Author Archives: Earthy Homemaker

The frost has gone for now and it’s wet and windy. Most people prefer the crisp bright days but I’m relieved that it’s a few degrees warmer. At least you can move about without icy hazards underfoot. The garden looks a little bedraggled after the harsh frosts. Fortunately the hellebores, winter clematis and jasmine perkContinue reading “Festive Food”

The frost has finally hit home! The garden is frozen and the nights cold and long. Time for cosy fires and hot meals. The frost always looks beautiful so I can forgive its savage effect on the garden. Here are some frosty moments I caught with the camera. The robin is a very round ballContinue reading “Frost and Fire”

Christmas planning going full steam ahead! But still time to wander around the garden searching for hidden treasure. Amazingly, I found a snowdrop in flower. Never known that in November. Mine usually flower in late January. Still a few leaves in lovely colours hanging on and the evergreens are pleasing at this time of year.Continue reading “Snowdrop Surprise and Air Fryer Food”

Wet and windy. Not tempting me into the garden except to fetch vegetables for cooking. Although it’s a long, wet trek to fetch them, the carrots, parsnips and celeriac are snug in the polytunnels, and I have an abundant supply of fresh parsley. It’s always worth the effort. I have a couple of nice winterContinue reading “Christmas Treats”

The weather has cooled at last and more like the usual November. Cosy nights by the fire and crisper days. Happy times in a warm kitchen, baking, cooking, and filling up the freezer with Christmas goodies. My lovely daughter, Sam, helped me to make the Christmas cake. We always do this on my birthday. It’sContinue reading “Warming Meals and Winter Flowers”

Almost mid-November, yet the weather has been so mild that the plants are confused. Some of them think it’s Spring. The rhododendron has opened a few flower buds and the primulas are flowering. A few little potted roses are pretty and brightening the garden with their delicate beauty. The tomatoes have been removed from theContinue reading “Winter Vegetables, Berries and Blooms”

It’s been an exciting week. The landscaping was finished and looks lovely. What a transformation. This area of the garden was covered in old crazy paving. It had sunk and was uneven and covered in moss and weeds. Now, it’s sleek, sophisticated and easy maintenance. Here’s how it looked before. Here’s how it looks now.Continue reading “Christmas Cake, Leaves and Landscaping”

The garden is winding down. Not much colour now except for a few tiny stray roses and the last of the asters and marigolds. Meanwhile, the evergreens are doing their job of providing year-round colour and form. The blue-green grasses and the conifers give some structure to the fading garden and still please my eyeContinue reading “Sunlight, Planning and Painting”

Another week has flown by. The weather has been mixed but a few nice days allowed a bit of gardening. So many leaves everywhere. The garden looks very untidy and a bit sad as everything fades away. So, lots of sweeping and cutting back to do. A few lovely marigolds and pansies to enjoy now.Continue reading “Apples and Air Fryers”

Halfway through October with misty mornings and sunlit days. Leaves drop and drift around the garden and collect here and there in damp, scenty, heaps. The acers are changing colour in a lovely way but usually hang on to the leaves until next month, when they shed them suddenly. The fruit trees are losing theirsContinue reading “Autumn Planting and Creative Urges”