A good day for me... up early and then at 10.30 I headed off to St Nicks to meet Peter, whom I met yesterday. He was very interested in our local eco centre, as he believes that to spread the message of how to keep our Planet habitable, we need a network of similar places for people to be educated and be inspired, find information and hold meetings.
So I showed him the various 'bits' of the Environment Centre, the passive solar design, Sedum roof, rainwater harvesting, compost toilets/waterless urinal/strawbale urinal, photovoltaic and hot water solar panels, the energy balance display, woodstove and the York Rotters stuff.
Then we went out onto the nature reserve and looked at the John Lally Wood, the original mature trees in their dips, where the clay cap on the landfill wasn't put. And to the stone circle, the kids playground where a very friendly little boy was playing on a swing with two women with him, and then back to the Environment Centre. Here I had a brief chat with Catherine and left Peter chatting with Ivana.
I came home via Freshways and picked up a sack of wilting greenery and sad foreign vegetables. I had the usual sandwiches for lunch. Whilst eating lunch Gill and I spotted the very persistent squirrel leaping over to the walnut tree and leaving with another nut. It (or they?) has had about half of the crop so far, and I'm getting increasingly annoyed as I really want a crop of walnuts. The live trap is being ignored... fresh walnuts are obviously too much of a pull. A few days ago, last week, I rang the RSPCA about their advice about squirrels and how to deal with them. Drowning them is illegal, as is releasing them elsewhere, as they are officially vermin. We're talking about the American Grey here, introduced as a novelty by the Victorians, and they've pushed our native Red Squirrel to the brink of extinction due to competition for habitat and because of the Squirrel Pox virus that they carry, which kills the Reds. The RSPCA told me that I ought to get a pest control person out to kill the squirrel in the trap. They'd either do this with a gun, or release it into a hessian sack and hit it on the head when it was in the corner of the sack. So it's a bit of a problem, as I don't fancy the clobbering method and I understand why drowning them is inhumane, and I haven't got a gun. Still trying to work out solutions, and a second phone call to the nearest vet didn't get any results either.
But I'd heard that squirrels don't like chilli so Gill mixed up some curry powder with Vaseline, and we spent half an hour wiping as many nuts as we could with this, just a thin smear, to get the taste onto the nut. I have no idea if this will prevent them getting taken.
At about 2pm, a Freecycler called Chris called, and delivered a stainless steel sink which he's taken out of a kitchen he's doing up. Our white enamel sink is horrible and stained and Gill's been asking for a while about replacing it. This one seems to be the right size, although it needs the tap moving so the drainer is on the right.
I did some chainsawing, to keep on top of the bits and bobs I regularly bring home. I also did a bit of compost management, and some weeding, and picked the three remaining Winter Squash.
For tea I had a stir-fry of courgette, home grown sweetcorn and green beans, the pakora from the Sheffield Freegle Ceilidh and a couple of felafel, which Gill bought. Gill had made a delicious chocolate and banana cake so I had a small square of that... yummy!
In the evening I made up my muesli, made some carrot and tromboncino squash soup, and did another large batch of fruit for drying...
Showing posts with label produce from the garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label produce from the garden. Show all posts
I slept in and when I got up, my top dressing had come off revealing a neat pair of 'butterfly sutures'. It isn't clear whether I have normal stitches as well. Gill replaced the gauze and attached it with tape.
So I had a sedentary day, mostly. Wrote my piece for the Ward Election newsletter, and dealt with more fruit.
Later, I installed a dalek compost bin which came home from Lord Deramore's minus it's lid and basal door. I used a load of bits of rock and concrete to block the door hole and I'll use something to put on the top. I half-filled it with the contents of the medium Compostumbler, and started refilling the tumbler with shredded shrubs, shredded rotten wood and a couple of sacks of greengrocers stuff.
I picked some beans for tea. I picked a lovely looking bright orange winter squash, which should keep for quite a few months.
In fact, tea was excellent. Someone (err, was it Loony?) had suggested making a bread and butter pudding but make it savoury with layers of veg instead of fruit. I had a thrown away wholemeal loaf, so Gill and I made an experimental meal. The beans were chopped up and put in a dish with onion, mushroom, tomato and courgette, with herbs and a bit of bouillon, and microwaved for a few minutes to soften them. The bread was dipped in a mix of goats milk and egg, and some put in the bottom of a greased pyrex dish. Then a layer of veg mix, and another layer of bread, and so on, finishing with a layer of eggy bread, and some goats cheese grated on top. This was microwaved to heat it through, and then put in the oven to crisp the top and make sure it was really well cooked.
It was delicious, a really nice meal. We'll be doing a version of this again!
A quiet evening, wrote the minutes out for the YiT meeting last week as I had a gentle prompt from Peter that I hadn't done it yet.
So I had a sedentary day, mostly. Wrote my piece for the Ward Election newsletter, and dealt with more fruit.
Later, I installed a dalek compost bin which came home from Lord Deramore's minus it's lid and basal door. I used a load of bits of rock and concrete to block the door hole and I'll use something to put on the top. I half-filled it with the contents of the medium Compostumbler, and started refilling the tumbler with shredded shrubs, shredded rotten wood and a couple of sacks of greengrocers stuff.
I picked some beans for tea. I picked a lovely looking bright orange winter squash, which should keep for quite a few months.
In fact, tea was excellent. Someone (err, was it Loony?) had suggested making a bread and butter pudding but make it savoury with layers of veg instead of fruit. I had a thrown away wholemeal loaf, so Gill and I made an experimental meal. The beans were chopped up and put in a dish with onion, mushroom, tomato and courgette, with herbs and a bit of bouillon, and microwaved for a few minutes to soften them. The bread was dipped in a mix of goats milk and egg, and some put in the bottom of a greased pyrex dish. Then a layer of veg mix, and another layer of bread, and so on, finishing with a layer of eggy bread, and some goats cheese grated on top. This was microwaved to heat it through, and then put in the oven to crisp the top and make sure it was really well cooked.
It was delicious, a really nice meal. We'll be doing a version of this again!
A quiet evening, wrote the minutes out for the YiT meeting last week as I had a gentle prompt from Peter that I hadn't done it yet.
I had a very sedentary day, doing mainly paperwork and admin.
I created an invoice for a gig in a few weeks time and sent it electronically to my client, a Housing Association. I wrote a confirmation letter to a lady who's booked me for her retirement party. I confirmed a gig in Preston with my agent and sent a Freecycled DVD to someone who'd requested it, one of a large pile of DVDs and CDs I'd found in a skip. I decided I'd see if anyone on Freecycle wanted the insulating plastic flex from all the copper wire I've been stripping, and was amazed and delighted to get a taker.... but I don't know what she wants it for yet! (not that's any of my business, but I'm curious!)
