Sara HjelmThis on the other hand is more like it… way better than cake.
It’s Whit Monday, 72 days 4 hrs until the summer solstice & the last day without rain this coming week which calls for outdoor things. Painting for ex.
Raking & mulching branches
Drinking coffee, planning my day…
#sarasspringcount23
Raking & mulching branches
Drinking coffee, planning my day…
#sarasspringcount23
So far I filled the bird feeders, put the last of fruit from the fruitcake + nuts, seeds & apples under the rhododendron
I watch squirrels & the 1st birds finding the pile
Also installed an expandable water hose to be kept on the patio & watered the pansies
#sarasspringcount23
Slowly but it’s getting there …
Remains to cut the ivy. Carefully not to disturb the wren nests. And then put the table in place.
#sarasspringcount23
Remains to cut the ivy. Carefully not to disturb the wren nests. And then put the table in place.
#sarasspringcount23
In the end I put the table in place anyhow, glued a broken pot & tried linseed oil on one of my old, brittle plastic chairs. If that works I’ve saved myself a lot of money
It’s a bit too windy. Not ideal for spray paint tonight..
#sarasspringcount23
It’s a bit too windy. Not ideal for spray paint tonight..
#sarasspringcount23
Tuesday after Easter & it’s 71 days until the summer solstice.
It’s raining as forecasted, just a drizzle, +8° & very still
I sit on the patio, watching Monday’s achievements.
Ordinary linseed cooking oil, actually works
Most has sucked in during the night…
#sarasspringcount23
It’s raining as forecasted, just a drizzle, +8° & very still
I sit on the patio, watching Monday’s achievements.
Ordinary linseed cooking oil, actually works
Most has sucked in during the night…
#sarasspringcount23
I still have some moving around to do. It’s still risk of night frost, so paint has to stay inside. But tools can go out. Either into the garage or handy on the patio. The thaw salt was moved under the bench, replaced by tool batteries & they were all charged
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
Lately a few of the Jackdaw gang have returned. They are very careful mostly keep to the far end of the garden & they only get a few minutes before the Magpie couple chase them away.
This one is the nearest I’ve seen so far
#sarasspringcount23
This one is the nearest I’ve seen so far
#sarasspringcount23
The squirrels on the other hand are less cautious
The younger, brown couple chase each other up and down trees and dig up what ever nuts they’ve buried
The older grey one is to lazy for such folly & goes for what’s on the ground or what nuthatches have dropped
No new food here…
The younger, brown couple chase each other up and down trees and dig up what ever nuts they’ve buried
The older grey one is to lazy for such folly & goes for what’s on the ground or what nuthatches have dropped
No new food here…
Next is under the bird feeder in front of me
Even digging under the foundation of cobble stones…
Sure spares me some sweeping
While I sit here a grocery delivery arrives as the rain increases.
You would think there was no need, but I’ve actually run out of wheat flour after Ester excesses. I have massive amounts of any other kind, you name it, but it’s hard to bake without wheat ..
#sarasspringcount23
You would think there was no need, but I’ve actually run out of wheat flour after Ester excesses. I have massive amounts of any other kind, you name it, but it’s hard to bake without wheat ..
#sarasspringcount23
It’s getting chilly. Time to go inside & take care of flour, spring onions, leak & some new fruit. Plus a new 2 kg of apples for these guys (apples are still strangely cheap for some reason) …
Next one to look for dropped leftovers …
#sarasspringcount23
Next one to look for dropped leftovers …
#sarasspringcount23
At 4 pm the raining finally stops
After a raid in the fridge stale apples & fruit is exchanged for fresh & the birds/squirrels get an unusually large heap
So happy about the cheap alternative for those chairs…
I have 7 altogether
Comparison untreated/oiled👇🏻
#sarasspringcount23
And finally the last of leftovers from Saturday’s buffet- what could be more spring?
Time to call it a day.
#sarasspringcount23
Time to call it a day.
#sarasspringcount23
0f the massive pile of nuts, seeds & apples/ fruit from last night only a few kiwis remain. Someone had a feast this morning. Could be a hare or the jackdaws. Hardly rats or mice or there would be nothing left
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
The crocuses are about to give up by now and be replaced by anemones
But first things first - indoors until the temperature improves: vacuuming, cleaning floors, washing, etc
And some more coffee …
#sarasspringcount23
But first things first - indoors until the temperature improves: vacuuming, cleaning floors, washing, etc
And some more coffee …
#sarasspringcount23
Today it is 69 days until the summer solstice & it’s raining, very slightly, but still. The afternoon should be better. + 7° right now at 11 am
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
After yesterday’s hard work (washing, cleaning floors, spray painting pots, planting ginger, etc, I was more or less knackered …
Ended with foot-bath before tumbling into bed in clean sheets.
