100 days sober

Really pleased that I have done  this, I feel so much better now I am not drinking (even with the current, highly stressful situation we all find ourselves in!)

Having had what I think was coronavirus over the last 10 days, I dread to think how much worse I might have been with an even more depressed immune system due to alcohol consumption, on top of the autoimmune issues I have.

Sitting on the patio, just breathing in the air.

It is truly lovely here. I have been quite unwell this last week, been in bed and have struggled to breathe sometimes, so to sit outside in the sunshine, breath the sweet air and listen to birdsong is a joy and a gift.

Birdsong

One of the benefits of the lockdown situation is that the lack of traffic means we can hear even more birdsong than usual.

I was awake early today, (I haven't been sleeping very well due to feeling unwell)

So I had a cup of tea in bed and wrote in my journal

Then I opened the window and just listened

listen to the birds singing. Glorious.

A walk in the wood, 4 April

Cowslip area

 I love cowslips they are so beautiful and smell divine.

Wild Garlic, tasty but smelly!)

Wood Anemone

First hint of Bluebell

Compostman, sawing wood.

Some advice, to grow food

So, we are now told to stay at home, to protect the NHS and to stay safe. Wise words.

It occurred to me that lots of people may now decide to grow some of their own food for the first time, or maybe to expand on what they grow, already.

I have a host of "how to" posts on growing, composting and assorted other things which I have written over the years.

If you look at the "How to" tab at the at the top of this page and click on it, you will see what I mean , collected together in one place for ease of use and to save you having to use the search posts faculty (although please do use that to have  a wander around my blog, as well)

Rats ( again!)

I keep getting asked questions about Rats , on Facebook,on  the various fora I frequent, when I was on Compost stands and when I am out and about ( before the start of the social isolating against Covid -19)  so I thought I would  repeat my advice in one place on here.

So here are some tricks you can try if your compost bin is infested with rats.

1. Get some metal mesh..chicken wire would do or weldmesh sold by builders yards...and put it on the ground under your bin so that the whole of the base area is covered then resite the bin on top.

2. Make sure you go to your bin at least every day and hit it with a stick or give it a kick...just to disturb it! Rats are neophobic..they don't like anything new..and they don't like being disturbed...ideally resite your bin so it is close to the house and where it gets walked past a lot...

3. Keep the lid on the bin...

4. Rinse out any eggshells before adding them to the bin as Rats LOVE the smell of egg....

5. It is said male urine acts as a deterrent...and wee is also a good compost activator...

6. Dog wee around the outside of the bin would work, too!!

7. If you have a dog then that might help scare them off

Very important, whatever you do...wear gloves when handling the compost bin or the composting stuff...rats urine can carry Weils disease ( and other nasties!!) and if you get wet wee on a cut you can catch all sorts of unpleasant illnesses.....so obviously plasters on any cuts is a must, too.

They are a huge problem at the moment everywhere I am afraid.

April 1st, seeds growing well

Every year I get out the heated propagators and set them up in the porch, which becomes my growing area

This is the second tranche of seeds in the hot boxes, more tomatoes and some peppers.

The poly tunnel now getting so hot during the day that it needs ventilating

Finally, the overwintering Cavallo nero and Chard, which has given us a few good feeds for a few months