I also found several bills which need paying and some paperwork which needs filing. However I didn't find the paperwork from the WHSmith gig in Malton weeks ago, which I need to process before I get paid. More searching tomorrow. One of my facebook friends joked that I needed an administrator and yes, I reckon I could use her.... I think she works in an office and seems very organised!
Before tea I went down the garden for an hour of compost tumbler filling, bean picking and windfall collecting.
After tea I chopped up a lot of James Grieve windfall apples and liquidised them with the stewed blackberries, then put the puree through a sieve, and the seed-free and fibre-free slurp went into a non stick tray on the stove and will end up as fruit leather. The stuff that didn't go through the sieve is going to be mixed with water, boiled on the woodstove and left to drain through the sieve to make a blackberry and apple drink. I really like to get the most off my home grown fruit crops.
I created an invoice for a gig in a few weeks time and sent it electronically to my client, a Housing Association. I wrote a confirmation letter to a lady who's booked me for her retirement party. I confirmed a gig in Preston with my agent and sent a Freecycled DVD to someone who'd requested it, one of a large pile of DVDs and CDs I'd found in a skip. I decided I'd see if anyone on Freecycle wanted the insulating plastic flex from all the copper wire I've been stripping, and was amazed and delighted to get a taker.... but I don't know what she wants it for yet! (not that's any of my business, but I'm curious!)
I also found several bills which need paying and some paperwork which needs filing. However I didn't find the paperwork from the WHSmith gig in Malton weeks ago, which I need to process before I get paid. More searching tomorrow. One of my facebook friends joked that I needed an administrator and yes, I reckon I could use her.... I think she works in an office and seems very organised!
Before tea I went down the garden for an hour of compost tumbler filling, bean picking and windfall collecting.
After tea I chopped up a lot of James Grieve windfall apples and liquidised them with the stewed blackberries, then put the puree through a sieve, and the seed-free and fibre-free slurp went into a non stick tray on the stove and will end up as fruit leather. The stuff that didn't go through the sieve is going to be mixed with water, boiled on the woodstove and left to drain through the sieve to make a blackberry and apple drink. I really like to get the most off my home grown fruit crops.
I wasn't feeling brilliant today, and towards the end of it I had a running nose and was sneezing all the time, so I didn't do an awful lot.
But earlier in the day, I did check that tomorrow's Woodlands gig was going ahead. I hope to be well enough... I usually recover very quickly from this kind of ailment.
I visited Debbie and she was in a great mood, having had some good luck.
I came back and had lunch, and eventually decided that whatever state I was in, I really must get down to town to put my cheque in. So I cycled down to Country Fresh, picked up one sack there, then onto Alligator where they had quite a bit for me, and then, with a trailer full of compostables, into town where I put in my cheque from Sunday and got out a cheque to pay a bill. I decided to again try my bank card in the Link ATM and whilst about to do this, was approached by a drunk and possibly Irish man who launched into a tirade of verbal abuse. It seemed he knew who I was, or a bit about me, but I didn't know him. He accused me of all sorts of horrible things, and I was really taken aback. I'm not someone who can ignore this kind of thing; I generally get stuck in, and so I did, telling him it was entirely wrong of him to give me this verbal abuse. I didn't understand a lot of what he said, but I did gather that he had lost a son, and had stood in a general election as an independent and came 6th. He had some choice words for Hugh Bayley, our MP, and was really unpleasant.
This left me quite shocked and shaken, but I kept it together and went to Sainsburys for a nice loaf and some vegan ice cream so Gill can have a treat.
I did some work in the garden but I wasn't feeling that enthusiastic so I sat in front of the stove and stripped yet more copper wire, resulting in a big pile of plastic insulating spaghetti and a bag of tightly coiled copper wire of assorted gauges or widths.
And in the evening I picked some blackberries and tried to find enthusiasm for preparing them.
But earlier in the day, I did check that tomorrow's Woodlands gig was going ahead. I hope to be well enough... I usually recover very quickly from this kind of ailment.
I visited Debbie and she was in a great mood, having had some good luck.
I came back and had lunch, and eventually decided that whatever state I was in, I really must get down to town to put my cheque in. So I cycled down to Country Fresh, picked up one sack there, then onto Alligator where they had quite a bit for me, and then, with a trailer full of compostables, into town where I put in my cheque from Sunday and got out a cheque to pay a bill. I decided to again try my bank card in the Link ATM and whilst about to do this, was approached by a drunk and possibly Irish man who launched into a tirade of verbal abuse. It seemed he knew who I was, or a bit about me, but I didn't know him. He accused me of all sorts of horrible things, and I was really taken aback. I'm not someone who can ignore this kind of thing; I generally get stuck in, and so I did, telling him it was entirely wrong of him to give me this verbal abuse. I didn't understand a lot of what he said, but I did gather that he had lost a son, and had stood in a general election as an independent and came 6th. He had some choice words for Hugh Bayley, our MP, and was really unpleasant.
This left me quite shocked and shaken, but I kept it together and went to Sainsburys for a nice loaf and some vegan ice cream so Gill can have a treat.
I did some work in the garden but I wasn't feeling that enthusiastic so I sat in front of the stove and stripped yet more copper wire, resulting in a big pile of plastic insulating spaghetti and a bag of tightly coiled copper wire of assorted gauges or widths.
And in the evening I picked some blackberries and tried to find enthusiasm for preparing them.
First popped into GP to pick up a repeat prescription which whilst packing I found I needed.
Then onto the Dentist for a tooth clean.
Then I called in on Barnitts to get a padlock for the garage as the old one has started playing up, and I bought a squirrel trap too, which traps larger animals alive so if it's the wrong animal (a hedgehog, say) it can be released, and if it's vermin, drowned, which seems the quickest way to dispatch a live-caught rat or squirrel. I prefer using rat traps with the instant spring action for rats, but on a couple of occasions I've caught a bird or a frog, so they have to be very carefully placed. And this wouldn't catch a walnut-eating grey squirrel. So the live trap will be put into use when we get back. I'm determined to protect our nut harvest from these cute but non-native 'tree rats with bushy tails'.
Then home to pick beans, courgettes, tromboncino squash and tomatoes to take with us, although I gave a courgette to Debbie over the road too.
Gill and the boys were picked up in a taxi at 12.15 and I left the house 5 minutes later by bike. I cycled over to the GP surgery and picked up my prescription and then over to the station where the family were waiting for me... but there was also a steam locomotive in with a very long carriage set bound for Scraborough. I scooted over the bridge to see the loco, and was delighted to see it was my favourite steam locomotive, the Leander. Back in the 1980s, possibly 82 or 83, my Uncle Robert bought me a really lovely present... a trip behind the Leander, which took us from Guide Bridge near Manchester, over to York, then to Leeds, Settle, Carlisle and dropped us at Carnforth where we got an electric loco-hauled rain back to Nuneaton and then a Diesel Multiple Unit back to Leicester, which is where I lived at the time. I've never forgotten this trip. I'm not a train spotter now but am still an enthusiast as train travel is quick, comfortable, usually more eco friendly than bus or car and I always seem to have good conversations in trains.
