2025 - What I did today

Picked and processed apples. I've a new phone so a lot of time is spent learning about that. I'm used to a smart phone but mine was about 7 yrs old. It's amazing the number of wingdings the new one has. Whether I'll ever use them remains to be seen.

Planted out my garlic yesterday. The soil was very warm so should soon be up as the next 10 days at least look reasonably mild. Mowed some grass as well hopefully last cut this year.

Haven't done it yet, but plan is that after hanging washing out I am going to try and re-straighten a willow that is now leaning over next doors garden!

A few years ago I bought various willow unrooted cuttings (sticks) to add a bit of colour to the garden. One of the ones I stuck in the ground has grown at a phenominal rate for some reason and was starting to lean to the windward side into net doors space. I managed to tie it back to my rhododendon to keep it staight up. It is now 30 foot high and the recent stom has sent it to 45 degrees, leaning over next doors garden! I need to put trousers on to tackle it as there are nettles in the vicinity and I usually wea shorts! I haven't been able to get to it to have a look so will have to work out some way to return it back to vertical?

Emptied some 30ltr pots that had tomatoes in. Planted some sprouting potatoes in their place and sowed carrots, beetroot or radish on top. Its Roots and Shoots week! Mooved the pots into the GH.
Pruned old canes from some raspberries and did some weeding nearby.

Potted up some chives and garlic chives into big pots where they can live out their days.
A bit of GH tidying.

Clearing the ground at the side of GH2 as it could make a good place for some pots for vegetables. I'll leave the grapevine that grows there, and the oregano/marjoram but remove the weeds aka montbretia and the rocks that were supposed to be decorative. Also cut back the grapevine further along, that is taking over the shed roof.- and the honeysuckle that grows through it. Found a small bunch of grapes - most of them were eaten by birds! Not sure why I bother, really.

Nothing in the garden

Had my hair cut, visiting family and started a new jigsaw puzzle.

Today I walked Kato in the dark this morning, then ecercise classes for 9.00 am. 

After that I went on a shopping foray for a Sunday roast beef joint! I had tried Morries,Aldi & Lidl which are all reasonably close at hand but were far too expensive!
So this time I drove to Azda which is further afeild but I have had cheaper meat from there before! I finished up paying £17.00 for a large joint which I can cut into three and get three Sunday roasts out of it, fo one person, namely ME!  I also bought a pork joint for £7.00 which I can get two pork roasts for one out of.   I bought loads of other meats and fish,(including yellow sticker stuff) for once I get round the meat and fish counter I tend to go a bit radge! The meat was 'long dated' as well so no panic to get it choped up as I also bought a smaller joint for tomorow! The etxra cost of petrol was worth it.

I called at allotment on way home and even though I had no plans to do anything I finished up hoe-ing all the paths. I had contacted the Council and asked them whether they would cut the grass on the interior tracks of the allotment (which used to be done by the committee, until someone broke in a and stole the lawnmower along with other machinery) but the Council refused to cut it!  It woud take them 15 minutes with the ride on triple mowers, they cut the surounds with so they can't complain if it is a mess!

Once I got home I put some food (if you can call it that) into the oven. It was a Cumberland pie for one that I got on the cheapie counter. I left most of it as it was mainly potato mash.
While pie was cooking I decided to try out my single hand held rechageable chainsaw I have just bought. I am really impressed with it as it goes though some three inch diameter willow I have, like butter!
The plan is to leave it ii in my car and if I see any wind blown branches (which I often do) I will chop them up and chuck them into car for woodburner. I also see loads whilst walking Kato and may even pop over with a wheelbarrow and my saw and libeate it fom the undegrowth!

Next on the list is to take Kato on his second walk of today then its PJ's on, woodbuner lit and chill in front of telly, or read my book!

While I think on, I brought six small canes home fom allotment to mark positions of where I plant my Rudbeckia seedlings in the garden.The small plug gown T & M plants have now filled their 4 inch pots with roots and are ready to plant out, and will be lost in among other plants, including weeds, if I don't highlight there positions!
Phew, sorry about the length of post!

Emptied (almost) the Hotbin and stacked the compost in 4 supermarket crates.
Peeled, chopped & cooked a lot of windfall apples. To be frozen.

You've had a busy day Vinny.

I saw this in Lidl and thought of you, or perhaps Kato.