More gardening

So the massive list of ‘outdoor’ things to do was slid across the table with a caveat of ‘this is not a full and final list ….’ C read through it and his eyes got wider and wider.


‘2nd greenhouse up by April’

‘Dig out septic tank run off asap’

‘Clear BOTH veg beds in full ’(we’ve only used parts of them for the last couple of years so they are fairly weed infested)

He grew quieter as the enormity of the 30 odd task(s) dawned on him, but I think we have made a good start in just a week.

I’ve butchered pruned the big corner fuchsia.

The hedge that the kitchen window looks over has been butchered pruned right down so we can see all the way over to the sea.

Green house washing is almost complete, the gutters are cleaned.

I’m sure there are a couple of other jobs done as well but they would be small enough not to be remembered.

And today Carl and S did the first clear up of the first veg plot, the whole thing. Could not believe it, they worked all afternoon and just as twilight started to hurry towards darkness they finished. The children and mums enjoyed each other’s company all day. Perfect.

Lunar organics calendar is on the way and I shall order seeds tomorrow. Hopefully it will be dry for next week so the momentum can build not get washed away in the rain.

Reply to comments?

Is there a simple way to reply to comments? If there is I can't find it so I'm not being rude I just can't  'talk' directly to you! I'm sure I've seen replies on other blogs maybe this is the wrong platform ?
Claire - no telescope but I do have a Canon 450D and that was taken with a simple 70-300mm zoom lens and then I zoomed in and cropped on photoshop (no other photoshop adjustments :) ) plus I had borrowed a tripod from a friend which means the camera shake from pressing the button which will easily blur something as far away as the moon was eliminated.
You can use a telescope and a point and shoot camera to get some great night sky shots, I'm now waiting for the moon wane a bit with a clear sky so i can get some star shots :)

and thanks to all for the concern over my somewhat cryptic post about the moon affecting me, I'm OK just struggling a bit with the immense amount of stuff I put on myself plus having a wibble over whether home ed is right for everyone. I'm not very good at living in the present moment, a skill I very much admire in my children!

Green shoots of coriander sprouting last April

Spring may just be on her way

We've  had a spell of miserable wet weather but the last few days have seen the cold return along with the sun which I'm glad about, the rain can be refreshing in summer but on cold dark days just seems to intensify the feeling that summer is too far away.
As the days inch their way to becoming longer we've been spending more time outside looking and planning, so many things that need doing for the year ahead.
Tamar Organics catalogue has been poured over and a list made. I've washed down about 75% of the greenhouse glass and cleared out some incredibly spongy moss from the gutters. Only trouble is now I can see inside it properly I can see the old tomato plant I didn't get round to pulling up at the end of last year!
Pots need potting on, seed trays need a wash, ivy needs ripping out, pretty as it is it is somewhat taking over a corner of the greenhouse.
Rhubarb is starting to poke through but our massive snowdrop plant in the hedge is yet to flower, it's ususally out mid December!
Hedges need cutting, barbed wire on the stock fencing can come down, trees need mulching.
Oh and the veg plots desperately need weeding but the soil is so wet from the rain I don't really want to go trampling all over it.
There's a second greenhouse to put up hopefully before the end of April......also like to make a mini polytunnel in one of the veg beds, oh and lots of babies to take off the strawberry plants.
I also need to get some advice about the fruit trees, see if I can actually get fruit from them this year.
I'm exhausted just thinking about the list, I shall however get it all written down to motivate us to crack on with what we can. I am so looking forward to eating fresh tomatoes and digging up spuds for dinner though, nothing like it.

If anyone wants to camp here in the summer in exchange for a bit of weeding and chopping knotweed let me know lol

Strawberry flowers from last April.

Full Moon at sunrise

Thanks to Edan and his early waking I got to photograph the mon as the sun came up.

Full Moon

Tonights full moon pulling me towards something unknown. I am way out of balance, fragmented and being stretched to breaking point.

Looking ahead

Got talking about going camping this year and HES FES was mentioned, I would like to go but just looked it up and it’s 380 miles away. we had trouble entertaining the children for the journey to Beautiful Days last year! The AA route planner says 6 ½ hours ish, eeek not sure how we could manage that!
Beautiful Days I’d like to go again this year…… despite having distinct memories of my mini meltdown and stating I was never ever EVER going to a festival with my ‘delightful’ children ever again lol
Also The Artemis Gathering http://www.witchfest.net/artemis_gathering.htm could be interesting.
Not going to do Holifair this year unless the weather is good on the Sunday when we could just pop over for the day maybe.
Would also love to go to the Mercian Gathering (280 miles) but not many tickets left and no dogs allowed, I think I’d really like to go to this one on my own as well.
Maybe something non organised on Dartmoor or North Cornwall plus I'd like to go over to the Med to see friends (and for the warmth early/late summer but we'd have to get 3 new passports which would be £180!

Moot musings

I miss my old moot, it had faults but it was alive, vibrant and people wanted to discuss things. Admittedly it took some organising but there were lots of people who wanted to participate

Down here there is one about half an hour ish away and while I get to as many of the open rituals as I can I rarely make the actual moot so no relationship is built up with that group of people beyond the superficial, a shame as some lovely people there.

The one nearer to me is just not 'me', I don't really gel with anyone there and as I get to go out so infrequently I don't stand much chance of developing friendships with the couple of people I did get on with the last time I got out there.

The online pagan community doesn't seem to have the life in it it used to either, the last time I flew by it was full of 'does anyone have a spell for money/love/whatever' and more experienced pagans being quite superior trying to get one over on each other/newbies.

I miss my old moot, good friends some sparky conversations and support.

Not really sure how to move forward with this.

Stargazing

There's a tv prog on at some point but there are various real events you can participate in.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/features/stargazing/#south_west

We've got one close to us at Mabe but no babysitter, enjoy :)

Lots of walks on the beach and in the woods

Woods today and beach ones from 30th and 31st.