Monthly Archives: December 2015

The primroses are out!

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Helen

Last week in Bruges, I noted that primroses were in bloom. Perhaps it is therefore fitting that the flowers I saw in the back garden today were the same colour as the ones in Belgium.   I also noticed some … Continue reading →

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Moving the rat house

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Helen

Yesterday morning, I discovered another hole in the garden. It was to my mind clear therefore that a rat had set up home in the compost bin. So, as it hadn’t started rain again at that point, out came the … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

2015 in retrospect 

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Helen

Just before New Year last December, I told a friend that 2015 was going to be a good year. Yet I didn’t really believe it – in my heart I had a foreboding that things might actually be quite bad. … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Health, Permaculture, Social | Tagged , , , | 25 Comments

The mystery hole

Posted on December 26, 2015 by Helen

Whilst looking out on my garden this morning, marvelling at how full and green (as well as sodden) it looks,   I noticed something unusual near the patio. I’m not sure it was there yesterday, although perhaps I just missed … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , | 42 Comments

Over the sea and back again

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Helen

On Monday, we went on a trip across the North Sea to the town of Brugge (Bruges) in Belgium. One of my colleagues had found a two-for-one deal with P&O ferries so this was the opportunity for my daughter to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Good for the environment, Permaculture, Social | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Hidden membrane

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Helen

Yesterday, I shared with you my joy (though the joy might have passed you by as I was musing on other matters!) at getting rid of the final patch of weed-infested lawn from my back garden. Today, I thought in … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Ubiquity vs. iniquity of plastic

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Helen

Back in the summer of 2012, when I started writing this blog, I wrote a post about the dilemmas surrouding plastic. Today, having delved further into the world of living plastic-free over the last three and a half years, I thought it … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Good for the environment, Permaculture | Tagged , | 23 Comments

Spring on the way?

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Helen

Yesterday, I was exultant about the piano we acquired last night (at long last!). I really wanted to write a post about it and how it had galvanised me into decluttering after the pledge I had made to myself at … Continue reading →

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The questions keep coming

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Helen

After the continual rain this last weekend, I decided that getting the crocosmia that have regrown near my favourite rose bush out was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.    Unfortunately, there are a few which are growing very close to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening | Tagged , | 26 Comments

December growth

Posted on December 12, 2015 by Helen

I’d seen blossom on trees and heard of blossom on other trees but this afternoon I noticed that my own apple tree has grown new leaves. In December.    Now, I don’t know a lot about trees – of any … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Permaculture | Tagged , | 8 Comments