The polytunnel is having a second wind. The tomatoes have burst forth with new leaves and huge bunches of fresh tomatoes. The courgette plants that I thought had just about given up the ghost have sprung back into life giving me a whole crop of new fruits.~
And the lovely Aubergine plants have laid down some more fruits to replace the ones we ate last week.
~
More yummyness to come then.~
I left a part of me behind when I left the polytunnel this morning. ~No..... haha.....I am not getting all poetic about leaving my heart in the polytunnel. I accidently backed into a flypaper as I watered the tomatoes and left a rather large tuft of hair attached to it in my panic to get away......YUK!~Sue xx

We’ve had quite a busy Bank Holiday weekend.  On Sunday was Ben’s Christening, so my in-laws came to visit.  They were staying in their caravan on a nearby campsite, so we saw quite a bit of them over the weekend.  The boys thoroughly enjoyed helping to walk the dogs, playing football in the garden and [...]

Grace showing another Middle White Pig.

There's something about a pig, that a lot of folk think is scary. That hulking great mass of pork bearing down on you at 20 miles an hour can look terrifying. But the one thing that will make you realise how gentle a pig can be is to see them with children.

Children have no fear of pigs, the youngsters that visited our farm recently were in with the pigs before we could stop them. Straight over to them to stroke them, and look into their eyes. The pigs responded by being extra careful where they trod, by walking slower and standing stiller, and our pigs then had never been with children before.
You see a pig through new eyes when you see them through the eyes of a child. They are big warm hairy bodies with curly tails, cheeky grins and grunts of pleasure. To have a pig that has been raised and handled by a child is a delight as we have been lucky enough to find out with Monty.
Grace having a final cuddle with Monty (then known as Harry) before we brought him home to stay with us on the farm.~I can honestly say that Monty is the most peaceful and content pig I have ever owned. Not for him the bellowing for food, or the pushing and shoving of the other pigs. He is just happy to stand and eat, not dash from trough to trough to try to get more than his fair share. If you go into the Orchard he slowly walks over to the fence to get his share of the tickles or pats on offer.

He looks up at you with those intelligent eyes and just melts your heart. ~Thank you Grace for raising Monty so well, it was time well spent.

Sue xx

Today the anticipated Meet and Greet took place. It quickly escalated into a Bared Beak and Clawed Feet Event. Roxanne and Cleo have been socializing through the fence with the new girls, Ruby and Coco, for the past four weeks and it was time to introduce them face to face. I set the mood by providing plenty of treats for everyone and things went along smoothly--for awhile.

Freedom!Ruby and Coco were feeling brave and finally ventured away from their coop to the edge of the lawn where I was sitting. All of a sudden, Cleo took a running karate-style leap, landed on Coco's back and pecked her full force coming up with a gigantic mouthful of feathers. Bedlam resulted.  The two babes squawked with all their might, flew in a circle and headed into their coop. I flew out of my chair screaming at Cleo. I ran after that chicken as she led me on a chase through the yard still clutching her mouthful of black and white feathers like a trophy. Occasionally I got close enough to whack her with a plastic bag of raisins I still had in my hand, like a scene out of a Loony Tunes cartoon. She finally ran into her coop and I slipped the lock on. She sulked for 3 hours before she came out.

Roxanne Playing Mother Hen

Roxanne and the babes got along fine without Cleo. Roxanne hovered over them like a mother hen with an occasional peck if they got too uppity but it was all very quiet and quite civilized. Cleo finally stopped sulking and I let her out on condition she behave herself. The result? Cleo has established authority over the little ones, she only needs turn a beady eye towards them and they run. Otherwise, they've all settled down into a peaceful truce. Each staying in their own areas, but feathers are soothed and the neighborhood is quiet. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

----------------------------------------------------------------
 Summer Borscht
 Print This Recipe

At least once during the summer I make my favorite vegetable soup, summer borscht. This family recipe comes from my Ukrainian grandmother and all of us were raised on it from the time we could hold a spoon. I recently made a double recipe resulting in a huge pot that I was able to serve to friends, eat for many nights plus give a little away. Immensely satisfying. Anyway, if you've never tried borscht, or only tried a heavy winter version, try this light summer vegetable soup. You'll be surprised at how delicate and flavorful it is. Enjoy!

3 medium beets, peeled, quartered, cut into thin strips*
1 tablespoon salt
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup sliced yellow or green beans
6 cups cold water
1/4 cup tomato juice
3 medium potatoes, peeled, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream

Stir together the beets and salt in a large pot. (The salt keeps the bright red color in the beets.) Stir in the onion, beans, water and tomato juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add the potatoes, carrot, peas, green onions, dill and pepper. Simmer another 10 minutes. Add parsley and garlic; simmer until the vegetables are tender. Add lemon juice to taste and stir in the sour cream until blended. (Do not let the soup come to a boil once the sour cream has been added or the cream could curdle.) Serve warm with an extra dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4 to 6

* To eliminate your fingers and hands turning red from peeling and cutting raw beets, use disposable gloves. 

