it is a strange shape at the moment.  It'll look ok in a couple of years with careful pruning.


I couldn't resist the terracotta pots, so planted up some tiny alpine strawberries too. 
Work has been full on, with just one day off between 2 working blocks, I haven't had a chance to write/do much.  2 more days to go and I have 12 days off which I am looking forward to.  Plus it is my Birthday soon!!

With ironing being my least favourite chore, it didn't take much to distract me, when Milo decided it would be fun to explore under the spare bed.  He is ever so camera shy, so I took my chances, lay on the floor and called him from under the quilt......out he came, all waggy tail and I got this picture!!  I love it and it really shows his cute side.  I decided to enter it into a competition to win worming tablets (I know, hardly exciting, but why not)??

If you would like to vote, click Here You can vote every day if you have the time....I only need another 5000 clicks to beat the current winner! ;0)


I thought one was special too.

I am to blame for the cold weather.  On the 30th of April I was busy packing for a trip and decided that May was 'round the corner, so turned Stanley the Rayburn off.  He has been guzzling oil at a rate of knots and needs a service! May day arrives and I get up for work at some ungodly hour to discover it is 2 degrees outside!  Apologies.

My basil seedlings are growing slowly.  Not looking too good, but should be ok. Am tempted to buy them from a supermarket next time, separate and pot them on.

The crocheting isn't going to well.  All fingers and thumbs still and think I need another lesson.  I have the basics, but am struggling to make a square.  I have resisted the urge to stab my hands with the hook, although sometimes I feel like it. Added to the fact that Milo has taken a liking to nicking my ball of wool and running off with it, things are progressing slowly.  'Dog drool' granny squares aren't the most attractive. 

Having spent the best part of 2 hours sorting out the garden, cleaning out the hens, (Cornelia is still broody and grumpy, the others are staying out of her way wisely) and adding composted farm yard manure to the long bed along the front of the house - the soil is like dust as it gets so little rain - I came back in to find yet another ball of yarn on the front door mat, courtesy of Milo and not a terrier to be found!  I called and called and dashed upstairs to see if he was asleep on my bed - something he hasn't done yet.  Couldn't find him anywhere!  Back into the garden to find an exhausted terrier spark out by the new raised bed.  He is a dog after my own heart - likes a nap! 

Things seem to be going well and I have had a few visitors to test the theory.  Mark and Ed popped in with strict instructions to ignore him and avoid his Yoda stare.  Not easy when you are sat in the kitchen and a dog is sniffing your crotch.  They did very well (as did he) with a lick of Ed's hand, I think we are making progress.  Mark still won't look at him.........(side note * sorry Linda, not been in contact but will email you soon re visit*) ;0) 
I have received a couple more emails inviting me to various craft fairs in November and December!  I have no stock and am worried about accepting.  Jams and jellies sell well as do the hot water bottles but I seriously need some new ideas on what to make and sell.  Time just seems to be flying by and the fabric stash keeps growing, I have to use some of it up before it takes over the house! Answers on a post card please...
The Cadburys Dairy Milk with Turkish delight is calling me.  My brain is saying 'feed me sugar', so I think I will have to do it.  Just can't keep my eyes open.  Pick up is at 4.50 in the MORNING! At least it is only one flight and I can have a nap when I get home.  Looking forward to Thursday afternoon when I can pick up Milo and chill out for a few days.  
Time to go and find the chambermaid to complain about the 'lack' of toiletries in my bathroom! 
C x x x  

Lewis has gone from broody to obsessed!

I thought about setting a few quail eggs in my incy at Uni, got a bit carried away and bought 40 eggs from a breeder and another 36 from the Organic shop on my street who said they are fertile - they're due on the 21st, Nat's birthday.
'Cos of that and already having 12 bantie eggs in my Octagon 10, I needed another incy so my friend Lee saved the day + lend me his! :)

Then, I was on eBay and saw an MS Broedmachine incy on there. They're the best you can buy, made in the Netherlands and so don't often come up for sale... so I kinda bought it!

Is in Nottingham so ma friend at Uni there has collected it for me and I'll go pick it up.
One of these:

Annie, ma pekin, was on 3 eggs due this weekend but only one has hatched so far - a Speckled Sussex x Araucana which if is a girl should lay green eggs. Not sure if the other 2 will hatch late or not at all.

