Hope or Hopeless?

Somebody once said if hope is crushed the heart is dead......... will check it out, but looking at this glimmer of hope on my tomato plants this morning leaves me feeling so frustrated. It would seem my tomato plants have blight, yet seeing the 1cm little dots ( I counted 3 in all this morning) did build up my hopes. I discarded all of the affected leaves last night and actually moved the tomatoes into the kitchen. I was just about to put out the light when I noticed a snail had crawled into one of the pots! Well we have no non-paying lodgers here so I escorted him from the premises! Today I will be having a thinking day. We are going to Scarborough Bike Races and I will be spending some time on the back of the motorbike for the duration of the journey.......... so I will be thinking! About......... my greenhouse the tomato problem........ my strawberries... I will plan the week's menus and try to come to terms with the tomatoes. I am so so gutted.... Dx

I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. ~Nathaniel Hahorne, Mosses from and Old Manseis Found this quotation today, just seemed to sum up how I feel towards my little bit of progress with growing my first fruit and vegetables. I have attached my tomatoes to bamboo supports today...noticed this on the leaves..worried now,any ideas?

The Greenhouse Project!

This is a picture taken from the B&Q website of the greenhouse hubby bought for my birthday present. Mine is 6' square.

We are working on preparing the plot at the moment.........which you can see above the greenhouse.

The site is quite sloped so we are looking at all of the alternatives .hubby is quite keen to have a concrete base, but I have my reservations due to the environmental issues.

Hubby has had to go to the workshop so I am going to spend some time researching alternative ideas...will post my findings later.

I just want to get into my greenhouse!

Am sooooooo excited!

Update..1.25 Saturday afternoon........

Received some advice via Downsizer and River Cottage.........

How much of a slope? Any structure is going to be better on a level setting - is it feasible to dig into the slope and use the spoil to provide a level base? And concrete isn't necessary. Dig the base out to the same depth, but use rammed hardcore blinded with sand with stone slabs on top. That would work just as well. There's too much blooming concrete in the world as it is (it accounts for a high percentage of CO2 emissions and can't be recycled, except as hardcore)!

You could create a terrace using sleepers or blcoks and then put the house ontop. This would give you really deep soil on one side to make an old fashioned hotbed or grow deep rooting plants like extra long straight carrots. You could then use any base inside that you wanted ans it woould be contained by the external walls of the greenhouse.

Lots to think about there!

Right posting this now...........lost the last one!!!

One Year on from the London Bombings

At 12 noon 2 minutes silence was upheld to remember the poor innocent people who lost their lives as a result of the terrible events one year ago. I was listening to Classic FM at the time and thus hymn was played... I found the words of verse 3 particularly moving. "Be Still, My Soul"by Catharina von Schlegel, 1697-?Translated by Jane Borthwick, 1813-1897 1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side; Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain. Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. 2. Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake To guide the future as He has the past. Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake; All now mysterious shall be bright at last. Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below. 3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart And all is darkened in the vale of tears; Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart, Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears. Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay From His own fulness all He takes away. 4. Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on When we shall be forever with the Lord, When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored. Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last. Here is the list of all 52 victims. James Adams Samantha Badham Philip Beer Anna Brandt Ciaran Cassidy Rachelle ChungFor Yuen Elizabeth Daplyn Arthur Frederick Karolina Gluck Gamze Gunoral Lee Harris Ojara Ikeagwu Emily Jenkins Adrian Johnson Helen Jones Susan Levy Shelley Mather Michael Matsushita James Mayes Behnaz Mozakka Mihaela Otto Atique Sharifi Ihab Slimane Christian Small Monika Suchocka Mala Trivedi AnthonyFatayi-Williams Jamie Gordon Giles Hart Marie Hartley Miriam Hyman Shahara Islam Neetu Jain Sam Ly Shyanuja Parathasangary Anat Rosenberg Philip Russell William Wise Gladys Wundowa Lee Baisden Benedetta Ciaccia Richard Ellery Richard Gray Anne Moffat Fiona Stevenson Carrie Taylor Michael Brewster Jonathan Downey David Foulkes Colin Morley Jennifer Nicholson Laura Webb

Surprise Surprise!

