Re-use and Re-cycle

The first of this years seeds have been potted up woohoo!!

Lots of little paper pots have been made with the freebie papers that drop through the letterbox,   old margarine tubs have been cut up to make the plant labels and the seed trays and propagators are from my freecycle collection last year.  Pretty good going I think and a really good use of bits and pieces around the house.

Potted up today were;-

Gardeners Delight Tomatoes
Geraniums
Candy Cane Sweet Peas
Aubergines

All are now residing on a window sill in the spare bedroom, fingers crossed they sprout and grow.

The weather as expected was not great today  - we debated all morning whether we should venture to the Lottie,  in the end though it was a no-go,  how disappointing :(.   I consoled myself with planting up the seeds and re-checking my planting list!

I spent a little time this afternoon at the lovely sewing machine tackling the quilt I have been working on since Christmas  - it is huge.   The end is in sight as all the blocks have been cut, ironed, sewn together, ironed some more, batting and backing applied and pinned and the hardest bit of quilting all the layers together is now under way.  This is really tough to do as there is just so much of it and it is a wrestle with all the fabric and the sewing machine.   I can only work on the actual quilting for short periods of time as it is exhausting!  Tonight I am cutting the strips to make the binding - I'm looking forward to this as then it will be done.

A very little sneak peak of the quilt.

Finally today my latest ornament - I have seen these types of things in a few places and decided I wanted one,  I had forgotten about the twisted willow growing in the garden, which is now getting huge.  Mr Milly thought I had lost the plot when I stood for ages in the garden looking at the willow tree - I wasn't mindlessly looking though I was deciding which bits would be the best to cut for my ornament.   Finally the decision was made and a few snips later, a bit of arranging in a vase and bingo - I had exactly what I wanted.   My oldest nephew had helped me last weekend collect some acorn cups when we were at the Lottie - another one in the family who thought I was losing the plot LOL!!

Anyway - it was a good excuse to do some needle felting - the result an acorn tree!   The plan is to change the decorations throughout the year  - hearts during February,  Eggs at Easter,  Pumpkins at Halloween,  baubles at Christmas and whatever else takes my fancy for the rest of the time.

Not a great photo - I'll try to take one in the daylight tomorrow.

Thanks for visiting today.
Alison x

Waste Not Want Not

A new countdown is beginning for me and Mr Milly,  I will tell tomorrow!

Today I have been rummaging around in the fridge to see what needs to be using up,  I found;-

Beefsteak tomatoes
Garlic
Round courgettes
Onions
Garlics
Basil

Everything was chopped into pieces, the last of the cherry tomatoes from the garden picked and thrown in for good measure.  A good glug of olive oil and into the oven it all went,  slow roasted  at the bottom of the oven on a very very low heat for a couple of hours, then blitzed in the food processor which our friend Chris very kindly gave to us and 4 jars of lovely sauce are now sitting in the larder.   Pasta sauce to be,   4 meals from the bits and pieces sitting in the fridge.

I took advantage of the oven being on and sterilised the jars for the pasta sauce and a couple of others  and using some of the apples from the lottie chilli jam was made tonight.   This jam is definately not for me - I don't like anything hot or spicy,  but I am sure Mr Milly will enjoy the chilli concoction with some cold meat or cheese.

The chilli jam has passed the taste test!  Mr Milly wanted to try some with  bread - a very big spoonful it was too!!  After getting a bit red in the face and wiping his eyes - Mr Milly tells me it is HOT  but good!  Maybe a smaller spoonful next time LOL!

Blight

I've been away for a couple of days this week,  it was only supposed to be one night away from home, but ended up being 2.  The hotel Wi-Fi was not working,  I have given my mobile dongle to My Girl when she left home, so no Internet or blogging for me for a couple of days.

Today I managed to visit the Lottie and it is starting to look a little neglected and definitely needs some TLC!  I think this is not helped as we are approaching the end of the season, the sweetcorn are nearly finished (mice have been at a couple of them AGAIN!) and that  bed is emptying,  the runner and french beans are beginning to look a little worse for wear and blight has set in!  

Mouse shredded sweetcorn!

 My tomatoes were really effected and I have been seeing the other plot holders taking out their tomatoes as they were blighted - I was hoping it wouldn't reach me,  but it has!  All of the tomatoe plants have now been taken out and will be burnt.  Blight spreads and my potatoes were beginning to show signs too.  Today I have lifted one of the lines of potatoes,  I was really hoping that they would be our Christmas Tatties,  but this is not to be.  I have a reasonable harvest from the lifted tatties - all shapes and sizes and definitely enough for me and Mr Milly for a couple of weeks.   I will lift the rest of the tatties over the weekend.

Apples, turnips (the first ones), courgette, beans and potatoes

2 bright yellow faces greeted me at the Lottie today - the sunflowers are flowering!   My Girl and I were in a competition for the tallest one and to be honest I can't now remember whose is whose!  I have no doubt that My Girl will know........   but I do think that mine is the tallest   LOL!!!