Aug 3 2012, the garden and other bits

My mouse broke during the week and I’ve not been able to get on the computer for a few days, it makes you realise what a big part of your life the computer is when its not there. Anyway……………..I have a new mouse now and every thing is back to normal. We have had some fantastic weather here this week; in fact it’s probably the best weather we’ve had so far this year, which is not surprising because school holidays finish in other 10 days which means kids, teachers and I, will be cooped up indoors while the sun shines outside. At least I have the satisfaction of knowing this will be the last school holiday for me……..I shall be retired before the summer holidays start next year I will be free to enjoy the sunshine when ever it comes.

I’ve spent a few days in the garden enjoying the summer colours and continuing to harvest what I can.

As well as the fruit, salad and a little veg I’m working my way through the herb garden. I freeze all my herbs now; I think they retain their taste better than dried herbs. This was one days harvest, more broad beans, rhubarb, spring onions and radish, plus a little fruit and some herbs. From left to right the herbs are Fennel, Lovage and Chives.  I’m freezing the fruit as I collect it and eventually I will have a jam making weekend.
And some flowers, I like flowers indoors but prefer ones  a little on the wild side, especially if they were grown in my garden.

Friday was my big day out to St Andrews with a friend. The sun brought the sailing boats out and I just loved sitting watching, it was a riot of colour.

The little sailing boats were so many different colours and to add to the scene, the families of those sailing protected themselves from the wind on the beach by big, multi coloured, canvas wind breakers.
To finish off the perfect day, we went to the St Andrews Museum and saw the Samuel John Peploe art exhibition, what a great painter he was.

To round up the week there was a family BBQ at my daughters house to celebrate her birthday. I just loved her chicken cake, it had little chicken candles and pictures of her chickens inside the chicken house. This is another cake made by my friend, her business is blooming now she is really busy and becoming quite well known around the town.

And when we came home, a perfect sunset through the trees.

Prev: Sometimes life in my head is not easy.............muddled thoughts for today.
Next: Art Sunday; Samuel John Poploe

reply edit delete

15 Comments

Add a Comment

delete reply artprevails wrote on Aug 5 Your blog is so pleasant...a day in the life of Loretta. That cake is amazing! The bouquet of flowers is so lovely, could you lend them to me for my table? *grin* What do you do to the herbs to prepare them for freezing? Do you just put them into the freezer in an airtight bag as they are?

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on Aug 5 love the chicken cake :)

delete reply pestep55 wrote on Aug 5 The garden is looking beautiful, sounds like you've had a full week. Happy b-day to your daughter. That cake is fantastic, no surprise that business is doing well, wow! Your herb and sail boat pictures are great /:-)

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 starfishred said all lovely loretta our weather has been good to-- love the cake the sail boats wonderful Hi Heidi, and thanks, yes its great to finally get some decent weather and be able to have proper summer days out.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Aug 5 all lovely loretta our weather has been good to-- love the cake the sail boats wonderful

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 mitchylr said Glad to hear you've had a good week. You've done better with the weather than me, I've had rain several days this week. Great harvest from the garden. Are you going to use any of the sailing photos as the basis for a painting or two? Hi Mitch,, yes we have had a really good week, but its overcast again today so don't go getting too jealous. Ans yes..........I took the sailing pictures as inspiration for paintings. I wish I had more with the colourful wind breakers in because those on the beach next to the bright sails was a fantastic sight.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 brendainmad said Hope you continue to have good weather for the rest of your holidays. thanks, I'm hoping so too, but like I said, its usually really nice in June before the schools finish, and then nice for a couple of weeks once the school goes back. Guess its sods law. :-))

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 sunny21144 said very nice pictures Hi, and thanks

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 hedgewitch9 said That was a tremendous day!! I LOVE the cake!!!! :)))) Thanks Emma, yep I've had a really good couple of days

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Aug 5 remixedphoenix said Bought a fishing rod, hope that helps. lol................sounds like you need one of those little notebook thingies...........can take them and the internet anywhere

delete reply remixedphoenix wrote on Aug 5 forgetmenot525 said it makes you realise what a big part of your life the computer is when its not there Feeling that... keeping the laptop off a day or two is almost as hard as giving up smoking! Bought a fishing rod, hope that helps. All I need is some decent weather lol

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Aug 5 Hope you continue to have good weather for the rest of your holidays.

delete reply sunny21144 wrote on Aug 5 very nice pictures

delete reply hedgewitch9 wrote on Aug 5 That was a tremendous day!! I LOVE the cake!!!! :))))

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Aug 5 Glad to hear you've had a good week. You've done better with the weather than me, I've had rain several days this week. Great harvest from the garden. Are you going to use any of the sailing photos as the basis for a painting or two?