I love surprising people! It was my sister in law's birthday yesterday, no special age just a 40 something occasion! Last year whilst we were away on holiday she, together with her sons, our much loved fantastic nephews and he mum, (my mother in law)....yes another Mrs Nesbitt!!! all took turns to look after our house and animals. When we arrived back home from a fabulous time in France we were shocked when she told us her husband had decided to quit the marriage. We spent the following months helping her and the nephs as best we could. Everybody was dreading Christmas but we did have a good time together round the Dinner table. The two eldest nephews belong to Explorers and had an organised Christmas Dinner event. You will know the set up....they cook & serve the meal to paying guests, in order to raise funds. Obviously SIL went along and took her mum.....who invited her friend along too. Well it just so happened this friend's son was over from Canada........................ he too was on his own as a result of his wife leaving the marriage! and so..............................they clicked! Last month SIl visited him in Canada and he has been over here a couple of times. neither of them were looking for love yet they have found it! SIL still has a lot to deal with, a divorce, running & maintaining a home and bringing up 3 sons aged 13, 15 and 17! Last week she had a rough couple of days and I caught the jist when talking to her on the telephone. She wasn't looking forward to her birthday at all, the first one as a single parent,and infact wasn't going to celebrate at all....... enter moi! I suggested we all go to our local pub for a carvery! I spent the day preparing the meal. Everybody knew it was a surprise, everybody except SIL! Melon, Strawberry & Grape Platter Roast Organic Beef & Onion + Pepper Gravy Yorkshire Puddings Champ Potatoes Roast Root Vegetables in Herb Olive Oil Apple Flapjack Trifle Cheese & Biscuits The table looked lovely. I have white crockery & together with the white table linen and my birthday flower decorations set the pace. The family arrived and we sat outside on the patio for pre-dinner drinkies. I even used my mobile to ring our landline pretending it was Jill from the pub letting us know the table was ready! I had closed the vertical blinds in the main lounge..... so I opened the blinds, & the patio door and just said "The table is ready" SIL was absolutely thrilled. We had a fantastic evening! I think I will try and organise a surprise a month! So who knows, it could be you!

New Dawn! My beautiful birthday present!

My friends Carole and David bought me two of these beautiful climbing roses for my birthday! I know they were chosen because of many things........ the fragrance is absolutely wonderful, the colour is amazing and the name................so appropriate for such a significant birthday! I am going to plant them on either side of an empty arch situated on the edge of the patio. This will enable the fragrance to be enjoyed by all who sit in the seating area. Whilst out at the garden centre a few days ago I saw a beautiful Foxglove which although was rather expensive will complement the rose so much, so I am going to buy one with my birthday money. I will be able to collect the seeds and have many more next year. It is great that hubby is so enthusiastic about the garden... our projects are as follows..... The Greenhouse................ preparation of the plot, erection, the staging of the shelving etc. I bought "The Greenhouse Expert" yesterday and must say it is full of useful information. I particularly like he month by month section. This means I can plan what I will be planting/growing etc. I will post here. The Veg Plot! By far the biggest surprise! The paddock attatched to our house has a covenant.....we can only use it for horticultural or aggricultural purposes. Hubby wants to dig over the bottom part and plant vegetables. They will ofcourse be organic! We have lived here for 15 years and have never used any chemicals on the paddock so we will check re soil association so we can state our produce will be organic! There is potential to increase the veg plot and take up more of the paddock which is currently just grass. The Maintenace of the Hedges This is like the Forth Bridge..............we have an abundance of hedges to be clipped etc. Being only 5' 2" rules me out! We normally get the local farmer to cut the front hedge but it has been great to see hubby taking this on board. The Lawns Hubby is in his element here! Sit on mower etc. In the past this has been hubby's only interest so it is great that we now have more projects as listed above, it is indeed a new dawn!

Some words to think about and make you smile!

