The 'What I Did Today' Archive - 2007

[Earthbabe]

Ahhh that feels good

Well we finally managed to get to the lottie today. Miss E climbed the huge pile of wood chips and stuck a "flag" in the top. Well it was actually a bamboo cane with a plantpot stuck on the end.

Mr E dug over the patch (and some) where we have moved the compost bins to. Plastic down, wood chip down, pallets laid and compost bins installed. They had to be emptied first but at least that's the compost aerated.

I managed to dig out my ericaceous bed for my blueberries and cranberries and plant the little honies. Only raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and three fruit trees to go.

Unfortunately the recent winds have failed to take down the dead plum tree so that is another job we will have to tackle. We have plans for the stump and photos will be taken.

All in all a productive day. Manky plot looks a bit tidier and I know where the beds will go on that one.

Now for a juicy steak, a good red and a big plateful of our own sprouts and carrots.

[pigletwillie]

Well Leicester Tigers monstered Munster and ended Munsters unbeaten record in the European cup at Thomand Park.

Munster 6 -13 Leicester Tigers Tigers top the group.

At half time, after toping up the Rijoca, I made some Carnival Squash soup. As its open pollinated, I have saved the seed for planting in the spring.

[smallblueplanet]

Well Leicester Tigers monstered Munster and ended Munsters unbeaten record in the European cup at Thomand Park.

Thought you were a bit lucky to hang on in the end pw!

[pigletwillie]

Twas never in doubt, a shut out, 2 tries to zip. Poor mites.

[bubblewrap]

Carried on with work on my donated greenhouse.
I discovered today it only has solid support at the corners so having to dig out to get bricks under.
But worth it when I think of what I can grow in it this comming year.

[vicki lorraine]

Well im feeling pretty pleased. ive sown some leeks and some summer purple sprouting broccoli and some sweet peas. Bought my seed potatoes today too. Couldnt resist buying some more seeds. Thought id try some red sprouts this year. Has anyone tried them? How do they taste? Bit too wet to do any digging on plot but have asked my brother to return 'Rita' my rotavator. So i think tomorrow i will rotavate a plot for the spuds and cover the ground with fleece.
Spring is on its way - i just keep reassuring myself.

[Peter]

Went and looked at mothers "fallen" tree.

Much sadness.

It was a Scots Pine I grew from seed gathered at Wisley Garden, the windbreak by the apple orchard. It had not blown down, the top two-thirds had snapped off and nosedived for the river, being caught by a hawthorn. Unable to do anything about it at the moment due to its precarious position over the fast flowing drainage ditch that masquerades as a river.


This tree is a good foot thick at the base and was pushing thirty foot high.

[madderbat]

I got a cold frame!

I never thought I would be so chuffed, but two doors down were having work done and I scavenged two windows complete with frames and fixings. One front window with small panels of glass, hinges and those steel openers (don't know what they are called) which are great for holding it up at the back, the other a clear frame with single glass panel
I also scavenged a large piece of thick kitchen worktop (ok it's mdf) to make nice triangular sides for the frame, and Mr MB brought 8 bricks home with him from the lottie.
Just what I needed to be able to get seeds going at home instead of having them in the cold frame at the lottie. I was so chuffed.
No 1 son got home safe from Denmark and I valeted my car ready to sell it. Advert goes iin local press next Weds. All lin all a great day.

[dexterdoglancashire]

EB - your day sounds super - any chance of any photos? The weather up here int' north has been that bad the only thing OH + I managed to do was nail the shed to its moorings in case it took off! Ground far too wet to do anything - gosh I wish I could get weeding! The black plastic I put down to kill the weeds...............I've got four or five beautiful "ponds" at the moment! Not funny! DDL

[Peter]

Wellie, it arrived.

Have PM'd you accordingly.

[madderbat]

EB -The black plastic I put down to kill the weeds...............I've got four or five beautiful "ponds" at the moment! Not funny! DDL

Mr MB suggests you just stab it with a fork to let the water run away. May be worth a try as you won't lose the effectiveness - shouldn't let enough light through.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Ah! never thought of that! Ta! DDL

[Mrs Dobby]

Got to the plot for a couple of hours today, Mr D spent most of that time picking up 16 panes worth of shattered glass from the greenhouse!

Fortunately we've some scrounged clear acrylic we can use to replace the broken ones with, but it was too windy to try unrolling it and cutting it to size, so went shopping and got all the replacement clips that we need to put the glazing back in (the originals we had are probably somewhere near Leeds by now!)

Had a good look around the allotment, one couple have lost both of their new greenhouses, there's 2 sheds that have just 'gone', another 3 greenhouses destroyed and almost everyone has lost at least some of their greenhouse glazing, but overall given the ferocity of the winds I dont think we did too badly! One of the destroyed greenhouses was seen 'flying' 35' in the air and 'landed' 3/4 of the way up one of the boundary trees!

[wellie]

Peter,
Liar Liar Pants on Fire?

[Snadger]

I never thought I would be so chuffed, but two doors down were having work done and I scavenged two windows complete with frames and fixings. One front window with small panels of glass, hinges and those steel openers (don't know what they are called) which are great for holding it up at the back, the other a clear frame with single glass panel
I also scavenged a large piece of thick kitchen worktop (ok it's mdf) to make nice triangular sides for the frame, and Mr MB brought 8 bricks home with him from the lottie.
Just what I needed to be able to get seeds going at home instead of having them in the cold frame at the lottie. I was so chuffed.
No 1 son got home safe from Denmark and I valeted my car ready to sell it. Advert goes iin local press next Weds. All lin all a great day.

I'm jealous madderbat! I too have my eye on some window frames for making cold frames but I can't catch the guy to ask if I could have them...yet!!

The MDF will turn to mush eventually mind,when the water gets to it!