The reincarnated Peg bag

I never did get around to finishing the spring quilt this afternoon that I am working on perhaps tomorrow, instead it's been yet more seed sowing (carrot, celery, cauliflower), and more wine racking.
Today has been the turn of the Sloe (very very slow) blackthorn, it was made nearly three years ago and has finally cleared after about 20 rackings, today there was a thick layer of around 1 1/2 inches of jelly in the bottom, nice.
It better be good after all this time. On a side note, the Sloe vodka made last autumn is fantastic, best batch yet, good job I had enough sloes for 2 bottles, mmm guess what my tipple will be tonight.

Although I haven't finished the quilt, my crafting mojo has been on the go this week, last weekend my old peg bag died on me, so I was in need of a replacement.

Behold the reincarnated Peg bag heehee. made from the finest charity shop acquired linen cloth and bias binding. Even the hanger was cut down from the original bag, a bit of the old carried into the new :)

linking up to http://shabbynest.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/frugal-friday_12.html

and http://sewmanyways.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/sew-darn-crafty-partyweek-61.html

and http://carolynshomework.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/inspiration-board-link-party-46.html

Peas Sir, can I have some more ?

Another day another round of pea seeds, seems like all I do is plant pea seeds right now. Unfortunately we have a very short growing season here so most of the veg have to be started in the greenhouse, even those which you wouldn't normally such as peas and beetroot.

 The green house is becoming full to bursting and I must ask john to fit me another shelf in there at the weekend for a lot of these seedling are getting ready for pricking out into larger pots.

 The peas and beans have been grown in newspaper pots and toilet roll tubes and can be shoved straight in the ground in a few weeks, but it gets veeerrry boring making paper pots for hundreds of peas.

Finally got the last two bottles of raspberry wine syphoned this afternoon also, it has been very slow to clear, and I have been bottling the top off each time the sediment dropped low enough.

It is gorgeous, made with our own raspberries 2 years ago, dry but the flavour! fantastic :)

All being well we have a good crop this year, unlike last where we had some late gales in the May which ripped all the blossom from the canes.

Lots to do still today, Ham and barley soup for tea, a Beltane evening to organise, and a cheesy horror to watch I think.

The Mallen Streak

I met a new friend yesterday whilst pottering in the garden. A blackbird with a white stripe on one side of her crown !  I have called her Mallen. Here she is with her sister, sorry about the picture quality, I was trying not to spook them. She kept getting closer,and seemed curious with me, before hoping up onto the wall around 4 feet from me :)

We do get quite a lot of blackbirds in our garden, they don't seem to be territorial up here as they are down south.
Today's internal soundtrack, Deity - Wendy Rule, one of my favourite artists.

Easter garden musings

Although there are plenty of things that I'm sure I  'should' be doing I have been taking advantage of the break in the weather to get out in the garden. The greenhouse is filling up rapidly with seedling which will be wanting beds to go into, and although the ground is still to sodden from yesterday to dig, I am planting out some mature plants in the sunshine, including two of these beautiful hellebores under the trees, and lifting and dividing the primroses under there.

 Also planting out a rambler rose in the walled garden and an early flowering clematis in the yard.

One thing that does grow well in our harsh climate is bulbs. when we bought the cottage we found the garden is full of them. Carpets of snowdrops followed by daffodils followed by bluebells.

 The daffodils are beginning to go over now, but John spotted the first bluebell flower at the weekend :)

Sometimes the size of the garden can feel a little overwhelming, but in a few years time when the bulk of the plan is put into action, we can be glad we worked as hard as we have.

Right off to check off the rest of the list... plant sugar snap peas, make peg bag, couscous salad, and clean deer skull. Who says my life is boring :)

catch up

Well there is still no sign of Milly, I think I am half convinced she was snatched by Sea 'white tailed' Eagle that was seen hanging around the island around the time she went missing.

That and her mum poppy seemed to be channelling her, very unnerving at the time, sorted now but a valuable lesson in 'be careful what you ask for'.

Will need to get some pics uploaded with what I have been up to tomorrow, but in the meantime I leave you with my internal soundtrack for today (aka the song I cant get out of my head), a bit of Bob Dylan with All along the watchtower.

And a rare picture of Milly and Poppy within 2feet of each other.