July 13 2012, Garden no 12

Garden 2012 no 12

Yesterday I said I intended to spend the day in the garden. It didn’t quite work out that way. The weather wasn’t good and I still had a bit of clearing away to do after the decorating.
When I did eventually get out there, every thing looked so overgrown I didn’t know quite where to start, and so instead of getting stuck in weeding, digging, tidying etc………..I decided it was time to have a bit of a harvest.
I’ve emptied out all three potato barrels, harvested the potatoes, mixed the compost with chicken manure pellets and then refilled the potato barrels ready for the next seed potatoes. I now have three trays of new potatoes drying out on my windowsill over night ready to be packed in paper bags and stored.
I harvested as many broad beans as I could see, what I didn’t eat tonight are packed away in the freezer. I also took some salad and spinach for use over the next day or so.
There is still one rhubarb pie left in the fridge made from the rhubarb I harvested last week. Todays rhubarb was cleaned, cut and packed away in the freezer.
And this is what I will be harvesting tomorrow, white currants………delicious and it looks as if I have a bit of a bumper crop this year.
A Question;
Does any one know if I can use some of the very tiny potatoes that I dug up today as seed potatoes for next time??

Tags: garden 2012, plants, fruit, vegetables

Prev: Decorating; Another room finished
Next: A birthday, grandchildren staying and some music.

reply edit delete

14 Comments

Add a Comment

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 14 forgetmenot525 said they look like grapes don't they? but they are white currants, just like blackcurrants but sweeter and white, they tend to fruit a bit earlier than the blackcurrants. i know you will enjoy all the tasty goodness! ; )

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 14 Just to let you know .................I made a tasty potato salad for the family this evening. I used the home grown potatoes, cooked with mint fresh from the garden and mixed with plenty of fresh chives. I had to use shop bought mayonnaise but I'm seriously thinking of making my own next time.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 14 brendainmad said I knew Frank would come up with the answer to your question. I always have potatoes with eyes and usually lots of them! yep I knew he would know................the potato barrels are all sorted ready for the next seed potaotes but it will have to wait now till I get the chance to go to the garden center.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 14 greenwytch said what an impressive crop...! WOW i need to try the potatos, too! your garden blogs always inspire me.....gosh that Rhubarb looks awesome, and so do the grapes! they look like grapes don't they? but they are white currants, just like blackcurrants but sweeter and white, they tend to fruit a bit earlier than the blackcurrants.

delete reply brendainmad wrote on Jul 14 I knew Frank would come up with the answer to your question. I always have potatoes with eyes and usually lots of them!

delete reply greenwytch wrote on Jul 14 what an impressive crop...! WOW i need to try the potatos, too! your garden blogs always inspire me.....gosh that Rhubarb looks awesome, and so do the grapes!

delete reply mitchylr wrote on Jul 14 That's an excellent crop you have there, Loretta!! It gives a real sense of satisfaction to producing your own vegetable crop. It's something I've done in the past, although where I live now it isn't possible.

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Jul 13, edited on Jul 13 Quite a nice haul, err harvest. Also a nice variety of vegetables. I would recomend certified seed potatoes for a second planting, rather than waiting for the new pototes to be ready. Seed potatoes are disease free, and have been selected to give you the best results with the highest yields. They are ready to plant and will give faster results since they already have their "eyes". Each seed potato part should be approximately 1 1/2-2 inches square, and must contain at least 1 or 2 "eyes" or buds. The smaller potatoes may be planted whole. Your new potatoes will take awhile to develop eyes or buds. If I remember correctly it takes 2-4 months from planting to harvest, depending on the variety.

delete reply kathyinozarks wrote on Jul 13 what a fabulous harvest of veggies Loretta, I think the potatoes have to have an eye on them to grow as seed potatoes

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 13 sanssouciblogs said You are amazing!!! And it is so early in the season. i am so proud of you. I have some tomatoes going and they have a long way...but we did get a lovely green pepper. :) Bumper crop! Hi Sue :-)...........and thanks, I think out seasons may be a bit different, these are early potatoes I hope to plant some more now for later in the year. This is the first time I've grown beans and the Rhubarb grows like a weed. Once Rhubarb gets started you can take from it all season.

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Jul 13 artprevails said GORGEOUS post! How lovely to have such healthy food growing right outside your door! I would love to grow potatoes on my patio. I have book on Container Gardening from the library. It is inspiring me to grow food in containers... thanks :-)..............I like growing food but any one who thinks its cheaper to grow their own is mistaken, but its worth it, food you grow yourself always tastes better. I love growing radishes ( not shown here) Radishes were the only vegetable that I didn't like until I grew my own, and now I love eating them fresh from the garden and they are really easy to grow.

delete reply sanssouciblogs wrote on Jul 13 You are amazing!!! And it is so early in the season. i am so proud of you. I have some tomatoes going and they have a long way...but we did get a lovely green pepper. :) Bumper crop!

delete reply nemo4sun wrote on Jul 13 good haul :)

delete reply artprevails wrote on Jul 13 GORGEOUS post! How lovely to have such healthy food growing right outside your door! I would love to grow potatoes on my patio. I have book on Container Gardening from the library. It is inspiring me to grow food in containers...