Once upon a time there were two little girls, one hid behind cabbages, until she couldn't grow cabbages big enough...~
...and one was brave and boldly showed off her new haircut for all the Blogging world to see.

Together they came up with a plan!!
~A plan that would see them revitalised by Christmas, one that would mean smaller cabbages could be grown next year, and more lovely stripey T shirts could be bought in smaller sizes.
Intrigued.......then follow our progress over on our new Blog....and you are more than welcome to join in. Why wait until the New Year to start a health and fitness plan, why not meet Christmas and the New Year head on bursting with vitality.
Lets banish the dark days of Winter with healthy food (home grown or not), lets jig about our living rooms in the dark mornings or evening to Dvds' or jog with the dogs in the rain and come back buzzing with that feel good factor that only 'doing' something can give you. We can have a week off at Christmas (if you want to) and then join in again in the New Year knowing that we are already on the track to good health and vitality.

Visit us here if you want to or click the link in the sidebar, the Blog will be updated weekly. Now we really will have to stick to it....I've told the world!!~
Normal farm talk resumes tomorrow, with a couple of THE most delightful pictures.

Sue xx

We live here.....~
...our chickens live in chicken world...
~
...the pig feed lives in the 'Cowavan'...~...the piggies live in the Orchard...~...the veggies live in the Kitchen Garden...~...and the sun sets over the veggies asleep in the Polytunnel.~ Thank you for visiting our Farm, please call again soon.~Sue xx

This weekend has been spent lounging around on the sofa and eating chocolate cake. I have been so lazy but I was obviously quite tired as my body didn't want to do anything!

I just wanted to update you on the latest developments. I have teamed up with a graphic designer family member and we are producing a range of shabby chic/vintage/retro inspired products, including coasters, bags, mugs and posters. We will be producing things that I like but haven't seen in the shops or are far too pricey. These will be launched on my blog mid-September so keep a look out here. All proceeds from the sale of these items will go to Alzheimer's Society to help raise some much-needed funds for my trek up Kilimanjaro.

I am hoping to get a mini lop buck rabbit in the next few weeks as part of my new plan to breed them.  I have a hutch ready and waiting for it just have to find the right rabbit with a good pedigree and beautiful markings.  Hoping to go for an orange or blue [...]

An email asking for a photo of my storecupboard is what inspired this. I was going to take a photo of all the veggies and various 'bits of Betty' in the freezer, but the freezer wont let me in, and the batteries on my camera have just died (technology conspiring against me?).~The first Car Boot Sale went brilliantly.....we even sold the Landrover we went in!!~Sue xx

The potatoes we have grown this year are much bigger than any we've had before, and more plentiful, too. Digging them up also has the side-effect of conditioning the plot, so it's a winner all round. Related posts:

1. Growing potatoes in bags

What we have been doing this week is...

Picking pears





Harvesting the first of the potatoes for storage. We have been eating them since June, but now it is time to lift them and let thm harden off on the surface for a few hours, and then store them , for use in the winter months.



Harvesting the Lavender, for use in soaps and lotions and potions.



Some of the Onions, lifted (finally!) It has been SO wet we have not been able to and were really worried they would rot in the ground...)



More Onions, a tray of shallots ( really good crop this year!) and the first of the pumpkins!




Plums. Lots of them. We have called in friends to come and pick the surplus!

Zoom right in and feast your eyes on this little lot (much more to be added too).

I hope you all had a good week. My week has been busy but good. I'm now running at 4.5k (without stopping) in 30 minutes. In 6 weeks I've gone from not being able to run for more than 2 minutes to running a full 30 minutes! I think that's incredible and all thanks to the great Couch to 5k running programme. Honestly, if I can do it then pretty much anyone can.

So now for the good bit - the Keep Calm and Have a Cuppa giveaway reveal. Lots of companies have been most generous in donating for my giveaway to celebrate over 3 years of blogging. I would particularly like to thank the guys over at Sarah Smith for pretty floral tea towels, Keep Calm Gallery for the fab 'Tea Revives You" tea towel and Dorset Cereals who have very kindly said they will donate some of their scrumptious granola breakfast cereal and some cereal bars (yum). Thanks so much to those of you who have entered!


Also take a look at what else is on offer - a really pretty Cath Kidston mug and milk jug filled to the brim with chocolate bars and hot chocolate sachets, a really sweet hen tea pot, some of my homemade plum jam, some union jack coasters, and lots of other things to be added to the mix (some will be a nice surprise I hope for the winners).

Just a reminder if you want to be in with a chance of winning, please follow the instructions on this page.


Of course, this wouldn't be Tinyholder HQ without some gratuitus pictures of the little furry friends.


Have a fabulous weekend (bank holiday in the UK!) folks.



TTFN

Sian x

Monty aged 6 months, last week.~
Rosy aged 9 weeks, last year. ~ Maud, Martha , aged 4 months, and Betty age 1 year.~
Lulu and Lottie aged 2 weeks.

