I need tips for selling on Ebay please

Hiya!
I've been having a little de-clutter. Not what some would call a de-clutter, but I've made a start with the smallest bedroom aka junk room.
All the fabric, clothes etc has gone to the Air Ambulance. They pick up from the door regularly and I fell lucky with a pick up last week. A few boxes of bric a brac, books etc have gone to the charity shop, but there are some items that I think are worth selling. So how to start? I have never sold anything on ebay and bought very little (and always with the help of my daughter or granddaughter) so I don't really know how to go about it. Do I do lots of photographs,? Do I do a thorough write up?
 My granddaughter says I might do as well on a local facebook selling site. Has anyone found this better than ebay?
One of the reasons for the clear out of the small (which we call the Heidi room because it is snook up into the loft) to make more room for my granddaughter who is currently living with me and is "bottom drawing"  - they don't use that term anymore do they? I remember David and I starting our bottom drawer. For some reason I thought that red and white would be a good theme. My first purchase was a "Domino" coffee set! Really useful! I have no idea where that went but it would fetch far more now than I paid for it then, well over 50 years ago.
Said granddaughter doesn't appear to have plans for a wedding as yet, she is though (with her partner) saving for a deposit on a house. Their long term plan is to have a smallholding and they plan to buy, "do up", move etc until they reach their goal. With the price of property especially with land they have a steep hill to climb, but she's a determined (not to say stroppy and sassy) young woman and they might just do it!! Nothing ventured eh? I know that Sue from the Cottage at the end of the lane did exactly that.
I can feel a theme coming on here - "Who can afford to buy a smallholding and how?" - Next post methinks.
I'd love to hear of your experience of Ebay/facebook selling.
Love Gill x
PS A warm welcome to Debbie Amber, Modern arts and crafts and Hannah Coe on Blogloven.

"I deserve it"

HELLO!!
I see that it is over a month since I last posted. Where did the time go!? Been super busy here. Not even been looking at other blogs and I'm months behind with my Civic Society paperwork too. No doubt I will catch up when/if the weather worsens and I am restricted to indoor tasks only.
While gathering my strength to attack the ironing mountain(any excuse to put it off) I have been watching "Right on the money" on the TV. As often happens I have been shouting at the TV again. Well at two "patients" that are struggling with money/debts/savings. What makes me shout? The statement "We/I deserve it"  The parents of four children who believe they deserve a weekend break without the children once a month! (they also have family holidays) and the woman who buys online for things she doesn't need but likes opening packages and she deserves it. At least the woman appeared to be able to afford her purchases, but the couple were overspending in several ways, such as lots of takeaways -"because we work hard"
While I believe that people should have treats, holidays, meals out etc where does this term "deserve it" come from? I also couldn't help wondering how their children felt about how their parents needing so many breaks from them! (David and I had two weekends away on our own in all the time our children lived with us and while enjoyable, we didn't NEED the break)
Am I being a grump? Too judgmental? Do some people work harder than others?
Neck on the line here again - what do you think folks?!
Back with a smallholdy/frugally/generally type post soon.
Gillx
Off to catch up on some of my favourite blogs - have I missed anything?

Of bees

Hiya!
Anyone else with bees looking out the window wondering if they will swarm?! The bees have all made it through a mild winter and the colonies are strong. Because of the heat most hives have lots of bees "bearding" to the out side of the hive to keep themselves and the hive cool. On first sight it is difficult to assess if they are about to swarm, so I keep looking to see what they will do next. We had one swarm last week and it was a whopper! It settled low in a pyracanth so was easy to collect though the nasty thorns kept catching at my veil. When boxed it almost filled all the frames, so it is more than possible that we will get honey from it later in the year.