#sarasspringcount23
Ended with foot-bath before tumbling into bed in clean sheets.
#sarasspringcount23
So I decide there is no panic today. I can have some fun baking & as I had a bunch of bought plums it’s Two Fat Ladies’ Plum Kuchen (out of season, I know & sorry all Germans, not the original, but best I’ve ever tasted)
Ready for 1st time in the oven …
#sarasspringcount23
And after some 20 min next is egg yolks whisked with sour cream poured over and back in the oven for another 40 min
(Really using ingredients from Easter, but it leaves me with 4 egg whites… )
#sarasspringcount23
(Really using ingredients from Easter, but it leaves me with 4 egg whites… )
#sarasspringcount23
Done and cooling off. Perfect dessert.
The rest is pure idleness - reading perhaps.
Dinner is done, straight from the freezer - “Lapskojs”.
Non Swedes can look that up, I’m too lazy to explain, but if you have eaten in a Swedish school canteen you’ll know…
#sarasspringcount23
Friday & 68 days until the summer solstice
Outside it’s cloudy, +10°, but feels much colder without sunshine. Now at 13 pm I have to give up & retreat to inside to warm up for awhile
#sarasspringcount23
Outside it’s cloudy, +10°, but feels much colder without sunshine. Now at 13 pm I have to give up & retreat to inside to warm up for awhile
#sarasspringcount23
So far I’ve curated some meat for smoking or drying or both + filled the bird feeders & oiled the pole to avoid the most creative of the squirrels
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
In the end I moved the ginger pots inside last night.
Sunday there might be frost
I’ve read up on growing & harvesting ginger, but advice on containers (deep or wide), or what to do if you want to harvest continuously & keep to next year are diverse @eyebeams ?
#sarasspringcount23
Sunday there might be frost
I’ve read up on growing & harvesting ginger, but advice on containers (deep or wide), or what to do if you want to harvest continuously & keep to next year are diverse @eyebeams ?
#sarasspringcount23
Saturday & another dry, cloudy morning
It is 67 days until the summer solistice & all rain has been canceled for the next 10 days in weather forecasts. It’s very dry.
I will have to tend to some of the rhododendrons today. They look very sad & need water…
#sarasspringcount23
I start with the sad red bush at the back of the garden & find that all pieces to connect my water hoses are somehow missing & I can only use one at the time=shorter length
After trying alternatives I give up- I’ll go hunt in the basement, but first more ☕️…
#sarasspringcount23
#Watering ##dryweather #chillyweather
It’s really chilly. I need to warm up & get both gloves & woolen socks in rubber boots.
Inside cat Alice is sound asleep on the sofa. She has apparently realized that company today will be space…
#sarasspringcount23
It’s slow going. So far the 2 huge rhododendrons have been watered + the small new cherry. Next up are the larger ones along the fence, the blueberries & the larger new trees
And so much for my efforts yesterday oiling that pole, clearly not enough oil …
#sarasspringcount23
I’ve also started to raking together fallen branches for mulching. The amount of cracked nutshells in those piles is staggering
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
Another grey morning to be followed by a warm & sunny afternoon. I’m curating my website, drinking ☕️, considering options…
In the end I turned off the water, so more off the same today!
It’s now 66 days until the summer solstice & only April so why hurry?
#sarasspringcount23
As yesterday the patio got too warm mid afternoon.
Today’s dinner is the healthy kind to compensate. (Saturday’s was anything but …)
#sarassspringcount23
Today’s dinner is the healthy kind to compensate. (Saturday’s was anything but …)
#sarassspringcount23
It’s a lovely day with full sunshine - this week will be full summer weather, but no rain in sight…
It is 65 days until the summer solstice, mid of April & feels like May. Early bushes & trees have huge buds or small leaves
#sarasspringcount23
It is 65 days until the summer solstice, mid of April & feels like May. Early bushes & trees have huge buds or small leaves
#sarasspringcount23
I’m almost finished arranging & filling pots, gathering plastic chairs for oiling - cleaning away winter.
