Monday, 22 April 2013

Rotivating, Sky the scrumper and fishing update

Hello Frugellers !
This weekend should have been my birthday as I received the very best present !! ... My Godson rotivated two of my veg plots!! The first picture shows him rotivating the "paddock garden". this year we will grow brassicas in this plot. Note to the side there is a stand of raspberries,  half are red and half yellow. In the foreground is a Goji Berry hedge and just off picture,bottom right  are  7 "Invicta" gooseberry bushes. Unsurprisingly it got it's name from the fact that it is bordered on three sides by our paddock, the fourth side butting up to the orchard.

 The second garden to be rotivated is the "top" garden. As you see GdS is getting help from a hen or two and Hugh our Buff Orpington cockerel. This year we will grow peas, beans and salad crops in this garden. It also has a permanent stakes (aluminium) for beans. behind the bean row is a hedge of blackberry, which I have just hard pruned (it will come back honest!)

After GdS had finished the paddock garden the lambs found their way in, which WON'T happen once I have planted, and settled down for a siesta. If the pic was of a better quality you might be able to pick out that there are only three lambs snuggled up. So who is missing?
 Sky, the weakest, smallest lamb is not with the others. We have been worried about her as she has not been finishing her bottle, though her tummy seems full, Well here is why !.. Sky scrumping gooseberry leaves and paying particular attention to the little flowers and generally filling her face !!
At least we won't worry about her again. crafty minx ! (though we might have a reduced gooseberry crop)

  We returned from fishing in Cornwall late on Saturday night. The weather was glorious for D's fishing, though the catch from the boat was poor. D bought a 4 and a half pound pollack and a 4 and a quarter pound ling home. He says that there is no mackerel to be found. Usually on the way out they fish for mackerel for bait, but have be having to use squid instead. the general view seems to be that mackerel are few and far between this year. ( over-fishing? Climate change?)
My old friend, who we stay with, had to work on Saturday, so I had a leisurely day entertaining myself. Firstly I attended a quilting exhibition at Callington, which had some really impressive quilts on show. I was able to discuss the batting I am considering for a quilt I am making. I then went round the charity shops and bought some more curtains for craft work. I then called at Crocodon (I think!) which had a food and craft fayre and looked to see what ideas I could crib for Christmas presents. Then to Carkeel garden centre for Brussels plants  Finally, on to Looe for a spot more shopping (twine for my garden line and shoe laces.... I know how to live!)
I have decided to itemise the abbreviations I am using for my family. See  right side bar. Hopefully this will make some posts easier to follow.
  I still can't find my final frugal challenge notes, so if I haven't found them by the weekend I will try to remember what I did and spent !
I don't know about you, but I've really been enjoying reading people's 30 ways to save money. There is always something to learn.
After tea tonight I MUST sit down at the old laptop and get the Civic Society Newsletter written It must be ready for circulation by Wednesday. So, nose to the grindstone !
Welcome Dreamer. It's good to meet you !
See you all soon
Gillx

3 comments:

  1. What a lovely hard working family you have. All that rotorvating takes the back breaking work out of digging, my dad had one for his allotments. Its good to see that Sky can fend for herself now even if she is feasting on your bushes!! little minx, having you all worried that she isn't feeding very well lol
    Sorry to hear the fish haul was disappointing, but at least you got some bargains from the shopping and managed to incorporate a Quilting Show.
    Have a lovely day
    Karen x

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  2. It sounds like a lovely time--your gardens are gorgeous! Such a pity about the small catch. Sometimes you get next to nothing (or nothing) and others you get so many fish you think you need to have a giant fish fry party. I enjoy quilting shows--I don't quilt myself, but I am in awe of what people can do with scraps of material.

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