Time is on the run and I can't catch it

This summer is about to end soon and I just can't get everything done. At least I have been able to forage mushrooms. 'shrooms are what os eats. I had a target to get 20 bags of mushrooms to freezer, and I think I have done it already. 20 bags means mushrooms once every other week, more bags means I can feed him once a week with mushrooms. They are healthy (they have some fibre), nutricious (vitamins, mineral, protein)  and delicious.

During mushroom season I usually keep long nails. I cut stems of mushrooms with my nails, if I have lost/misplaced/forgot to take with me my foraging knife (happens every day at some point).This of course discolours my nails yellow/orange, so if I have to go to meet people, I have to use nail polish. Oh the vanity!

Mushroom season = magnificient nails.

I've cut about a dozen masks, but not been able to sew them yet. It takes about 15 min to sew one mask. I have all materials here. I tried to fill up my stash with more elastic, but in the fabric/cratf store I realized I have more elastics in my storage than that biggest craft chain has! I don't know if I'm ashamed or delighted.

I let kids choose their own fabrics (100% cottons) and made two masks each. Sys tried his on and told me he's not going to use any masks until it is compulsory - he looks like a communist. Ooookei, I didn't see that coming. But yes, we do have a long and winded conversations about world economics, democratic situations of different countries/continents, and factors that makes this country safe and some other countries less safe - why it is much safer to be a teenager or OAP in here than .. In Mexico, or Burkina Faso or Indonesia or North Korea. And what happens in US if dt gets re-elected or not.

I thought I might not get beans at all, they were so slow to grow. Luckily I have 1kg already in freezer and another 750grams needs to be frozen (I've blanched them already). And - most exciting thing ever - I HAVE PICKLING CUCUMBERS! I've got around ten in fridge waiting to be processed, I think I'd like to have mildly hot relish done. And of course dill pickles, if I get more cucumbers. Well, dill pickles they are not, we don't like dill, but something pickled, anyway.

Have you ever counted how much vegetables (incl. fruits and berries) you need to have in order to feed your family five a day portions? That's 500grams per person per day. Seven days a week. So it's 3,5kg per person per week. Doesn't sound bad, does it?

Thats 21 kilos per week for the whole family!

21 kilos, every week. 52 weeks per annum, that's about a ton of veggies. So if I want to feed my family the recommended amount of veggies, I'd seriously need a bigger freezer space...

If I give everyone 150g carrots every day (which is most likely, because they like carrots and we have them year round), thats over 6 kilos per week, and over 300 kilos or carrots every year!

50g cucumber - 100kg cucumbers.

100g tomatoes - 200kg tomatoes.

100g apples - 200kg apples

100g banana - 200kg bananas

 

My head hurts.

On more lighter news we are waiting for covid19 test results for ys and d. D got sick on friday a week ago. Ys got sick on monday a week ago, and they had tests on thu and fri. They both have been at home. No-one else is sick, they don't have fever (not at all), just mild throat ache and clogged nose.

They will be back to schools once they get their results. There's no Covid in our area, they are not really sick and there's bunch of beginning-of-the-school-flu cases at schools. But they have already lost more than a week of school.

Once they get their results, I'm off to Ikea. Ys's room is nearly done, I got floor done during the weekend. he needs a desk, a chair, few bookcases and a wardrobe. Unfortunately some of the furniture I'd like to get are not sold in net store, so I have to go there myself. I've tried to look around but haven't found anything that fits his room (there are some difficult corners) like those will.

Also d needs a wardrobe. Her room is a mess (teenager - do I need to say more?).

I don't think Ikea has any small bottles left. Pity, 'cos I like them, they're perfect size for Christmas hamper gift liquers.

Lost and found (again...)

On Sunday we were berry picking with sister. We found cloudberries (ask Ikea), blueberries (bilberries), bog blueberries and raspberries. I fell on swamp ditch, and I lost my glasses. It was a very warm day, so even if my right boot weighed a ton with bogwater, it was a nice trip.

When I'm talking about blueberries, I mean bilberries. Here in north they are called blueberries (in the Scandinavian languages Vaccinium myrtillus is called blåbär (or blåbær), which literally means blueberry. Therefore many Scandinavians erroneously call bilberry blueberry when speaking English. Ikea Blåbärsylt has bilberries pictured on the label).

