November isn't a very interesting month for blog post ideas, which is why posts in 2022 and 2023 were A-Z posts. To fill up some days for the second half of the month I'll do a few reposts from my 11 years of blogging.
Here's the first which comes from May 19th 2013 with one of my favourite smallholding photos............
We got the onion weeding finished, some rabbit fencing and enviromesh over 4 beds of various greens, one lot of supports and canes up ready for runner beans.
Then Him Outside volunteered to climb up on a pile of bricks to take a picture of the whole vegetable garden ( this makes the pylons look even closer than they are which is actually on the adjoining field right at the top of our 4 acre meadow.)
It was so lovely and sunny I wandered around taking more pictures.
The Lilac, coming out at last.
The strawberry bedOut of the front gate and over the road, this field is planted with beans, but they look a bit sparse.
And then it was lunch time- nearly all home grown today. Lettuce, mixed salad leaves, various coloured radishes and asparagus with a few cubes of cheese and a splodge of mayo being the only things bought.That's my lot for today, need some reading time.
Back tomorrow.
How our lives have changed in ten years. It's good to have these memories recorded. One day, I'm sure your beautiful grandchildren will be grateful for your diligence and commitment. Different times.
ReplyDeleteI hope technology will let them still read the blog in years to come but who knows
DeleteHappy days back then, and such a prolific smallholding. The only things which grew really well at Ynyswen were runner beans and chard - and I couldn't cope single handedly with the chard mountain!
ReplyDeleteMost things did well in Knodishall but needed plenty of watering.
DeleteIdyllic times Sue and such a prolific (and tidy) vegetable garden.
ReplyDeleteHard work at the time but we enjoyed being self sufficient
DeleteYour smallholding was even neater than ours, and I know the hard work that it takes to get it to that level of neat!! It's weird because only yesterday I was thinking of doing some posts from Our New Life ... showing what we were up to on these dates in various years. I've been going through old photos on the computer and deleting some, it's been like a trip down memory lane, that's what triggered the idea.
ReplyDeleteYou've already got LOTS of followers ... stop being greedy. ;-)
It's lovely to look back and you have lots of photos and memories from Wales to share so I'll look forward to seeing them.
DeleteFollowers up by 13 now!
I've been further back than that, I'm still in the photo section from Oxfordshire. :-)
DeleteWe need to get you over the magic 900 by Christmas!
Oh my word, Sue, how busy you both must have been. I’m feeling a twinge in my back just at the thought of the weeding! And three big poly tunnels…
ReplyDeleteWhat a variety of vegetables and fruit you grew.
(By the way, I’m reading my way through the Rory Clements books, now at A Prince and A Spy - really enjoying them. Thank you for the recommendation)
J’nan
I've enjoyed all of his books - Just checked and he has a new one out in January - Hooray!
DeleteOh wow that was one very neat and tidy patch of dirt. No wonder you were successful in that lifestyle. Such a shame life changed and you had to give it up
ReplyDeleteIt was a good way of life - more tomorrow
DeleteI enjoyed reading your retrospective post very much, what a neat and productive small holding you had with your dear Colin x
ReplyDeleteAlison in Wales x
Another tomorrow!
DeleteI grew up in Lombard, Illinois - the lilac town - home of Lilacia Park so lilacs have always been a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteI have a white lilac here at the bungalow, it soon turns brown though and looks tatty very quickly. I like the purple better
DeleteWhenever you mention the small holding, I always think of this photo. Catriona
ReplyDeleteIt's the only photo that really shows all the veg garden beds. They look so tidy!
DeleteI can’t spot a follow button or I would press it
ReplyDeleteOn the right hand side under Moon Phases and Page Views.Maybe if viewed on a phone they are not visible - I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteIt is so great to have photos to jog along our memories! You would probably never remember it as being so tidy otherwise - all that hard work would be what you remember LOL.
ReplyDeleteSo true - the hard work of haymaking I do remember and have no photos as shifting bales was always such a hot, sticky, prickly job I never thought about photos
DeleteYour garden looks spectacular. The harvest must have been tremendous. Being self-sufficient is impressive. It is also a very healthy lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI do not see a "follow" button, only "unfollow."
That means you are already following - thank you!
Delete