Month: November 2019

Why I garden3 Comments

Winter wonderland

Reclaiming Paradise

The temperature dropped to -4 last night, leaving a winter wonderland in the garden: This sets me up nicely for my annual wild and wonderful advent calendar. From tomorrow I’ll tweet something that strikes me as wild or wonderful every day until the 24th to get us through the sometimes tricky dark days of December. I’ll update on the blog every few days. Meanwhile I’m having a jolly time in a station waiting room, waiting for a much delayed train. Not much wild or wonderful here but frost and cat pictures on twitter and a good book are keeping me … Continue reading Winter wonderland

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Wildlife7 Comments

Fox and a pear tree

Reclaiming Paradise

I was down at the allotment in the rain, checking on my Brussels Sprouts. They’re looking good, so we should have enough for Christmas Dinner.  As the light was failing this beautiful creature ambled up and sat down within feet of me, waiting patiently for me to take this photograph: It’s a bit hazy as it was getting dark but I felt blessed. The weather has been dismal for the last few days but today the sun shone and an exciting parcel was delivered, much to the cats’ delight: It was the long awaited pear tree, so I planted it … Continue reading Fox and a pear tree

Cooking and eating from the garden, Why I garden2 Comments

Hardy Watercress

Reclaiming Paradise

I was out in the garden, doing some tidying up after this week’s sharp frosts. the temperature dropped to -3 degrees during the week, leaving beautiful patterns on the broccoli and sparkles on the wild rose hips Unfortunately it also killed off the last of the nasturtiums so today’s task was to clear them up. While I was outside I spotted broad beans coming cheerfully up despite the cold: tiny saladings under a cloche: and sweet peas thriving in the seed palace: Signs of spring indeed. The cold earlier in the week had also brought ice to the pond: and … Continue reading Hardy Watercress

Cooking and eating from the garden, Why I garden9 Comments

Apples and ice

Reclaiming Paradise

This weekend has seen the first hard frost, with ice on the pond: and lovely frost on the Broccoli I thought I’d better harvest the last of the apples before it gets any colder – Yes these are the phenomenal Howgate Wonders again – I picked 30 on Saturday morning and we’ve had about 6 or 7 already this year so this is a bumper year. They are the most delicious apples, eaten fresh or cooked. They’re a little too big to eat as eating apples but lovely to share between two or three over breakfast. Here they are with … Continue reading Apples and ice