However, when our 12.58 came in, we got on and looked for our seats, but before we got to them there was an announcement that the train had been cancelled as there was vandalism in the Leeds area. So we got the next one, 30 minutes later, and had our lunch whilst waiting.
The train journey from here onwards was very straightforward, just a detour around the cable theft area, and got into Manchester at about 3pm. Our Shrewsbury train was at 3.30 and we got into there at 4.50, got a taxi to Sophie and Danky's house. Lovely to see them.... I'm an uncle to them, despite being a similar age. and their three lovely children, a similar age to our two, I'm a Great Uncle to!!! (well, this is what they say, haha).
Then onto the Dentist for a tooth clean.
Then I called in on Barnitts to get a padlock for the garage as the old one has started playing up, and I bought a squirrel trap too, which traps larger animals alive so if it's the wrong animal (a hedgehog, say) it can be released, and if it's vermin, drowned, which seems the quickest way to dispatch a live-caught rat or squirrel. I prefer using rat traps with the instant spring action for rats, but on a couple of occasions I've caught a bird or a frog, so they have to be very carefully placed. And this wouldn't catch a walnut-eating grey squirrel. So the live trap will be put into use when we get back. I'm determined to protect our nut harvest from these cute but non-native 'tree rats with bushy tails'.
Then home to pick beans, courgettes, tromboncino squash and tomatoes to take with us, although I gave a courgette to Debbie over the road too.
Gill and the boys were picked up in a taxi at 12.15 and I left the house 5 minutes later by bike. I cycled over to the GP surgery and picked up my prescription and then over to the station where the family were waiting for me... but there was also a steam locomotive in with a very long carriage set bound for Scraborough. I scooted over the bridge to see the loco, and was delighted to see it was my favourite steam locomotive, the Leander. Back in the 1980s, possibly 82 or 83, my Uncle Robert bought me a really lovely present... a trip behind the Leander, which took us from Guide Bridge near Manchester, over to York, then to Leeds, Settle, Carlisle and dropped us at Carnforth where we got an electric loco-hauled rain back to Nuneaton and then a Diesel Multiple Unit back to Leicester, which is where I lived at the time. I've never forgotten this trip. I'm not a train spotter now but am still an enthusiast as train travel is quick, comfortable, usually more eco friendly than bus or car and I always seem to have good conversations in trains.
However, when our 12.58 came in, we got on and looked for our seats, but before we got to them there was an announcement that the train had been cancelled as there was vandalism in the Leeds area. So we got the next one, 30 minutes later, and had our lunch whilst waiting.
The train journey from here onwards was very straightforward, just a detour around the cable theft area, and got into Manchester at about 3pm. Our Shrewsbury train was at 3.30 and we got into there at 4.50, got a taxi to Sophie and Danky's house. Lovely to see them.... I'm an uncle to them, despite being a similar age. and their three lovely children, a similar age to our two, I'm a Great Uncle to!!! (well, this is what they say, haha).
Today was a relaxing day.... I did virtually no physical activity apart from washing some spinach from the garden. Gill did a stir fry with it in.
Gill told me that I had to rest, so I did. Mostly with my leg up. Spent most of the day playing Scrabble, reading stuff, chatting with Gill, showing her things on facebook, things I found on Flickr... a very quiet and sedentary day. The boys were relaxed and happy too.
My friend Melanie came up trumps with a solution to tomorrow's transport. Her friend Chris is driving to the Madhyamaka Centre in Pocklington tomorrow and is happy to take me. So I'll go in costume and will take as much workshop stuff as I can, plus lots of balloons. I'm sure that I'll be able to contribute reasonably to the event, and should be offered all or most of my fee. I'm really glad that I persuaded them to keep my services. I'd like this accident to not prevent me working at all. I need the work, need the income!
Gill told me that I had to rest, so I did. Mostly with my leg up. Spent most of the day playing Scrabble, reading stuff, chatting with Gill, showing her things on facebook, things I found on Flickr... a very quiet and sedentary day. The boys were relaxed and happy too.
My friend Melanie came up trumps with a solution to tomorrow's transport. Her friend Chris is driving to the Madhyamaka Centre in Pocklington tomorrow and is happy to take me. So I'll go in costume and will take as much workshop stuff as I can, plus lots of balloons. I'm sure that I'll be able to contribute reasonably to the event, and should be offered all or most of my fee. I'm really glad that I persuaded them to keep my services. I'd like this accident to not prevent me working at all. I need the work, need the income!
Our eldest son's birthday... so there was excitement first thing with presents, and after midday my brother Thomas and his wife arrived, on the way from visiting friends in the North East, with their youngest child who was very shy initially but then suddenly became completely animated and lots of fun.
Had lunch with them and a wander down the garden.
I did some compost management in the afternoon and picked lots of beans for tea.
Had lunch with them and a wander down the garden.
I did some compost management in the afternoon and picked lots of beans for tea.
I had a late start as at 2am when I'd finished watching Cell on BBC4, I went down the garden to lie on the trampoline to watch Perseids, and saw two good ones plus what I think was an 'Iridium Flare', where a satellite's solar panels briefly reflect sunlight. It was travelling South East between 2am and 2.30am.
Then I came in and Gill and I went up to the loft where we have a Velux window, and we saw a dozen good meteors between us... lovely!
But it meant we didn't get to bed til 3.30am.
So, a late start but I got up when I heard the phone, and it was for me, a Fiddlesticks booking confirmation. After this I had a very busy day... I did a lot of harvesting... poppy seeds, spinach, a courgette, some small but yummy 'Pink Fir Apple' potatoes, and whilst a young friend was here, I used the large stepladder to pick tiny pears from the huge tree mid-way down our garden. These usually ripen at the end of August and are eaten by wasps and starlings before we can get to them. So I picked what I could, dropping them to the waiting hands of the willing child helper, who caught 80% of them.
I did a bit of pruning too, some of the finished fruiting spurs of the loganberries which were sticking out a long way into the shared passageway, and a vigorous ivy. And I did some chainsawing and splitting.
Gill did a delicious tea with some of the crops... I enjoyed the spinach, tomato and Bulgar wheat portion of the meal best. But Gill's quiche was a close second. Or maybe it was the blackberry and loganberry crumble with custard which was the best bit?
