Compost MOVES!

All About Dandelions + DIY Wild Edible Recipes

Cold Climate Food Forest Tour

The 'Paradise Gardening' Concept

The 7 Layers of the Forest Garden with Maddy Harland

Seeds and thoughts. thoughts that ramble.....

lots of information available about seeds here https://www.permaculturewomen.com/fpc24seedstewardship.html

this is part of the free permaculture course available from https://www.freepermaculture.com/#Courses

''myself''  is starting to feel some enthusiasm about starting the garden up again next year. Thinking of things like  purple sprouting broccoli and asparagus peas. There are some tomato seeds that I've had for years.... and they can still be viable even after all this time. not 'stored properly', they've been in a squashed bag of saved letters...... PAUSE.... I have been to have a look for the seeds.. to photograph them to accompany this post... however I cannot find them and cannot think where else they would be, I will leave their inclusion in this post and hope to solve the mystery at some point. the photograph posted is from google earth dated 11th may 2005, showing a busy busy garden indeed. maybe it will be so again, maybe not.

''myself''... perhaps an entity in its own right, the who you want to be, who you are, how other people see you, somewhere there's ideas of how you think you should be, but day to day thats not actually what happens. perhaps this ...... ah ....... someone text my phone and I lost this thread of thought. there's a thing too.... forgetfulness.....

Over 1 Million Gardeners Have United to Create Global Network of Greenery That Nourishes Bees and Butterflies

Over 1 Million Gardeners Have United to Create Global Network of Greenery That Nourishes Bees and Butterflies: Anyone with a garden or outdoor space can join the team of 1 million international pollinators who have used their greenery to save pollinators.

Sing the water song. on vimeo

Sing the Water Song from Sing The Water Song on Vimeo.
I don't think this will play on blogger but if you can follow the link , its a lovely video. 

15.10.2021 edit to add

phonetic  lyrics are Nee bee wah bow, En die en, Aah key mis kquee, Nee bee wah bow, Hey ya hey ya hey ya hey, Hey ya hey ya hey ya ho. 

sing to the water four times in total, once in each compas direction.

Fireworks... why

this article covers the history https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/bonfire-night-2019-guy-fawkes-fireworks-a4273351.html

I think as the UK population enjoys a more affluent lifestyle... people seem to have what they want when they want it, to excess in a lot of cases.... instead of just having one night of a celebration it now seems to go on and on, people can afford to have fireworks whenever they want , for birthdays, weddings, new year, any celebration...
maybe just for the joy of it - I do have a friend who loves , really loves fireworks, and will buy expensive amazing fireworks for her bonfire night.
if it was just one night I would likely love them too... however this constant night after night for weeks, and having an old cat with a heart murmur who is terrified.... this makes me fed up and grumpy.
and once this weekend is over, those fireworks available in the shops will go onto a reduced price sale: so the next couple of weeks will also be full of unexpected explosions.

leaves, a lot

I've had a couple of leaf collecting sessions, not to tidy up but to add them to the compost and to feel they aren't being wasted. The tree has hardly any left now, I will try to remember to take a couple of photos with the little camera.
I sometimes feel I have no inspiration/imagination left, which is sad as I used to love to take photo's and post them on here. The lack of a decent camera does not help , though its said a good workman does not blame his tools? I just don't think you get as good a photograph with the little compact and there are no funds for better.
There have been fireworks nearly every night for two weeks now, last night they were still going off near midnight and tonight they have started from half five, Casper is hiding in the desk cupboard again.

many miles to go

the lovely Quince with her rosette for taking part in ''September Miles'', about once a year friends get together ''online'' , we log our riding miles for the month and then we have rosettes for it. I think last year we did a whole years worth, and one of the other ladies got the rosettes for us.
I had a nice afternoon collecting leaves in the garden yesterday, not that I would ever be able to clear them all up, they fall faster than you could rake... I got a good amount and added them into the compost, it won't be just leaf mould as its a mixed bin for now.  Today was so windy a lot of the leaves have blown off the tree and even the ones on the ground have blown away , so I was glad I made the effort to do something yesterday.
Also yesterday, I took Quince out just a short walk, riding, as she's had more than a week off recovering from a couple of swollen legs from a kicking match in the field, horses will be horses...... she had a Photonic Redlight treatment, which is an amazing thing , she's had a couple of treatments over the last two years, how it works I don't know, but it does.

permaculture

photograph probably from 2000/2005 ish

I've been reading a lot of permaculture stuff online recently.A lot of it is very big scale, not really applying to a ''small'' garden like mine, so pleased to find this article about a more average type of house. https://midwestpermaculture.com/2008/12/front-yard-rain-garden-and-berm/
Its also interesting to note that a lot of permaculture goes on and on and on about saving water, well that really doesn't apply in the west of Scotland ... you just about turn around and it rains again. LOL.