I was sent the following today! Thanks L! GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED: 1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptise cats. 2) When your Mum is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair. 3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person. 4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. 5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair. 7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time .8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap. GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED: 1) Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree. 2) Wrinkles don't hurt. 3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts. 4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside. 6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fibre, not the toy. GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD 1) Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional. 2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. 3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there. 4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster. 5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. 7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE: 1) You believe in Santa Claus. 2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 3) You are Santa Claus. 4) You look like Santa Claus. SUCCESS: At age 4 success is . . . not piddling in your pants. At age 12 success is . . . having friends. At age 17 success is . . . having a drivers licence. At age 35 success is . . . having money. At age 50 success is . . . having money. At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers licence. At age 75 success is . . . having friends. At age 80 success is . . . not piddling in your pants. Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way; BUT NEVER forget the blessings that come each day.

It's Ralph!

I think the family looks complete now! We just need some females! The ducks are made from bamboo. Here are a few facts that you may find interesting. A sixty foot tree cut for market takes 60 years to replace. A sixty foot bamboo cut for market takes 59 days to replace. Millions of people depend on this plant for their livelihood. It has become so much a part of the culture and memory of societies that the existence of a Bamboo Age has not been ruled out. Bamboos are giant, woody grasses which put out several full length, full diameter, naturally pre-finished, ready-to-use culms ("stems") each year. A single bamboo clump can produce up to 15 kilometres of usable pole (up to 30 cm in diameter) in its lifetime. Over one billion people live in bamboo houses

And here's one I made earlier!

My neighbour gave me the roses and I just finished off with my favourite, Lady's Mantle [Alchemilla mollis] Did you know........ A frothy haze of tiny, chartreuse yellow flowers appearing from June to September above softly hairy, rounded, pale green leaves, which catch water droplets like pearls. No garden should be without this charming perennial! Ideal for groundcover or edging paths, it tolerates a range of adverse conditions including heavy clay and, once established, is drought tolerant. Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, humus-rich soil Rate of Growth: fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flowers: greenish-yellow Other features: excellent cut flowers Hardiness: fully hardy Garden care: Cut back the faded flower heads and foliage in August and the plant will often produce a second flush of flowers. Alchemilla has a tendency to self-seed freely, so to minimise the spread of the plant remove the seedheads carefully after flowering

Full report on my birthday!

The day started with a visit from the postman...............

15 exotic orchids courtesy of Marks & Spencers.

Each orchid meticulously packed in an individual mini water vessel!

I have never had orchids before and was thrilled to receive such a wonderful gift.

I was wrestling with the packaging in order to find out who had sent the flowers......

I should have known, Margaret & Francis, our friends who are now living in Turkey!

Marks & Spencer's number 1 fans!

Lots of cards to open then out to the shops.....important supplies.

Friends and family were visiting during the afternoon so I prepared cheese scones with cream cheese & smoked salmon and strawberry tarts for desert.

I arrived back from the shops to be greeted by my friends Carole and David from Nottingham.

I worked with Carole over 20 years ago when we both taught in an inner-city primary school in Nottingham.

My my the tales we could tell! ....infact we did for the best part of the afternoon, much to the amusement of our guests.

For some reason the male contingent were watching the football match in the main lounge, but we all enjoyed the afternoon!

My family arrived and everybody simply enjoyed the whole event!

Carole and David bought me two beautiful rose bushes which I will plant this week and train them to grow up and around the arch in the garden.

My friends lesley and Jane bought me two beautiful calved wooden ducks, a definate hit! So much so I bought a third member only yesterday!

As the afternoon progressed we made our way over to the village hall.

I had spent some time making table decorations with flowers from the garden.

The hall looked lovely and we had a fantastic evening.

We danced away until midnight and everybody had a good time, which is all that mattered.

Introducing.....Alfred and Casper!

One of my favourite birthday presents!

Is it a bird, is it a plane?

No it's a generator! The whole village has been supplied with generators, following a major cable being cut! They were delivered at 3am on the morning of 30th June. This is ours, located in the field opposite our house. We are still being powered by these generators 5 days later!

