Mildew

I have sprayed the plants that have mildew, twice and to be honest it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference. I changed the ratio to 1 milk 9 water after reading up on it. I will persevere with the treatment as i really don't want to lose the squash but any advice on how to prevent it in the future would be gladly welcomed.

I had the first of the carrots yesterday and they were lovely and sweet and I'm sure pleased that the carrot fly did not find them! They were only small so I will leave the rest of them a bit longer.

The beetroot is looking good but still a little small.

I was late with the peas but they are flowering now, and the beans are still climbing but no flowers as yet so i don't know if i was too late with them.

Dawg Tired

Here's Gypsy hitching a lift in the wheelbarrow.

The squash pants are still looking sorry for themselves, I think I'll give them another spray tomorrow. Does anyone one know how to tell when spaghetti squash is ready to harvest?

I've been looking around on other blogs and as I'm pretty new to this blogging I'm a little unsure of the protocol if any when adding them to my links list. Any help on this would be appreciated.

Cleopatra

I have nicknamed her Cleopatra and OK here she is bathed in milk (hence the name!), I only had skimmed milk so I hope that works and I used a ratio of 1milk 3 water. It now smells like a dairy down my garden. I just hope it works !

Problem

The sunflowers are starting to bow there heads and sway drunkenly in the breeze as they begin to go to seed.

The rest of the veg garden is doing OK though i got a problem, leaves on my squashes have developed powdery mildew so I'm going to try spraying with bicarbonate of soda to see if it makes any difference.

I hope this mould doesn't affect the squash, it doesn't appear to be on the actual fruit, just the leaves. I feel disappointed because I really thought i had looked after them well. Has anyone else got this problem? I would really appreciate any tips or advice.

Just googled and have decided to use milk to try and eradicate it as I ain't no baking soda.

Mary Poppins

I nearly had to do my Mary Poppins impressionit's so windy out side and my patio umbrella had started to take off, I just to got it in time. My kids laugh at me because I already have the big bag like Mary Poppins, the only difference being is that things go into the bag and are never to be seen again, it has that many different compartments!

Dusk

I love the way the night sky is closing in on the last of the daylight.

Although the pic doesn't show it clearly (as it was taken on my camera phone) shafts of light where shining down and it was a really beautiful back drop for the silhouetted trees.

Baked Beetroot

This is the first time I had baked beetroot in the oven instead of boiling and it was absolutely delicious. I am now converted I won't boil again! I am going to try a recipe off a friend for beetroot in blackcurrant jelly, it sounds an odd combination but I'm going to give it a go.

Having a moan!

Its August 18th and already i can feel Autumn in the air. We have had no real summer to talk of, we had it hot for a few weeks in April, then grey clouds and rain on and off (mostly on!) throughout May, June,July and a few hot (ish) days in the beginning of August. This morning is grey, cool and damp! Last year we had a glorious summer, we had just bought this house and it was blazing sunshine throughout June, July August, which was great for us all as it was the first time we' d had a garden and we made the most of it. Anyway enough of me moaning!

Went to see my Dad yesterday, he is still in hospital where the the docs are treating him for a chest infection rather than pneumonia. He is still very poorly and the doc told us that if there has been no improvement by today they will change his antibiotics in the hope that he will respond better. We just want him to get better its awful seeing him in so poorly, he never usually suffers with his chest and to see him struggling when he is breathing is terrible.

Dad

Had a crap day yesterday... my dad has got suspected pneumonia and had to be admitted to hospital. They have got him on antibiotics so the sooner they kick in the better as he is 83 years old and pretty weak, he has been bed bound for 3 years. On a positive note he still managed to have a joke with me and mum, he has a wicked sense of humour which I love.

The best laid plans...

Today I was up at 6:30 and my plan was to get on with sorting out the loft and get stuff bagged up ready for the skip. Anyway after doing the necessary jobs around here, i decided to come online and check e-mail, update blog have a surf around etc.

It is now 3:30pm and I'm still procrastinating and at this rate nothing will get done so instead of stressing it i have decided "I'll do the loft tomorrow!"

I'm posting some new garden photo's today, I'm new to blogging and i really need to find out how to add albums and other bits and pieces to add interest.

How dya want ya spuds? Fried, mashed or boiled??

I harvested the last of my potatoes yesterday evening, so gonna rack my brains as what to cook with them today for dinner. If anyone got any ideas let me know.

We got a busy weekend planned yet again, we will be working on the house tomorrow, hoping to get some of the flooring ripped up and put aside ready for the skip. I also want to look for paint/ emulsion for the living room. I'm thinking of keeping it neutral and using warm creams as we will be having an harvest oak floor and the furniture is waxed pine and suite is brown leather so i think it should go together pretty well. I will post photo's of the before and after in a few weeks when it will hopefully be done.

The kitchen is still a work in progress, but we have to wait for the cabinet doors to be delivered so that project is on hold for the time being.

oh wot a day!

oh wot a day i can't believe that i turned up bright and early with my daughter for her appointment at the the orthodontist to be told "yes you are on time but a day late" arrghhh i have so much on my mind just lately i completely confused the days. The best of it is though... when i looked at the calendar this morning to check the appointment time i didn't register that i was looking at yesterday D'oh!!


This year i grew cucumbers, a variety called Styx and they have been fat and juicy though I've only had two off up to now. I was hoping it would be a bit more productive, but having never grown them before maybe i am expecting too much. they are well tasty though and far superior to shop bought.

My sweetcorn is looking good and i think i will be running down the garden with a pan of boiling water pretty soon. I hear its best to cook it as soon as picked to get the utmost flavour and before it turns starchy, so pans at the ready!

House

It's been a hectic couple of days and I didn't manage to get on yesterday to update :-(

I have been busy getting the inside of the house ready for decorating, we bought it last year and it needed quite a bit of work doing. We have managed to get my daughters bedroom finished. My partner built a fitted wardrobe and laid new flooring and i decorated. We have also decorated our bedroom but still not got round to the flooring as yet. The stairway is now stripped and ready to decorate and the kitchen is in the middle of a refurb. It all seems to be taking a sooooo long to do but I'm learning to be patient! It was a novelty at first, living rough but now we've done it for over a year, I I've forgot how it feels to be organinsed. Have i ever been organised?? lol

Anyway there is alot of rubbish and old junky cupboards from the kitchen starting to litter the garden and so we are gonna have to hire a skip pretty soon. The third one since we've been here!