At 7.30 I cycled fast into town as there was a York in Transition meeting at The Hansom Cab in Market St. This was an unstructured meeting to follow up the discussions that YiT members had at their weekend at Nook Barn a few weekends ago. I enjoyed this meeting as it flowed freely and everybody contributed, it was lively and good humoured, with 9 of us attending. We addressed the criticism that YiT was a 'Church of Transition' and just met and discussed worthy issues but didn't DO anything. We reviewed the big events we've organised, the many smaller events, the satellite Transition groups which have spawned from us and are being nurtured by us, and debated what we should be doing in the future and how we should do it. A few firm conclusions were arrived at, and we decided to have the next YiT meeting in the pub as it was obviously the right place to attract good numbers of people and have good communication.
I got home at 10pm with a sack of Country Fresh compostables and 6 bags from Gladys, who rang earlier to ask me to collect her garden clippings.
I spent a long time during the evening preparing pears... some I stewed in red wine and mead, others I cut into 6 slices and put for drying.
Then I came in and Gill and I went up to the loft where we have a Velux window, and we saw a dozen good meteors between us... lovely!
But it meant we didn't get to bed til 3.30am.
So, a late start but I got up when I heard the phone, and it was for me, a Fiddlesticks booking confirmation. After this I had a very busy day... I did a lot of harvesting... poppy seeds, spinach, a courgette, some small but yummy 'Pink Fir Apple' potatoes, and whilst a young friend was here, I used the large stepladder to pick tiny pears from the huge tree mid-way down our garden. These usually ripen at the end of August and are eaten by wasps and starlings before we can get to them. So I picked what I could, dropping them to the waiting hands of the willing child helper, who caught 80% of them.
I did a bit of pruning too, some of the finished fruiting spurs of the loganberries which were sticking out a long way into the shared passageway, and a vigorous ivy. And I did some chainsawing and splitting.
Gill did a delicious tea with some of the crops... I enjoyed the spinach, tomato and Bulgar wheat portion of the meal best. But Gill's quiche was a close second. Or maybe it was the blackberry and loganberry crumble with custard which was the best bit?
At 7.30 I cycled fast into town as there was a York in Transition meeting at The Hansom Cab in Market St. This was an unstructured meeting to follow up the discussions that YiT members had at their weekend at Nook Barn a few weekends ago. I enjoyed this meeting as it flowed freely and everybody contributed, it was lively and good humoured, with 9 of us attending. We addressed the criticism that YiT was a 'Church of Transition' and just met and discussed worthy issues but didn't DO anything. We reviewed the big events we've organised, the many smaller events, the satellite Transition groups which have spawned from us and are being nurtured by us, and debated what we should be doing in the future and how we should do it. A few firm conclusions were arrived at, and we decided to have the next YiT meeting in the pub as it was obviously the right place to attract good numbers of people and have good communication.
I got home at 10pm with a sack of Country Fresh compostables and 6 bags from Gladys, who rang earlier to ask me to collect her garden clippings.
I spent a long time during the evening preparing pears... some I stewed in red wine and mead, others I cut into 6 slices and put for drying.
A nice day with the family. I woke quite late but got busy in the kitchen after breakfast, and it was a peaceful and very productive day.
Gill had cut down some overhanging Lilac and cut back an overenthusiastic willow, and she wanted me to dispose of this cut material. I cut off the smaller branches and shredded them, and put the larger sticks aside to be cut to a stackable length for kindling.
I then got busy further down the garden, pruned the cherry tree... cutting the long branches back to half their length to make it easier to put the net over next year. I also cut several lengths of hedge, including one which had got very long and needed work with secateurs not the shears. I shredded all this to help it rot down more quickly. I have several sacks of this mainly woody material to add to heaps and tumblers which have the mainly fruity and veggie material on them, to help with aeration and carbon-nitrogen balance.
We harvested some potatoes from the woven green sacks where they've been growing all summer, very satisfying. I also picked some Jack Edwards Climbing Pea Beans and some broccoli and a small crook-neck squash, all of which Gilly melded into a lovely meal.
At one stage during the day I got my emails and there was a Freecycle offer from John Bibby, my friend who has had quite a bit of tree work done in his garden, offering a trailer-load of willow sticks. I replied and asked if he had any of the other wood left, the pear, laburnum and better-to-burn wood, and he replied and suggested I cycle round and pick some up.
So when I got there there were quite a few of the good-to-burn logs there, and John suggested that I fill his car up and he drive a load round. I was only expecting to take a bike-trailer's worth, but he was happy to be rid of the stuff as he wanted to clear his garden. So I loaded his car, and my trailer, and I cycled back and John drove round 20 minutes later, and I unloaded his car. I must now have one of the best collections of logs in York! And a heck of a lot of work to do!
Our eldest was also busy today, preparing for his younger brother's birthday tomorrow. He has made a complicated map of the garden and cut it up and hidden the different bits in various different places, so that when all of them are put back together it reveals the whereabouts of some buried treasure. This treasure is the birthday present. So there was various help needed with this task, including keeping his younger brother unaware of the preparations. A fun task.
So, a hard working day, good moods all round, productive, happy.
Gill had cut down some overhanging Lilac and cut back an overenthusiastic willow, and she wanted me to dispose of this cut material. I cut off the smaller branches and shredded them, and put the larger sticks aside to be cut to a stackable length for kindling.
I then got busy further down the garden, pruned the cherry tree... cutting the long branches back to half their length to make it easier to put the net over next year. I also cut several lengths of hedge, including one which had got very long and needed work with secateurs not the shears. I shredded all this to help it rot down more quickly. I have several sacks of this mainly woody material to add to heaps and tumblers which have the mainly fruity and veggie material on them, to help with aeration and carbon-nitrogen balance.
We harvested some potatoes from the woven green sacks where they've been growing all summer, very satisfying. I also picked some Jack Edwards Climbing Pea Beans and some broccoli and a small crook-neck squash, all of which Gilly melded into a lovely meal.
At one stage during the day I got my emails and there was a Freecycle offer from John Bibby, my friend who has had quite a bit of tree work done in his garden, offering a trailer-load of willow sticks. I replied and asked if he had any of the other wood left, the pear, laburnum and better-to-burn wood, and he replied and suggested I cycle round and pick some up.
So when I got there there were quite a few of the good-to-burn logs there, and John suggested that I fill his car up and he drive a load round. I was only expecting to take a bike-trailer's worth, but he was happy to be rid of the stuff as he wanted to clear his garden. So I loaded his car, and my trailer, and I cycled back and John drove round 20 minutes later, and I unloaded his car. I must now have one of the best collections of logs in York! And a heck of a lot of work to do!
Our eldest was also busy today, preparing for his younger brother's birthday tomorrow. He has made a complicated map of the garden and cut it up and hidden the different bits in various different places, so that when all of them are put back together it reveals the whereabouts of some buried treasure. This treasure is the birthday present. So there was various help needed with this task, including keeping his younger brother unaware of the preparations. A fun task.