Lavender Pekin Bantams, aged 7 weeks.~
Glorious sunshine here today, we are busy re-locating the Large Black pigs to the Paddock Field.
Hope your day is as good!
Sue xx

Need to see what is out of THIS window, now!



Want to look at what you are doing on this funny box thing...



Have to sit on this pile of paper...

You what? It is paper you need to look at? Never!


Oh, you are picking up that little silvery box again? I'll just come over and have a look...

While I am at it, I will just stick my head in your tea mug and drink what is in there... ( honest, she did, but I wasn't quick enough with my camera!)

Herby Aubergine and Tomato Pasta Bake Ready for the oven


Left in bottom oven of Aga for 2 hours.
~

Half taken out and put in sterilised jar for future use, pasta added to other half and baked for another 30 minutes.
~

Ingredients for Garlic Bread.
~

Mix in some Herbs (well you have to make is slightly healthy!)
~

The finished meal - Yummy! (And enough leftovers for some more tonight.) Sue xx

Last night hubby and I went to see Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Wales Millennium Centre.  I bought the tickets months ago and as it was our first night out since having Ben, we were really looking forward it. We weren’t disappointed it was brilliant, really, really funny.  It’s mostly the story of The Holy [...]

My lovely new book and matching herbs.

Earlier this week when I opened my emails there was a newsletter from Karon at Dream Acres telling us all about her new website, and more importantly (to me) that her book was available to buy. Of course I had to have one, I love books and I love herbs, put the two together and you've got me! Yesterday when Lovely Hubby came in from work he was clutching a big brown padded envelope, it was here already! My very own signed copy.~Oooh.......perfection, a coffee cup and Lavender, (if you know me you'll know why)!

It is all about herbs and their myriad of uses. Inspiring pictures and lots of good tips. Of course I know Lavender, I love the stuff, my business is based around it, I use it for everything and hopefully inspire my customers to do the same, but the other nine herbs in the book, I'm sad to say although I grow some of them I have never really looked any deeper into them than the odd sprinkle here and there in some of my recipes.~Pages from her scrapbook, reproduced.
Well not any more, I read the book from cover to cover and while inspiration was fresh, went out to the polytunnel this morning to see what herbs I had been ignoring. I have a beautiful big tub of Parsley, a huge patch of Thyme (in the bed outside the polytunnel) and two gorgeous Rosemary plants, just crying out to be used. In my freezer I have the last of the Basil from the pot on the kitchen windowsill, I will have to get some more planted. ~The book is full of delicious pictures, all taken by Karon.
~
As I picked the days tomatoes, (I have been getting a big tub full every day so I have to keep on top of this), I noticed the Aubergine plant had three lovely sized fruits on it, so they were quickly snipped off too. ~In my mind I could see them all together, sliced, drizzled with olive oil, a handful of Thyme and Rosemary, a sprinkling of Parsley and Basil, some freshly ground black pepper and a huge handful of brown pasta to soak up the juices.......there, that was tea planned before I had even eaten my breakfast!!~Inspiration for tonights evening meal.
~
I sorted them all out when I came in, removed the errant Cabbage White butterfly that was clinging onto the Parsley and laid them out around my new book....there for once a staged shot (all professional like....well sort of!!). After guessing what herbs I would need for my lovely tea I quickly tied the others up, with elastic, as suggested in the book and hung them to dry out over the Aga below my already lovely dry Lavender. ~
My kitchen smells divine and my hands, although I have washed them a few times after doing jobs this morning, still have the delisious smell of Rosemary, my second favourite herb in the world....yummy!~
And now I am off on my Blogging break, for the next four days you will get only a couple of pictures and their description. Thank you for the comments and emails suggesting what you would like to see, the catergories are therefore - Food, Animals, my Storecupboard and the Farm. I guess tomorrows is already sorted, I'll take a shot of our lovely Herby, Tomatoy Pasta Bake.~
Have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend, let's hope that just for once the sun shines, well we must be about to run out of rain, we've had it here ALL week, that lovely clean little piggy is no more!!
Sue xx
Please note all images with the Dream Acres copyright logo are used with the kind permission of Karon H Grieve, author of So Easy Herbal - my new favourite book!

Before you shout that i am a huge hypocrite i have to say that i still dont want to lose books in their original form and hope that there will always be a paper version of any publication, but….  I cant help but really love the look of Amazon’s new Kindle, both the basic and [...]

Rescue cat is ADORABLE!

All black except for a bunch of white hairs in a whorl slap bang on the middle of her chest.

She has been at the vets for 3 weeks while they tried to find her owner, with no joy, was found starved and shivering under a shrub and with an injury to her hind paw ( looks like a trap injury, she had lost 2 toes...)

She is so friendly and delightful and purrs and purrs and has already draped herself repeatedly around my neck

Tom Cat and Tabitha think she is the anti christ, of course and much growling and posturing is currently going on in the kitchen...

Her name is Cleopatra....she has green eyes....  and has some Siamese blood I think, judging by the way she talks and sucks fur, wool etc!

