More Garden Progress - Half Hour a Day

I feel like I might almost be ready for spring if I carry on like this. 

These are the completed beds. I've dug them over to remove every bindweed and couch grass root I could find. crumbled every sod of earth in my hands to check. I've no doubt I've missed loads but I'm hopeful it might give me a head start. 

 I'm going to continue down the garden but also need to think about getting the rotted manure up here to feed some of these beds before the busy planting time starts. 

I also need to move the small greenhouse and concrete in a small base for it as the one it's currently sat on has rotted away. A job I'd like to do before the season gets too far in! Trouble is I think I'll have to take out all the glass before I start to make the new base. I plan to move it 6ft to the left looking at it from this picture, I might then build a post structure with a perspex roof in between the two greenhouses as a kind of "base of operations" where I can tidily keep all my gardening supplies, pots and other items. 

Who else feels almost ready for spring?

Malvern Seed Swap

 Yesterday I went along to the seed swap in our local town Malvern. Was lovely to see a event like this kicking off again. Apparently it always used to have a seed swap in April but I had never got round to going. 

Triggers Trowel...

The other day the handle on my long trowel broke. 

Now I have to admit that this had probably been left outside too often, but it had done about 8 years of service as my main trowel! 

I was gutted, but I decided it was far too good of a trowel to throw away, so time to quickly make a new handle. 

Less Screentime

I'm going to write this post and try not to sound preachy. At a talk the other day I got asked how I keep my children off screens. 

I think it's certainly easier for us here as we have plenty of space and my work fits perfectly around the children. So there is lots for the children to do and I often do and make things with them (we play a lot of board games in the house as well). 

But my answer to the question was really simple. We don't let them. We're the authority here. 

They have access to tablets and stuff, but they get to use them for a few hours on a Saturday and Sunday morning and that's it. If we go out for a meal we don't take devices with us, we try and talk and enjoy each others company, or if it's going to be boring we take a deck of cards to play with. 

I'm proud of the fact our children have great attention spans and will happily watch a whole movie, or do a job that takes upwards of an hour without loosing interest. They also have chores to do and will empty the dishwasher or cook breakfast. 

Last Saturday was the perfect example. I'd kicked them outside (they were playing Lego) and they were wondering what they could do. Middlest asked if they could have a bonfire, but I don't have enough to burn for that, instead I said they could light the pizza oven (goo to light it in the winter as stops it getting too damp). They went and found twigs, some newspaper and the matches, they lit it themselves, I had nothing to do with the whole operation. They then spent hours feeding the fire and playing in the area around it (sword fights with sticks featuring quite highly). 

I love when they end up staying out until it gets dark, perfect winters day! 

Probably preaching to the converted with this post, so I apologise if I am or if I come across "holier than thou" with it!

The Floor Is Lava

 These guys were supposed to be moving firewood, but stopped as apparently "The floor is lava". I love hearing them play outside, their days are just filled with laughter and they often stay out until dark. 

They did move some wood for me though. It's nice that I can cut some up then get them to bring it in that evening. Makes them feel part of the process to help keep us warm and they enjoy helping (that's what I tell them anyway).

Always lots of wood to process into firewood here, if I get my act together we have the next few years sorted, especially as it's oak! 

Who else is keeping up with cutting firewood for the future?