So, a hard working day, good moods all round, productive, happy.
A productive morning as I removed my son's bike back wheel and took the tyre down to Cycle Heaven to get a replacement. I went via Hazel Court civic amenity site, cycling 4 sacks of drinks cartons (including 2 from school) and some electrical equipment rescued from skips and some other metal to get this all recycled. I had a little chat with one of the workers there, and said that officially, cycles were not allowed up there, and I'd been refused a trailer permit. I said I refused to tip all my recycling on the ground at the entrance as had been suggested, and the operative said that taking the recycling from the pedestrian area up to the recycling skips was a health and safety issue in itself.
So, feeling happy about the sensible attitude of the workers there, I went on to put two cheques in and on to Cycle Heaven. There I asked if I could have a large cardboard box, as our youngest needs to make a life-size prop for a school assembly, so I cycled home with a box that a bike was delivered in... excellent! Home via Country Fresh and Freshways, also found some more electrical equipment sticking out of a bin bag left for collection, so that will go for recycling soon!
Enjoyed my lunch and helped Maria with a self-employment query over the phone.
During the afternoon I tried to catch up on a load of paperwork, phoning etc, connected to my Fiddlesticks work. But when it cooled down a bit I went to do some compost riddling and loading up my new pallet bin. My favourite activities, with my robin friend filling its face with centipedes and little beetles. Lovely!
I popped out to the Co-op for some provisions for today's tea, and Gill put them together whilst I did more outside work, including picking loganberries.
On the way home from the shop I stopped to chat to a chap who's skip I'd raided, to thank him for the Freecycling opportunities it had afforded. Ended up having a good chat and he gave me some strawberries from his back garden. I might end up helping Mike with his garden, he's only just moved in and needs some help. Nice chap.
I came in to make some tea for tomorrow... onion and tomato base mix, and some plantain, gently fried in chunks. Probably will add it to rice.
Quiet evening, maybe a bit too warm... and that was without the stove! Enjoyed strawberries and loganberries with vegan ice-cream.... yummy!
So, feeling happy about the sensible attitude of the workers there, I went on to put two cheques in and on to Cycle Heaven. There I asked if I could have a large cardboard box, as our youngest needs to make a life-size prop for a school assembly, so I cycled home with a box that a bike was delivered in... excellent! Home via Country Fresh and Freshways, also found some more electrical equipment sticking out of a bin bag left for collection, so that will go for recycling soon!
Enjoyed my lunch and helped Maria with a self-employment query over the phone.
During the afternoon I tried to catch up on a load of paperwork, phoning etc, connected to my Fiddlesticks work. But when it cooled down a bit I went to do some compost riddling and loading up my new pallet bin. My favourite activities, with my robin friend filling its face with centipedes and little beetles. Lovely!
I popped out to the Co-op for some provisions for today's tea, and Gill put them together whilst I did more outside work, including picking loganberries.
On the way home from the shop I stopped to chat to a chap who's skip I'd raided, to thank him for the Freecycling opportunities it had afforded. Ended up having a good chat and he gave me some strawberries from his back garden. I might end up helping Mike with his garden, he's only just moved in and needs some help. Nice chap.
I came in to make some tea for tomorrow... onion and tomato base mix, and some plantain, gently fried in chunks. Probably will add it to rice.
Quiet evening, maybe a bit too warm... and that was without the stove! Enjoyed strawberries and loganberries with vegan ice-cream.... yummy!
Heaved myself out of bed at 9 after going to bed after 3am... I'd have liked a bit of a lie-in, but had arranged to go and visit Andrew, a Freecycler who offered an unwanted train-set layout, ie a board with some track on it. It was raining so I took a load of paper sacks to cover it up. I helped him get it down from his loft... and there was a bag of bits and pieces with it too! This had been well loved when his children were children... but they are my age now, so it was probably 30 years old or thereabouts! The track was rusty... old oo gauge track was made of simple steel and rusted when moisture condensed onto it, and it needed rubbing with sandpaper to ensure the contacts with the electrics in the engine. Modern track is stainless steel or nickel steel or something... and it doesn't corrode, so we'll replace the track.
It wasn't raining as I came home so it didn't need covering up, and I picked up a sack of compostables from Country Fresh, which went on my pannier rack. Home to find that Will, my friend from LETS, was going to visit, as he wanted to see how our boys worked the Wii. It was good to see him, and he enjoyed making a Mii and having a go at conducting and a few other things. Then he felt tired and Gill asked him if he wanted to have a nap on the sofabed in the front room. So he had half an hour before heading into town to participate in an arts event, not sure what.
After lunch, I spent some time washing up, made a nutloaf.. a bi-colour nutloaf, one half with carrot soup in, the other with chopped and lightly steamed spinach-beet from the garden. I lined the baking dish with slices of a spherical courgette... one of the shops had thrown out about half a dozen of them, don't know why as there is nothing wrong with them. The result, microwaved and then turned out onto a metal tray and baked in the oven for 20 minutes to crisp it off, was awesome! We all loved it! Gill put some salad together, and olives and pickles... it was delicious. Gill made a banana cake with some thrown out bananas, with chopped Brazil nuts and home-made sultanas too. We eat like, well, like it's a restaurant! A five star restaurant! But Gill and I have both worked in catering... Gill ran pubs (cooking for 200 every Sunday) and I was a Pizzaland person for two years , and had a season at Gillygate Wholefood Bakery and Cafe Co-operative in the late 1980s, cooking good veggie nosh.
I did manage some time in the garden, and also did some work in the conservatory, pruning the Kiwi tree (hope it fruits this year!) and sorting out little yams to plant up. One of the yams from a couple of years ago is already several metres long and snaking its way all over the kiwi and up to the roof... an amazing plant. And each year the tuber triples in size. At the leaf nodes, little balls develop and fall off... these grow into yams if allowed to, and it was handfuls of these I was collecting from around the back of the Kiwi pot and other big planters. I expect I'll sell some or give them out at the St Nicks junk-swap event.
A quiet evening, chatting to load of different people on the computer and watching the telly.
It wasn't raining as I came home so it didn't need covering up, and I picked up a sack of compostables from Country Fresh, which went on my pannier rack. Home to find that Will, my friend from LETS, was going to visit, as he wanted to see how our boys worked the Wii. It was good to see him, and he enjoyed making a Mii and having a go at conducting and a few other things. Then he felt tired and Gill asked him if he wanted to have a nap on the sofabed in the front room. So he had half an hour before heading into town to participate in an arts event, not sure what.