It's time to get down to business now, so I'm having a Blogging break for the Bank Holiday weekend. We have so much to do, at the moment I am in the getting towards the end of our last push to live simply. Sorting out the house and jettisoning all unnecessary 'things'. These will be sold off at the two Car Boot Sales we are hoping to do over the weekend (fingers crossed for good weather they are both in fields). Once I have finished that we are having a mammoth tidy up of the farm, to get things clearer for Autumn. Sorting out, mowing, strimming and generally preparing for the months ahead.

Instead of spending time at the computer each morning I will be merely checking my emails and doing just the office work. I will however post a picture a day onto the Blog, what pictures I don't know.......and that's where you come in.

What would you like to see, either here on the farm or from the family archives I will leave it in your hands. You can leave a comment or drop me an email (I know some folk are having problems with leaving comments at the moment).

I will do my best to oblige. In the meantime I leave you with two pictures taken the other day of the 'boys' on the farm. Lovely Hubby is relishing that male numbers are increasing, he has felt outnumbered for long enough (just him and the cats have been the only boys).

So the top picture is of Monty Middlewhite and Jack Large Blacks first meeting and the other is Caldwell and Norman, our cockerels on opposite sides of the wire.

Have a lovely day.

Sue xx

Managed to get up and get dressed, (eventually) after a very long lie in and breakfast in bed, thanks to lovely CM.

I wandered outside and collected eggs and let out the feathery ladies, have picked 17 lb of assorted beans in the sunshine, scrubbed out a few buckets and trod washed a load of horticultural fleece sheet.

Came in, scrubbed the kitchen bench and prepped some tomatos for drying later. I have also put on a load of washing and tidied up several rooms of assorted "stuff"

All this took 5 hours, as opposed to the normal about 1. Not operating at full efficiency, I think

Am now lying down again (3 pm) , having exhausted all energy for the moment.

Hmm dark thundery clouds are appearing, I want to pick the Beth pears but they are not quite ready to be picked BUT may get knocked off by the storm if I don't pick them...bother, what to do for the best?

5 pm update. Answered my own question and have just picked over 50 lb of pears. Obviously not yet quite ripe but ready to pick ( come off easily with stalk intact when raised up horizontal) and would have been knocked off by any wind/heavy rain.  About as many left which are not ready to pick, yet. Hope they can stand the gales/rain etc!

Pouring with rain here, has been since 11 pm Sunday. Did right thing with pear picking! BUT sadly looks like the Blaisdon Red plums will be ruined by the rain ( they go mouldy on the tree if it stays too wet/humid )

Have to take Peter Rabbit to the vets for his Mixy jab and to possibly collect an abandoned rescue cat later today. Fingers crossed it all works out...!

Hi everyone,
I'm hoping to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next September. It's going to be tough and I'm going to have to train very hard and give up cake (well, that's not going to happen frankly!), but it's something I really want to do and you only live once! I'm hoping to raise £4000 for Alzheimer's Society so I'll be doing all sorts of makes (quilts, tea cosies etc), fundraising activities and selling on some of my treasures to help raise funds.
I really really need your support to reach the summit people! I'm doing it for real women who have a bit of meat on them!
Please visit my new blog for updates on fundraising/training progress and my sponsorship page if you are feeling generous.
Thanks so much!
Sian x
ps don't forget to enter my 'Keep Calm and Carry On' giveaway. The giveaway now includes some Sarah Smith, Keep Calm Gallery and Cath Kidston goodies so don't miss out (closing date 15th September). More details of what's up for grabs later in the week. :-)

This morning I awoke to glorious sunshine. The air is fresh with the promise of a better day.

On our doggy walk we rediscovered the hedgerows. Glistening with Blackberries starting to ripen in the warmth of the early morning sun. The dogs ran, free of the heavy rain that we had over the last twenty four hours, free to frolic in the wet grass. The combines are quiet now, they can only resume the cutting if the crops dry out enough, hopefully the sun today will help, it's quite sad to see a field barely cut and then left in the rain.

Back on the farm, the pigs are knee deep in soft porridge like mud. My lovely clean little piggy is no more. He is just a smaller version of his wives. Covered in mud with dirt everywhere....and a very interested grin on his face.~Today will be another indoor day, sorting and paperwork, at least while I'm doing this the earth will dry out a little and hopefully by weekend we can push on with our planting for winter and our planned big tidy up of the farm. ~
I hope the sun is shining on you too. Have a good day.~Sue xx

Do go and visit The Further Adventures of a Thrifty Mrs and have a read if you want to know more about keeping chickens.

What do you do when you move into a new place. You do what Monty did, in his order of priority. ~
You check out the food. ~

You check out the accommodation.~

You check out your outside space.~

Then, most important of all, you check out the neighbours.~
Suits me, he seems to say.....I think I may like it here!!~After a night of torrential rain, which filled every pig trough and every container on the farm up to the brim, Monty is having a quiet day to settle himself in to his new surroundings and I am having a busy day in the house having a mad clear out for the Bank Holiday weekends' Car Boot Sales, our final big push towards living more simply. More tomorrow.~Sue xx

Been a bit absent for the last few days as I have had a CFS flare up and slowly stiffened up and shut down. Don't think it is a virus, I recognise the signs and have been getting them for a couple of days now...aches, confusion, extreme tiredness, dislike of bright lights and loud noise etc.

