Outside at Last!

The long winter months are now over... well not quite but there's plenty to do in the garden right now. After months of telling myself that it's too soon to get out there, and too cold by far, I can now justifiably get my wellies on and dig!!! at last!!

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These are last years pumpkin seedlings breaking through, but soon we'll be planting again.

I didn't plant any sweet peas in the autumn, so I've recently bought some root trainers (for the first time ever) and I'm about to sew them with the help of my Thursday Pumpkin Patch class. This will be their first venture out into the garden this year!

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Time to get into the greenhouse and give it a good tidy up and clean!

This is something the children love to do ... and so one less job for me!!

Give children a spounge, a hosepipe and some washing up liquid and you've peace for at least an hour.Though you won't have any washing up liquid left

so don't forget to keep some back!!

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Sunshine at Last!

Sunshine at last!! It was so great to get out and preparing the raised beds ready for spring. . . ..early I know, but who can resist gardening on such a glorious Saturday morning?

William, Louis and Thomas clearing their raised beds and making the most of the great weather!

We cleared all the remains of last year's purple sprouting broccoli, harvested some leeks and fed the last of the Swiss card to the bunnies! After all the rain, followed by ice and snow it really was a fantastic feeling to be out in the garden feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs ... joy!

The Pumpkin Patch kids at work, busy digging, weeding, composting and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the garden. I can't wait to get planting, I don't think I've ever looked forward to the Spring so much! Maybe the onion sets can go in next week . . . . I hope the sun's still shining!

Cookery and Craft at Christmas

Christmas seems like a very long time ago now, but I was searching through some Pumpkin Patch photos recently and discovered this one - our Christmas Cookery and Craft workshop.

If they look tired it's because they cooked their own Christmas turkey lunch, went on a country walk to collect some seasonal greenery (at well below zero degrees) and then made a table centerpiece before going home exited but exhausted.... and so did I!!

Easter workshop next.. I can't wait!!

Happy New Year!!

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It wasn't a white Christmas in Carmarthen...

though most of it was spent below zero degrees.......

But it has been a white New Year!!!

Pumpkins in the Snow...

Party time!... Anya's New year cup cakes..

All snowy and white and shimmering!

She made them, baked them and decorated them...

well done Anya (7)

My pretty new baubles bought in the sales,

I'll probably see more of them next year!!!

Wishing you a very, very happy new year XX

Good luck to the bees!!

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In May, with the help of our village school teacher, Paul,

we set up two bee hives in the garden!

Joshua my ten year old singlehandedly built the actual hives,

I helped to paint them and Paul delivered the bees!

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Over the summer we regularly checked the hives to

locate the queen, to check for swarm cells

and to feed them as necessary.

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Both colonies grew well and produced honey,

but we decided not to extracted any this year,

hopefully improving their chances of surviving the winter.

Fingers crossed!!

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Mmm, HONEY!! We did have a little taste!

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Her she is, the queen - dotted green

Good luck to her!

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