After lunch, I spent some time washing up, made a nutloaf.. a bi-colour nutloaf, one half with carrot soup in, the other with chopped and lightly steamed spinach-beet from the garden. I lined the baking dish with slices of a spherical courgette... one of the shops had thrown out about half a dozen of them, don't know why as there is nothing wrong with them. The result, microwaved and then turned out onto a metal tray and baked in the oven for 20 minutes to crisp it off, was awesome! We all loved it! Gill put some salad together, and olives and pickles... it was delicious. Gill made a banana cake with some thrown out bananas, with chopped Brazil nuts and home-made sultanas too. We eat like, well, like it's a restaurant! A five star restaurant! But Gill and I have both worked in catering... Gill ran pubs (cooking for 200 every Sunday) and I was a Pizzaland person for two years , and had a season at Gillygate Wholefood Bakery and Cafe Co-operative in the late 1980s, cooking good veggie nosh.
I did manage some time in the garden, and also did some work in the conservatory, pruning the Kiwi tree (hope it fruits this year!) and sorting out little yams to plant up. One of the yams from a couple of years ago is already several metres long and snaking its way all over the kiwi and up to the roof... an amazing plant. And each year the tuber triples in size. At the leaf nodes, little balls develop and fall off... these grow into yams if allowed to, and it was handfuls of these I was collecting from around the back of the Kiwi pot and other big planters. I expect I'll sell some or give them out at the St Nicks junk-swap event.
A quiet evening, chatting to load of different people on the computer and watching the telly.
A super day... nice slow start and then did loads of my favourite activity in the garden, digging out a compost heap and riddling, also sorted out some of the pots from last year's tomatoes and other conservatory veg, by tipping out the spent growing medium and rubbing it through a riddle and taking out the biggest roots. The crumbly soil I put on the raised beds and around the garden where I feel the soil level needs building up.
The boys played in the garden too, my eldest helped cut up a pile of green potatoes thrown out by the grocers so they could go on the compost heap and have a chance of not growing!
Rakesh rang me and asked if I'd take some sacks of ivy he's cut down from a tree in his garden, as he cannot take them to Hazel Court as he has a van and it requires a permit, which he hasn't applied for. I told him I'd be happy to recycle his ivy for him, so he drove round and dropped it off. I'll feed it through the shredder and bung it in the now empty Compostumbler along with the next couple of week's greengrocer's 'resources'...
Gill made pizza dough and did a brilliant pizza, with the first of the purple sprouting broccoli out of the garden as a side dish, and potatoes from Country Fresh.
This weekend must have been one of the best weekends we've had for quite a while, pretty peaceful, lots of friends to play with and good weather so outside activities were possible and fun.
Let's hope for more days like these.
The boys played in the garden too, my eldest helped cut up a pile of green potatoes thrown out by the grocers so they could go on the compost heap and have a chance of not growing!
Rakesh rang me and asked if I'd take some sacks of ivy he's cut down from a tree in his garden, as he cannot take them to Hazel Court as he has a van and it requires a permit, which he hasn't applied for. I told him I'd be happy to recycle his ivy for him, so he drove round and dropped it off. I'll feed it through the shredder and bung it in the now empty Compostumbler along with the next couple of week's greengrocer's 'resources'...
Gill made pizza dough and did a brilliant pizza, with the first of the purple sprouting broccoli out of the garden as a side dish, and potatoes from Country Fresh.
This weekend must have been one of the best weekends we've had for quite a while, pretty peaceful, lots of friends to play with and good weather so outside activities were possible and fun.
Let's hope for more days like these.
A quiet and relaxing day mostly. Was late getting up, watched Countryfile with Gill whilst the boys had 45 minutes each on the computer. Gill made brownies and a quiche and I did a vast wash up, the only downside of so much home cooking.
Listened to Gardeners Question Time and we giggled to hear a question from a chap with 'just' 18 compost heaps in his garden. After which I went down the garden to add some bags of leaves to my leafmold pile and clear up the old squash vines, pick some bean pods and the last of the sweetcorn.
Finished making the soup started yesterday... added bouillon and herbs and whizzed it up with the handheld blender. Then reheated it on the stove. Gill bought a 20 pence loaf at Scummerfield and made some of it into croutons and that's what we had for tea... pumpkin soup, croutons, broccoli quiche and raw carrot, followed by brownies, fruit and ice cream. Blanched the sweetcorn and peeled the kernels off for tea tomorrow.
I developed a bit of a stuffed-up head and runny nose so went to bed for a couple of hours, but came down for 9pm to see the first installment of the Barbara Cartland dramatisation, as I am curious about her life as we share an ancestor (my middle name is her maiden name), but it didn't grab me that much. Gill loves dramas but I get a bit lost and sometimes find the plot difficult to keep up with. Good acting though.
Listened to Gardeners Question Time and we giggled to hear a question from a chap with 'just' 18 compost heaps in his garden. After which I went down the garden to add some bags of leaves to my leafmold pile and clear up the old squash vines, pick some bean pods and the last of the sweetcorn.
Finished making the soup started yesterday... added bouillon and herbs and whizzed it up with the handheld blender. Then reheated it on the stove. Gill bought a 20 pence loaf at Scummerfield and made some of it into croutons and that's what we had for tea... pumpkin soup, croutons, broccoli quiche and raw carrot, followed by brownies, fruit and ice cream. Blanched the sweetcorn and peeled the kernels off for tea tomorrow.
I developed a bit of a stuffed-up head and runny nose so went to bed for a couple of hours, but came down for 9pm to see the first installment of the Barbara Cartland dramatisation, as I am curious about her life as we share an ancestor (my middle name is her maiden name), but it didn't grab me that much. Gill loves dramas but I get a bit lost and sometimes find the plot difficult to keep up with. Good acting though.
A really good day... The boys were on good form as they had their visitor and behaviour is always better when they have visitors!
I took the paperwork from the Planning Panel down to town via Millers Yard, came back via Country Fresh, had lunch went to the allotment and did a lot of clearing up, pulling out nettles, digging potatoes etc.
Came back to make tea for Gill... fried onions on the stove and added some large waste tomatoes and thrown-away basil, and home-made sweet-pepper paprika to make a stewy thing. Also chopped down some flowering perpetual spinach spires, and cut off some leaves and small buds, chopped them up and stewed them on the stove. Then added some pasta to the tomato stew and served it up with the spinach and a little bit of cheese on top... Gill said it was the best meal she'd had for ages.
Later on, I wrote my paid blog on cycling... on panniers and trailers. Then had a quick bath and a chat on Skype with K who has had a good holiday, and was in a happy mood thankfully!
I took the paperwork from the Planning Panel down to town via Millers Yard, came back via Country Fresh, had lunch went to the allotment and did a lot of clearing up, pulling out nettles, digging potatoes etc.
Came back to make tea for Gill... fried onions on the stove and added some large waste tomatoes and thrown-away basil, and home-made sweet-pepper paprika to make a stewy thing. Also chopped down some flowering perpetual spinach spires, and cut off some leaves and small buds, chopped them up and stewed them on the stove. Then added some pasta to the tomato stew and served it up with the spinach and a little bit of cheese on top... Gill said it was the best meal she'd had for ages.