I have found it hard to even type this, so am going to sit on sofa under blanket with CG and watch HP and the half blood prince dvd. I have been resting a lot and sleeping a lot. Compostman has been wonderful ( as always) and has just let me rest

I have allowed myself to be fooled by the fact I have felt really pretty good, for me, lately and have overdone it a bit I suspect...I find it very hard to pace myself, always have and then suffer the result...that is one of the worst things about ailments like this, you can't FORCE yourself to do stuff as there is just no energy there to do it.

Bother! I MUST get on with dealing with produce mountain, gardening etc. I knew I shouldn't have been spending valuable energy on fun stuff like card making, knitting and embroidery, sigh.  But life can't be ALL work, surely?

Anyway, hopefully a lot of rest now will nip this bout in the bud and I will get some energy back, soon.

Hope you are all keeping well?

A basket case.....is how Lovely Hubby has been referring to me lately, in the most loving way of course! My addiction to baskets is now as legendary as my former addiction to bags.


Sometimes though I still buy bags too!!

Both are available here...and in the sale too!!

Sue xx

Cath Kidston Spray Flowers mug

Don't forget to enter the big 'Keep Calm and Have a Cuppa Giveaway' by following the instructions on this post. Lots of fabulous goodies up for grabs as a big thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my blog and made the last 3 years a little brighter! :-)

Cath Kidston butercup milk jug

Cath Kidston kitchen notes

Many, many other things to be added, some vintage and some handmade so please do enter!

Have a lovely weekend!

Sian x

Morning!

Jase was up at the crack of dawn and I woke up at 7.30, stumbled out of bed, let the girls out and made a cuppa. Lots to do today.

Day 2 of 3 off and need to get on with some sewing, so a very quick update on the blog was called for.

Cornelia has decided to start moulting and her neck is bare, except for a few tiny quills where the new feathers are starting to grow back. She did decide to start laying at the same time. Most unusual for a hen, but she is quirky like me. 2 huge very dark brown eggs this week and she was sat on the nest when I let them out this morning. Her eggs were getting lighter, so nice to see she has recharged her ink cartridges! The others are fine and laying well.

I managed to get hold of some Bubble jet set 2000 liquid from Quilters dream!! You soak cotton fabric in it and then leave it to dry. You can then print on it with any ink jet printer!! I now need to sort out a logo and can then print out my own labels!! Dead exciting (well for me anyway)!!

I fished out my old mini stencils and made a few tags for the chutney that took an age last week.


Just something a bit different to the usual labels.

Received my first email of the year with an order for 2 medium Christmas puddings from a Lady at work. Must get on with that. Might prepare the fruit today and start it on it's week long soaking in brandy. I have lots of ceramic bowls ready as bought extra last year.

The raspberries are starting to colour up, the sweetcorn looks great and I need to dig up the potatoes soon. Tomatoes are filling the fridge, along with massive supplies of beans. The courgettes are doing ok, but not as well as I'd hoped. Probably for the best. My borlotti beans are actually doing well as it would seem the mice haven't discovered them this year. I think next door's new cat might have something to do with it.

Mum and Dad have gone to their house in Germany today, with my brother, niece and nephew. Don't envy that car journey! Hopefully it will stay nice for them.

Better get my backside in the shower and start sewing. Not long until the fair. :0)

Have a good weekend.

C x x x

Yay! I’m starting to get grass growing back.  I’m hoping it’ll keep on growing and soon there won’t be any mud left, although I suspect I’ll probably have to get some grass seed and give it a helping hand. Thankfully my whole garden doesn’t look like this, just the bit closest to the patio, where [...]

Ever seen a man with a beard of bees? Or how about an egg cup wearing leopard print pants? Our latest newsletter has all this and more, so why not give it a peek?

omlet: Fancy winning a snazzy USBee microscope & other goodies? Find out how in our latest newsletter...http://bit.ly/bSEN1p

Whilst Compostgirl was making her purse, I was sewing  these from scraps and oddments. I like them :-)

My favourite kind of preserving is the kind that is simple, doesn't take up much of your time, stores beautifully and keeps indefinitely. After all you don't want to be eating the same food day in day out (unless it's Garlic Kievs....my weakness, I literally could eat them every day, forever.....but that's another story).

I simply pile all the ingredients in the biggest tin I have, in this case it was Tomatoes, a huge Marrow, Onions, Garlic and a couple of whopping big Chillis, all homegrown and freshly picked. Cover with a couple of glugs of good Olive oil and a squeeze of tomato puree.
Add a handful of freshly picked Basil leaves.