Back to Normal!

I have had a wonderful few days! It seems ages since I last posted here, but life has been so hectic. My actual birthday was June 29th. I spent the morning teaching then had lunch with a friend. I returned home to a pile of cards & good wishes and as we were going out for a meal I wanted to re-charge my batteries, so had a quick nap! I awoke at 3.30 to discover we had no electricity, it was the same throughout the village! Fortunately there was sufficient hot water for a bath before going out for dinner! We went to Green's of Whitby for dinner.. http://www.greensofwhitby.com/index.html I had Fillets of Whitby Turbot with Sauteed Potatoes, Hollandaise and Dover Sole Mousse for my main course and hubby had Malton Peppered Pork Chop with Apple Chutney, Local Black Pudding, Potato rosti and Reduction Sauce ............absolutely delicious! We will definately be going there again! Yes it WAS quite expensive, but as we only go out for very special occasions we felt it was justified. I do a lot of cooking and like something special when we do go out!

Herbs

On reflection..........

Reflection Consideration Reflection Appreciation Admiration........... Preparation Evaluation Reflection Application Evaluation Expectation!

The Event Draws Nigh!

I never for a minute, ever expected to feel the way I have done over the weekend, but like it or lump it I have been quite weepy about approachung 50! We had a great day in the garden on Saturday. Hubby cut back some of the hedges and had to leave the front hedge due to the amount of bees buzzing about. The lawns were cut and everywhere looked nice. It is amazing how quickly the lawn grows. I trimmed the edges with my new tool and weeded the borders. I love sitting down when gardening, it is not so hard on my back and I like to do each section slowly yet thoroughly. One thing I wouldn't be without is my solar radio! When I am on with a job I tend to focus on the music rather than how much work I have to do and before I know it an hour has passed and there before my eyes I see progress! Sunday was a horrible day here, dark damp & foggy! Looking back I am sure this influenced the way I was feeling because all I wanted to do was get out in the garden. However this was not possible so I spent time doing some household chores and compiling some music for my party on Saturday. We watched the football match.......well done Beckham! Didn't really get excited about the game, thought it all looked very rough. However couldn't say the same for Netherlands v. Portugal! What was the ref like? Low tollerance level there me thinks. So.......the week moves on! Realisation......... Anticipation! Expectation! sums it up really! Dx

It's Friday!

Was teaching today! Just local, so I didn't have to leave home till 8.35, home at lunchtime and then home tonight by 3.30. Mixed age children, Years 3,4 & 5, or in plain english, age range from 8 - 10. had pretty much full choice on what I taught so we spent the morning drawing/painting tomatoes. The children loved it and produced some good efforts too. I sat amongst them and did my own drawing. We used coloured pencils, wax crayons and felt tips. I think it helps the children if the teacher acts as a model so they can see how to go about drawing from observation. I came home at lunchtime & had a sandwich with hubby. The afternoon passed quickly, though believe me teaching a class of children is tiring! Tonight we are having a take-away, not sure if Chinese or Indian and a nice bottle of wine. i think the weekend, weather permitting will be spent in the garden, in preparation for my birthday celebration next Saturday. My actual birthday is on Thursday so I dont know what will be happening on the day itself. I know we could go out for a meal, possibly our local, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on it. After all, we had a lovely weekend in London, last week and Saturday will be another great day, so we'll just see. I must admit I feel strange seeing 50 in print and I did feel a little weepy at one point, but people keep saying I dont look it! I dont know whether they are just saying it to make me feel better, but the main thing is I feel OK about everything. I know I am loved & have a husband who thinks the world of me and would do anything for me, I have a great family, really pleased I am a Nesbitt! I have a great bunch of nephews, sister in law, mother in law etc etc.

Let my words, like vegetables, be tender and sweet,

Strawberries! and Tomatoes mmmmmmmmmm

My very very first attempt!

Rescued from the snails!

You can see where the snails nibbled the foilage! These little fellas are brought into the house every night!