I Think You’re Bonkers

more lolcats

This morning we got up early and headed out to the local cinema to see the Spiderwick Chronicles, which was fun and it’s a good family film as long as you don’t have a kid that’s easily scared or overly sensitive. Freddie Highmore is fab as the twins and the creatures are ace - we liked Hogsqueal best…. The local cinema has a kids thing on a Sat morning where all tickets are £1 for those 2 films - think we may well go back depending what is on!

After that, and sort of taking a roundabout route home, we popped into Focus for paint and after some food I painted the bathroom - it’s now uneven blue rather than uneven dirty magnolia with torn paper. It needs another coat, which will help with the unevenness, and there’s enough in the tin to do that in a couple of days, or when I remember and get round to it. I found a couple of things to go on the wall too and that helps liven it up a bit, but we will be getting a bigger mirror for in there soon.

While the paint was drying we spent an hour or so weeding in the garden and discussing many many things - such as why some people don’t want to live with other people, why the cabbage whites can smell broccoli a mile off, how the flowers in the garden are attracting more varied wildlife now and pondering whether the chickens will like the sunflower heads to peck at, and if they’ll be brown or grey, or what…..  Lost all the broccoli after the shelter got torn and they were all covered in caterpillars, bleurgh.

Pumpkin measuring: Mine is 16cms tall and 50cms girth, Kids is 12cms tall and 48cms girth. I have some pics, and more garden pics but I’ll have to tinker and upload later.

Pay it forward - want something in the post? Give me a shout, first three and all that…. 

I have six 4 foot fence posts in my garden. They were used to support fence panels when we fenced off the bramble patch and they’re still there, with the metal seat/spike things we used on the bottom - we didn’t concrete them in. One fence panel is still in place but it could go quite easily.

I’m pondering what to do with the garden next year and wondering if 6 fence posts might just be the basis for a nice sized chook pen? They’ll need digging out and reseating where we want them, which is behind the shed and we’ll need chicken wire or something to attach to them and a coop/chook house too. Oh and a couple of chooks and feed, and whatever else they need…. But the beginnings of an idea is there for getting ready for a couple of hens.  Maybe.

Next year the bramble patch is being given over to squashes - whatever we choose to grow but pumpkins are definitely on the list! Might try a butternut, might try some decorative gourd types.

We’re all learning lots about plant care this year. Melon’s HATE the wind and die, but shelter them and they’re fine. Mine last surviving melon is in the cold frame and doing well although I think it’s now way too late for fruit. But the lesson is learned and next year they go straight under cover and stay there. Broccoli on the other hand likes to be beaten! Yes, literally. Mine is in a shelter to keep the cabbage whites off it and was making loads of leaves (threatening to escape!) and no broccoli, until *someone* came and battered it. Now it’s making broccoli. Oh, and slug pellets are good. No, not the nasty evil ones, but some I found labelled "Certified for organic use." Otherwise I get to grow bugger all past seedling stage.  

Now we love broccoli but hate finding caterpillars in it, so it needs some protection but sprays are out of the question. So this year I got my little plant shelter and figured that’d be fine. It’s kind of done ok, but I have problems with the damp and slugs in therem and it’s plastic and it’s got torn so I can’t use it next year. So. I’m thinking mini fruit cage type thing? A set of posts/poles with a smallish holed net/mesh over them to keep the cabbage whites off but still lets sun, rain and wind in. It wouldn’t have to be big enough to walk into like a fruit cage, but I’d have to be able to get in - which is why I’m thinking netting so it can be lifted like the plastic on the cloche. It also won’t rip so easily or kite away.

Oh and I’m after a greenhouse but I have to figure out where to put it and how to fix one into place…..

Big plans, now watch me not do any of it! Although the kids are now happily digging out the posts as they really really want chickens. 

Originally written and produced by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris
Originally performed by Gloria Gaynor
Mercilessly altered with apologies by Natalie Criss

First I was afraid
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never teach
´Cause I´m not certified.
But we spent so many nights
Reteaching homework that was wrong.
I grew strong,
so now I teach my kids at home!
We study math
and outer space.
I just kept on despite the fear
with a big smile across my face.
I bought a set of Base Ten blocks.
I bought books with answer keys.
My parents think we´re nuts,
but they don´t even bother me

Come on, let´s go walk out the door.
We´re on the road now,
‘cause we´re not home much anymore
My friends would laugh and say we´d be unsocialized.
I heard one mumble
that I´d give up by July.
Oh no, not I!
I will survive!
As long as I know how to read
I know we´ll be alright.
I’ve got all my life to learn.
I’ve got energy to burn.
and I’ll survive.
I will survive.

It took all the strength I had
not to fall apart.
Decided to attend
a play date at the local park,
and I met oh so many moms
who offered eagerly t o help.
They used to cry.
Now they hold their heads up high,
and so do we!
My kids are cool!
They´re not those chained up little people
stuck inside at school.
So if you feel like dropping by
and just expect us to be free
you´d better call ahead first
´cause we´re probably busy!

I umm, seem to have signed up for this……

Let me tell you about it, these are the instructions: “It’s the Pay It Forward Exchange. It’s based of the concept of the movie “Pay it Forward” where acts or deeds of kindness are done without expecting something in return, just passing it on, with hope that the recipients of the acts of kindness are passed on. So here’s how it works. I will make and send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment to this post on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I do not know what that gift will be yet, and it won’t be sent this month, probably not next month, but it will be sent within 6 months and that’s a promise What YOU have to do in return, then, is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.
I will now Pay It Forward to you THREE, I wonder who you will be? Please, be a PIF You will enjoy it just as much as we do”
And, remember…you have 6 months to get your gifts done Come on, you know you would love to be one of my people. Then, one day, but you dont know when….you will get a gift that I have made especially for YOU
Please remember, anyone who can make a nice handmade gift is welcome to join.

I can’t find where it originated, but I think it might have been Ravelry, which I’m not part of.  It’s a fab idea and I’m curious who my three will be…. Who’s reading?

Been playing with the sepia and B&W settings on my camera…..

Love those kids…. 

Compared to 6 days ago….. 

Mine is 14cms long and 42 cms round now!

Dino’s is 9cms long and 36cms round - but it’s a better shape, more pleasing somehow.  

Mimi’s plant is rampaging across the garden and no fruits - yet. The Lumina is staying small and no fruit yet, I don’t think we’ll get much, if anything from that. Which is a shame, but I have seed for next year….  

(For Kris, who wanted to know…) Is 12 cms long - stalk to top - not bending the tape measure round! and 39cms round the fattest part.

The kids can measure theirs tomorrow. 

Dino’s and that’s his hand, which isn’t that much smaller than mine.

And mine.

Good eh? Sunflowers just starting to open, pics when they’re fully open and lovely, promise. Also got a medium sized mug FULL of peas for tea and I’ll have to go pull some carrots to go with them. Must sow more carrots too….