There is suble differences in blueberries and bog blueberries. Bog blueberries have a distinct starshape crown at the end, while blueberries have a rounded end. And to add more confusion, North American blueberries have that starshape, too. And "our" blueberries are dark blue/purple through, bog blueberry and North American blueberry are pale inside. Also shape is different. Bogs on left, bilberries on right.

But yes, I can't cope without my glasses (they are reading glasses, and as I work mainly on computer/laptop, they are important to me - and I can't clean raspberries without them - can't see worms...)

So off to woods we went again (on monday with sys and ys who were bored to death even before we reached the edge of the swamp) and YES I found my glassess! Also more blueberries, bog blueberries and cloudberries. I hate foragin berries, by the way.

Black rimmed glasses are not easy to spot on ground.

But the trip was successfull and timing was perfect, this was the sight when we got out of the woods. 20 mins later (5mins after we got home) rain begun. Still raining. This is wet week.

From the garden I have been picking black currants and strawberries. I paid 20€ for 20 strawberry plants last summer, and so far this summer I have got more than 5 litres of strawberries (last summer I got maybe 1l), and they are still producing. Doesn't sound much, but to me it is, I've never been able to grow strawberries before! As strawberries are about 3-5€/l, those plants are already paid themselves after this summrerk  

This is a poor year for currants, one of my bushes is empty, one has few berries, and only one produced "normal" amount of berries. My mother's bushes have few berries, but hb's parents' have none. And they usually have loads. Fortunately I can pick our neighbours currants, so I might be able to get my mother enough currants so she can make cordial for the winter. You know, winter is coming...

I have got one patch of sugar snap peas to freezer, but peas are just flowering now. Might be a while before I can harvest them.

I think I need to fill up my freezers and pantry this summer/autunm, because Covid-19 cases are on the rise again in Europe. It is not granted I can buy veggies and fruits during the winter.

It's getting better

There is so many good news in my life.

Old man's surgery in June was a success. Tumor was completely removed (no growth ouside pancreas), and among all lymph nodes there were only few with suspicioius cells, and they were nearest to pancreas, further away nodes were all clean.

So, now he "just" have to adjust being diabetic (type 1)... Of course there's follow ups regularily, after all we are talking about cancer, not infected toe nail. But now we can breathe.

He needs to learn to eat again, it's been difficult (he had a weight loss surgery as well, because part of his stomac was removed - he was lightly underweight in the beginning, and now he is "moderately underweight"  he needs to gain at least 10 kg to be on healthy range.

Ys's room is progressed. I got all walls finished and we had electrician today working for four hours (he did more than just ys's electrics), now hb needs to build the ceiling so rest of electric sockets and light fittings can be installed. I'll put the floor down after that and then off to Ikea!

My last vacation week, back to work on Monday. Well, back.. to log in on my laptop. We'll be back on office next week - and only if someone wants to go to the office, we can work from home until November.

My veggie patch has started producing. I've been digging potatoes, first I had to dig six plants to get pot full of potatoes for my family (six people eat quite a lot of spuds at dinner), now it's down to two plants. My early potatoes are Colomba, they are a bit too creamy to my liking, but kids love them. And they are even sized and they have grown very well.

We've been eating lettuce from garden only for weeks. Haven't bought any. My strawberries have been really nice suprice this year, today I picked a little shy of 2l, because yesterday it rained all day and I didn't go to veggie patch at all. But I have been able to give kids handfull of berries each day (a handfull for each child!)

My beets (golden beets and striped ones) are growing strongly, but my Cylindras didn't even germinate, and those few that did haven't been growing. Maybe seeds were too old?

And carrots! yes, I have carrots, I've made carrot top pesto again (because I feed children carrots daily, I've had a few carrot tops, too) and now I'm drying some to get green powder to sprinkle into foods in winter... (my kids hate me)

Harvesting dinner

For a very long time this has been a good year to my roses, I have a soft spot fot these pink ones (don't ask me names or types, they all were growing here when we bought this place over 25 years ago, I was young and not interested in gardening).