Cover tightly with foil and pop in the bottom oven of the Aga for a few hours. If you haven't forgotten about it check later and remove the foil, give it a good stir and then pop bake into the oven uncovered for another hour or so.~Once you take it out simply whizz up with a stick blender or liquidise, add a few more fresh basil leaves to the hot sauce and then pour into hot sterilised jars. And Bob's your uncle. Don't forget to label as you need to know that this sauce has a kick, with garlic and Chilli it's slightly fiery and this version needed no seasoning whatsoever, the flavour was delicious.~We now have nine jars squirrelled away in the larder ....well we had to sample one to check I had it right, we had it poured over chicken breasts with a handful of rice thrown in and cooked again for half an hour.....yummy!~(Don't you just love my new shopping basket in the top picture....I do. I got it from Twice this week. I think my former handbag obsession has changed to a basket obsession...well...they're so useful!!)~Sue xx

Following on from my post yesterday about Compostgirl and her sewing...and my post about not being able to knit...here is what I CAN teach her! Cutting out, making up, tacking up, embroidery, persistance, endevour, patience.
 

oh, and rightful pride, in a job well done!

I am so proud of her and her achievement!

One of our chickens is reluctant to put herself to bed inside the coop at night. Instead she perches on its roof and waits for us to come out and tuck her in. Related posts:

1. The new chickens are settling in
2. How cosy is a chicken coop?
3. Our new hens are getting hen-pecked

Nora and Nellie, aged 6 weeks.
Back in May of this year we bought Nellie and Nora two gorgeous New Hampshire Red chickens. Sisters that went everywhere together. I told their sad story here a few weeks ago. Nora died suddenly of no obvious cause, leaving behind a wonky legged and ungainly Nellie to live her life on the periphery of two flocks.~

Living her new lonely life in July.

Well, now.....where do I start.....?
On Monday morning this week I went out to open the henhouses at the usual time. Caldwell was starting his dawn chorus of 'cock a doodle doos', and then suddenly from henhouse number one the resounding crowing of another cockerel answering firmly! Now I stood upright and listened intently....no...I must be hearing things, it must have been a Welsummer imitating. I carried on letting Caldwell and his wives out and replenishing their food, and suddenly there it was again, another cockerel crowing SO loudly and deeply, (don't forget I am used to Bantam crowing not full sized Rooster crowing). I walked over to the henhouse full of incredulty, what was going on? ~I opened the door and out strutted...a definite strut...Nellie, closely followed by three very admiring White Stars who were showing lots of interest in their formerly ignored sister. One more, very loud 'cock a doodle do' followed and then Nellie strutted to the feeding tray and got stuck in before going to her usual place and plonking herself down to start the day. (I will continue to use 'she' and 'her' for now.)

A difference in feathers starting to appear, but still a small comb and wattles.

To say I was amazed and confounded would be an understatement. At first I thought we had mis-sexed her, but then I remembered we had bought her from someone who had raised loads of chickens and sexed her before sale, I looked back over old photos of Nellie and Nora together, although Nellie was little bit bigger they were identical in every way. I looked at photos of Nellie developing and until recently she was just getting bigger.Then I thought I needed some more expert opinions so I got stuck in to some internet research.

This week... feathers fully grown, including impressive tail feathers, now much longer and darker.
~The most logical research articles point to the fact that injury or illness can trigger a hens working ovary to suddenly stop working and when this happens there is a huge surge of testosterone, which begins the changeover. Now some sites state catergorically that this can't happen, and others are convinced it can. I am now falling into the latter category as I have it in front of me. Nellie has always had health problems, most obviously with her hips. She waddles from side to side, most pronounced when she runs, now she seems to be in no pain so we have always let her just get on with life. Now this, added to her age leads me to think that instead of continuing to develop as a female, she has just switched mid-development.

This picture kindly lent to me from a farm in America that specialises in New Hampshire Reds, shows both a cockerel and a hen. Thank you for your help.

What ever has happened she is now definitely a cockerel. She has developed over the last week a much more defined comb and wattles, and on her legs there are the begininnings of spurs. She is still a loner but the other birds are now showing her a new reverence, very wise when the new guy on the block is twice the size of any of you!!

Norman (apologies to Uncle Norman, although you are just as lovely!!)

Maybe she was wrongly sexed and she was always a cockerel, or maybe she really has changed, either way the lovely Nellie is now to be known as Norman and from now on will be referred to as 'he', or 'him'!

~
And I now know how much twaddle there is on the internet from so called 'experts' about chickens. Things I know can happen and do on a regular basis are 'poo pooed' and some statements are obviously figments of peoples imagination, I think the only reliable information is that which you gather yourself over time. If you are looking something up for yourself, trawl far and wide and decide for yourself which you feel is nearest to what you are experiencing. Never just take the first 'answer' you find.~
Sue xx

Today has been a busy day!
 
Have done washing, four loads, out, dried and put away! This for a day which the Met Office said would be wet and cold, well it was 27 here today with a hot SW breeze!

Have picked 15 Kg (!) of toms which are sitting waiting for me to do something with them. Have tidied up and done some mending and ironing ( yuck! I loath ironing! If I was going to EVER pay someone else to do work for me, it would be ironing.)

