Thursday, 16 March 2017

The birthday wood, fruit planting and sorting

The Birthday Wood will be here, at the end of our little meadow

A public footpath runs through, so the wood will be enjoyed by some local dog walkers. We don't see many people except on Sundays. At the moment they walk to the end of our meadow, find how muddy the farmers field is at the end and come back again. Later when the field dries out they can carry on across and round and back on another country lane.
 I never thought we would chose to live in a house  in a lane with a footpath running by but the rest of our garden is tucked away out of sight behind the cottage so the footpath isn't a problem.

The soft fruit bed (one white currant, a few raspberry canes, a dead gooseberry bush and a couple of other currants - colour unknown) is in the process of being weeded and after our son had helped dig out a huge nettle clump we had room to get the Poundland/ Wilkinsons raspberry canes into the ground. A couple had given up the ghost but the rest showed signs of leafy life. Had I have known we had a dead gooseberry I would have got one from Wilkinsons or Aldi earlier in the year when they had them for sale for a couple of quid!

Son was here to help sort out the might-come-in-handy-but-now-probably-not smallholder things that have been stored in the horsebox trailer for the last 15 months. Col decided what he wanted to keep, son shifted and I wrote a list of everything ready to take  to the Auction House Collective sale in Mid May.

There is some news on the health issues, but we are waiting for results and authorization so no timeline yet. Meanwhile we just take a day at a time and make the most of him feeling not to bad.

Back Shortly
Sue

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27 comments:

  1. Faith @MuchMoreWithLess16 March 2017 at 07:35

    Exciting about getting the canes planted and very glad Col isn't feeling too bad right now. Will keep my fingers crossed about the treatments.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 08:23

      Thank you, we need all the crossed fingers we can get!

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  2. Rustic Pumpkin16 March 2017 at 08:12

    As the walkers are so few, wouldn't it be fun if you could offer tea and coffee for sale with a few home bakes? {only joking, you have enough to do with moving in!}

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 08:26

      Ha! Just 'slightly' busy at the mo, although it did cross my mind as I'm always looking for a way of earning a few £! Need my cooker first and I think most of the walkers are from houses not far enough away to need a cuppa, but we have a conservatory so who knows!

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  3. Dawn16 March 2017 at 08:25

    It was the one thing we specified when house hunting no public rights of way on the land or running beside it, not something I could do with its unruly children and dogs that would concern me, look forward to seeing your woodland develop

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 08:34

      I hope it's not an issue here, the house was just so right that we felt we could cope with the path. We are also well out of the way that I don't think it will be walked much.

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  4. Bovey Belle16 March 2017 at 08:35

    I hope you can find a bargain Gooseberry bush or two in time for this season. Round here, I come across them at car boot sales, either sold privately or by the bod or two who sell plants and shrubs and young veg.

    I am pleased to hear that Col is coping at the moment and not feeling too dire, and hopefully the next round of treatment will see further improvements.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:22

      I decided to order a couple from a seed company who were giving 3 free Strawberry plants with every order. They weren't cheap but will probably be bigger than the supermarket ones

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  5. Winters End Rambler16 March 2017 at 08:37

    The Range had reasonably priced gooseberry plants last week...sister bought some! Good luck Col...we're all mindfully willing you to be as healthy as possible...don't overdo it...x

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:24

      I didn't even know the range had plants! There is a rumour that The Range and Dunelm will be moving from one part of Ipswich with traffic jams to near Asda which is the end of Ipswich closest to us now. Hope the rumour is true

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  6. Louise Houghton16 March 2017 at 08:48

    I agree with you there Dawn. We were not prepared to have anything like public rights, shared areas etc when we moved. Hope you enjoy your space as much as the others, Sue.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:28

      We compromised on that as the house and rest of the garden was so right.

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  7. Frugal in Derbyshire 16 March 2017 at 10:16

    I've some Invicta googegog cutting here if you want some Sue, which I'll happily post to you. Most of us have to compromise on something when house buying don't we? For us it was being on the main road, but we've coped pretty well with that. If the house had been away from the road we could not have afforded it!
    Fingers and toes crossed for Col
    Gillx

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:37

      I've been very bad and ordered some good sized ones on line! ....in a hurry to have our own fruit again. The smallholding was on a quiet backroad in 1992 but by the time we left the road was 100 times busier, so who knows.
      I know that in Wales footpaths often get used for off road motorbikes which is a problem we heard about when we were looking there, but that doesn't happen in Suffolk

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  8. Sheila16 March 2017 at 10:31

    So looking forward to seeing you develop your garden and woodland.
    Glad to hear that Col isn't too bad at the moment and fingers are crossed for whatever comes next-x-

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:38

      I'm keen to get planting although the trees will have to wait to Autumn

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  9. Mary in Bath16 March 2017 at 10:53

    Yes, still crossing everything!
    That looks a perfect spot for a little copse/birthday wood.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk16 March 2017 at 15:45

      It just said "Woodland" as soon as we saw it.......if quarter of an acre counts as a wood - more of a copse as you say. Did you ever do a PP letter? everyone seems to have given up which is sad

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    2. Mary in Bath17 March 2017 at 12:15

      Still in progress I'm afraid! I've had a lot going on, but am going away to my friend's for a few days' R&R, and hope to finish it, and a couple of other things, when I get back.

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  10. Chickpea16 March 2017 at 17:34

    I'm hoping to plant some trees, not sure what though as it gets very windy and the deer will have a go at them. I will be watching what you plant with interest. When we were looking for a property I wasn't that bothered about a footpath though one had a bridleway literally past the front door and the other a footpath through the front garden so they were a definite no no

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  11. Elaine16 March 2017 at 19:59

    Our little Owl Wood is about 2/3 of an acre - and plenty big enough for us to manage. Our grandchildren adore it and call it 'The Forest'. It is one of those things they will visit when they are older and suddenly realise how much bigger things seem when you are a child!

    Have fun planting your 'forest', and very best wishes and fingers crossed for your husband.

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  12. Rosie16 March 2017 at 21:00

    I live next to a footpath it is a delight. I know all the dogs by name! Their owners are Gibson's mum or Charlie's dad after their dogs. There is something comforting looking up and seeing them. I can set the clock by the 3 generations of Collies on the meadow taking their owner for a morning stroll. We have never had any trouble from people passing and we have got to know them all over time.

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  13. Jane17 March 2017 at 13:23

    I'm a little late to the party, but I wanted to add my two cents. I live in a cute little cottage and strangers stop in the Summer and take pictures of it. You'd think it would be an invasion of privacy, but it is actually fun. You meet the nicest people that way, so I think living near a footpath my be a bonus.

    Hugs
    Jane

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  14. Sharon17 March 2017 at 18:15

    Keeping Col and you in my thoughts and hoping that the news is good!

    Your plot seems lovely. I don't think the people will be that much of a bother. Better that than a motorway or railway!

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  15. Rachel Flowers18 March 2017 at 08:51

    I'm thinking you could sell tea and scones at the bottom of your garden!!

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  16. Beside a babbling brook...19 March 2017 at 13:24

    Such a lovely view...

    Meadows and Birthday Wood and footpaths. All these, sound delightful. You have a beautiful countryside.

    Luna Crone
    Upper NE of US

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  17. Candace19 March 2017 at 16:36

    I've been away for a couple of days and it is lovely to come back and hear that Col is feeling well enough to be up and about doing things that he wants to do.

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