''on birds'' REPOSTING THIS OLDER POST FROM 16TH APRIL 2007

I recieved this photograph in an e-mail, its an quail, an very unusual bird to have in your garden! and such a fabulous tree full of spring blossom.

and my garden won't get such exotic visitors, due to the continuos ripping out of hedges its rare to see anything at all, a lot of starlings and thats about it.

I'm a Starling. . . me Darling. a poem by Pam Ayres

We're starlings, the misses, meself and the boys.
We don't go round hoppin', we walks,
We dont go in for this singing all day
And twittering about, we just squawks.

We don't go in for these fashionable clothes
Like old Missel Thrush and his spots,
Me breast isn't red, there's no crest on me head,
We've got sort of, hardwearing . . . dots.

We starlings, the misses, meself and the boys,
We'll eat anything that's about,
Well, anything but that old half coconut,
I can't hold it still. I falls out.

What we'd rather do is wait here for you
To put out some bread for the tits,
And then when we're certain you're there by the curtain,
We flocks down and tears it to bits.

But we starlings, the misses, meself and the boys,
We reckon that we're being got at.
You think for two minutes, them finches and linnets,
You never sees them being shot at.

So the next time you comes out to sprinkle the crumbs out,
And there's starling there, making a noise,
Don't you be so quick to heave a half a brick,
Its the misses, meself and the boys!

useful Wildflower links

https://www.growwilduk.com/blog/what-leaves-reveal-about-wildflowers?utm_campaign=354976_August%202019%20newsletter%20-%20Take%20Notice&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Grow%20Wild%20%28Board%20of%20Trustees%20of%20RBGK%29&dm_i=4VE8,7LWG,RK3NN,S48V,1

https://www.growwilduk.com/wildflowers/how-grow-wildflowers/growing/how-look-after-your-wildflowers-end-summer?utm_campaign=354976_August%202019%20newsletter%20-%20Take%20Notice&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Grow%20Wild%20%28Board%20of%20Trustees%20of%20RBGK%29&dm_i=4VE8,7LWG,RK3NN,S48V,1

I signed up for their wildflower seeds and receive emails regularly.
keeping these for reference

EDIT just found a link to their sign up page if you were interested in joining
https://www.growwilduk.com/form/sign-grow-wildflowers-us-autumn-advice-and-seeds 

crop !!

one little ripe cherry tomato. very tasty.
it has about six friends waiting to ripen, poor neglected tomato plants.
the greenhouse is still a mess. the garden is .. one thing at a time... might take years to sort.
I did not build the garden in a day... I cannot fix it in a day either.
hey ho
edited to add.... Permaculture... Obtain A Yield..... well I did. lol

Casper clip

cute

garden gate

friend made a new gate with  ''cat access'', so he can run in and out and not always have to jump.. he can jump, but he is old and stiff so I think this is a good idea for him.

saving for reference.

facebook link to grass identification

https://www.facebook.com/phil.barnett.397/posts/10217635393588099

in the greenhouse

 I took some stinky carpet off to the dump.. and managed to snag these sparkly stars out from the dumpster..... just the thing for the greenhouse

the tomtatoes are needing tied up..they're a bit neglected...  I had some little metal posts but no string... a hunt in the house produced a couple of feet of parcel wrapping ribbon in gold, so the theme is sparkly... ha. 

I started cutting the hedge, its so overgrown, between the hedge trimmer and a pair of loppers I got about eight feet along... now I've run out of space to put the cuttings so need to wait till the current ones are away.. so it goes slowly... hey ho.
I've a second hand wardrobe and drawers coming today, they'll have to sit in a room with no carpet for now. I've not chosen curtains or paint for that room yet, just have to add looking at carpets too.

Permaculture Ideas: Free eBook: Bill Mollison's Introduction to Permac...

Permaculture Ideas: Free eBook: Bill Mollison's Introduction to Permac...: Click Here: http://www.bettertimesinfo.org/pdc_all.p df

''PLEASE EXCUSE THE WEEDS, I'M FEEDING THE BEES''

stunning purple poppy in a friends, potted and very healthy with lots more flowers to bloom on it - this is the first, what a colour! hopefully I can take a seed pod when they're ready.
the garden here has some colour, mostly from ''weeds'', rosebay willow herb, cow parsley, forget-me-nots, daisys, hawkweed - I'm leaving them in situ providing some food for the bees , I should get a sigh that I saw on the internet somewhere, which I have made the title of this post.
''PLEASE EXCUSE THE WEEDS, I'M FEEDING THE BEES''

all my garden tools and equipment went into storage in various friends/relatives garages/sheds. unfortunately not all of it has returned. I am having to borrow a lawn mower to cut the grass, nothing has been strimmed as I've no time to keep running about borrowing things. I've bought lopers and a pruning saw, and just bought a hedge trimmer. Of course,  after two amazingly dry warm days which I spent at work, now its a rainy weekend and there is nothing to be done outside. Three mistreated tomato plants did get potted yesterday..... poor things.

