Smallholding
Hens / Blossom / Herbs
Monday 10 March, 2025
Tuesday 4th March
This week seems to be starting on Tuesday. Very windy; not especially cold but quite unpleasant in the wind.
Diesel has been with us for ten years
Handsome Diesel.
Wednesday 5th March
Still really windy; lovely inside, looking out.
I will start shutting down paddocks and excluding the ponies, so that the grass startes to grwo for the sheep. We need our tractor repaired soon. So frustrating.
Polytunnel cleaned / Tree down / Willow
Sunday 2 March, 2025
Monday 24th February
Lovely morning, but a cool wind. Despite trying to clear my feet yesterday to let me get in the garden today, I had three appointments to keep that kind of screwed that up. Tomorrow isn’t much better and I have Cooper at the vet for his annual checkup on Wednesday. Thereafter, my diary is clear and I will strive to protect it.
Tuesday 25th February
Another lovely spring day, again taken up with various appointments. Yes Carnoustie committee meeting in the evening. Good progress being made.
Hen pen / Bulbs / Dogwood
Monday 24 February, 2025
Not much of a diary entry this week, either. The weather has been pretty dismal – cold, grey, windy. Thankfully, not too much rain – the ditches are empty still. There was a sunny period on Thursday, followed by strong winds and a heavy shower. Saturday finally felt like spring – 10C, sunny and even the brisk breeze couldn’t spoil it.
We did get some jobs done outside; on Thursday, Dan and Murdo cleared out the flower bed under the dining room window, ready for planting, and started to prepare the area for the Cornus swathe.
Holiday / Norivirus / Spring or is it
Monday 17 February, 2025
Not much of a diary entry this week, ending Sunday 16th February. More of a spacer, than a real entry. We had a wonderful week in Gran Canaria, came home then I suffered a bout of norovirus. Unpleasant.
Dan did some outside work – cleared half a comfrey bed, finishes splitting and replanting rhubarb in the fruit garden and vegetable garden (and we have a lot left), replanted some rogue strawberry plants.
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New plants in the fruit garden..
Heathers and bimbling
Sunday 2 February, 2025
Monday 27th January
Overcast and raw today, but Dan spent some time lifting an replanting rhubarb and digging out some wayward strawberries. I finally made a start on planting the heathers, probably got 1/3 done.
We had a couple of hours at the Hub; Dan was working with Joanne on the design for the sign (it’s looking really good) and I was tidying up. Then Kate dropped in more YC stuff and I collected some flags donated by a woman in Monifieth. So I’ll start again on Wednesday.
Storm Eowyn
Sunday 26 January, 2025
Monday 20th January
Lovely day; great to see the sun.
Lovely morning.
Sadly, the washing line fell over.
Washing line down.
Our stairs are perfectly made for corgi bums.
Sun / Frost / Trees / Heathers
Monday 20 January, 2025
Monday 13th January
I think we had a bit of rain overnight – but much milder. Windy, so making it feel a bit raw. Showed 11C on the car this morning. Overcast for most of the day.
Dan weeded what will be the heather bed – we have 150 heathers to plant this week, so I’m planning to make a start tomorrow.
The cats are enjoying what they hope is a cat gym. It’s not.
Cat gym.
ORFC / Bonfire / Thaw
Monday 13 January, 2025
Monday 6th January
I think we had a bit of rain overnight – I’m sure I heard it battering on the Velux. Definitely milder this morning, with light cloud. Dan’s decided to ask Murdo to come two days next week, rather than tomorrow. The trees for the Spinney should have arrived by then and the ground should be soft enough to plant them.
Still working on the speech. Sold a table and a chest freezer. And a bone saw.
Tuesday 7th January
Cold and dry. Speech coming together. Sold the bottles – yay!
Frozen / Selling stuff / Writers block
Monday 6 January, 2025
Monday 30th December
Breezy and dry – not as wet or windy as forecast, although the wind was strong overnight and there had been a wee bit rain. We seem to be missing the worst of the weather at the moment.
Read late into the night last night; so tired this morning, so had a wee lie in until 10am. What a treat!. I was reading the Scottish Independence Convention’s Transitions Papers. They probably need a bit of an update (and a decent proof reader) – most were written in 2020/21– but they are very good.
Christmas and Twixmas
Monday 30 December, 2024
Monday 23rd December
Dottie discovered the laptop screen. She's watching Yukon Wildlife Cams.
Type your caption here.
Tuesday 24th December
Finally, I made a start on clearing the polytunnel. I knelt on some nettles – my knees were still prickling at bedtime. I’ve weeded round the nettles and will go back with better gloves. And knee protection.