Have been to Ledbury and got various stuff from many small shops, which took 2 hours because all the parking spaces are taken up by summer visitors....so a 30 min trip took far longer...still, not as bad as when The Big Chill is on, Ledbury is full to bursting then and I avoid it. But it is great for the traders and lovely for the visitors, so I don't mind ;-)

Have also had to deal with a very stroppy CG today...finally made her sit down and actually DO the purse she was moaning about not sewing...she tried for a whole 5 mins yesterday to stitch it up and, because it was a bit hard (as she has not done it before ) she got cross. With me. And then threw a tantrum. Which lasted 3 hours, until bedtime.

So today I told her to sit down, be quiet and actually listen and do it the way I was suggesting and try it for more than 5 mins. She did, it worked, it was easy and she is now happy because she has made her purse.

We then spent a happy further hour making various other sewing stuff. She is really pleased because this is the very first thing she has designed, cut out, sewn and finished all by her self.

I am very impressed with her achievement!

omlet: Policeman trapped in car by 50,000 bees.... http://bit.ly/a0UJdC

Saving water we would usually tip away is paying dividends in two ways: it's cutting out water bill and helping our garden vegetables to flourish. Related posts:

1. Free water saving kit
2. Water recycling… extreme
3. The Butt Butt water butt

We have just harvested all the early potatoes....I know, slightly late!! Overnight Archie must have decided the smell of the great outdoors was just what he wanted to sleep with, and we came down this morning to find him fast asleep with the potatoes on the kitchen table.

Very cute....but very naughty!~~~~~Only a short post today, as I am in the middle of some research. The internet is proving invaluable, I have been communicating with a lovely lady in America, getting some pictures and looking on the experts websites for more information. We have had a very unusual development here on the farm. All will be revealed tomorrow. I need to get you an up to date photo of someone..........!
Sue xx

I have always felt somehow...not very artistic? or very crafty? For two reasons. Because I can't paint. And I can't knit "proper" things ( like cardigans. Or gloves. Or socks.)

My older brother is a talented artist who has made a living from his talent all his adult life. This left me being "the clever one" with him being " the arty one" But my feelings of  inadequacy as an artist ( until recently) will be the subject of another post, another time. Suffice it to say no, I can't paint pictures BUT I CAN craft things, scultpt, make paper, weave, sew, make pots, baskets etc.

But knitting. Ah knitting. Well I do feel a bit useless on that front.

My Mother, my MiL, all my school friends Mums all knitted really well, effortlessly turning out socks, jumpers etc etc. It was a skill I took for granted that I would learn how to do as well, one day, when I was a bit older. Indeed my Mum DID start to teach me how to knit,  when I was 9, so I can now still knit all the stitiches and I can cast on and cast off, increase and decrease.

BUT I have no idea how to read a pattern. I was never taught this bit as my mum became ill just as we were about to get on to that bit of my knitting lessons. After she became ill and was no longer around at home to be my Mum, life was too busy and horrible to have time for knitting lessons, so I never really came back to it. And then I got older, and I still didn't know how. And then I got older still, and I had money to just buy stuff , rather than making it. And, indeed I had money because I had a good, well paid, time consuming job so I didn't have time to knit anything, even if I HAD known how!

 And then I got even older, and it seemed too late to learn.

But now I have Compostgirl, who is wanting to know how to knit. She is about the age I was, when my Mum taught me. So really, I HAVE had to remind myself of all the stuff I once learned. So I can pass it on to her. But I don't know how to read a kntting pattern.

So....I guess it is time to find out how to read that pattern, after all. It is never too late, is it?

Any suggestions for good websites?

This morning when I was making the tea I noticed our coffee machine had disappeared. When I enquired as to the whereabouts of said coffee machine Tim announced that he had purchased a new one (quite what was wrong with the old one I don't know, but boys and their toys!). Anyway, the new machine is here and let me tell you I have got the OH well trained. It's one of those gorgeous retro style Nespresso machines. I'm in aw of it, you fill up the milk (makes it frothy or simply heated and takes 60 seconds) pop in the capsule et voila - gorgeous professional looking coffee without the £3.50 Star Bucks price tag.


The really funny thing though is that I don't like coffee, but I may well start drinking it!

Thank you to those of you who entered the giveaway and, for those who haven't, there's still plenty of time.

TTFN

Sian x

We picked up our Lavender Pekin Bantams when they were just seven weeks old. Little bundles of timid fluff. How things have changed in the last few weeks. Now they are twenty three weeks old.

Alice was the first to start to lay the sweet little eggs and now all the girls have joined in.

Perfectly formed eggs in miniature. With the strongest of shells and the yellowest of yolks.


Over the weekend we decided the time had come to sample the eggs. We had a total of thirteen, lucky for us! They made a lovely plate of scrambled eggs, just enough for the two of us with a couple of rounds of buttered toast.

