Super Cool Pigs

Lovely Hubby just couldn't resist buying these two pairs of joke sunglasses for £1 at Poundland. 

 Nope they were never destined for us they were for ...

... the pigs that sit on our gateposts.

Super cool ... but not quite so cool when I had to run up the road to retrieve them after leaving them on the pigs overnight in high winds ... whoops  ;-)

Sue xx

Self Sufficient In - Strawberry Plants

The strawberry plants that live in the tyres by the front doors of the polytunnel are running rampant with runners this year.  It's a good sign that the plants are happy in their environment and want to multiply and who am I to stop them.  I've found out from experience that virtually everything likes growing in tyres, we always ask to keep ours when the vehicles need new ones  :-)

Once you have a few strawberry plants it's very easy year after year to keep yourself self sufficient in new plants rather than going out and buying some more, and it's so easy to do, in fact you barely have to do anything the plant does most of it for you.

The long leggy runners that come off the plant are the plants ways of reaching out for fresh soil for it's babies and all you have to do is direct them into a bit of spare ground or if they are container grown into more containers.

I  have plant pots dotted all around the tyres ....

... and a long trough with lots of fresh compost.

You simply direct the end of the runner to the soil you want it to root in.

Mine have rooted very quickly, so quickly in fact that I didn't even get round to pegging them down, which it is best to do to help the end of the runner stay under the soil and develop a good root system of its own.

You can make little pegs out of snipped off wire, or do as I usually do and find some forked ended twigs and hold them down that way.

Then it's simply a question of waiting for nature to do her stuff and let the little runner develop roots to hold it in it's new home.  Once it's got a good root system and a little tug no longer dislodges it from the soil you can simply snip through the long runner a few inches away from the new plant.

These last three photos are from Google Images.

And there it is a lovely new little baby strawberry plant ready to put somewhere sheltered before planting into a new bed with others,  or adding to your existing strawberry bed for next year.  And if you can be brave for their first year and not pick any of the berries off your new plants you will find that in their second year of growth you will have a bumper crop, one that will be well worth waiting for.

We have been self-sufficient in strawberry plants for about the last three years ... one more tick on the list on our journey to self sufficiency   :-)

Sue xx

Leek Seeds, Strawberries and Washing

Watering in the net tunnel last night I spotted these lovelies all in a row and couldn't resist getting a quick photo of them.  

The leeks all went to seed in the intense hot spell we had a few weeks ago, my fault really I should have over compensated with lots of water but with them being in the net tunnel I forgot.  Still all is not lost, I used some of the leeks that I had to pull up for soup, the ones that weren't too woody that is and these I left in situ to develop into flower heads which will soon be followed by a mass of seeds that I can sow next year.

Also manically sending out runners for the next generation are the strawberries.  Someone asked me about strawberry runners so I'll nip out and get some photos and do a post about them tomorrow.  

 Now I have to brave the intense heat of the sunshine to go out and peg out some more washing, it's lovely in the cool of the house, but it's also lovely getting all the bedding washed, dried and back on the bed in the space of a few hours.

Sue xx

That Certain Age

We were walking down the street in Prestatyn the other day when Lovely Hubby was accosted by an elderly lady.

She said "Were you?"  

He looked blank, so did I for a moment, then I remembered that he was wearing this T shirt, and pointed it out to him.

He laughed and said "I was" ... to which she replied "guess how old I am".  Lovely Hubby, not being in the know, gave a very good guess at 85,, so I stepped in quickly with 76 .... "I'm 86" she beamed.

As we walked away I told him that next time an elderly lady, or any lady for that matter, asks you to guess her age guess low.  If she's over a certain age she'll want to boast about how old she really is and if she's below a certain age she'll simply be very flattered at being younger looking.

I wonder though what that certain age is!!

Sue xx

This t shirt and many more equally brilliant ones are available from http://www.shotdeadinthehead.com/

This is NOT a sponsored post, this t shirt was Lovely Hubby's birthday present from me back in January!!

                                                   

The Eglwysbach Show

Pull up a chair put your reading glasses on and get ready for a photo marathon  :-)

It's Show season here in our little patch of North Wales, and after last week's Trelawnyd Flower Show this weekend it was the turn of the Eglwysbach Show.  A much bigger and outdoor event that, thank goodness, the sun decided to shine on.  It started at 9.30am on Saturday and we were there for 10.15am with our walking boots on ready for a good trek around the show.

There was lots to see, first thing in the morning it was the judging of all the cattle, sheep and horses.

Beasts were all titivated to the nines with their coats all glossy and their tails all bouffanted to maximum puffiness.

