We went to the wood that is close to home this morning. We went as a bit of light exercise mainly, but also to enjoy the wood itself. It's not a particularly large wood and we generally walk around it twice. Today it was absolutely beautiful. The bluebells are done, but the bracken is now about shoulder height and the briers are getting stronger. Being a very sunny day, dappled light was coming through the trees and it was truly magnificent. I must remember to take a camera with me in future. We left the main path and walked through the centre of the wood where it is was quieter and it truly was a magical woodland experience. Having worked for the last 30 years, even my spare time has been eroded by work and I have missed so much, but this year I have watched the earth wake up after winter and I recommend it to everyone!
Been to the gym today. I go 3 times a week for aerobic exercise. Before the heart attack I was running every day but getting nowhere. After I was sent for cardiac rehab which involves gym work and after 4 years (nearly) I can now run 6k. I have an ambition to run 10k. We went on holiday for a week and on getting back we had a manic week getting ready for our 12 year old (as is now) birthday so I had a fortnight out of the gym. Before the break I was running 6k at 10.7kph. After my third attempt in getting back to the gym, I managed 6k today but only at 10.5kph. It has come as a big surprise to me how quickly I have gone downhill - it can't be my age! Can it? Still next week should be able to try the 6.5k. The gym is a big thing for me now because after gym life is a lot more comfortable. My dad died of emphysema and all too often my breathing makes me think of his suffering. Not Pleasant!
We lifted a whole host of Montbretia today as it starts to take over. We have put them out on Freegle and are having a bit of a parade of people collecting. I really hope they enjoy them as we do.
Had a call today from a local ethical store - selling organic and locally produced food - with a view to helping them with an online shop. They are a small outfit and it came as a surprise to them about how much it will cost for hosting and certification. I have volunteered so come pretty well free, but they will need to put up some money every year - possibly around £150 but deals can be done. Hopefully they can bite the bullet and go with it - I think they could succeed as they even do free delivery locally on bikes!
Friday, 12 June 2009
Thursday, 11 June 2009
Slugs and Snails and other 'Pests'
Since retiring I have taken on the snails and slugs with a renewed vigour. Each day I go around the garden with a couple of trowels on the lookout. Any I find - and I apologise here because the next bit is not pretty - I destroy them. At first I was getting rid of 50-60 a day! We had a BIG problem with them. Now I only get 10-15 which is a big improvement and also the veggies are suffering much less damage so something is working. I prefer to avoid chemicals but at first the quantity was such that I set up a bucket of salt water and condemned them to the bucket which I kept adding to for 5 or 6 weeks before pouring the contents onto the compost heap. They are now part of the compost of life. Poetic? There is no nice way to deal with them and if you deter them, then when you let your defences down they come at you in greater numbers.
For a number of years my wife has blamed all the veggie damage on the slugs and I have always said that some is just bad press. I am not sticking up for them! However this year I have cut up 2 litre pop bottles and made sleeves to start all the brassicas in and the difference has been fantastic - we have hardly lost one. It was the birds all along. I want the birds in the garden as they will take many insects, but I need to protect each individual plant that would otherwise be vulnerable. We have a cat - well most of a cat. Pud has no tail after a car accident as a pup and he lost other bits as well at the hands of the vet who said it would keep him off the road. The vet also said it would make him fat and lazy. How right he was! Pud sleeps on the grass while the blackbirds come within six feet - singing and he sleeps on! He counts among the pests and I have to put twigs across newly dug areas - well he's too lazy to dig for himself!
For a number of years my wife has blamed all the veggie damage on the slugs and I have always said that some is just bad press. I am not sticking up for them! However this year I have cut up 2 litre pop bottles and made sleeves to start all the brassicas in and the difference has been fantastic - we have hardly lost one. It was the birds all along. I want the birds in the garden as they will take many insects, but I need to protect each individual plant that would otherwise be vulnerable. We have a cat - well most of a cat. Pud has no tail after a car accident as a pup and he lost other bits as well at the hands of the vet who said it would keep him off the road. The vet also said it would make him fat and lazy. How right he was! Pud sleeps on the grass while the blackbirds come within six feet - singing and he sleeps on! He counts among the pests and I have to put twigs across newly dug areas - well he's too lazy to dig for himself!
The 3 'R's
Some years ago, when first born was little, I had a nightmare that I remember to this day. In it, due to something happening today, the world was spoiled and changed so first born would not be able to enjoy life as we had. I was affected for days after and it still rings with me today. Because of this I really believe in the 3 'R's - Recycle, Reduce and Reuse. I take things a little too far sometimes maybe and it could come over as meanness - but if you do something you should commit whole heartedly to it! First born is now 29 and we have a second only child who is 12 and I believe in the 3 'R's as much, if not more, today.
