Lovely Colours and Crafts

Longer days and a few lovely sunsets lift the spirits. The drab brown-ness of the garden is punctuated here and there with the vivid crocus colours, pure white beauty of snowdrops and the elegance of hellebores.

The weather is topsy-turvy. One day it rains, then it snows, then the sun shines and I rush out to catch up with some necessary work. Lots of tidying up to do. Cutting back dead stems refreshes the scene and prepares for the Spring show. The dry woody stems make very good kindling for starting the log fire so they are saved in the wood store.

In the polytunnels I sowed some “Sugar Ann” mangetout seeds, a few “May King” lettuces and some “Vit” corn salad. With a bit of luck and some milder weather they might come up and give some tender pods and fresh green leaves.

The winter lettuces in the greenhouse have finished. A few salad leaves are still growing but not many of them. In April I will top up the bed with home-made compost to nourish the tomato plants.

I need to use the rest of the parsnips soon to make way for new crops like carrots and kohl rabi. I will also be sowing spring onions, lettuces and radishes in the tunnels every two or three weeks, when it’s a bit warmer, for a steady supply. These are a world away from the ones in the shops. The radishes I prefer are ” French Breakfast”, long, red ones with a white tip. I saw them once in Paris in a street market arranged in tiers of wonderful perfect bunches. I wish I’d taken a photo. The salad onions are best eaten while they’re tiny and sweet. Such a treat snipped onto a sandwich or a salad.

I don’t sow too early for most things with the exception of tomatoes which I start in the house in late February. I can’t see the point of producing leggy seedlings with nowhere to go while the outdoor climate is still risky. Sowing seeds in March and April gives the best results. The plants romp away with the longer days and greater chances of warmth from the sun.

The birds are already calling around the garden. A friendly robin joined us as we worked and the collared doves have been regular visitors to the bird table. I think collared doves might mate for life because they always turn up in pairs. Such lovely birds.

On cold, wet days I’ve occupied my time with knitting and sewing. An appeal was made for knitted or crocheted poppies for a D Day exhibition to be held locally, later in the year. It was ideal as I wanted something simple rather than knitting a jumper or big item. Of course, very few things turn out to be simple in reality and these proved to be a bit trickier than I expected. A bit fiddly and hard on the fingers. No pain, no gain though! So far I’ve done two. I will do a few more.

I had a bigger project which was on my mind for some time. I’ve intended to re-cover an armchair in the bedroom for quite a while. It stood by a south facing window for many years and the strong light rotted the fabric. I had an old bedspread which I loved and saved with the intention of using for something. The frill was faded and thin but the main part was useful and I liked the roses printed on it very much. I suddenly thought it might do the job for covering the chair.

I hadn’t enough fabric to do the thorough job I did last time when I piped the edges, buttoned the back and used good quality material, but I thought it would be a good way to spruce up the chair and make use of existing resources. As my regular readers know, I do love a bit of “make do and mend”.

I’m never going to pretend it’s easy to make and mend things but it’s so satisfying and when you pull it off it makes you feel good. It’s something I have always done. To begin with, when we were young, a lack of money encouraged me to be resourceful but it became a way of life. It now comes naturally to work out how I can do something myself and I have a very able spouse who does exactly the same. People who are creative by nature will fully understand this but I recommend anyone to give it a go. Experience is the best teacher and there are lots of ways to learn, from books, courses or working it out for yourself. It’s not just a way of saving money. It is profoundly enjoyable and makes you feel self-sufficient.

Of course, plenty of chocolate is required to fuel such efforts! Still finishing the Christmas supplies.

I need to top up the cake supply so will be baking soon. I have been making bread though but not by own blood, sweat and tears this time. Although I have often tried to make bread it’s something I’m not good at. I started using my bread making machine again and the loaves are really good. So easy. I was never any good at kneading, no matter how hard I tried, but the wonderful machine does that for me while producing a lovely loaf without the additives and plastic packaging of a bought one. It’s just yeast, flour, a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, a bit of butter and water. Pure, nutritious ingredients. And I can time the machine to work overnight so we wake up in the morning to the smell of fresh bread. Lovely.

What could be nicer than a slice of fresh bread covered in butter and homemade strawberry jam? Takes some beating.

I hope you’re finding lots to do to pass the winter. Spring is just around the corner and we’ll soon be surrounded by daffodils and bright sunshine. Keep that happy thought in mind! I’ll say bye for now. With you again in a couple of weeks.