Family, Photography and other misc news
Family related posts; generally only of interest to fellow members of the Brown Clan and relations by Marriage into this mad house.
The cupboard of preserves is starting to look a little depleted in the marmalade department. Last year was the second year of making marmalade, and that time we made double the amount to the previous year.
This year we will be making the same amount as it has just lasted the year, including being able to give a few jars away to friends and family.
I was hoping to get into the garden this weekend, and finish digging over the veg plot and pruning the trees in the front.
It was wet and miserable so we stayed in. In the planning for the summer veg its potatoes that we need to get sorted next. Obviously its too cold to planting them yet, but we can lay them out in the garden utility room to get them to start chitting
So last month we dug over one of the four beds and planted out the onion sets.
Last week I dug out some of the gardening books and in full ‘Monty Don’ mode starting a bit of planning.
It was easy work as it was all theory, checking out websites and making lists of veg we wanted to try and grow this year, but we will have to do some work this month and at least dig over the last three vegetable beds. I also need to make a final decision on the potatoes and whether to plant ‘First Early’ or ‘Second Early’ or like last year go for straight main crop.
I really want to get on top of the garden this year. A couple of months ago we cleared and pruned hard the east border along side the east wing extension of the bungalow. Which was a good job or the house would never have gotten re-rendered and painted in the week before Christmas.
We need to continue down to the garage and then we can target the west corner. At the moment this is like a jungle, bushes over 3 meters tall tower over that area, and its going to get seriously cut back as this is the area we are intending housing the bee hives which will get built sometime.
In order to get a bit more organised I checked out the garden handbooks to see what next jobs we need to be ready for. We did well last year for potatoes, marrows, onions and garlic. We even grew some elephant garlic which was a great success.
We have already planted the onions so will start planning the next step. It was extremely satisfying last year to be eating quiche and salad, knowing that the eggs, potatoes and salad all came from our own garden.
Heres to a great gardening 2017.
With 2016 nearly over I am starting to think about projects and of course purchases for the future.
The big things for 2017 will be a new motorcycle for Caroline, hers is now coming up to 18 years old and can no longer be relied upon.
For me I will be getting a new (or secondhand) Leica M. I currently have the M8 and want to upgrade to full frame and better high ISO performance. I would also like live view for when using challenging lens. As I have previously posted it will either me the new M when Leica announce it or a second hand Type 240.
For the home it will be more of the same and continue with the improvements. Last year we had new fences, new gates and the house re-rendered where needed and painted.
The new year will see a new shower, getting a new ensuite bathroom planned if not installed and some major redecoration in the kitchen and new flooring.
Well its been a nice holiday, but today is the last day, so it will be a quiet day with some long dog walks. Tomorrow we are back at work.
Over Christmas we took a break from the festivities and visited a local seaside resort, Sutton on Sea.
It was cold but a long walk with Timmy the Greyhound along the beach was very enjoyable for all of us.
On the Biking Blog “Ride it like you stole it!” which is sadly no more by Dave Dragon, there was a poem “The Biker’s Night Before Christmas”.
I have posted this before but as it is Christmas Eve I thought I was worth posting again.
Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the pad,
There was nada happenin’, now that’s pretty bad.
The woodstove was hung up in that stocking routine,
In hopes that the Fat Boy would soon make the scene.
With our stomachs packed with tacos and beer,
My girl and I crashed on the couch for some cheer.
When out in the yard there arose such a racket,
I ran for the door and pulled on my jacket.
I saw a large bro’ on a ’56 Pan
Wearin’ black leathers, a cap, and boots (cool biker, man).
He hauled up the bars on that bikeful of sacks,
And that Pan hit the roof like it was running on tracks.
I couldn’t help gawking, the old guy had class.
But I had to go in — I was freezing my ass.
Down through the stovepipe he fell with a crash,
And out of the stove he came dragging his stash.
With a smile and some glee he passed out the loot,
A new jacket for her and some parts for my scoot.
He patted her fanny and shook my right hand,
Spun on his heel and up the stovepipe he ran.
From up on the roof came a great deal of thunder,
As that massive V-twin ripped the silence asunder.
With beard in the wind, he roared off in the night,
Shouting, “Have a cool Yule, and to all a good ride!”
Its been a pleasurable start to our week off on the run up to Christmas. We have enjoyed some long walks with Timmy the Greyhound and lots of baking.
We are intending to visit the beach on Christmas Eve on our relaxing run up to Christmas.
For Christmas Day there will be the four of us, my mother, Caroline’s father not counting Oz the Snake, our four hens and Timmy the Greyhound.
We have been planning to get the house re-rendered and painted, it was supposed to be in March 2017, but we got a call asking if they could come before Christmas so we said yes. So at the moment the house looks a little like a Christmas present all wrapped up.