Later on, I wrote my paid blog on cycling... on panniers and trailers. Then had a quick bath and a chat on Skype with K who has had a good holiday, and was in a happy mood thankfully!
Gill got me up as there were rumblings of dissent and talk of not going to school. This all stemmed from asking our more complicated child if he'd like to have a 'leaving party or birthday party combined'? He has been saying for a while that he didn't want any party, but this morning, the last day of school, he said he did want to do something with friends.
So Gill asked him what he wanted to do. This was too much for him, and there were shouts and crying 'I don't know WHAT I want to do' 'so I won't bother'. So Gill made a few suggestions, including going out somewhere, seeing a film, playing in the garden, playing at the Outgang (playing fields in Heslington) and he then shouted that he didn't want to be given suggestions. So we just cannot 'win' with this child. Impossible. Anyway, we between us eventually got to a situation of agreeing that he would invite some of his friends to the Outgang tomorrow at midday. Gill quietly asked me if I thought I could do some Professor Fiddlesticks activities at his party, and although I hate his aggressive behaviour and churlishness, I still love him and want to help him have a good time... so I asked him if he'd like that, and apparently he would. But minutes later he was having another paddy about writing some little invites and he threw punches and yelled a lot. God knows what our neighbours think we're doing to him! I just don't want to reward this crap behaviour but I do want to be a nice Daddy.
I took them to school. I came home. We both had a cry. We are wondering where we have gone wrong and are absolutely dreading the summer holidays. We haven't booked a holiday as we cannot face an experience like last summer. And this just punishes our other boy who is mild mannered, quite chilled and relatively well behaved, and gets ignored when the other one takes all our attention. Parenting is soooooo difficult!
Before lunch went to the tax office and asked about a couple of queries in our accounts, and was asked to chat to someone on the phone for 'technical advice' and it all seemed quite simple. I'm going to submit my income tax stuff electronically this year, for the first time. And possibly the last as we are going to get an accountant to do it next time! To not have that hassle will be lovely!
Then went to the Hazel Court/James Street skip site with a load of cartons for recycling, some more batteries which surfaced, and some electrical stuff including low-energy lightbulbs for the 'weee' collection. Then to St Nicks where I bought two dalek compost bins which folks have returned, for a tenner each, one of which will go to a lady in Windmill Lane who asked if I could get her one. Both went on my cycle trailer no problem. Then came home and had lunch and phoned up the tax credit people and re-applied for that over the phone.
Then did some washing up and washed my walnuts which have been in brine for a few weeks, and left them to air-dry in a cardboard box. Next stop, getting pickling jars ready, and assorted herby/spicy vinegar. I might co-pickle them with some early nasturtium seeds.. or even flower buds (which is what capers are, so I don't see why I shouldn't give 'nasturtium capers' a go!)
Did emails and blog, got ready for my last day bringing two boys home from school!
As soon as I arrived at school and my occasionally horrible child came out, he said, 'Dad, forget about this morning' so I replied 'why, what happened this morning?' with a smile and he gave me a hug. I collected quite a bit more end-of-term recycling/reusables and then the boys said they wanted to go to the Outgang with all their friends, so I told them they could but when Ulrich said it was time to go, they must cycle home together and be careful using and crossing roads. An hour after I got home, Ulrich arrived with his eldest son and 10 mins later, both mine arrived home happily and safely. Ulrich and I picked a load of loganberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a few gooseberries and then he went to collect his youngest from another friend's house.
I went to the Hull Road Planning Panel meeting for 6.30 and we dealt with 4 applications, one of which was really difficult to deal with as it was changing a student house with 5 bedrooms int a 'House of Multiple Occupation' with 8 bedrooms, and we all felt it was a bit crowded... but couldn't object on any planning grounds we knew of. Interesting! Home for 7.45 and had pizza, home grown potato salad with chives and some olives donated by Ulrich.
So Gill asked him what he wanted to do. This was too much for him, and there were shouts and crying 'I don't know WHAT I want to do' 'so I won't bother'. So Gill made a few suggestions, including going out somewhere, seeing a film, playing in the garden, playing at the Outgang (playing fields in Heslington) and he then shouted that he didn't want to be given suggestions. So we just cannot 'win' with this child. Impossible. Anyway, we between us eventually got to a situation of agreeing that he would invite some of his friends to the Outgang tomorrow at midday. Gill quietly asked me if I thought I could do some Professor Fiddlesticks activities at his party, and although I hate his aggressive behaviour and churlishness, I still love him and want to help him have a good time... so I asked him if he'd like that, and apparently he would. But minutes later he was having another paddy about writing some little invites and he threw punches and yelled a lot. God knows what our neighbours think we're doing to him! I just don't want to reward this crap behaviour but I do want to be a nice Daddy.
I took them to school. I came home. We both had a cry. We are wondering where we have gone wrong and are absolutely dreading the summer holidays. We haven't booked a holiday as we cannot face an experience like last summer. And this just punishes our other boy who is mild mannered, quite chilled and relatively well behaved, and gets ignored when the other one takes all our attention. Parenting is soooooo difficult!
Before lunch went to the tax office and asked about a couple of queries in our accounts, and was asked to chat to someone on the phone for 'technical advice' and it all seemed quite simple. I'm going to submit my income tax stuff electronically this year, for the first time. And possibly the last as we are going to get an accountant to do it next time! To not have that hassle will be lovely!
Then went to the Hazel Court/James Street skip site with a load of cartons for recycling, some more batteries which surfaced, and some electrical stuff including low-energy lightbulbs for the 'weee' collection. Then to St Nicks where I bought two dalek compost bins which folks have returned, for a tenner each, one of which will go to a lady in Windmill Lane who asked if I could get her one. Both went on my cycle trailer no problem. Then came home and had lunch and phoned up the tax credit people and re-applied for that over the phone.
Then did some washing up and washed my walnuts which have been in brine for a few weeks, and left them to air-dry in a cardboard box. Next stop, getting pickling jars ready, and assorted herby/spicy vinegar. I might co-pickle them with some early nasturtium seeds.. or even flower buds (which is what capers are, so I don't see why I shouldn't give 'nasturtium capers' a go!)
Did emails and blog, got ready for my last day bringing two boys home from school!
As soon as I arrived at school and my occasionally horrible child came out, he said, 'Dad, forget about this morning' so I replied 'why, what happened this morning?' with a smile and he gave me a hug. I collected quite a bit more end-of-term recycling/reusables and then the boys said they wanted to go to the Outgang with all their friends, so I told them they could but when Ulrich said it was time to go, they must cycle home together and be careful using and crossing roads. An hour after I got home, Ulrich arrived with his eldest son and 10 mins later, both mine arrived home happily and safely. Ulrich and I picked a load of loganberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a few gooseberries and then he went to collect his youngest from another friend's house.