As the girls have come on to lay they have got gradually friendlier. Little Lucy still does not like to be picked up but all the others tolerate a cuddle. Caldwell has his wicked way with all the ladies each and every morning, and once they have fluffed out their feathers in indignation and told him exactly what they think of him, peace resumes and the day is usually one of Caldwell finding titbits and treating his ladies to all the best he can offer. He is a good husband and is the first to react to danger and anything unusual.~When fresh food is delivered he makes sure all his ladies have a piece and even feeds them directly before he has any himself. If large leaves are thrown in he bites off small pieces for the ladies to help themselves to, making sure they all get a fair share. Lovely to watch.~As dusk falls he herds them up the ramp into the house and they all cuddle together in the nesting boxes to sleep. One very happy little family.

Sue xx

Taking my eye off a pan of stewing fruit proved disastrous. The long and the short of it is the loss of a crop... and no jelly for our toast this autumn. Related posts:

1. We’ve planted a redcurrant bush
2. How to make crabapple jelly
3. Eating this year’s crab apple jelly

So today ( Sunday) we had Mrs C and her husband and lovely little daughter (who is 9 weeks old) still with us as they had stayed the night.      

After a slow start and a huge cooked breakfast ( a real treat for us, as we usually have cereal or toast!)  we all wandered off to do various things                       

Little Miss C seemed fascinated by everything and watched the trees, the leaves , the hens, Compostgirl indeed everything with wide eyed amazement!

Mr C wandered around and  took some wonderful photographs for his blog, at one point we thought we might have found a rare butterfly in the pool area but it turned out not to be very rare, after all.

Mrs C and LMC helped to collect eggs and let out the hens. Then Mrs C and I and LMC went down into the wood and just sat and enjoyed it all.


At lunchtime we went to a local pub for an excellent meal and then, after tea and (more) cake we waved off the C family.

Hopefully they and all our other friends from the forum will come again!

Yesterday we tootled up the motorway to Kidderminster to pick up Jack.....Jack Black, our new Large Black Boar, official name Constable Attempt 319. Born on 6th February, exactly a week before Lulu and Lottie. ~
From loading to unloading, he was the perfect traveller. Standing up halfway through the journey to show us he was fit and well, and snoozing his way through the rest of it. ~Down the ramp and straight into his pen to sample the food.~After a snack he noticed the ladies through the fence and wandered over to say his hello's.~
Three VERY interested young ladies eyed up their new beau.~Kisses were exchanged.~ But for now, food won the day, and he trotted over to finish what he had started.~
Then what's a chap to do but explore his new domain, and check he has the right accomodation to welcome the ladies to his place at the end of the week. ~

Everything seemed to fit the bill, and when we went back later as dusk fell, to check on the new arrival, some very contented snores were coming from ark number 3 - Jack's Place.~Sue xx

If you'd like to enter my giveaway, please go to the page for details.

Was great

This weekend  we hosted a meetup for some friends from The Homemade Life forum.

Just after lunch on Saturday, Budburst, her husband and lovely daughter ( 5 months old!), Dandelion  and her husband, Mrs C and her husband and lovely 9 week old baby daughter, Elen Sentier and her husband all arrived to spend the day with us having fun, eating cake, talking, admiring the hens, looking around and generally having a great time.

We had originally planned to spend a lot of time in the wood, but it was very wet, so we stayed inside and ate and laughed and chatted and drank lots of tea.

The two babies were adorable! And SO well behaved and interested in all that was going on around them! ( and boy, was there a lot going on!)

During the day the Hens were admired, Guinea pig cuddled (he disgraced himself by weeing on Elen...) Rabbit was stroked, cats were terrified by small people ( why? who knows?)

Dandelion and her husband had to leave after tea but others stayed in the evening and ate a pot luck supper of various dishes we had all contributes ( as was the cake, earlier!)  when lots of cider and wine was also consumed.


Mrs C and family then stayed the night, ensconced ( love that word!) in lovely clean and tidy spare room ( I have been cleaning it out earlier in the week luckily). The original plan was to have people camping but it was just too wet so we offered the guest bedroom to the three of them.

Have had a lovely day and hope all visitors did as well.

I've been lucky this week. I've been keeping the postman in his job that's for sure. I won some lovely lavender-themed goodies from Sue over at Our New Life in the Country (wonderful blog about the life of a small holder/farmer). Ah, I can only imagine how wonderful (and hard work no doubt) it would be to have a smallholding. Of course, I am a tinyholder (3 hens, a crab apple tree and some strawberry plants!), but it's not quite the same! :-)

Lovely teddy, dried lavender, homemade soap and pretty notebook from Sue - thank you! Bunny handmade by Fiona.

I also purchased one of Fiona's wonderful bunnies (above). It is even better in the flesh (the photo doesn't do it justice). The work that has gone into that bunny is incredible. Do go and visit her blog for more amazing makes.


New red peep toe shoes (£15) from pricelessshoes.co.uk - fab online shoe shop with very cheap shoes (check the reviews to see how comfy shoes are), dress from a Boutique shop in Haywards Heath (£30).