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Fire, Bears and Bats

Another weekend spent working in garden has passed and another missed vlogging opportunity! The plan has always been to vlog along side this blog - the problem being that both Rich and I are the sort to just 'crack on' so we forget to film! We WILL get better at this though.

So Sunday was another day of chopping and pruning and I finally decided to say goodbye to the 'Bears Breech' which has done really well all summer, but as we near the end of August it's flowering heads had started to wilt and the leaves sadly had a white powdery mildew on them (do I sound like I know what I'm talking about yet...?). The decision was made to prune it right back the base - I am just rally hopeful that it winters well and that it grows successfully again next year....any tips on this much appreciated! I think it's tidied up the view from the bedroom too for now...I am REALLY looking forward to watching the seasons change here - literally cannot wait for Autumn!


We also did lots of hedge trimming and removed x2 small shrubs that were dead and dried out and basically resembled dried out old twigs. Both us were pretty excited to have a bonfire to burn some of this garden waste - at least the dried out stuff....

Rich built the fire and we took the blow torch to it. we gave it a bit of help with some petrol (don't try this at home kids!) and whilst it initially went up really well...the whole thing was a bit of a flop - burning garden waste, it turns out, is so much harder than you'd think! We resorted to using the chipper for some of it and then chucking the rest on our 'mulching' pile...It's proving a nightmare to know what to do with all of our garden waste. Some research on composting is much needed! Anyway the garden is beginning to look much tidier and I have so many plans for it - including a fruit and veg patch....and if I get my way perhaps even some ducks (I'm not sure I'd have chickens again but who knows....!).

Monday came and went (we both work full time, and even though Rich is enjoying some well earned days off - I went off to the office which always pains me when there is so much to get done here!). When I got back we decided to take the dog out for a nice walk across the fields just up the lane from us (we're so lucky, I still feel like we're on a cottage break living here - I hope that feeling never goes away.) Typically the cat (Milo) decided to join us for our stroll....seems cute but it's just frustrating as I worry the whole way round that he's going to get lost - usually he 's never far away though. 


Last night though, he didn't stay close and on the way back home he dropped off from the pack...left us. We weren't far from home so we decided he'd probably find his way home. It came to 10.30pm and he wasn't home....naturally I started to worry.

So we set off in the pitch black with Molly (the dog) in our wellies and Rich with his head torch on to find him (didn't seem that weird when we were doing it...). It was bonkers really...wet, muddy and pitch black we started up the lane and the bats seemed to be drawn to the head torch which caused much hilarity - I wish we'd filmed us ducking and diving away from the bats! 

Anyway, we found the cat across the fields and I carried him all the way home.....and questioned my life choices as we went. Crazy cat lady at 31 - it's a slippery slope. Over and out. 




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