We,ve had a tough couple of months since I last wrote on here . . . our dear little dog and faithful Jack Russel friend came to the end of her days aged 17 years , passed away peacefully . I am feeling so tearful ...we are all feeling so sad ....the garden feels empty , yet the cottage feels like she is still here ...but she is not.....grieving is cruel .
I have not been able to write ...apologies .... I know that time heals .
It has been a struggle to carry on , but I have really tried hard to tend to the vegetable garden , we need to keep the vegetables coming . Good "fresh and healthy for us " food .
See in the first photo....that is my first ever Cauliflower ! Small , but just the perfect size for the two of us ! ( and it was so good and tasty too ! )
The recent gales smashed down two heavily laden branches from my Plum trees . ..I was so shocked and saddened when I first noticed this ....I hope the torn and jagged tree trunk can recover . Both trees were too badly torn to bind back together and I,m not sure if I should paint the damaged parts over with something to seal the wound or leave it to heal naturally . There are differing thoughts on this .
I harvested a huge bowl of beautiful plums and there are many more for the birds and squirrels , wasps and butterflies to enjoy .
In the Solar shed we are having a good steady supply of Tomatoes and Cucumbers .
Lots of Runner-beans and French-beans , which I am freezing up as fast as I can .
Brussels sprouts are doing fine mostly under cover .
Oh !...... but they are such a worry !
Blooming Cabbage White Butterflies !
I have left a couple of sacrificial plants uncovered to try and attract them away from my main area of my Brussels sprouts crop .
When I,m there I find myself chasing them away .... shoo ! shoo ! ..but I couldn't harm them .
See how cleverly they hide underneath the leaves and lay their eggs .
The caterpillars hatch out and munch away and leave all their messy droppings and very soon your brassicas are ruined ......
........but underneath the netting .....my perfect sprouts are growing !
Ruth Stout experiment .... in which one doesn't need the garden fork, nor spade . You just pull back the straw with your hands...lets see .......
Squeals of delight at first !......but ....hmmm.....
Not so good lol !...next year we will go back to planting them under the good earth and earthing them up again .
Onions ....lots and lots of beautiful onions , I cook with onions everyday , I can never grow too many .
I am about to try a sowing of an onion called Toughball , for some fast and tasty Spring Onions .
I got my order in for my Autumn planting Onion sets -Yellow Senshyu and Red Blood ..they should be arriving during the first two weeks of September .
I cant believe we are nearly there already !
I,m really going to miss this little sweetheart .
Tender French-beans
This morning I planted out lots of Kale, Purple sprouting Broccoli and Cabbages ahead of the heavy rain that is forecast . . . . planting for my winter vegetable garden .
More seeds to be sown on the three legged table in the Woodshed .... dont ask ... ( Husband says it will be o.k ! ....hmmmm ....I,m not so sure ) lol !
We are also very busy splitting , chopping and stacking up logs for our Winter fuel .
I also picked as many of the French-beans and Runner-beans as I could find ......they hide !
The wind is picking up as I write this and I,m afraid they will be smashed down .
I wanted to make some Lavender bags ..but I think now the rain has come , I may be too late . I picked a bunch to go into a vase on the table and some to go under my pillow for sweet dreams .. I rubbed my eyes and now have one very sore eye , beware of this in future ! The bees and butterflies are enjoying them !
