Thursday 31 October 2013

Trick or treat?

All set for Halloween.  

Pumpkins on my dresser and some lovely  chrysanthemums  in a baked bean tin.


Three little knitted pumpkins!


Man-eating pumpkin!  This should scare away all the little trick or treaters!  Hope it shows up when it gets dark.  I have bought some little packets of Haribo sweets and expect there will be a few knocks at the door later.  
I miss going out trick or treating, but no little ones at home anymore!  Now must go and find my hat and cape to answer the door in!  


Now it's dark another photo with the candles alight.

Sunday 27 October 2013

Battern down the hatches

A bad storm is predicted for tonight.  It has been raining on and off for days and been a bit windy, don't think it has picked up yet, but I am ready.  I
We have put anything that can move into the shed and greenhouse, including the bin and recycling boxes, don't want a full box of paper all over the garden in the morning.
 I hope I don't miss it this time, in 1987 I slept all the way through the roaring wind and fence panels blowing around the garden.
 Had great fun this morning pressure washing the greenhouse.  Glad it is still quite warm out as I got soaked!  I had taken down all the tomato and cucumber plants and taken the grow bags and other bits and pieces out.  And then we blasted it!  It then showed how dirty it had become.


next weekend I will line it with bubble wrap to insulate it for the winter and spring and then move some pots and plants inside to protect them from the worst of the weather.

All my plastic plant pots and trays have been scrubbed and put away in the shed, nothing worse than going to use a pot and find it is dirty.

The garden has been tidied.  Dead plants have been chopped down and shredded, then put in the compost bins.  Weeded the flower beds and moved a couple of plants.  Have also planted some Allium bulbs.

The wooden garden furniture has been scrubbed and treated before putting it away in the shed.  We were given this rather lovely set of chairs and table a few years ago, and I like to look after it.



  The clocks went back last night, it was dark by 5 pm tonight.  That's it, summer is done and winter is here.  It is still very warm, but I think that this may be the last mild weekend of the year.  I even managed to dry the washing outside today, the last time this year I am sure.

Bottled the second batch of beer, last weekend and this morning labelled it a stored it away in the shed.  It said on the tin that it would be at it's best after 14 weeks.  The first batch should be ready in time for Christmas and these 19 bottles a few weeks after.

 

Friday 4 October 2013

Bake off

I have been loving this year's Great British Bake Off. Last week was sweet dough week and I was inspired to make some buns.
Looked in my cookery books but could not find what I was looking for so scoured the net. Pinterest is full of pumpkin recipes and lots called for  a mystery ingredient "pumpkin pie spice"  I wonder if anyone knows what this is?
Anyway Bakingmad.com had lots of ideas and this afternoon I made a batch of Chelsea Buns - lovely, but quite filling!

 

Not been feeling too great this week, been feeling dizzy and sick, seems that I have had a virus.  Been feeling tired too, but found that sitting still and knitting seems to help!  Half a sock and this little pumpkin done.