Tatties Planted and Blogger changes GRRRR!

I am trying to post a Blog but of course Blogger has decided to change everything and it is not user friendly I am grrring at the moment as I have just spent 40 minutes already!!!!

Anyway it came a better day on Sunday after being under water all weekend I finally planted my potatoes in the bags.   Quite chuffed but the ground is still quite wet in places as per photos.   I have covered a bit at the side with fleece to try and warm up so that I can get my onions shallots and peas planted.  I am hoping to plant cabbage this year too - but will buy Shetland Cabbage Plants   The salad and the carrotts will go in pots.  The seeds I planted in the Growhouse are actually coming through even with all this cold weather so fair chuffed.

Went to the Darts on Friday night - it was a good game but Orkney won on the last match.  Very close and well done everyone.   We had our Wedding Anniversary on Sunday 29 years.

Had a Male Brambling in the garden this morning.   On my walk around Clickimin Loch on Sunday there were lots of Bees - some very sleepy but trying to wake up in the sun.

 

My Paeony Rose which never flowers!

Snowy in our bed

Water on Friday & Saturday!

Nice Parrott Tulip

My Tatties in the Sun !!!

Seed Sowing and weather

I had a busy day last Monday sowing lots of seeds into trays and placing into the growhouse.  Some of these seeds probably need some heat but fingers crossed.  Well I have no idea what is going to happen now - we have had snow overnight and it is white out there.   I  placed a double layer of fleece over all the trays on Thursday in the growhouse so its in the lap of the gods now as to whether anything will grow.   I had some small King Edward Potatoes which I had left in a bin and they had sprouted so chitted them and put in a grow bag - might get some potatoes.   All the rest of my potatoes are in the spare bedroom in egg holders.I usually plant my potatoes about next weekend but with this snow the ground is not getting a chance to warm up - hope it is better next weekend. The garden is really coming into its own and flourishing - new life is coming up but its not been weather to really get out and tidy up, dig or plant. Part of the garden is still very wet.
Victor's birthday gift a new recliner has arrived so he spent Monday night putting it together, now the fight is on as to whose seat it is Snowy's or Victor's - it is quite funny.  He is currently out terrorising the birds or sunning himself on the bench.


The birds are busy feeding and I assume pairing up too.  I noticed some lovely  courting with the sparrows.  The male lark is singing beautifully in the hill.   I think there are 2 one is further over the other side of the hill. 

There was a Snipe in the hill this morning very early and a Wheatear has been around this week.

Some photos

 The Kitchen worktop used for potting up seeds

 All my seeds in the growhouse - I kept pots from last year and used them rather than special seed trays.  I do have some which I re-used this year but some had to be binned

 On a walk around Clickimin spotted the Swan amongst the Herring Gulls

 A Primrose growing wild in the banks at the back of the Loch

 Victor in his new chair.

 The Surly Bairn - which I won at Gulberwick last Sunday.   I am looking to name her and I think she currently is a Charlotte or Lottie? elaine5140@hotmail.co.uk if any ideas

 Snowy

 A snowy garden this morning

 My pots of Tulips, anemones and daffodils

 Fritelaras and Anemones

Snow in the garden

Loving the new programme on the BBc  'The Voice' .   Reading Rosie Thomas just now the Kashmir Shawl and enjoying it.

Elaine xx





A Happy Easter

A mixed bag of weather over the past 2 or 3 weeks - glorious sunshine, snow, rain and biting cold.  Not done anything in the garden but I have been preparing for getting out there.    I sat and cleaned all my last years labels and wrote up the new ones for the seeds I have - I seem to have lots.  I repotted all my indoor plants yesterday and gave them a good cut back and spring clean.   3 of my geraniums are flowering and my Easter Cactus is flowering too - this one also flowers sometimes at Christmas rather than Easter - had a couple of flowers at Christmas too but have about 9 flowers this time.

The growhouse arrived as well and is now in place in the garden with a reinforced floor to hopefully prevent it taking off in the gales we get.  I am going to plant some seeds and put in growhouse - these will be the more hardier seeds that can also be planted straight in to the ground - will maybe give them a start in life.   My potatoes are in the spare bedroom in egg boxes.    Still too early to plant them. I usually plant out my potatoes around the 22nd April which is our wedding anniversary.

I bought a Tomato Plant yesterday for the Kitchen windowsill - it is called Totem and is a dwarf plant so hopefully will not take over the windowsill and I get plenty Tomatoes.

Garden is still very wet in areas - but there is lots of life. 

We were out last night Victor was playing darts - I won a Bottle of Vodka mmmmm.   We then went to a Birthday Party and had a good fun.  Today is lazy.  Snowy is fine - he had a sore paw but that seems to have healed up - think it was either a cut or a claw problem.  He still managed to run around and then remembered and came over all ill again.   He doesn't like us sleeping late - he likes his breakfast on time.   I usually get up and feed him and let him out to be awakened by a cat on my head!

Its lovely having a long weekend.

 The view from the top of the hill behind our house -the mast is the Ward of Bressay

 Looking North- Power Station in foreground and you can just see the large Crane at SBS

 My daffodils - I think I grow loads of different ones - I did a count last year which I will have too look for again as I have added daffodils this year

 The snow on Tuesday.

 My Growhouse - proud owner - Victor the proud builder!

 The plant next to the Growhouse is the Chilean Lantern Tree - survived another winter.

Fritallara and Anemones

Its cool again today.  Need to go for a walk - wrap up.  Going to afternoon teas at Gulberwick later.