Yes I know it's been a while but...... well you know what it's like, I keep meaning to write a post then life throws yet something else at you. I have been rather reclusive, there seems to be bad news all around, too much to cope with at times so I have withdrawn in to myself. Pulled the covers over my head and shut out the world. There is such heartbreaking news everywhere, the world seems a very cruel place to me at the moment, thank goodness for my peaceful little haven where I can potter in the garden and watch the wildlife. I know I take everything to heart, I always have. I worry about the planet, want to protect every animal from cruelty and fear for my fellow humans. Now I am cautiously dipping my toes back in the water and facing up to the world again.
So here's a quick update as I know how I feel when a blogger just disappears without a word. I'm not saying I'm going to disappear, just that I can't promise to post regularly at the moment. Our son is back to work full time and making the most of his time before his next operation which will be next year sometime. The bearded ones father died a few weeks ago so he is still coming to terms with it, all very sad really. Work is horrible at the moment, all stats and saving money rather than patient centred. I left you with some very sad looking plants in my poly tunnel on my last post but despite the best efforts of all sorts of creatures, things are growing rapidly and probably too crazy as I'm sure I should be keeping them under some sort of control but haven't had the time. I am reaping the rewards and cooking up some lovely meals with the homegrown produce. So chuffed about that :)
The photos were taking a few weeks ago so everything is much bigger now and looking more like a jungle everyday. I picked my first mini yellow tomato today, the yellow courgette was twice as big when I picked that today and made courgette fritters. Cucumbers are ticking over nicely, I have been growing minis as only two of us eat them. The pattypan plant is huge now and I can't walk up that side of the poly, and the outside squashes are taking over everything!! I didn't realise they grew so humungous!!
I thought this was a courgette, then thought it was a cucumber, now I realise it is a crooked neck squash. It doesn't help that the writing rubbed off all the labels so I have to guess what things are
Mini yellow cucumbers.
I have dug up all the early potatoes and stored them.
So for my first year and first attempt at many new types of vegetables, I am pleased with the progress so far. Just have to keep my fingers crossed they don't get blight and any other nasties.
We have eight Housemartin nests. One was washed away in the terrible weather we had a few weeks ago with the loss of the chicks. So upsetting to come home from work and see their little bodies with the parents frantically flying around. They now have a new nest in the pool pump house, every time I go for a swim I get attacked as they try to drive me away from their chicks. I'm considering wearing a hard hat when I go swimming from now on.
I have been vegan for six and a half months now, I have been doing a lot of reading around the subject to ensure I am eating healthily, I have been vegetarian for 27 years but a vegan diet means being even more careful to get all the vitamins and minerals I need.
I now have my electric car and the battery for the solar panels has at last been fitted, we will now be able be more efficient and use the power from this rather than the grid in the evenings. I'm getting a bit obsessed with looking at how much power we are using and constantly thinking of ways to use less. The dishwasher, washing machine and oven seem to take ridiculous amounts. Dinner was cooked in the slow cooker this evening, and I will be looking into lots of other ways to use less energy. It will help when our son moves out and there are just two of us again. He is buying a new house which of course is taking forever. Why are the solicitors so flipping slow!!
Well I can't think of anything else for now, stay safe and well my friends,
Chickpea xx