They have a lovely strong (byt not overwhelming) smell, and it's been expecially nice this summer, because this is first summer for a very long time I have been abe to smell them! We keep joking that I have corona because I got my sense of smell back...

My mother had these by our front door when I was a child. Those bushes are gone, but my aunt took some of them to her house, which is now our home.

Otherwise i've sent my time in forest. Twice a day I take 'Suma for a walk, and finally I remember to take plastic bag and a knife with me...

These lovelies

And these little buttons

And those tiny pearls

Yes, foraging season is here!

Usually I pick only mushrooms, and get my berries from hb's father or my aunt or someone (like my co-workers in-laws), but because this covid-19 and my in-laws being way over 90 years I quess it's my turn to get my fingers blue.

Local blueberries are tiny, they are different from those garden varieties (which are originally from North America), it takes a long time to pick enough berries for a pie... But I even got kids to pick few berries, we have thermacell to keep mosquitos away.

I usually fry all mushrooms, that's how os likes them. First I boil excess moisture off, like this:

Some porchinos and chanterelles

Chanterelles

Many people think that frying mushrooms means that first you melt butter on frying pand and then toss mushrooms in there. It might work out ok that way, but these mushrooms we have here like to be first boiled in their own juices and then fried with butter and salt.

For freezer I boil mushrooms in their own moisture until it's almos all gone, cool them and bag them. That way they keep for a very long time (over a year). If fat (oil or butter) is added, they keep only few months.

My aim is to have at least 20 bags of mushrooms in freezer, so os can get fried mushrooms once every fortnight during winter. 15 to go...

And those blueberries...

Pie!

This is our go-to berry pie. Pie crust needs something to be perfect, but this is good. I don't blind bake the bottom, and white stuff is yoghurt, one egg and some sugar and vanilla sugar.

Just add heat

Crust looks darker than it was (this was eaten before it was even cooled down. Filling firms up when it gets cool.

Os ate half of the first pie I made, so I quess even with not so perfect crust it was delicious...

My children don't get to eat out often, not once a month, maybe three times a year. Now that d goes out with her friends, she's been eating out more, but of course it all came to halt due to covid-19.

Younger boys like sushi, and it's expensive to take them to eat sushi to a sushi restaurant. So we've mahde sushi ourselves:

Only authentic things were sushi vinegar and seaweed. Rice was pudding rice (rinsed before boiling), sesame seeds were found in the bottom of my pantry cuboard and a bit over toasted in frying pan, surimi sticks (fake crab stics) and shrimps, and cucumber sticks and cooked carrot sticks. Maybe not authentic but quite nice with soy sauce (in Ikea egg cup) and fake wasabi. I don't know how to use chopsticks but kids do.

I wanted to try to make tortillas, they were suprinsingly easy. But I don't think they worth the effort, because only half of kids will eat tortillas in any form or shape. But if I can't go to shops I know I'm able to make them. Another skill acquired.

An di finally after three years have a working remote for my car. Now I'm able to sell it - but also now I want to keep it 😁

Crafting, kind of

I'm very frugal, when it comes to buying clothes. I rarely buy anything second hand, because, really, if I don't use facebook, there's no place I can find anything. Clothing in flea markets/ salvation army shops/UFF what ever are hideous (in this area), most times. Maybe I'm just difficult.

And I don't use facbook (neither does my brother).

But in the other hand, it doesn't matter. I buy very few pieces of clothing (mainly jeans, bras, winter jackets and some tops), and I tend to use everything until it's completely useless. And I do patching and mending.

These are jeans I bought about 8-10 years ago.

There was a tear above back pocket. I keep my phone in that pocket, so it's no wonder it's worn.
But that's not too bad, isn't it?

But... Because all my jeans have elastan, ths is what happens, because I'm really not a skinny girl. This is third or fourth time I'v patcehd these jeans, and I still can wear them at home/forest/'Suma-walk. Nothing's showing...

I'm not the only one in our family to have hardships with jeans. I've patced these "black" jeans fo hb several times, this time it was crotch and a zipper. I've changed hundreds if not thousands of zippers ( I used to do mending in a working clothing laundry as my job; I was pretty good in it after three years).

