Peppers & Pears / FMQ / The Gilded Age - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 6 October, 2025

by Rosemary at 9:19am in Smallholding No comments Add your own

Monday 29^th September

First touch of frost, not first thing – it was fine at 7am, but slightly crispy at 8.30am.

Morning mist.

Took a photo of the sycamores along the ditch this morning to compare with the one I took last Wednesday.

Ditch trees.

Brushed Bertie; he has some matted bits, so I’m trying to brush them out while his coat is changing anyway. He was not a happy cat. I need prawns, to distract / reward him.

 

Tuesday 30^th September

Murdo was here today. He finished emptying the polytunnel, apart from the chili peppers, and got most of it manured. All the sweet peppers are harvested. Not sure what we’re going to do with them. Ana gazillion pears.

Pears and peppers.

Today was the last day of trading of Rosedean Group Ltd. The end of an era. It’ll take us a few weeks to sort out the last of the invoices in and out, the last VAT return (Hallelujah) and get the books off to the accountant.

I took Lorna for a walk and did the monthly shopping, but not in that order.

Brushed Bertie again. He hates me.

Wednesday 1^st October

Thought it was time to start the autumn cleaning. Started with the bathroom. Pulled out all the furniture, cleaned the window, pictures, washed the floor. One down, several to go.

I was in the audience for BBC Debate Night, which was in Dundee. Ross Greer was excellent. Michael Marra reminds me on The Simpsons Mr Burns.

Thursday 2^nd October

Dan, Andy, Pauline, John and I off on the train to the Scottish Parliament for FMQ and lunch with Evelyn and Ahsan. Got our photo taken with Nicola.

Friday 3^rd October

Decided to bake Chocolate Ginger Muffins. No recipe, so standard muffin recipe with 2tsp ground ginger, 100g chopped preserved ginger in syrup and a wee bag of dark chocolate chips. They were pretty good. Will certainly make again.

Took Lorna for a quick walk along the front. Sea was a bit grey and choppy.

High tide and a bit choppy.

Carol came for lunch and to view the garden. Braw.

And we welcomed Storm Amy. Thankfully, Carol got home before the Tay Bridge shut; heavy rain and strong winds, but I think we missed the worst here in the east.

Saturday 4^th October

No storm damage apart from a couple of branches broken, which Dan took down with the chainsaw. The wind ramped up again towards evening; the wind had cleared puddles during the day.

I moved the sheep to Sheepfold today. Loads of grass in there, which should see them out until they go home. That’s two weeks since the first tupping; Pickles now has red raddle, so I’ll be on the lookout for any red bums this week. Fingers crossed for none.

Sheep in Sheepfold.

Ponies now have the run of the two Top and two Ditch paddocks, 5 acres. Loads of grass there too.

I cleaned Lorna’s room, then we had a visit from our friend Cath, who is an Army medic and was at Barry Buddon. Haven’t seen her for ages and it was good to catch up.

I thought I might keep a diary in Gaelic. Good idea, but maybe not.

Sunday 5^th October

Dan, Andy, Andrew and Joanne were pressing apples this morning. We now have 65l of apple juice put by; Dan reckons we need 120l to do a year of breakfasts.

It’s Lorna’s birthday, so she and Linda came for tea. Dan made a delicious lasagne and I made a pretty good tiramisu. Dan actually made two big lasagnes. Lidl do Scotch grass-fed beef mince, which is good. So we have lots of lasagne in the freezer. He reckoned we got 20 portions from ingredients costing £28, which isn't bad.

Delighted to see the SNP and Believe in Scotland joining forces to work for Scottish Independence.

We’ve got a busy week next week, ending with the SNP Conference on Saturday and Monday 13^th, two football internationals at Hampden, Dan starts curling tomorrow night.

I started watching “The Gilded Age”. It's good, but it's not "Downton Abbey.