Our godson who also keeps bees has had several swarms from the hives in his and his parent's gardens (they live next door to each other) Unfortunately, his father was stung last week and had a serious reaction that the doctor says will only get worse with any further stings! So Gds has to look to rehome his bees. he will have to sell some bees and just keep half a dozen hives in whatever plot he finds to house them. So if anyone in Notts/Derbys is looking to buy some bees let me know and I will see that you are contacted.
Looking out of the window I do believe I see bees pouring out of hive No 5.. must go!
Gillx
Yup. sat at the door for 10 mins to see them landing in one of the damsons. They have settled on several branches at the mo, so will look again in a few minutes to see if they have amalgamated into one lump and where in the tree that might be. I hope it is the lower branch!
Gx

Some Derbyshire cheese

Hallo!
I'm feeling a little more positive about the veggie gardens this week. While there are still some heroic weeds out there I have begun to tame them and am planting with a vengeance! I'm having a go at sweet potatoes this year. The youngsters like them, though I'm not too keen really. They are okay in a chilli and curry but that's about all. Anybody else growing or have grown sweet potatoes? Were they worth the effort and cost (£2 a plant)?
I was in the garden showing GF round, (earlier he had been looking at my latest glass purchases - I told you it was a weakness!) and a fellow beekeeper called in to bring us a sample of her latest cheeses. Oh MY! are they good! She doesn't sell them until she has matured them a little. I do like a nice Brie and these are as close as you can get to a Brie. I love the hole in the middle, she lives on Stanage Edge up in wildest Derbyshire Peak District - hence Stanage Millstone. You can visit her site at www.cowclose.farm

In (a poor) swap I gave her a teasle plant and a syrup feeder for her bees.
We were fishing in Cornwall again last weekend, David brought home a goodly catch of Pollack and Ling and I found a cute stall in the Tavistock Pannier market where I bought 2 cut glass whisky glasses and four small liqueur-type glasses of different styles for my collection. GF tells me that one is Bohemian, one from the mid Victorian era and one from around 1820, he isn't sure about the other. Each glass cost me £1 and I am very pleased with them.
The bees still haven't swarmed, or if they have I have missed them going. We are hoping for a good honey year. Other beekeepers we know feel the same. I do hope my bloggy beekeeper friends are doing well too.
This year's broodies only seem to be able to hatch the odd egg before leaving all the others behind to go cold and expire. We have four hens with eight chicks between them so far - rubbish! Three others are sitting, let's see how well they do!
We are now on countdown to our annual Bash. It is in four weeks and we have another weekend in Cornwall planned before then. No pressure there then. As usual we will have over 20 tents, with approx 150 guests all told (not everyone camps) There will be races, 50 a side rounders, country dancing and a group at night for a boogie. Most of this is no effort as we have all we need in equipment and most people bring a plate of food. David has organised some barrels of local ale and cider and it remains to make the place safe and set up the recycling area.
 Enough of my ramblings.
back soon
Gillx

Back to the blog post election

Hello All
Just a very quick post to say I am still here and battling on, sorry I have been so tardy posting, but I'm now "Back to the Blog"
The election has been interesting hasn't it?!!
Reading people's  blogs over the last few days (rather than keeping this one up to date!) I am struck by how SURE many people are that they are right and anyone who disagrees is a fool/ misguided etc. I wish I could be so sure that I was Right in my views. There are so many variables to each argument and so many views/ experiences to consider. I am a life-long Socialist (no shit Sherlock!) but do not consider that it is the only party that understands what a country or its people needs. I consider it has many flaws and am often upset  by some of its' policies and pissed off with some of the pretty uninspiring candidates ( I believe Diane Abbot is to leave her shadow cabinet post... thank goodness for that!) Whatever happened to the good old Statesmen of both parties? I have just read that Mrs May may be considering aligning herself with the DUP. marvellous!! anti abortion, anti gay etc. They could  also consider whether women should continue to have the vote while we are at it!
SO enough of that (for now) I'm off to brave the showers and plant up some more veg plants that are bursting out of their pots, prick out the tomatoes, pick gossegogs and string up the hops! All these things are achievable and good for the soul.
Back soon  - honest!
Gillx

Appeal - Please Drink more Prosecco

Hello from sunny Derbyshire.
This is a drink related post.
I have asked my facebook friends to drink more Prosecco, Cava or Champagne. Strangely, my appeal has been well received and donations are rising steadily.
Here is the reason why -