Casper is going outside daily now and not peeing inside... however where he has already done so continues to resist being cleaned and I will have to replace three rooms of carpets which is an expense I could well have done without just now.

Garden Cat

Casper is a bundle of energy, he's now been here over four weeks so time to start introducing the outside world, the first day he was out of site for about 5 hours... just as I really started to worry he appeared back. Then the rest of this week, as not as work, I've been here to let him out for a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours at night.
This hasn't immediately stopped him spraying in the house though, was hoping it would...but at 14 years old and on his third home this year... he's probably still settling in and for now I can put up with it. Every carpet in the house needed replaced anyway... and now that they are all decorated with cat pee... even more so.
I have never in my life, and all the cats that have shared that time with me, had a cat that does this.
 
The garden is getting ''damage control'' rather than actual gardening, more large shrubs cut right down. On Thursday I cut the grass and made a start on the hedge... its been allowed to grow to about 6ft and I would prefer it at 4ft at least round the front. Privacy is nice .. but... its too small a garden to have such a large hedge , makes it seem dark and cramped, and when I did garden  people could look over and chat.. now I don't even know who's passing by.
I took Casper out with me when I was pottering that afternoon...  but he wasn't impressed and took himself back into the house.

growling cat.....

he's a talker.
Casper expressing his displeasure at not being allowed outside.
an older cat, 14,  only recently re-homed with me,  he's not going to be getting out till mid June. he has to  settle with the house and bond with me first.

 he's very playful, but pointing the camera at him...

makes him leave and hide somewhere.. he likes under the bed.

Sunday Garden

 the box is being removed, so took some pictures before that was out.. I've already removed a considerable spread of its overgrown branches. likely some will sprout from the remaining roots.

 the tree

 twisted hazel.. and strangely the greenhouse has solid sides...

 minus a veggy bed in the foreground.. allowed to grow over.. and only one cold frame

 constrained by trying to save the azalea behind and the bricks at the front

 I resorted to cutting the roots as I found them with secatuers

 and its out

 massive spider in the greenhouse

dug out.. put back in ... see if we can grow legs and christmas baubles..

2019. and here we go again...........

 

todays picture of ''the tree'' , quite some difference in height. it was planted around 2005.

2008, Tansy attempts to climb it but there's not a lot to hold onto. she would love it now. sadly she passed away a couple of years ago.
for just now I am back living in my flat. the garden is good though overgrown and the soil has no ''life'' and needs attention.
time will see what happens.

Don't Shoot the Zebra Pony

carry on gardening...

 photos sent to me by the letting agents , as the tenants have now left the property. they have, thankfully, left the garden very tidy.

 three veg plots look ok and ready to be used... there used to be another veg plot in front of the post.. and there were two coldframes.. so some changes here and there.

the trampoline will likely be gone by the time I get into it, the shrubs are a bit overgrown. and the tree looks huge now.. it'll be lovely with its leaves on.
I have access from the end of March. inside will need carpets cleaned or replaced, the walls a lick of paint... well that's all they'll get.. lol... and outside will be a project for cutting back and reassessing whats there.. stuff might come up.. likely a lot of the smaller plants have gone. there may be surprises !!
its difficult to think of plans as it might get sold quickly.. it might not.. so I'll just do 'what and when' as I have time for it.
there are notifications popping up about changes to blogger.. to do with google... and widgets and platforms and links.. none of which I understand.. so I've no idea what to expect. I hope the whole thing doesn't dissapear into the ether....

wow, just wow.

how amazing. so talented

Fire Truck Into Tiny Home - this is lovely

FOR SALE

the garden ( see the blog!! lol) and flat/aprtment  will be going up for sale at the end of March this year.
Lennoxtown. postcode G66 7EH if you want to google the area
two good sized bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathroom. upstairs flat with own front door.
yet to be valued officially.
sometimes word of mouth can make a sale, you never know.

treeless.. back to tree'd.. back to treeless today.

a second hand Barefoot saddle, picked up today. I've had a short ride with it..
things don't change much for me over time.. lol. Quince is barefoot, I rode her in this headcollar today but usually use a bridle with a bit.
herself looking good for a wet muddy winters day.

