We’d packed up the ute with all the camping accoutrements we thought we would need, in a fashion some would call haphazard and we would call as organised as Crazy Car Man and Crazy Garden Lady can be. With grins of anticipation and only an hour behind schedule we hit the road. Roadtrip 2011 had begun!
Click here to read more.. »
Roadtrip 2011 Part 1: In Which We Camp
2010 Round Up
2010 was an absolute corker of a year. This garden malarkey sunk it’s teeth in with a vengeance and quite suddenly I was looking at the world with new eyes. I fell off a motorbike and got married in a Lahu hilltribe ceremony, I fell off a step and discovered Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, I got a new job and found a new career. And I grew loads of plants, battled snails and weeds, contended with Mother Nature’s temper tantrums, experimented madly, got things badly wrong and occasionally got them right.
Click here to read more.. »
Mad Chooks and the Inevitable Revenge
There are roughly 150 free range chickens that share the 10 acres of farm on which we rent our cottage. Marge the Chook Lady, keeper of the chickens, picker of olives, carer of the ancient landlord, source of village gossip ensures her charges live out their days in a wallow of dust baths, sunshine, bug feasts and all manner of fresh goodies from the greengrocer in town.
Click here to read more.. »
The England Files: Part II – Elderflower Cordial
My all time garden hero is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of River Cottage fame. I have refrained from mentioning him so far in the hopes that this blog doesn’t morph into the H F-W stalkery Biggest Fan Ever dribbly love-fest. But I can’t talk about the following without citing Hugh as inspiration.
Click here to read more.. »
Carroty Radishy Results of Cabin Fever
Crazy Car Man is an excellent gardening companion, in the fact that he doesn’t really give two hoots about the garden itself, but he really truly values my happiness. On his suggestion, in the face of the impending ‘cyclone that isn’t a cyclone just really crappy weather’ we moved the majority of my potted plants and vegetables into various sheds and the laundry, to preserve their lives and subsequently my mood!
Click here to read more.. »
Completely Pickled
It’s been thoroughly miserable here for the last few days – absolutely torrential rain and I’ve been going spare, looking out the window at my garden and not being willing to brave the downpour to get out there and play.
As an antidote to all the grey, I popped the seal on a jar of pickled summer.
Click here to read more.. »
Rainbow Harvest
This rainbow chard is the best, most satisfying thing I’ve ever grown. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s quick growing and, as I’ve found out this evening, quite delicious! And it’s cut and come again, which instantly gives it garden kudos.
Click here to read more.. »
Microgreens Triffid Garden
For fun things to happen in your garden I highly recommend going away for a couple of days.
I think my plants realise I’m hovering over them, willing them to do things, get bigger, push their way out of the ground, and they wait until my back is turned or my eagle eye is far far away before they go berserk. I really wouldn’t be surprised if they hoik themselves out of the ground when I’m asleep and party on down in the garden.
Click here to read more.. »
Nana and My Mother In Law
My Nana and my Mother In Law have many wonderful things in common. The two most important being their skill in the kitchen and their propensity for giving the most amazing cuddles.
Click here to read more.. »
Microgreens
Eating my Rainbow Chard thinnings the other day brought to mind the whole idea of microgreens. I used the thinnings to garnish my homemade pumpkin soup, just plopping the tiny chard into the hot soup without any other faffing. They added a slightly crunchy, peppery texture to the soup. Very delicious!
Click here to read more.. »