 How good are those for protecting eyes while gardening?
The canes are from a gardening job that H. undertook some months ago. There was a HUGE quantity of bamboo to be cut down. He bought it here and it has been drying in the barn since then. We have started to trim it to make garden canes and supports. The canes and leaves were at least 10 feet tall, some taller and there is five times more than you see to be trimmed yet. I looked up how to prepare and preserve bamboo and it looked a little complicated, with salt baths etc, so I have just dried and trimmed it. Regarding the corks, wine corks are okay, but  the sparkling wine corks are so much better for fixing and for protective qualities, hence the appeal for more. I use a lot of canes as I grow spray chrysanths , gladioli and such like for cutting as well as vegetables that need support.
   Still drink related,
 I collect old liqueur glasses ( it's a weakness I know - more clutter!). Below are a couple of examples. The one on the right is Victorian and very fine glass. The one on the left is one of my "everyday" glasses, which we use for tasting homemade damson gin, cassis etc. They are tiny but robust and probably not old, but I do love them.

 Now look at these beauties. My friend found these in a charity shop and paid very little for them. He informs me that they are Georgian. They are lovely to hold and my new favourites.

 Not in any way drink related, unless I make a tenuous link to how many bottle they are still drinking each day (3) Here are the lambs. Dumble, Duchess, Daphne, Dora, Delilah and Denzle. Little Duchess, who is sitting down in the grass, has joint ill and is currently on antibiotics. She had a nasty abscess on one foot, which has been lanced and I am currently washing out the wound with salt water twice a day. Her elbow on her other back leg is also affected so she really is in a poor way, but we are giving her the best care we can.

Lovely weather again today, but a little hot to work in the gardens.
I will be amazed if we don't get a swarm!
Keep cool.
Love Gillx

Deep beds or no?

Hello All
Welcome to Charlotte and Yours Frugally on Bloglovin and Tom on the sidebar
I notice that many people use the "deep bed" way to grow their veg.
The principle behind deep beds is that the soil is deep and humous-full and that the beds are just wide enough to allow you to tend to the plants while not standing on the soil, as compressing the soil damages the it' friability and drainage. This method means that a higher density of plants can be grown in a given area.
To set the ground up for this method it is usual to make a frame from strong treated wood (often old  railway sleepers) these boxes are usually placed 3 to 4 foot apart and some sort of path made between the beds. (gravel, slabs, chippings) The boxes are then filled with compost and /or soil, ensuring a soil high in nutrients.
You may remember from pics that I have shared that I don't use this method. I have to say that I am not convinced it is the most efficient or frugal way to grow veg. Oooo er controversial Gill!!
Firstly, the outlay to set up this system is pretty high.  If you are growing your own to save money it will be some considerable time before you get your money back (especially if you grow crops such as carrots and potatoes) Consider the cost of the wood, preservative,paving and compost, (though some people do have access to enough improved soil)
Secondly, you can make your soil as rich, deep and productive without using boxed deep beds.
Thirdly, you will grow easily as much per square foot in a well planned "conventional" garden.
Here's how we do it.
We ridge up the garden into 4 to 5 foot beds beds with and 18" gap between, this frees up more gardening space per metre than using the boxed garden, wide path method. I usually lay old floor boards or pallet wood in the gap to walk on or push wheel barrows along.(If you roll these boards over occasionally you can pick off and dispose of the slugs that will gather there - they have to gather somewhere!)
I will grant you that raised beds are tidier and if you are a wheelchair user higher raised beds make gardening possible for you (you will need higher boards for this, say 3 or 4 sleepers deep) I personally favour the chaotic flowers, fruit and vegetables (and quite a few weeds) look, which makes my heart sing in mid summer and have searched out a couple of pics to remind you.

Now some may have to lie down in a darkened room after looking at this organised chaos, but I reckon that the yield from this chaos is pretty good!
Some come on gardeners what do you think? (Head above the parapet here)
Gill