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.

Fog and Sunshine - Maybe Snow

Lerwick has been shrouded in fog Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Bit of a pain as I intended doing some gardening - did get out and get some done.  The Fuschia bushes are all cut now.  In the end had a fairly lazy weekend oops.

Went to the vets with Snowy on Friday and typical it was a beautiful day in Scalloway. I believe the West and North were lovely on Friday and on Sunday.    Its gorgeous in Lerwick today and yesterday but the forecast is for cold weather and snow.  Spent a couple of hours today forking over my vegetable plot feeding and covering to warm it up.   Tidied up some pots and hocked out the dandelions that are beginning to show their leaves.   Lots of daffodils now in the garden too.

Not sure what is happening on the bird world but they seemed to disappear for a few days wondered if it was the fog or that they were starting to build nests - maybe better food elsewhere - who knows.  I have found out that it is the male Lark that sings in the sky but I keep referring to him as her. The blackbird male is singing beautifully just now and the male sparrows are looking rather splendid.

Snowy got his booster and is in good health.   Been running around in the garden loving the sunshine today.

I have been out walking too in the sunshine - lovely.   Just heard it has been 22.4 degrees in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, think its been about 14 or 15 here and warm!

 Anemones - Snowy in background

 Daffodils in pots

 A triple headed daffodil in a pot in the house

 A very bare side of the house where I have cut back the fuschia bushes.

 The bumble bee in the garden this afternoon - very sleepy and then flew off.

 Winter onions and garlic

More daffodils.

Finally got tickets for Bill Bailey in May - still not organised trip for Victors Birthday.  Will do soon when we decide what we are doing.   I found a little wooden greehouse/growhouse on the internet so hopefully it will arrive soon and survive the Shetland wind!

Elainexx

I spied a Red Squirrel!

I have been south a couple times with work this last week in Aberdeen and Aviemore but little time for shopping.   I did manage to buy some gardening stuff in Homebase in Inverness - they had loads of plants I would have loved to have taken home with me but unfortuately I was flying.  I am hoping to get in to the garden this weekend weather permitting.   I started cutting back my Fuschia bushes a couple of weeks ago so need to carry on and do the rest.

The Red Squirrel was of course not in Shetland but in Aviemore outside my bedroom window.  I tried to get a photo without disturbing but my camera is not very good. The weather was lovely in Aviemore as it was the previous week in Aberdeen.  Its been a bit mixed here.

Missed the Northern Lights again last night! Drat.

The garden is really beginningto spurt into life.  Lots of green leaves coming through and plenty of bulbs are now flowering, irises, crocus, tulips, daffodils, snowdrops and anemones.  These are all in pots but the bulbs in the garden are also coming on in leaps and bounds.

Still looking at a mini greenhouse or a coldframe - not found anything that I like or within price range yet.

The Lark is here too - Spring is around the corner.  Its been sunshine , showers and hail today aturday.

 Aberdeen Harbour

 SEPA Aberdeen Office

 A 500 piece Jigsaw I have done

 Snowy helping on the laptop

 A lovely daffodil

 Life in the garden

 A sleeping Snowy - Looks like he is sucking his paw

 The Red Squirrel in Aviemore

 A very laid back Snowy

The Red Squirrel and of course trees!!!!

March Spring?

This weather is weird - calm and mild one day - galeforce wind next.   Mind you did see some sunshine this week which always brightens everyone up.   Folk even smile.  I always wonder what other conversation we would have with strangers if it was not for the weather.

I actually spent some time in the garden today - overcast but mild and calm and cut back 2 of my fuschia bushes - another 2 possibly 3 to go.  These have been growing for probably near 29 years so the trunks are fairly thick - but they are old and getting a bit too tall. My washing keeps getting caught up in them.   Now I have cut them down to about 2 feet from the ground.   They will live up - there is plenty growth and I am going to try and keep them at this level.

Fairly busy at work just now and I am off south this week and next week.  Aberdeen and Aviemore.  Looking forward to Aviemore.  Aberdeen is a day trip no time for shopping except at the airport.  

Trying to look to do something for Victors 60th.  We thought of London and the Queens Diamond Jubilee but very expensive for 4 nights.   Might just do a couple of days in Aberdeen instead, and go for a sunny holiday later in the year.

There is a big crane at Peterson SBS Base just now and it is one of the largest that has been in Shetland.  Photos below.

Crocuses, Iris,daffodils, Anemones and Snowdrops all blooming.   Each day brings new flowers.

 Fantastic Quilts at the Museum. I have been twice now and I am still in awe - lots of hard work.

 Some of my favourites.

 This is my work of art - my jigsaw!

 Snowy loves shoes - these were new ones that I bought yesrerday so he has to give them loves and sit in them!

 The big clean!

 Swans on Clickimin Loch

 Snowdrops

 This tub got a bit of a battering yesterday in the wind.

 

The big crane at Peterson SBS - see the reels in the background.