When zipper is changed neatly, you can't notice it. So instead I'll show how I patch jeans - I use as a patching material some leftover pieces of hemmed legs. I always have to cut excess off our jeans, short legs or too long jeans? I put it underneath and pin it. My Pfaff can sew over 8 layers of denim if I have proper needle on. I use zig zag, and patch is always much bigger than the hole. This is because of elastan in denim, if those were proper non elastic jeans patch counld be much smaller.

So that's the bottom sorted out. I'd need some top part, too?

 

I have tons of leftover yarns. Small balls, bigger tangled messes. All same or nearly same weight. Crocheted this time. This is the first version, my sis wants one for herself. It'll be better because now I know all ways NOT to do this.

Other kinds of crafting I have been doing is plastering and painting in ys's room (have I told anyone I hate plastering?)  Walls are done, there's one corner I need to work on more. Only ceiling and floor missing...

And on the outside I have been trying to garden vegetables. This is few weeks old picture, but there's no sense to take photos if you can's see anything among weeds.

I ran out of containers and cold frames.

Lovely rain

I'm already waiting for my days/weeks off from work. I had (skype)meeting with my two superiors (I apparently need two, one is not enough!) and they were actually more excited about my upcoming vacation than me! and that tells a lot about situation of the world at the moment.

But I have been working a lot lately, I have a project that needs to be finished this week (as day after tomorrow) and with my team we have done at least decent job (if not magnificient).

Therefore I have been spending my time inside in front of my laptop instead of weeding my veggie plot.

I noticed serious bug problem with my brassicas, I need to get that sorted out (I've tried to squeese all critters by hand, but it is so impractical). I have pine oil soap which might or might not work. I'll see.

I's been raining (there was thunder close by) so it's a bit cooler now, so I might get 'Suma to go out with me. She's been hiding inside, poor puppy. And cat's are all snoozing all day, they leave the house by 10pm or later and come back at 7am.

Old man has had some minor complications, he wanted to get up and going so overworked himself and got a minor infection and some internal bleeding. Maybe if he keeps quiet for a while it'll be easier...?

Before operation it was said it takes at least two weeks at the Uni hospital and then two more weeks at here nearby hospital, but he decided he'll be at home this week (a week after his operation). I told him it won't happen, did he listen to me 😂

In the meantime

I have had net troubles today. Couldn't get connection at all with laptop, and had to miss one meeting completely. Another was teams-meeting, and that I can use from my phone. I should be able to use skype from my phone, too, but it is just not working.

Well, co-worked had a chance to bragg about his catch (13,4kg salmon) and all other important but now seriously neglected information was finally shared. It's so good to gossip sometimes.

But because everything else was not working, I called it a day after 10am and used my time much more better way - gardening.

Than you Jo for your kind words.

Old man was awake in the mid morning when my mother called the ward, everything seems to be ok. Operation went smoothly, it was easier than surgeons had anticipated. So far so good. Now old man has to learn how to live as a type 1 diabetic, he has no pancreas to produce any insulin at all. Of course many other hormones and entzymes are also missing, and because part of his stomac was also removed, eating is so much more difficult and important from now on. He's lost too much weight already.

His operation was now, because there has been no new covid19-cases (in that university hospital area). The medical team thought it would be better to have the operation now, even if there migh have been some benefits with postponing it with medication old man was having. Later this year there might be new covid-cases again, so no better time than now.

Weather has been very summery, 'Suma the poor girl doesn't understand why she's feeling so hot. Poor puppy. I planted all sun flowers (14), and chards. Yesterday I planted all broad beans which have been growing in the polytunnel, they were way too big already, but... Better now than never, I guess.

Little cucumbers are in cold frame, and most of tomatoes and aubergines in glass greenhouse.

I have never grown aubergines, di I need to support them somehow, with canes or strings?

Tomorrow I'll have to go to my office (because of the connection problems), but in the evening I'll plant other beans I have and hopefully most of brassicas, too.

Then there's zucchinis and pumpkins left and when they are gone I can use that free space in the polytunnel to plan rest of tomatoes, aubergines and peppers...

And then the weeding starts.

This is a war I WILL win!

I have fought this war for a very long time. For years - it could be almost a decade, because first I was fighting it with my loyal Blackie on my side. Then they were kittens, too, I had to take care they wouldn't get caught in the middle of battle.

