Garden and Growing

Lovely Links – Garden Pretties…

February 4, 2012

I think I may have an unhealthy obsession with bird houses…. I need a collection of these. I’m pretty sure I could make a tea pot bird house. We’ve grown gourds before but never done anything with them. And I’ve just decided what the kids are getting for Christmas next year! I am trying to [...]

This Year’s Summer Garden

January 18, 2012

Despite planting this year’s veggies way later than we should have, I am really pleased with how the garden is growing at the moment. The only thing we are eating is lettuce, herbs and the ever present rhubarb, but things are budding and beginning to fruit and flower so I am hopeful that there might [...]

In My Garden…

December 7, 2011

A few weeks ago there was nothing but weeds and grass and clover in my veggie garden. Then we mowed, and weed whacked and got the tractor out and then there was dirt…. lots and lots of dirt, and a fair bit of mud. Then the sun came out and I dug in the dirt [...]

Wordless Wednesday – What’s Hiding in Veroncia’s Garden?

November 2, 2011

Today’s guest post is from Veronica from Sleepless Nights. I am so glad to see a little neglect in her garden, because there is an awful lot in mine! Shameful neglect… whoops! A baby apple tree that we grew from seed. Hidden strawberry flowers. Mint hiding in the neglected bits. Someone let the cauliflower go [...]

Lovely Links – Garden Dreams

September 10, 2011

It’s officially spring here, though the cold wet and windy weather today might have you believing otherwise. Despite the lack of sunshine I am embarking on my annual garden dreaming event. It’s where I look at seed catalogues and browse web sites and dream up gardens that I can’t possibly prepare, let alone plant or [...]

Things I Know… About Millepedes

April 15, 2011

With recent Autumn rain we are once again in the middle of millipede season. Here are some of the things I’ve learnt from battling against these nasty black creatures…. The kind of millipedes we have at Portuguese millipedes and they stink when you pick them up, squish them or when they die. They are feral [...]

Delinquent Mothers

December 20, 2010

Life is frantic at the Pickle Farm today. I have a sick kid, a back yard full of mud and holes, Christmas presents half wrapped and chickens in my kitchen. Yes, chickens…. in my kitchen. Two of them. A black one and a white one. And no, they are not waiting to be roasted, they [...]

Strawberry Rain.

November 29, 2010

The weather has been crazy here at the pickle farm this past few weeks. Torrents of rain (more rain in 24 hours that we had in a whole month this time last year) and then warm and sunny and then more rain… and more rain… then hot… and then more rain! Until recently we were [...]

← Previous Entries

Make these…

Wordless Wednesday – Printable Christmas Cheer
December 14, 2011

We are in need of a little brightness around here, and some Christmas decorations that Noah can’t pull down and destroy… Click on any of the above images to download an A4 (letter sized) printable poster to add some Christmas cheer. Or shrink them down and print them onto cards and share the joy. Check [...]

Read more →

2011 Christmas Printable Series – Print and Fold Gift Boxes.
December 12, 2011

I think I am done with my Christmas shopping…. hopefully… maybe. We still have a few hand made gifts to finish off but I don’t think I need to go near another shopping centre (well except for food) till after Christmas. So now that the gift are all organised I need to wrap them. This [...]

Read more →

2011 Christmas Printable Series – Jar Labels and a Strawberry Jam Recipe.
December 5, 2011

Lots of rain + some sunshine = bucket loads of strawberries! Over the past few weeks we have had strawberries coming out of our ears. We have made muffins, and smoothies and cupcakes, and pie and we’ve eaten so many fresh strawberries I am actually kinda over them (I never thought that would happen), but [...]

Read more →