Reduce
We keep our consumption to the minimum and are always looking at ways to cut down whether it is energy, packaging or whatever. We always shop with a shopping list and plan our meals reasonably in front. Food is rarely thrown away and meals that are not planned are driven around what we should be using up next. We had a glut of broccoli recently and were having broccoli with everything - stirfry, curry, roasted vegetables, soups - I got to dread that it would show up at breakfast!
Recycle
We religiously recycle everything through the collections available as well as send old books to the 'Book Crossing'. We also look at anything we have finished with and may choose to offer it through 'Freegle'. If it doesn't go one of those ways it may make it's way to Oxfam. Today we are 'freecycling' plants that grow freely in our garden as weeds in the veg patch - and they are VERY popular. We have 3 compost bins and all kitchen waste goes into them as well as garden waste. A local riding school has a problem with manure and I do them a favour in taking some away, but only when my daughter is riding as it doesn't make sense to make a special trip to collect it.
Reuse
Something I have always hated is throwing things out, so they will often find their way into the garage and later re-emerge as something new. I currently have plans (both literally and metaphorically) to build a wooden clock movement and if I can avoid buying new wood for it then I will - Anyone got some hardwood offcuts?
I have never had any training in woodwork but enjoy doing it and making a mess of it. For my daughters I have built many things ranging from toy box/benches to doll's houses and throughout I have always tried to reuse materials - not always succeeded but tried. That age old phrase ' I've made the bed'? Well our second daughter would not choose a new bed when moving into her sister's old room after she had been at uni for nearly 3 years and insisted she wanted one like her old one that I had made for the box room using a cot mattress, so I made her bed for her from 90% reused material including an old door frame. I try to avoid the use of power tools and got, from my late father, a treadle scroll saw. I genuinely enjoy knowing that the mess I made is all mine and not the fault of some rampant machine.
Hopefully my kids will treat the environment with the same respect?
Reduce
We keep our consumption to the minimum and are always looking at ways to cut down whether it is energy, packaging or whatever. We always shop with a shopping list and plan our meals reasonably in front. Food is rarely thrown away and meals that are not planned are driven around what we should be using up next. We had a glut of broccoli recently and were having broccoli with everything - stirfry, curry, roasted vegetables, soups - I got to dread that it would show up at breakfast!
Recycle
We religiously recycle everything through the collections available as well as send old books to the 'Book Crossing'. We also look at anything we have finished with and may choose to offer it through 'Freegle'. If it doesn't go one of those ways it may make it's way to Oxfam. Today we are 'freecycling' plants that grow freely in our garden as weeds in the veg patch - and they are VERY popular. We have 3 compost bins and all kitchen waste goes into them as well as garden waste. A local riding school has a problem with manure and I do them a favour in taking some away, but only when my daughter is riding as it doesn't make sense to make a special trip to collect it.
Reuse
Something I have always hated is throwing things out, so they will often find their way into the garage and later re-emerge as something new. I currently have plans (both literally and metaphorically) to build a wooden clock movement and if I can avoid buying new wood for it then I will - Anyone got some hardwood offcuts?
I have never had any training in woodwork but enjoy doing it and making a mess of it. For my daughters I have built many things ranging from toy box/benches to doll's houses and throughout I have always tried to reuse materials - not always succeeded but tried. That age old phrase ' I've made the bed'? Well our second daughter would not choose a new bed when moving into her sister's old room after she had been at uni for nearly 3 years and insisted she wanted one like her old one that I had made for the box room using a cot mattress, so I made her bed for her from 90% reused material including an old door frame. I try to avoid the use of power tools and got, from my late father, a treadle scroll saw. I genuinely enjoy knowing that the mess I made is all mine and not the fault of some rampant machine.
Hopefully my kids will treat the environment with the same respect?
A start......
Since retiring I have started to enjoy many of the things in life I have missed out on while working. Now I spend most of my time in the garden. Although I have 'tried' to be active in the garden during the last 30 years, I now find I can spend the time out there that I always dreamed of and the vegetable patch is a world of difference to our previous attempts. I may yet get a part time job, but it's difficult to see where I can find time! I am also doing DIY, a little web site work (on a voluntary basis), a little model making, helping a friend with his old lorries and riding miniature steam trains. I also 'do' the gym 3 times a week for aerobic fitness and we try to walk whenever time permits.
I propose trying to blog here some of the many activities I get involved in now.
I propose trying to blog here some of the many activities I get involved in now.
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