I have no evidence on the first battle. It was too hard for me to even think what I was against at. I couldn't see the end of it. But now! the end is nigh!
 
These ones are easy to spot:

There might have been only about 20 bigger plants, maybe even down to a dozen. Sounds much, but if you think there used to be hundreds of them!

But these - they do not look like they are the same plant at all.
 

Look how innocent they are! So hard to see among all other stuff.

But if you closely, you'll see them. And I don't mean ground elder (bishop's weed).

Giant hogweed. Something I don't want to ever again see in flower. Those little seedlings are from flowers over seven years ago. They have been dormant on the soil, and if something disturbes the soil (like few years ago digger when all electric went underground) they will sprout. The seed banks seems to be endless - but in reality, I have finally got upper hand. It may take me three-four more years until I have permanently killed ALL of them, but now it takes me maybe 15 minutes to go around my neighbour's yard and spray (or brush now) all individual plants. In the beginning I just sprayed everything green, because everything was giant hogweed. I use glyphosate, as instructed by local enviromental authorities. It is nasty stuff, but I use it as sparingly as possible. Maybe this is the last year I have to use it at all!

I.Will.Win.This.War!

But on the other side of our yard...

A lovely sight

No giant hogweed, no lupins. I don't walk this way very often this time a year, because all birds that are nesting there. With 'Suma it's too much trouble. There's enought trouble without us:

Pictured through blinds - I think she's a she and has a litter under neighbour's barn.

 And then nature decided it's not summer yet.

I'm NOT swimming

I've been wondering who's been digging small holes on the ground on the forest. Now I know! those tiny footprints are adorable!

Two youngest are back at school. Ys gets there by taxi, but sys's route to schools is a bit more complicated (first walk to taxi stop, then taxi leaves him at the bus stop, then it's 30min trip to school by bus, and then more walking) and I don't want him to sit in a bus along 30-50 other pupils. So I drive him to school every morning. It's a good thing this will only last few weeks, and then we will have a long summer vacation. Phew.
D is still studying at home, her school will be closed all spring term.

I watched Eurovision Europe Shine a Light-show - well, it wasn't much of a show, if Molitva was the funniest performance. I also watched every 41 songs for this year (? lost count and hope at some point, maybe after Bulgaria and Serbia). Well. No wonder I have a massive migraine/headache now Uactually it's been at least a week now).
Because I don't usually watch much tv commercials, it was funny to notice how much those commercials were made around this corona situation. Even WWF's add was about keeping social distance!

But snow is gone, again. I made rhubarb crumble (from stalks from neighbours yard - I have permission for this) AND vanilla custard! I picked some fire weed shoots for a stir fry, and right now there's nettles soaking (to get bugs off), I'll put them in to the dehydrator to dry. I've already run out of last summers nettles.

We have a bank holiday coming, so I hope hb will get our tiller running. It's ancient (from 70's). but I really don't want to spend money to buy a new one. But my vegetable plot is heavy clay, and it needs to be tilled every spring. It was field for 50 years, and I've been growinf vegetables only for few years. If he will not get it running, I'll just have to make with shovel and fork.

Week six

My co-worker counted on wednesday we have been working from home for 43 days (inculding weekends and easter days off). So now it's 47 days. And children have been at home even longer, d for 50 days (they stayed home before this lock down came compusory, because school was needed for those doing their final exams) and sys and ys for 48 days.

Sys's school project -  and as you can see, everything is WIP.

It's fine. I go shopping once a week if there's no special needs. Like next week, my car is due MOT and I need some soil bags for my veggie plot and my aunt need gardening gloves and my mom wants me to check if there's any leftover goodies from shops. Old man should eat much more, he's losing weight and he's already bag of bones. Pity he can't eat anything healthy or fatty (and everything must be cooked to oblivion). No full corn anything - with exception of oats.
Here is no restrictions to go outside or working outside (just recommendation for high risk people to stay at home and away from other people - however they are allowed to go shopping etc if there's no-one to help them) , but no public meetings over 10 people are allowed, no restrictions on shops or supermarkets (or megamarkets).

So because he doesn't do shopping anyway, he decided our wood needed cutting. Wearing overalls I got him almost 30 years ago. If you want to find a thrifty person, old man is one. If there wasn't corona, I would have been there splitting the wood while he was cutting it.

