Sunday 9 November 2014

I am still alive.................

Hi everyone

I feel guilty that I haven't posted anything in quite a while, but the year has flown by, as have the weeks and every living moment seems to keep us busy doing things.

On the chicken front we hatched out quite a few eggs between May and September so looking after baby chicks and making room for them all has kept us busy but also been fun watching these little things hatch.

With all the autumn fruits we have made elderflower cordial and champagne, followed by blackberry wine, and then apple wine which probably needs to be bottled now.  I have also been peeling and freezing cooking apples for use during the year.

One thing that has  kept us exceptionally busy is the building of our polytunnel.  One would think poking a few curved poles in the ground and covering it in plastic material would be easy..........think again.  We have spent any weekend where the weather would allow it or we were not busy entertaining the children and grandchildren building our polytunnel.  Yesterday was a momentous moment for us when we pulled the plastic sheeting over those poles and we now have something that is only a few weekends away from being completed.  Sadly, because I wanted the all singing dancing version, complete with side panels that can be rolled up, to expose air ventilation on the sides, double sliding doors back and front, and we haven't even unpacked the automatic irrigation system yet, it has taken a long time, but it is exciting thinking about what we can grow in it.

I had done the odd bit of sewing, some very quick tshirts, a dress for a day at the races and I have embroidered the names on Christmas stockings for the latest members of our ever increasing family.  I am currently knitting an Aron jumper and will finish the back in the next 10 rows or so.  I saw a look that had been put together in a magazine featuring an Aron jumper in a sort of mottled muddy brown colour, with brown slim-legged trousers, a pretty floral shirt worn under the jumper and the whole lot clinched in at the waist with a belt.  To finish the ensemble the model wore a pair of brown brogue shoes.  I intend making the complete ensemble (I already have shoes and belt) so watch this space.

This morning is a rare moment of "faffing" before we head out into the garden to do our chores and some more work on the polytunnel.  The weather changes every five minutes, albeit still very mild for November (I have lots of roses that have flowered again) but winter is drawing in, and we need to finish this project, so please don't think I am ignoring you, or those blogs I used to follow and comment on - I'll be back as soon as I can.

Catch you later.............