I’ve spent some time ordering hose-connections, rubber hammer, fresh cement, paint & more wooden benches on sale
Around me nature more or less explodes…
#sarasspringcount23
I’ve spent some time ordering hose-connections, rubber hammer, fresh cement, paint & more wooden benches on sale
Around me nature more or less explodes…
#sarasspringcount23
6 am … not really time to get up yet. Even the deer are still resting (can you see them?)
Today it’s 64 days until the summer solstice & -2° this early
I ordered a food delivery, arriving in a few hrs, more or less only herbs in pots for outside
Another sunny, but a bit cold morning is over. It is now 63 days until the summer solstice. One more cold night ahead, then two really warm days before rain and cooler, more April like weather. Even frost …
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
I’ve been busy dividing my time between cleaning the grill after smoking meat during the night, receive yet a delivery of herbs & salad in pots including 1 unexpectedly not potted, but lovely red rose while watching Garden Rescue season 22 & drinking ☕️
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
One pot of basil goes straight inside to a lager pot, but the Q is which of these others do not have to be moved inside next week
Or covered during nights:
2 kinds of parsley
Salad
Salvia
Rosemary
Spring onions
I have a list of more, but I think I’ll wait
#sarasspringcount23
That smoking spiral works perfectly, I now have a large piece of really cheap, cold smoked meat to use for bacon, but it sure leaves you with a lot of cleaning. Small pieces can go into the dishwasher, but not the grill itself.
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
I’d better get going, repotting.
Still windy & cold. Too windy for spray paint. But some carpentry perhaps. Now more coffee, inside to warm up…
Cannot wait for tomorrow
The garden plants know nothing about a cold future (look, 1st magnolia flowers @MrEFinch)
#sarasspringcount23
April 20 & 62 days until the summer solstice, 2 months…
Today we expect pre summer temperatures. At 10.30 it’s already +10° in the shade
Before I go out I try to deal with a strange enough thing these days- too much food
I got not just herbs yesterday, but also bread/veggies
Things pre-packed was right amount, the rest was much more than enough for one person & def for my fridge
Bread was exchanged for larger loafs
#sarasspringcount23
Things pre-packed was right amount, the rest was much more than enough for one person & def for my fridge
Bread was exchanged for larger loafs
#sarasspringcount23
The person packing must have thought all those spices called for more
Must be a keen veg family…
4 fennels instead of one
1 large melon instead of 1 small
3 zucchini & 4 aubergines instead of one each
1,1 kg of sliced toast & 1 kg Danish rye bread😱
Etc…
#sarasspringcount23
Must be a keen veg family…
4 fennels instead of one
1 large melon instead of 1 small
3 zucchini & 4 aubergines instead of one each
1,1 kg of sliced toast & 1 kg Danish rye bread😱
Etc…
#sarasspringcount23
Most urgent was bread & also the meat I cold smoked
Need to go into the freezer downstairs, packed portion-wise
The veggies can wait but will have to be processed Sat/Sun
So I have spent the morning slicing meat & rye bread & repacking
Almost done …
#sarasspringcount23
Need to go into the freezer downstairs, packed portion-wise
The veggies can wait but will have to be processed Sat/Sun
So I have spent the morning slicing meat & rye bread & repacking
Almost done …
#sarasspringcount23
At 8.45 it was still light enough to see my efforts planting herbs. Tomorrow will be even warmer. I’ll oil those chairs.
For safety some had to move inside 1 more night. The salad will be moved up on the stairs outside the door.
In the end my son passed by and relieved me of some bread and helped cut cat Alice claws
#sarasspringcount23
For safety some had to move inside 1 more night. The salad will be moved up on the stairs outside the door.
In the end my son passed by and relieved me of some bread and helped cut cat Alice claws
#sarasspringcount23
Busy morning when it’s 61 days until the summer solistice
First I woke too early. Then got the message that the tail of beef I’d ordered for a Persian stew would not be included, so started cooking the lamb shanks I’d defrosted already. It took some hrs but the result is 👍🏻. Of & on I cut ivy, tried to read up on soil for tarragon, sage & tai basil.
Q is what to serve as an addition besides saffron rice… fried aubergine, green/yellow zucchini or fennel (I have all). Anyone?
#sarasspringcount23
First I woke too early. Then got the message that the tail of beef I’d ordered for a Persian stew would not be included, so started cooking the lamb shanks I’d defrosted already. It took some hrs but the result is 👍🏻. Of & on I cut ivy, tried to read up on soil for tarragon, sage & tai basil.