Repsoting old post...... to go out riding ... from November 12th 2010

''Abbey wears a treeless saddle by Barefoot and a Parelli Hackamore which is just made of rope. and she has no shoes on, I would consider boots if we did a lot of work but as its usually just round fields or in the soft schooling area then they are not needed.''

hang onto this thought from nine years ago... new post coming.. lol

*Earth’s Axis Has Shifted!* And The Sky Has Changed.

The Vectra B

three electrical sensors later..... and this 'future classic' is running perfectly again.
its a shame they make things so complicated. it all runs on sensors, rather that cables and leads... not even got a throttle cable !! who knew ? not me.. lol

5 Tips to Keep Your Garden Pond Clean, guest post by Katie Michaels

5 Tips to Keep Your Garden Pond Clean

Having a garden pond is an exciting new venture for many but when the water starts to turn green and you can’t see a thing, it’s not a good sight for you and it’s definitely not good news for your fish so how exactly do you keep your garden pond clean?

There are several things to consider when it comes to keeping the pond water clean and avoiding it turning into a green and smelly swamp, from the plants you add to the pond, through to how much you are feeding your fish.

With so many elements affecting your pond water it can feel overwhelming but here are five key things you need to think about if you want to maintain a clean garden pond and a pleasant healthy environment for your fish to live in:

1.       Don’t have too many fish

While it might be tempting to fill your pond with beautiful colourful fish you need to make sure you don’t over fill the pond. Fish produce waste products which pollute the water and they also breed, so if you have too many fish your pond will very quickly become an unpleasant environment.

Keep an eye on your fish population and if they do breed you might be able to sell the young to fish stockists to help keep the population under control. Alternatively make sure all your fish are the same sex to avoid any growth in the population.

The other factor when it comes to fish is removing sick or dead fish from the pond as quickly as possible so that you don’t end up with a polluted pond that way either. It’s best to check your fish weekly for signs of any problems.

2.       Don’t feed the fish too much

This is one of the most common problems with new fish owners – the temptation to continuously feed fish when they don’t need it. Fish will only eat what they need so any unwanted food will just fall to the bottom of your pond.

Waste food will then start to rot, polluting the water and causing problems in your pond so don’t over feed, and always remove any leftover food which the fish don’t eat, straight away, otherwise your pond water quality will go downhill rapidly.

3.       Don’t smother your pond with too many plants

Water plants take in oxygen so make sure you don’t allow your pond to become over grown as the plants will end up causing oxygen levels to drop in the water. Too many plants will also result in a lack of light and sun in the pond due to the coverage of the leaves, which again can have a negative impact.

Make sure you regularly trim back plants and clear fallen leaves and dead plants from the water to help keep the quality high. Avoid plants which have a tendency to grow across the water surface and cover it.

4.       Make sure your water pump and filters are working properly

Managing and maintaining your pond equipment is key to keeping it clean. The water pump for your pond is the key to making sure your water is being circulated regularly so you need to make sure it is well maintained and fully functioning at all times. It’s important to have a pump which is big enough for the size of pond you have otherwise it won’t cope.

You should check your pump regularly to make sure it is not clogged with debris and to make sure all the parts are working effectively – if you notice any wear and tear make sure you replace the parts straight away to keep it running well.

You should also make sure your filter system is the right size for your particular pond and make sure it is working effectively. Change and clean your filters regularly to ensure they don’t get clogged with debris and dirt.

5.       Always clear debris from the pond surface

Ponds tend to attract all kinds of debris from dead leaves falling from nearby trees, to rubbish items blown in on the wind or even dropped by birds so always make sure you clear debris daily from your pond surface, before it has a chance to sink to the bottom and start to rot and pollute your water.

If you can, use netting to cover the pond to help catch any falling debris so that it never reaches the water in the first place – this will go a long way to helping to keep your garden pond clean and your water sparkling and healthy for all your fish.

These five tips will go a long way to ensuring that your pond remains a clean environment for all the family to enjoy all year round and by following simple regular maintenance outlined here, you should never be left with any huge pond cleaning issues. 

guest post by Katie Michaels

interesting post to read

https://www.vox.com/2015/7/16/8961799/housekeeper-job-clients

I cleaned. I have to say I never snooped, not interested.
but I'm totally with the 'not bigger than you can clean yourself' . that would be 40 minutes worth. so its small for me.
and as I'm of mostly 'no fixed abode', thats still a dream

Pooping in a Car, Van or RV: Review of Thetford Porta-Potti

shadow horse

shadow horse , shadow trees. loving the winter sun.
first ride of this year today.