Monday 18 June 2012

Veggies, water and washing

Some piccies from my garden today...




Busy washing day! Boil washed my un-paper towels, then hot washed towels, hand washed 3 things and ordinary washed the rest - 3 linen lines worth. I love to see washing blowing in the wind. It connects me with all the women all over the world, all through the past, who have cared for their families by washing their clothes.




I have two water butts but they have yet to be connected to the drain pipes. Still, I leave the lids off to collect what they can and......




.... I leave all this out to collect more rain then pour them into the water butts. This has really transformed my attitude to rainy days from gloom to excitement. I love harvesting the rain God sends!




The St. John's Wort is living up to its name by blooming in time for St. John's day. (June 24th) Picture is slightly blurry, sorry.




Mint grows wherever the lawnmower can't reach.




The potatoes are flourishing - looking forward to the first dig!




By contrast the beans are really struggling. This is the second sowing, 24 bean seeds each time, and only 3 have made it. 




The strawberries are beginning to ripen, a few at a time; not enough for a bowlful yet.




Apples are swelling on my new Jonagold tree.




The onions are coming along nicely - apart from the one I accidentally chopped with the hoe. Oops!




The courgettes have survived the slug attack....




..... but this is the only one of 3 pumpkin plants to survive the chomping molluscs.




The gooseberries are almost ready to pick!




And finally, two nosey pets who just had to come and have a look....




Luna, our little girl cat....




...and Flopsy, peeking coyly over his shoulder.


Hope you've had a good day too!  x x

9 comments:

  1. There is just nothing prettier than a line of washing!
    I have found just the same as you, that harvesting rainwater has brought joy in rainy weather I never had before :0)
    Our fruit and veggies have done just as yours have - excellent potatoes and onions, a good gooseberry crop, tree fruit coming along now, but the wind has almost done for the beans and more delicate plants - but the slugs are going great guns!!

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  2. You are doing well mate. *pats floppo* And don't be sad when it rains. We are very lucky that we get so much of it, albeit when we aren't expecting it most of the time, and we don't have the same issues other countries have. When it rains, I get a big smile on my face. I go outside and have a walk in it or just stand in the garden and and enjoy it that way.

    Feeling the rain on your skin is like being kissed by nature. Cherish it. Love it. Embrace it. :)

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    1. 'being kissed by nature' - love it! Thanks Sarah x x

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  3. Lovely post! We are getting beautiful rains after a dry very hot summer last year,they are a huge blessing,and one that I am very thankful for....thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures....I must get me a rain barrel soon :) Blessings

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  4. For a second there I thought one of my two cats had emigrated to your blog - I really envy you your THREE!!! washing lines, there's something delightful about washing blowing in the breeze - mind, that's three lines to clear when the showers come too ... hmmmm ... make sure you've got an "overflow concept" in place when you do connect the water butts, otherwise there's a bit of an issue when they are full but the rain hasn't stopped, but yes, isn't it wonderful bounty ;-)

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    1. Hi Kat! I love my washing lines - sometimes I don't get them cleared in time when there are showers, so they get an extra rinse! My water butts have a diverter included so that excess water goes down to the drain again if they get full.

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  5. When I saw your clothes on the clothesline, it reminded me of my childhood home which had one of these, though for some reason, my mother didn't use it much.

    Your garden looks like it's coming along nicely. It must be a blessing to be able to grow some of your own veggies.

    At any rate, I hope you remember me. I had a blog, but closed it, and opened a new one. In the process, I lost your URL. Thankfully, I found it again via a comment you left on Shelly's sweet blog.

    I hope you'll come and visit me soon. :)

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