Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Friday 14 August 2009

Back in the land of the living....

Well, I am back in the land of the blog, anyway....

Where do I start? I am still rather weak and poorly but am feeling a little more like my pre July self, and have been able to get on with a few of the million and one things which need doing around here.

So here are some lovely fruit and veg from the garden and polytunnel.



I took the opportunity of my enforced rest to get on with preparation for various workshops I an giving in the autumn and next spring, one is recycled paper making and paper crafts so I have been busy pressing and drying leaves and flowers to add to the paper we will be making.

I have also been collecting and drying Lavender and other flowers to use in dried flower arrangements.



The cats as always watch everything I do. This time they got up on the scaffolding and were peering in through the study window!



When they are not sleeping, that is!

13 comments:

  1. Welcome back, CW! It's been quiet here without you!

    Take it easy, now - no rushing just because there's lots to do!

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  2. Welcome back, it is good to see your basket of food and especially to see that you feel like blogging again, let's hope you are fully on the mend.

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  3. So glad you are beginning to feel a little better CW... and so nice to see you back on blog land, you have been missed!!!
    Now I can feel a nag moment coming on so be warned!! PLEASE, PLEASE don't get to carried away now you are emerging from your illness and begin to overdo things, although I would thoroughly understand your desire to do so... you MUST take things slowly.... slowly is key here and then as your strength and energy builds then you can take a little more on... (note I said a little more!!) Ok nag over now!!
    Welcome back CW!!! And enjoy your welcome recovery!!!
    Love the cats!! Love your flower pressing machine and the paper to be sounds wonderful!!
    Thinking of you! With Love, Jane xxx

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  4. What a beautiful basket of home grown goodies. That table looks looks great fun to sit around getting creative. My son just ran straight over to the PC when he saw your cat piccies, he loves cats. Glad you're feeling better. :) x

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  5. Oooooooooooooh! Love the paper craft idea! How many people will be attending? I have some card blanks which you can gladly have, could make a lovely card witht he pressed flowers and handmade papers. Just gove me a shout!

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  6. I'm glad to hear you're getting back to healthiness. It's been very quiet here in the blogosphere without so many posts from you! And those vegetables - they look wonderful! I'm also jealous of the homemade paper, especially with dried flowers in. Maybe one day, when I have more room in my house...

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  7. Glad you are starting to feel better! Loved your basked of veggies. I just watched the compost bin song at the top of your blog. LOVED it-so did my 4 yr old and even the 15 month old baby danced around to the guitar music. LOL Holly

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  8. Hello lovely people :-)

    I am so touched by your welcoming comments!

    To all of you I really will try to ease myself back into life and all its work, but it is very hard here as there is SO much to do..

    Mrs N, yes please to the card blanks, I have a few but more would be helpful! Are you sure you can spare them?

    For those of you who wondered about the paper making, I am doing 2 x workshops for 12 people who are working in schools and nurseries/play groups, I show them and we make the recycled paper in the first session , and also some papercasting items and maybe papier mache as well...its up to them really!

    And then the next session we make various other paper-y craft stuff, cards with the paper they made, weaving with paper strips, things of that nature....am still adding to that one!

    One thing I HAVE discovered...I need a bigger flower press...as the 3 small ones I have are not enough...

    I have also had to make several more molds and deckles as I need at least 6 stations for the papermaking.....so 6 people can make paper while another 6 make something else, then they swap....

    AND I am having to make some sample craft items up, to show what the general idea is...and to make sure it is "doable" for small children ( with help...)

    All good fun...but a lot of work.

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  9. Glad you're starting to feel better. May you continue steadily on the path to full recovery. Just a thought, but have you had your iron levels checked recently?

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  10. Welcome back from me too! Glad to hear you are on the mend.
    Love those snooping cats! Aren't they funny.

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  11. Welcome back! I love the picture of the sleeping kitties. Cats never do suffer from insomnia.

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  12. Hi there! So glad you're starting to feel better :-D. I know things can be soooo frustrating, but please remember to take it easy to start with & maybe take a leaf out of the cat's book & have a little nap now & again. You'll find you'll be purrrfectly well before too long! Big hugs, Sara

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  13. The trouble is, as I have said before....living here takes a lot of work.

    If one is ill, then that is fair enough and time is taken off...but when one has a long term chronic condition, such as ME/CFS then it is impossible to take the time off every time one feels ill...as nothing would EVER get done....

    so I struggle on, even though I do feel really ill a lot of the time


    And yes my iron levels etc are all OK....

    I "just" have a crap immune system and am laid low by germs and tend to take a long time to get over them... :-( and the stress of family life makes it all worse.....

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Hello! Thank you for reading my blog and for commenting. I try to reply as quickly as I can and I really appreciate your interest in my life and doings here in The Compost Bin.

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