There was lots of last minute combing gong on, and lots of beautiful animals.

Here's a friend, Aled from the kennels the dogs go to when we are away, showing his magnificent Bluefaced Leicester Ram, he won best ram and overall Best Reserve in Show with this huge ram ...

... along with lots of other rosettes.

They just know they look good don't they!!

Lovely sheep .....

.... and as a non-meat eater I always think it's a bit unfair to have the lamb burger stall next to the sheep enclosures !!

The Country Market ladies were there selling lots of handmade items, handicrafts and their well loved jams, chutneys and bakery goods.

There were lots of stall selling sundries and lots of charities there raising money for their causes, and after a good browse around them all we went for a spot of lunch.

And I must say it was a pleasant surprise to find a 'choose yourself' salad bar as well as all the usual hotdogs and burgers.  A very civilised lunch with a cup of coffee to keep us going.

We had a good chat to the guy with all the gorgeous birds, this is a Little Owl.

... and this a magnificent Eagle Owl.

First prize in the scarecrow competition went to a 'Workman' ....

... and first prize in the cider buying competition went to .... me!!

We watched the doggy obstacle race and then the dog and owner Egg and Spoon race.

I spied a cabbage almost as good as one of mine.

And lots of magnificent vegetables ....

... including these fantastic specimens.

I doubt I could ever grow to this perfection, but then we grow to eat and show for a it of fun, these guys grow to show, and what a fantastic job they do of it.

Leek perfection!!

Lovely Hubby was drawn to the compost as usual,  and after handling all the exhibits agreed with the judges on the merits of the one that won First place.

He was also drawn to the cakes ...

... and more cakes ....

.. and maybe some tarts ....

... and of course to the homemade pies.

I had a good look at the jams, 

and fell in love with the miniature garden.

The vegetables weren't all serious ....

... and the Lego tractors were very cleverly done.

We ended our day out with a good look at the vintage tractors all parked up on the hill overlooking the showground, and from that viewpoint we could take in the wonderful view of this treasure of a Welsh valley, surrounded as it is on all sides by hills.

Then it was time to wend our way along the country lanes and back to our side of the hill and collapse in a tired heap on the sofa.

I hope you enjoyed your little visit to the show.  It's on again next year if you're passing, but first I have to get my entries ready for Llanrwst Show next week, and give the cup a polish ready for handing back.

Sue xx

What a Difference a Year Makes

This is Jack at the moment. 

 Resplendent in all his adult Lavender Pekin Bantam plumage and knowing full well how wonderful he is.  He's a confident and caring cockerel, and as I told you yesterday when I went in with the scarecrow and the chickens all ran for their lives, he was quick to gather his ladies together and lead them to safety away from the strange thing that had entered Chicken World with the human that feeds them.

Exactly this time last year here he is with sister Jill and Mum, Mother Goose.  

He's the one furthest away on the photo.

He always knows who's where and who's doing what on his patch, and is always quick to come and check things over if anything new appears or any of the girls start calling out and squawking.  Like any good cockerel if there are tasty morsels and new food to be had he calls his ladies over and lets them have first pick.

He has some pretty large wives to contend with, but at last they all recognise him as the leader of the flock now which is nice.  It took him a while, especially with the biggest girls, the Black Marans.

The one place he never goes into during the day is the henhouse, leaving it to his ladies to have a peaceful sit in the nesting boxes when they feel the need to lay an egg.  If there is any noise from the house he will go up the ramp and peer in but it seems to be a 'girls only' place during daylight hours as far as he's concerned.

His sister Jill and her best friend Ebony are still sitting together in one nesting box.  

They are not laying eggs at the moment as their window for hatching out chicks in good weather is almost over and Pekin Bantams have a very short laying period as they are such small birds.

All is peaceful in Chicken World at the moment, which is just how I like it ... and no doubt just how Jack likes it too :-)

Sue xx

Scare Chicken

The other day I took one of the scarecrows that I bought last week when I went out with Mum over into Chicken World.  I wanted it to scare the rooks off that have been flying in each morning.

For ten minutes though it was a 'scare chicken' as the birds ran into the top corner herded together by Jack who wanted his ladies safe from this strange new inhabitant of their patch.

A couple of them clung to the fence line for a few more minutes but a quick scattering of corn in it's usual place and they soon abandoned their safe corner and ventured closer to the new visitor.  Then the fear was all gone, chickens are clever and inquisitive little souls if you give them space and time to learn about new things.

The rooks are obviously not quite so clever, they are still scared and have only just a few days later even ventured into the paddock!!  Five pounds well spent.

Sue xx