Monday 26 May 2014

In my absence I.....

....well I accomplished quite a lot really and got some things done that I have been meaning to do for ages. I didn't mean to neglect the writing of my blog it is just that sometimes time runs away from you and to be honest I hate it when I don't get chance to write here and read the other blogs I love but something has to give somewhere sometimes and it always seems that the blog is the first to get put on the back burner for a while...maybe because I know it will still be there when I get chance to return as will everyone else's so that I can catch up with you all....I just hope all my readers will come back to listen to my inane ramblings!!!!

So lets get back to catching you all up....I will tell you all some things I got up to but bare in mind these are in no particular order as i will probably just waffle to you all for a while and hope it brings you up to speed!!

I did mange to get a bit of work done on the allotment and now have seeds growing in the greenhouse that will soon need hardening off and there are root veggies in the ground but I am far from finished and probably a little behind planting wise but I'm sure things will catch up.

Of course the rain has been quite aggressive at times over the last couple of week which means the weeds have gone rampant again so I will have to get my back into hoeing at some point this week!!

I went to a friend of a friends for a free facial which was wonderful and some lovely product were used of which I treated myself to a few!!

I managed to get a couple of novels read...I love to read and find it relaxing to fall into a totally different reality at times...especially when the rain won't cease!!

My friend Juliette took on a new allotment this year and it was in quite a state and then she had so much work to get done that i surprised her by popping down one evening and rotovated it over for her so that it was ready for planting. She was really pleased when she found out and I was happy to help!!

This seems quite long winded and I have barely covered anything....bare with me whilst I go get my camera and lets see if we can find a few pictures to share....

open apiary with Grantham District Beekeepers.

I helped out at an open apiary with Grantham District Beekeepers and we had a glorious day for it and then went for tea and cake after to the Chairman's house. It was a great day and gave people who are currently on the course the chance to get interactive with the bees!

With the weather so unpredictable it hasn't been difficult to get a decent amount of work done down the allotment but things are in hand and slowly taking shape....

bee plot fruit bush finding
 
We managed to find the fruit bushes amidst that wheelbarrow of stuff, this was of course after I had been up there at 5:00am strimming the weed down which I found out today someone complained about because of the noise but to be honest I'm not sorry I did as we went back at 8:00am to get some more work done and within and hour had to endure this.....


Which believe me only got heavier and once we were soaked through to our underwear we decided enough was enough and went home to get dry clothes on and warmed through!

Did I really do so little?? Oh, I remember something else I did...

bee suncatchers

I made some bee sun catchers. These were some first off and not the final cuts but the finished ones will 'bee' along these lines (I know...really lame joke!!). Anyway, this year Grantham District Beekeepers are having a stall at Grantham carnival and so I offered (in my totally dumbass moment) to make some to  sell. So far i have made about 65...only another 20 to go!! Then I just have the honey jars to decorate....I really do make myself a lot of work at times!!

On top of all that I have been sorting out membership and BDI stuff which will be of no concern or interest to you believe me but none the less it all takes time along with the usual day to day rubbish of washing, cooking, cleaning, working yadayadayada....we all know the drill!!

Oh just to finish off though...yes I am going to stop boring you all to tears now..I did go out for the day yesterday...Took my parents as My Mum's birthday treat to Burghley Game and County Fair.

It was quite a nice day out and they had some great falconry displays on so I will leave you with a nice pic...


I really am sure there was more to my absence but right now it escapes me...but don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I remeber!!!! LOL

Wednesday 21 May 2014

And then there was light......

 



 
 


Tuesday 6 May 2014

April 2014 weather summary.

spring trees
spring trees
So a little later than planned but a little bit about Aprils weather.

We did have one day where the temperature reached 20 degrees Celsius. That was if you could get in the sun out of the breeze anyway!!

We had that horrible smog for four days at the beginning of the month but once that cleared it was a pretty decent month.
We had a few days of rain.
The winds were mild as were the temperatures.
Spring arrived full force.

Not really much else to say about it.

Everything seems to be growing well...especially the weeds which is always the way!!

Sunrise on last day of April 5:31am
Sunset on last day of April 8:20pm.