I went to the Hull Road Planning Panel meeting for 6.30 and we dealt with 4 applications, one of which was really difficult to deal with as it was changing a student house with 5 bedrooms int a 'House of Multiple Occupation' with 8 bedrooms, and we all felt it was a bit crowded... but couldn't object on any planning grounds we knew of. Interesting! Home for 7.45 and had pizza, home grown potato salad with chives and some olives donated by Ulrich.
Gill took our youngest to school and our year 6 10 year-old was due in his secondary school at 10ish for a fun day, so he walked up there with a friend.
Gilly and I had a relaxed morning which was refreshing, and then continued doing the mound of housework. I did some cropping in the garden, our walnut tree has fruited very well this year so I took off all but one nut per bunch, and will pickle the pruned-out immature walnuts. I've never had pickled walnuts but Gill likes them and Gill's mum loved them, they were a great treat. I'll have to make needle-pricks in them and put them in brine before letting them dry and putting them in vinegar.
Whilst picking these, I noticed one of my large logs (actually an innocculated cherry trunk) had fruited with my favourite mushroom, 'chicken of the woods' which is a really meaty and solid fungus which is almost indistinguishable from firm chicken flesh... except more ethical, lower carbon and less cruel! I cut the huge and heavy fruiting body off and washed it and pared off the woodlouse poo which was semi-incorporated in the top surface. Once prepared, I cut it into cubes and fried it in olive oil, and had this as a garnish on the rice and veg which Gill cooked for us for tea.
I went to Country Fresh and picked up another large load, including at least 20 cucumbers in plastic sheaths which I had to spend some time cutting off before composting the unwanted fruit. It seems weird that I am carefully nurturing my cucumber plants and watching the cucs grow bigger day-by-day, whilst the commercial system just throws away dozens of unsold ones...
Also did some weeding of regrowing nettle roots, invasive ground elder and brambles, and made another layer on the bay-window-radiator compost heap. There's no chance of them growing as it gets so hot! I had a magazine delivered this morning which I subscribe to, Kitchen Garden. Last month, there was an article about coping with mares tail, and the author, Sandra, whom I know as she's from York, had put 'on no account compost them', which I disagree with as I have composted lots, from two neighbours' gardens. So I had written in to the magazine to explain how to successfully compost mares tail, nettle and ground elder, and even Japanese Knotweed. My letter was published, but without my name as I said that I knew Sandra and I guess the editor didn't want me to embarrass her or something...
Anyway, the trick is to do it hot, dry or wet. Hot heaps are best... shred the offending material with lots of other stuff and turn it so it all heats up as it breaks down. Nothing survives the 60 to 70 degrees celcius temperatures generated. The dry method involves drying the roots etc off on a patio or path, and when completely crunchy, put them on the heap. This however, does not kill seeds, which can grow in the finished compost. The wet method is good, if a bit smelly. The materials are placed in a bucket of rainwater and left immersed to go gooey for several weeks. This slop can then be poured on your heap, or the liquid used for watering plants, as it's full of nutrients, and the stringy plant materials composted.
I went to town in the afternoon to give in the planning panel paperwork and talk to a couple of Council officers about various issues, pay in my Sheffield Green Fair cheque and buy a replacement blender/liquidiser, which I'd seen in Barnitts. Got one for half price, a good one which ought to last longer than the two £20 jobbies we've gone through in the past few years. We do a lot of food preparation so a good liquidiser is important. The one I got has a juicer thing which fits in the goblet, so during the evening I peeled about 15 oranges (also thrown out, probably because of skin blemishes) and put them in the juicer, made just over a litre of juice. Lovely!
Gilly and I had a relaxed morning which was refreshing, and then continued doing the mound of housework. I did some cropping in the garden, our walnut tree has fruited very well this year so I took off all but one nut per bunch, and will pickle the pruned-out immature walnuts. I've never had pickled walnuts but Gill likes them and Gill's mum loved them, they were a great treat. I'll have to make needle-pricks in them and put them in brine before letting them dry and putting them in vinegar.
Whilst picking these, I noticed one of my large logs (actually an innocculated cherry trunk) had fruited with my favourite mushroom, 'chicken of the woods' which is a really meaty and solid fungus which is almost indistinguishable from firm chicken flesh... except more ethical, lower carbon and less cruel! I cut the huge and heavy fruiting body off and washed it and pared off the woodlouse poo which was semi-incorporated in the top surface. Once prepared, I cut it into cubes and fried it in olive oil, and had this as a garnish on the rice and veg which Gill cooked for us for tea.
I went to Country Fresh and picked up another large load, including at least 20 cucumbers in plastic sheaths which I had to spend some time cutting off before composting the unwanted fruit. It seems weird that I am carefully nurturing my cucumber plants and watching the cucs grow bigger day-by-day, whilst the commercial system just throws away dozens of unsold ones...
Also did some weeding of regrowing nettle roots, invasive ground elder and brambles, and made another layer on the bay-window-radiator compost heap. There's no chance of them growing as it gets so hot! I had a magazine delivered this morning which I subscribe to, Kitchen Garden. Last month, there was an article about coping with mares tail, and the author, Sandra, whom I know as she's from York, had put 'on no account compost them', which I disagree with as I have composted lots, from two neighbours' gardens. So I had written in to the magazine to explain how to successfully compost mares tail, nettle and ground elder, and even Japanese Knotweed. My letter was published, but without my name as I said that I knew Sandra and I guess the editor didn't want me to embarrass her or something...
Anyway, the trick is to do it hot, dry or wet. Hot heaps are best... shred the offending material with lots of other stuff and turn it so it all heats up as it breaks down. Nothing survives the 60 to 70 degrees celcius temperatures generated. The dry method involves drying the roots etc off on a patio or path, and when completely crunchy, put them on the heap. This however, does not kill seeds, which can grow in the finished compost. The wet method is good, if a bit smelly. The materials are placed in a bucket of rainwater and left immersed to go gooey for several weeks. This slop can then be poured on your heap, or the liquid used for watering plants, as it's full of nutrients, and the stringy plant materials composted.
I went to town in the afternoon to give in the planning panel paperwork and talk to a couple of Council officers about various issues, pay in my Sheffield Green Fair cheque and buy a replacement blender/liquidiser, which I'd seen in Barnitts. Got one for half price, a good one which ought to last longer than the two £20 jobbies we've gone through in the past few years. We do a lot of food preparation so a good liquidiser is important. The one I got has a juicer thing which fits in the goblet, so during the evening I peeled about 15 oranges (also thrown out, probably because of skin blemishes) and put them in the juicer, made just over a litre of juice. Lovely!
