Sunday 15 July 2018

Sunday in my Veg garden 15th July 2018

 
    It is a long walk up to the veg garden from the water butts that we have set up and when they run out of water it is an even longer walk , it's slightly uphill to the veg garden, carrying heavy watering cans from the water tap by our back door of the cottage .  I,ve been struggling with this for years ...and then yesterday..my husband announces that he's found a couple of old hoses up in the donkey shed !
 So I tried one of them out and lengthwise it still doesn't quite make it all the way to the veg garden ..but that bit closer will make it so much easier than before to fill the watering cans .
 We will get a connector and hopefully join up the two as soon as we can .....but I would not be surprised if they announce a hose -pipe ban some time soon . The drought is going on into month three now...and it is fiercely hot .
 This is also not good news for our local farmers .


I grow just enough for my family ...and that is hard work enough for me ..but it is so well worth it . Lettuces have done really well this year for me . So nice to be able to pick nice fresh lettuces ..in this bed there are french beans also doing well , kale which did get eaten by caterpillars but since I put this mesh over them are looking so much better again  . The shallots are not doing so well sadly ...but I have onions coming along nicely .


Not as much sweetcorn , but these two look almost ready to take to the kitchen !


 Climbing Courgettes ..... not climbing the pig-wire frame yet, but are producing lots of courgettes .

French Beans are giving us a good hand full every few days . Mangetout peas are very slowly coming up , the green mesh over them to deter the pigeons .


I am trying to keep things going and have sown more lettuce and carrots under an enviromesh cloche to keep the carrot flies off them .


I can already see lettuce seedlings coming up in there ! Just need to pull out he weeds !


I,m waiting for some rain to get the last of my veggie seedlings planted out .


             Finally , we are so lucky to have so many Woodpeckers here !
                                          They are such a joy to see !
I always put out peanuts and fat balls for them ....and of course other birds enjoy the nuts too .
 They are nesting in the Pine trees here...it makes me so sad when people cut down trees without any thought to the wildlife . We dont have many full grown trees here on the Lizard compared to other places . Trees are precious .
 We still have a pair of beautiful Ravens that sometimes nest at the top of our tallest tree . This year they had one chick..and he's almost as big as his parents already .....they love the cornflakes I put out for them and come when I call them  ....dunking their cornflakes in the water bowl to soften them up !
Occasionally the Buzzard wins this nesting spot...and we always have Owls up there in the evenings ....wonderful to hear them .
 Our pair of Blackbirds enjoy the occasional grape....sadly they lost their one chick this year..it didn't look well just sitting on the grass and then I found it had died one morning .... very sad ...but.. I think they might be trying again ! :)

                       Losing his balance trying to get the last of the peanuts .
I have one Woodpecker that sits up on the telegraph pole and hammers the metal plate on it .....he just thinks this is the most awesome noise to attract the girls !

                                   Sometimes there are two on the peanuts .
                                           They just love peanuts !


   Yes , they love peanuts , but they actually prefer these grubs that they pull out of the lawn .

 I was watching from an upstairs window as this Woodpecker mum was feeding her young fledgling .

Here they are pecking insects out of the corky bark on my Cordylines .


 It is too hot to do any gardening ..so I'm going to sit in my Summer house with a fan on and do some embroidery .


More about this on http://pixiepinsandneedles.blogspot.com my embroidery journal  Cornish Needlework Basket .
  We might pop over to Trevena Cross Nursery later on , to look at their amazing Cacti displays and buy an ice cream in the cafe .
 Have a nice Relaxing and peaceful Sunday .

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