Squirrels!

This morning I saw the first red squirrel for the season. We havent had any in the garden for ages, so I was really pleased to see this one. I tried to get a photo, but my phone wouldn't pick it up through the window. However, I have some from last summer, so if I can get them from photobucket to here, I will show them to you now!

A really lovely day

I am so chuffed! Today I decided to go out, even though it was overcast and raining, then, when I went out, the rain had stopped and the sun came out!
I started digging the bed, to the right of the gate today, both kids were out, as was Alex, so no distractions!
Fortunately, Alex got home, and he came back about 20 minutes after I started, and then he helped out!

With Alex to keep me going, not to mention double the labour, we forged through the bed, and had it dug in no time!
As we were working so well, and the sun was shining, we moved on up to the Rhubarb patch. Our hearts sank when we saw how overgrown and unkempt it looked, but we both got to work, and by 4.15pm, as the sun was going down, and I had to go and pick up Eilidh, it looked pretty good!

We cut back the nettles and raspberries to the fence, cleared the long grass, and Alex even started clearing the nettle roots, it really has started to look looked after! We can definately see where we have been, and it was so enjoyable doing it with Alex, we chatted away as we worked, and he started to see my ideas for the garden coming to life.
Hopefully we will do more tomorrow, if we have as good a bash at it as today, we should have another bed dug and the whole section behind the blackcurrants sorted!
There were even signs of new life, the Rhubarb is sprouting, we met a beetle, and I found some bulbs starting to grow too!!!
It may be only February, but spring is starting to show!

Close to giving up today

Had set aside the day today to empty the trailer of poo onto the cardboard. Predictably, all my helpers disappeared, (someone's xbox may go on a little holiday!!) so it was down to me!
had a wobble halfway through, it all seemed a bit too much for just me, and the lack of support was overwhelming, but picked myself back up, told myself it would be worth it, and started planning the pep talk I would give the family when they had tea!!!
2 Hours, 45 minutes later, it was done. About 2/3 of the garden is covered now, so still need more cardboard and poo, but I managed it! Feel quite proud of myself now, and glad I persevered.
I did take the photo, but it was rather dark by the time I had finished, and it is impossible to see what I have done! So, I googled a wish this was my garden photo instead!!!!

Poo!!!!!

Oh my!! A day spent shovelling poo, what has my life become???


Gillian took me to where her daughter goes horse riding today to get some fairly fresh horse manure, before we left, Lochlan helped me to cover the whole garden (one bed) with cardboard, so now it is ready for the poo to go on top. I'm not expecting to use this side of the garden this year, so it was ok to use fairly fresh stuff.
Gillian couldnt help with the shovelling, as she has hurt her back, so she helped me guide the trailer in, we parked next to the piles of poo, and I started forking it into the trailer. It took ages!

By the time I had got this far, I was shattered, and my arms were really aching. Fortunately the man (owner??) came over for a chat and to find out what I planned to use the poo for. When I told him, he said "Oh, I could have done it quickly for you with the loader" needless to say, I encouraged him to do just that, and fortunately he did!
I was a little worried as the tyres on Gillians trailer nearly popped under the weight, so we had to remove some of the manure from the trailer, but eventually it was all done, and by the time Rachel had finished her lesson, we were ready to leave.
Once I had had a cuppa, and warmed up a little at home, I went out and started barrowing it onto the garden, now it really was down to me, no loader available this time! It took quite a while, and a lot of effort, but I got the first four barrow loads onto the carboard. It is only a very thin layer, and 4 barrow loads certainly didnt go very far, I think I will need at least another trailer of fresh to cover this garden, not to mention the well rotted stuff for the other garden! I am going to be burning all those new year calories at this rate!

Next week I am going back for some well rotted stuff, so better get a move on laying this load!

Pruning again!

More time pruning today, spent a good couple of hours out in the garden today and can really start to see the potential.
Eilidh came out too, but wasn't too keen on most of the jobs, she finally settled to raking up the leaves and loose stuff from the garden and also emptying the wheelbarrow for me. Once she had completed a bit of raking, you could really see the garden starting to take shape, so I am getting quite excited now.


I bought some weed preventing fabric from the factory shop today, 1.5, x 8m for £4, i thought that seemed quite good, so bought 2. I think that I will use that over the garden once Alex (or me) have dug the weeds out. I didnt want to dig, as was hoping to put up boxes, but Alex has vetoed the boxes as he isnt willing to let me spend money on the wood, so said that he would dig it all for me. I hope he does dig it though, as I cant see him finding time.
I pruned the hedge along the back, up to the greenhouse. It really tidied it up. I also had a couple of boxes available, so laid them over the garden on the other side, and it is starting to take shape.
I bought some summer flowering bulbs and some red and white onion sets in poundland this week, and had wanted to have time to plant some of the bulbs in pots outdoors, but this week has been none stop, so hope to manage it next week some time. The onions have to wait until February, so hopefully we will have the first bed dug by the time they are ready to go in.

Happy Sunday!

My first major amount of time spent in the garden!!!!!
I am so pleased! It was dry, it was not freezing cold, it was not snowing, I was not needed elsewhere, so I got to spend a full 2 hours in the garden before it got dark! I cleared the area around the gate, so it now opens fully!!! Then I cut the hedge back to the fence so that I can walk around the first box, which I am going to get the materials for, and hopefully start building on Wednesday!!!!
I also laid a couple more boxes, picked up more broken glass and filled the peanut feeder for the birds :)
This morning whilst Eildh was at Ice skating, I walked back from the factory shop. Didnt have time to walk there and back as needed Dads birthday present and he was already on his way to the ice rink!
I've decided my phrase for this year is going to be 'Just do it'. No more not doing things incase I get it wrong, it's my garden, no-one is going to give me a row for getting it wrong, so I'm just going to 'do it' :)

Snowy Sunday

Woke up this morning to yet more snow, but havent let it stop me!!!
Whilst Eilidh was at Ice Skating, I walked up through Lockerbie to Tesco, was surprised to make it all the way to Tesco in 10 minutes, expected it to take twice that, think it would be as quick to walk as to take the car! By the time I had dashed round Tesco and come back again, that was 27 minutes, Sorted!!!
Took the first part of Peter's advice today and started covering the left side of the garden in cardboard. I had 14 boxes up in the loft, so I flattened them and laid them over the garden. I expected to cover one whole bed, but havent even managed 1/8th of a bed!!! Also, the ground was frozen and covered in snow, so it was a bit harder!!!