Sunday 24 April 2016

Garden Design

Yesterday I went to Wilmslow to have lunch with a friend from my old job (and her newly augmented family). They've been in the house for a couple of years, and have just finished a major extension, which means they're turning attention to the garden. We spent quite a while wandering round, thinking about what they might do. I've suggested a beech hedge to...well, disguise a trampoline, and compartmentalize the garden, as well as some ideas for a couple of beds (a sharply draining rockery one that I think would be good for herbs, and a herbaceous one in front of an established hedge).

I got home mid-afternoon, and my mum joined me to help decorating. It was a late night (she was indefatigable and determined), and a productive day today, so we managed to paint the master bedroom, the dressing room, most of both bathrooms, and the sewing room.

Sunday 17 April 2016

Window Reveals

Another busy week and weekend. I've been working on window reveals and boards upstairs, getting them fitted, secured, filled, and so on, ready to paint. It's rather time-consuming, but I am winning. Evenings this week have been spent putting skirting board on upstairs, and plastering the chimney breast in my bedroom. That's looking really good, now.

The re-plastered chimney breast in the master bedroom (© Ian 2016)

Sunday 10 April 2016

Porch Floor

Most of the weekend has been spent laying a new floor in the storm porch, to bring it up to the same level as the floor in the preservatory (which, in turn, was raised to be similar to the floor inside).

The floor, as it was, is large York stone slabs, on the same level as the drive (and, therefore, the old garage floor's level, which was raised for insulation and damp-proofing reasons).



The original porch floor (© Ian 2016)

I had a set of new stones delivered, which then needed trimming and arranging to suitably cover the floor. As ever, I needed more mortar than I expected (I never get it right!).


Working out where each stone should go (© Ian 2016)

Eventually, I managed to get them all laid, by the end of Saturday.



The laid slabs (both © Ian 2016)

And today I pointed them. I used a mortar dye to get a buff colour. It's a little mustard-y right now, but I think it will cure to more what I intend. I hope.


The completed and pointed floor (© Ian 2016)

After that was done, I've pricked out brassicas (purple sprouting, sprouts, kale...) into module trays; planted out the dahlias (I've not potted them up and grown them on, though, so we'll see how they do), and sown some of the seeds needed in the colour wheel.

Sunday 3 April 2016

Potatoes

For most of the weekend, Rebekah and her family have been staying with me, mainly so she could go to a friend's 30th. However, yesterday we managed to go to a very nice pub in Blackmoorfoot, which had some good guest ales, and an extremely reasonable three-course fixed menu. We walked round the reservoir afterwards, which the dog and ten-month-old enjoyed (the rest of us squelched, rather). In the evening, Dan and I went to another pub, closer to home, to while away the evening with more guest ales...and gin. It was very pleasant.

Today's been rather more productive. They set off after breakfast, to time travelling with a morning nap; I went out to plant my potatoes (all Lady Christl, this year), and did a couple of hours of weeding. The herb garden and colour wheel are looking much tidier, now. I've sown broad beans in the former; there are flowers to direct-sow soon in the latter, which I'll try to do this week, as the weather is gradually improving.

My onions still haven't arrived, so I can't plant them out yet—hopefully soon.

I came back in, and put the skirting board on the wall behind the desk on the landing, and have filled it. A quick coat of gloss tomorrow evening, and the desk can go back in place,

I realised too late that I should probably have mown the lawn, as I think evenings this week will be damp. Never mind. More positively, though: the frogspawn in the pond is doing really well. There's loads—I'd guess seven clumps.


Frogspawn as laid 14th March (© Ian 2016)

The first little wrigglers have emerged, now, and the rest will probably do so over the next ten days. The survival fraction is atrocious, but hopefully it'll mean I'll have half a dozen new frogs in the pond.


Frogspawn two weeks later (© Ian 2016)

This evening, I've made some seed bread which looks rather good. It's about 40% white flour, 40% wholemeal, and 20% rye, with sunflower, poppy and sesame seeds, and golden linseeds.


Multi-seed bread (© Ian 2016)