Tag: Cats

Why I garden, Wildlife2 Comments

Friday night delight

Reclaiming Paradise

It’s been a bit of a week (a bit of a month actually) but it was a lovely evening so we had our tea in the garden – we had ‘leftover delight’, which is basically ‘what’s in the fridge? Let’s just heat it up’. Tonight that meant leftover vegetable curry with some rather aged microwaveable rice. It all tasted fine. What was really delightful though was the complete mess of self-seeded and other flowers, waving around in the wind, and Bella walking purposefully past on her way to check out any leftovers under the garden table. The garden has gone … Continue reading Friday night delight

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden6 Comments

There may be pears

Reclaiming Paradise

Yes, pears, not bears. The baby pear tree which has done nothing very much for the last three and a half years, has blossom. I’m very excited but also a little worried. This little tree has chosen to have it’s blossom debut in the middle of a cold snap, just after a mini heatwave. I covered it with some ‘may come in handy some time’ plastic from the shed during the very cold nights last week and it seems to have survived Just as well. We had ice on the pond on a couple of mornings. Bella likes to check … Continue reading There may be pears

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden1 Comment

A day of contrasts

Reclaiming Paradise

It’s been a day of contrasts – frost and ice first thing in the morning followed by glorious sunshine. Bella went out to check the ice on the pond, which was surrounded by frosty grass. Meanwhile, at the back of the garden the sun was shining on the first daffodils. Everything was glorious and I should have spent the day in the garden, or the allotment, or at the very least, sowing seeds indoors. Instead I made a trip to an out of town garden centre. I had a choice between going to one where I can get a bus … Continue reading A day of contrasts

Why I garden7 Comments

Reclaiming Paradise Awards 2021

Reclaiming Paradise

We come to the end of another year. What is there to say about 2021? Too much really but here on Reclaiming Paradise it is time to celebrate all that has been good, surprising or downright disappointing in the garden and allotment. Wonderful weather The winter brought some wonderful frost, snow and ice The cowometer came back into use – for a view of its highest reading since records began, see here We also had impressive thunderstorms and flooding in July (no photos) but the award goes to the ice on the pond in February which enabled Bella to perfect … Continue reading Reclaiming Paradise Awards 2021

Recycling and reusing, Why I garden11 Comments

Solstice

Reclaiming Paradise

I usually try and capture the light on the shortest day of the year. Yesterday I wasn’t convinced there was any, there certainly wasn’t any sunshine. I lit this candle at breakfast time as the ‘sun was rising’ but the sun hid behind fog and clouds all day. Oh well, at least it’s getting lighter now in theory and the sun will no doubt emerge some time over the holiday period. Advent calendar update: we’ve had Bella, sprouts, redcurrants, tomatoes, pink peas and some festive holly I’ve fallen behind a bit with the small moments of wildness and wonder, but … Continue reading Solstice

Uncategorized5 Comments

When autumn leaves start to fall

Reclaiming Paradise

It has taken me a wee while to write this post but it is with great sadness that I am writing in memory of our beautiful Chelsea, who arrived in our lives in November 2014, as the autumn leaves were falling. We found her in a cat rescue and fell in love with her astonishing colouring and her friendly nature. To begin with she lived with my mother, providing companionship as my mother adapted to living on her own after my father died. Chelsea was always an outdoor cat, never happier than chasing leaves and exploring my mother’s increasingly neglected … Continue reading When autumn leaves start to fall

Growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, Why I garden3 Comments

Welcome harvest

Reclaiming Paradise

I’ve been away for a little while, catching up with family, swimming in lakes and stretching my legs rather more than I intended. It was nice to get away from some of the everyday stresses but it was also nice to get home to see what was happening in the garden. Here are some of the joys I came back to: peas – green and purple, broad beans, raspberries and a few strawberries, lettuce and the last of the redcurrants. Quite a feast. The red currants have been a bit of a disappointment this year as the best of them … Continue reading Welcome harvest

Why I garden6 Comments

Spring flowers and a new bench

Reclaiming Paradise

The garden and the blog have suffered a bit lately from too much other work going on in my life. I’ve hardly stepped outside the door all week except for necessary permitted walks and I haven’t managed to write much or read all your lovely blogs either. However this weekend I achieved a thing, in fact a new garden bench: This was not made by me, as such but I did put it together from the flatpack which arrived in a great big box, bringing joy in abundance for Bella. I don’t often buy new stuff for the garden but … Continue reading Spring flowers and a new bench

Cooking and eating from the garden4 Comments

Dancing on Ice

Reclaiming Paradise

It’s still very icy here so not much happening in the garden but this little crocus is another tiny sign of spring. Meanwhile Bella has been exploring the frozen pond. She’s a great lover of water and the pond provides fascination for her all year round. Yesterday she spent a lot of time just sitting on the ice. What was she thinking about? Why did she do this? I don’t know. You tell me. The photos are a little blurry because they were taken through the window – if I’d gone outside after her she would have coming running in. … Continue reading Dancing on Ice

Why I garden12 Comments

Snow

Reclaiming Paradise

Here’s some snow around my garden pond to cheer you all up The frog and the cow are keeping guard though not showing the very high levels on the cowometer that we had during the Beast from the East in 2018. I had some vague plan to ‘do some gardening’ over the Christmas holidays but ice and snow have stopped me. On the other hand, the snow has covered up all the weeds and untidy stuff and it looks rather magical. Bella doesn’t agree I woke up far too early yesterday morning and went out into the moonlight to look … Continue reading Snow