Q is what to serve as an addition besides saffron rice… fried aubergine, green/yellow zucchini or fennel (I have all). Anyone?
#sarasspringcount23
It’s getting really hard to breath if you are at all allergic to pollen. In the end I spend the afternoon sleeping, gaining some of what was lost during the night.
When I get outdoors I find this. It’s easy to forget how fast it happens each year - spring…
#sarasspringcount23
When I get outdoors I find this. It’s easy to forget how fast it happens each year - spring…
#sarasspringcount23
Fantastic weather, but yet 60 days until the summer solstice. Only April. Next week will be cold and rainy.
Decided to clean northern windows- a true eyesore in the morning sun. So moved & pruned plants, including the new basil.
#sarasspringcount23
Decided to clean northern windows- a true eyesore in the morning sun. So moved & pruned plants, including the new basil.
#sarasspringcount23
I now have table full of plants, but still no clean windows as I ended up making pesto. Which is typical me. Cooking as a hobby sucks when you live alone.
The pesto is really tasty though & I had loads of Parmesan taking up space…
#sarasspringcount23
The pesto is really tasty though & I had loads of Parmesan taking up space…
#sarasspringcount23
Took cuttings, dipped in honey. We’ll see …
It’s really time to go outside
And for some more coffee!
#sarasspringcount23
It’s really time to go outside
And for some more coffee!
#sarasspringcount23
It’s getting extremely hot .. more like a summer dress than what I wear. I’ve managed the first thing on my most urgent list: water all recently planted trees, blueberries & the 10 barefooted sloe bushes that rest waiting under a pile of soil
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
The new expandable red hose is fantastic. It reaches all the way down to the hammock.
Next on the list is 2 areas along the fence, behind the currant bushes, that needs weeding & more covered cardboard before the rain on Monday
#sarasspringcount23
3rd on my list is to clear an area in the garage right inside the door before the delivery arriving Monday
Lots of things huge, heavy & sensitive to rain: 1 bag concrete, 4 wooden benches in pieces, etc
Hopefully the person coming can just put it inside
#sarasspringcount23
Lots of things huge, heavy & sensitive to rain: 1 bag concrete, 4 wooden benches in pieces, etc
Hopefully the person coming can just put it inside
#sarasspringcount23
Moving inside to consider dinner while it cools off- obviously some of all that excessive amount of veggies
More experiments among them too - turmeric & sun-chokes
(dug down bucket for the latter not to spread?)
I’ll plant the remaining herbs later
Tomorrow…
#sarasspringcount23
Managed to complete almost all, weeding & cardboard placed, herbs planted (the tarragon looks really sad. Had fell down in the water so got extra sand & perlite). The tai basil is inside to join its cousin
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
The garage will be tomorrow, piece of cake as I checked.
Up above you can see the end of the warm weather, definitely a change on the sky. Tomorrow morning it will be raining & more normal April temperatures. Good for inside things. Cleaning windows for ex.
#sarasspringcount23
Up above you can see the end of the warm weather, definitely a change on the sky. Tomorrow morning it will be raining & more normal April temperatures. Good for inside things. Cleaning windows for ex.
#sarasspringcount23
It sure was a cold & rainy morning, but now at 6pm it’s clearing up. It is now 58 days & about 20 hrs until the summer solstice, June 21.
More rain tomorrow…
#sarasspringcount23
More rain tomorrow…
#sarasspringcount23
I more or less did what I set out to do
1 window cleaned, cuttings also from the Thai basil✔️
Space cleared in the garage för tomorrow’s delivery & the car moved to the side to get in✔️
(Poor tarragon moved inside, we’ll se if it recovers)
#sarasspringcount23
As I’ve sat on the patio on and off today the wren is dropping moss in my hair. He is complaining about my presence loudly & improving at least 2 of the nests, picking moss from the bean tree (that sure needs to get rid of some)
I’ll have to be careful pruning
#sarasspringcount23
I’ll have to be careful pruning
#sarasspringcount23
At least some of the tulips I dug up & stored in the garage until autumn seem to have made it.
Time to call it a day.
Tomorrow I’ll mulch some branches & unpack that delivery
Maybe clean another window…
#sarasspringcount23
And with all that pesto … what else would there be for dinner?
#sarasspringcount23
#sarasspringcount23