D'you like the photo?? I had nothing to put up with this post so sat on my sofa and zoomed the camera to the tree outside our lounge window on the opposite side of the road.

I think it cam out pretty well!!
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Sunday 4 May 2014

A little adventure and a little bit closer.

So I did get down the allotment for a couple of hours and I did take my camera with me but unfortuntely I didn't take any photos...not to worry though as Annabel took plenty yesterday and I will share a few of them with you now.

Annabels favourie photo of the day...lol (it's her Mum)
Annabels favourie photo of the day...lol (it's her Mum)

Dandelion clock
Dandelion clock

A robin came to visit.
A robin came to visit.

It was a lovley sunny day.
It was a lovley sunny day.

Weeds are never far away.
Weeds are never far away.


The ponies were frolicking in the paddock.
The ponies were frolicking in the paddock.



 

So there you go, some wonderful pictures form Annabel, She really is a great little photographer.

 That's right.....I was going to tell you what I had been doing down the allotment.....not much to be honest. I got the brassica and bean seed sown in the greenhouse and will hopefully get back tomorrow to get the squash and sweetcorn in.  

  


        






            Other than that I was giving Juliette a hand with her plot for a bit and we burnt some rubbish.         



















         Not the most interesting of days nn the the plot but very productive and satisfying none the less!              As for my little adventure, you'll have to visit here to find out all about that!!              




















Saturday 3 May 2014

Dogs, bees, baths and more bees!!


So a lot has been going on over the last couple of weeks and I seriously can't believe that I didn't post in over a week....especially with so much to tell...shame on me!!!!

I did keep meaning to write a post but with so much to do I was just so tired when I got home...and then of course I would think about writing the next day and not quite get around to it and then things go out of your head and yada yada yada....you get my drift??? 


Yeah...I guess I just got lazy. Anyway, here is a little update as to what's been going on....less talk and more pictures as I find this the perfect way to do things without boring you all to sleep!!!

So the weather then.....only kidding...I'll cover that all in a post on it's own mainly for a personal diary for me next year so you can all feel free to skip that one!!


Well let's start with last Saturday. It was the day after my Dads birthday and as a treat hubby and I took my parents to the dog and garden show out at Newark showground. The day dawned with horrific rain  but fortunately for us it stopped just before the time we said we would leave.


There was lots going on and although it was a little confusing in the layout we had a wonderful day out. Of course we took Trojan with us and my Parents dog Louie!!


Hubby, Parents, Trojan, Louie, Nephew.
The family at the dog show.
 Trojan and Louie were really well behaved even though they were very excited and we had a lovely day. We entered the dogs in a couple of shows, they didn't win but they are still our stars!!

 So after we got home from the show Jez gave me a ring and I went to the allotment after a quick bite to eat so that we could sort out the Poly deep brood hive. On the photos you saw earlier you could see where the bees were building below the frames in order to fill space...well they were over filling and gluing to the bottom of the hive...also making queen cells so some radical action needed to be taken.


 


So last Saturady 3 hives became 4. The nucleus has only 5 frames in it and the queen hasn't yet hatched out which is just as well as it is full to bursting and I am waiting for a hive to be delieverd to transfer them into so they have more room.

After sorting the hives went for a nice walk with trojan....


Isn't this just the greatest photo!!
Trojan in the daisies and buttercups
I have also been busy on the allotment but still haven't quite managed to get the seeds in pots in the greenhouse...I'm kind of glad it's a bank holiday weekend!! I did get the rest of the weeds up though and the runner beans are ready to be planted out but going to wait a few more days as we had quite a harsh frost last night.

The bee plot is coming along nicely....I planted a well esatblished broom today...and we also had a good bath too!!


 

It has all been strimmed down and we now have good plans in mind for flower and herb beds so it all feels like things are coming along nicely.

After all this was done then I had time for another bee inspection which now need to be carried out on a regular basis and Annabel gave me a hand. Annabel is 12 and currently taking the bee course so this was her first time in the hives and was fantastic...not fazed one bit by all the buzzing and flying.



So I do have some more to share as Annabel took some photos whilst we were busy burying the broom but I think we will leave them and the 'exquisite' on she took for tomorrow post. 
Night all.
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