Well today saw me harvest the first meaningful crop from this year’s sowings, I had a lovely bunch of radishes, they were sweet and very peppery just what you want from a radish, they went well with our salad for tonight’s dinner.
There is always that extra excitement with the first crop of the year I know it’s only radish but the taste is better than anything you can buy.

Today was also the first time I managed to spend some meaningful time up the allotment, what with all this rain (much needed in this part of the country) it made what time I did have spare for the plot almost impossible to do anything, some parts of the allotment are VERY muddy and some plots resemble bogs not allotment plots, but my investment in bark chipping has already repaid me I was able to come and go on the plot with ease. The weeds are at a manageable level too; wish I could say the same for the plot next to me it’s a vacant plot that has just been left to its own devices for a year and the weeds are now waist height!
I tried to give the potatoes there first earth up today I say tried the soil was so wet it was just sticking to the folk I did my best but will have to neaten it up when it dries out.
The carrot seeds I sowed back in late march have all germinated and I have today put some fleece round them to stop the carrot fly, I have never had an issue with this before but there is always a first time for everything!!!
The plot is looking really good at present the soft fruit is looking superb I have never seen so many flowers on my strawberries and the raspberries have flourished in this wet weather, the rhubarb looks like it’s a week or 2 from harvesting and the broad beans planted a few weeks ago are looking healthy. The early sowing of lettuce is a week from harvesting too. All in all I am pleased with the progress made so far in my first part of the season and can’t wait to get some decent weather so the tender plants can start to be put in their final homes.

omlet: @Daisybumble Did you send the email to info@omlet.co.uk ?

omlet: @Daisybumble terribly sorry for the delay Mary, somebody should be in touch with you today.

omlet: @tanya_weaver Wishing your bees a happy life in their new home sweet home!

We have been on a planting orgy around here. Not only is this the time of year when most of the vegetable seeds and seedlings go into the potager, we have also embarked on a major campaign to add more shrubs—particularly flowering shrubs—to the property. Thank goodness Harry is a good sport and has a [...]

We have recently joined the National Trust, and to start us off on our quest to visit all of their properties, we ventured to one of the nearest to home, the delightfully spooky looking Baddesley Clinton. We were greeted by a robin, perched atop one of the little wooden gateposts...

At the moment I am sitting by the fire as our heating has busted (don't worry - we're getting it fixed and will get quotes done at the same time!), but when I'm not doing that I'm over at Dashing-Divas.com. Pop on over if you're interested in joining our Yoga Run club or if you need a running buddy. I have a list of running events that anyone is welcome to join in on if they need a bit of moral support or someone to share in the pain. ;-)

I've also posted a few videos on my YouTube channel if you fancy a nose at what I've been up to.

Hope you've all had a wonderful bank holiday weekend (those of you in the UK anyway!).

TTFN

Hurrah its been dry for two days- or rather almost dry but good enough for me to get some work done on the allotment. I escaped on Saturday afternoon. I dug, weeded and planted:

1) the rest of my onion sets,
2) sowed some white beetroot ( I forgot to take the red ones with me). I thought that the white ones might be good roasted in with mixed root vegetables and maybe ok in cakes!
3) sowed lettuces: little gems and some mixed salad leaves, rocket ,  some spring onions and some sugar snap peas.
 Then on Sunday - another stint!!!!- This time I had a lot of digging to do - as I needed to plant where the potatoes were last year! As usual we had missed some and they were regrowing. I had  nipped  in the morning to a DIY store for some slug pellets ( we can't find the ones from last year- put away safe for the winter!) and happened to pick up some brassica plants on the reduced stand.
 So in the afternoon planted:
1) broccoli plants- we had these once before and did well with them- and the youngsters eat them :)
2)Cabbage plants- I think these should be good in coleslaw
 and sowed some red beetroot , called cylindra- which are a long root  beetroot- great for pickling.
I also picked up - sprouting broccoli and also brussel sprout plants but these will have to wait until I clear another part of the ground.





So all in all a busy two days! How did you get on - did you have any dry weather? I know Kent had more  rain- My Dad said it rained for nearly the whole two days! Hope it was ok for you!