So, because people are trying to avoid other people, they are flocking here.

And of course they parked right in front of our back gate. Which hasn't have an acual gate ever.

Somewhere behind all those bushes are those old (more than 100yrs) fish ponds, which nowadays might have some frogs, a pair of cranes nesting (they have laid eggs already) and two pairs of swans (which will fly away in few weeks, they will not nest here). It was magnificent park once, a very popular place for walks while in honeymoon in the manor house (it was very popular hotel at the time, even after the WWII). Old people still remembers that and NOW they want to see them again. Or their children. Or people whose parents have worked either in the manor or hotel or those fish ponds. Since then land is split and sold to several other people (part of it belongs to a country house which was spilt from the original manor), fish were harvested with dynamite and all buildings were either relocated or demolished (again using dynamite - you might think people nowadays are stupid, but think again, after WWII all kinds of stupidities were done all the time!) Pump house is gone (dynamite), caretaker's cottage is gone (relocated) as well as gamekeeper's hut (relocated, it was moved only few hundred meters and is now our closest neighbouring house, and it is empty now). Our grounds are part of that original fish pond area.

Rush hour - I haven't seen more than one plane in weeks before that and not afterwards either

 

Another uninvited visitor. We had snow for a day.

 No more snow. I put on that strawberry plastic to keep weeds on bay until soil is dry enough to plow. Might take some time, because ground was still frozen a week ago. Hopefully lack plastic warms it.

Salad!

I just had to get something in to the polytunnel, so I sowed some salad seeds. Now there is also radishes, more salads and perpentual spinach (new zealand spinach). In one of the cold frames I sowed carrots. Inside I have peppers, chillies, aubergines, brassicas and so on. I had parsnip seeds from last summer, and knowing how poorly older seeds might germinate I wrapped them on moist paper towel to see, if any seed will sprout.

Hb has been working on my car since Friday, and he might finish with it today evening. It will not pass MOT and keys are not working, but I have to take it there anyway, otherwise I can't do it at all.
I've been looking for a replacement, but haven't found any yet. I can borrow old man's car, but he needs it occasionally, when he has to go for blood tests or treatment or such. No longer taxi drives for him, too hig risk for infection.

I have made several face masks, this was the first one (instructions from New York Times, not good). I won't use this pattern again.

It is easy to us to stay at home and not to meet other people (Number Two excluded). D has it harder, she actually has friends now, and had realized she misses their hugs and closeness. Boys have a great time, they are only worrying if they have to go back to school before summer. I doubt it will happen, but you never know nowadays.

I have less freetime than before. My days are filled with cooking, walking with 'Suma, doing dishes, washing, gardening, helping children with their school - and yes, I have to work eight hours a day on top of all that.  (I cook at least one big meal a day, usually two, I make lunch for hb to take with him to work, and then there are breakfasts and snacks). I don't bake much, on Friday I made buns and one loaf, I got the loaf out of oven 1am.
There's been some very nice days, and some very difficult. But overall, we are doing fine.

Waiting game

I was so looking forwar for half term. Ha, I was planning to have most of the week off, doing all those previously listed things in veg plot and polytunnel and greenhouse. Time to relax and enjoy autunm.

No such luck. I got called (ordered) to a planning group at work. Two full days of meetings (and  train trips to capital). I got two days off, spent them driving to sister's and back (detour to Ikea).
And on Saturday I took part of emergency exercise organized by local Red Cross. There was also emergency services (fire dept., ambulance crew and police) some other voluntary organizations (I was representing our community committee). Spending six hours in the wind and rain I was exhausted and cold. Now I have headache, slight temperature and sore throat. So this Sunday was the day I was supposed to do all things I had in mind... Nope.

I got clocks switched and separated last garlic bulbs I had waiting. I've given up hope (long ago) to build any new frames this autunm, so I just pulled last golden beets from garlic+beet frame I had this summer and planted all gloves I had. So 20+18 gloves planted. There's also those mini garlics grown from scapes, they might be ready next summer!
Anyway, I got that done and took 'Sumawalk, and then it started to rain. Now rain has turned to snow.  Next week is going to be frosts all week, so I can't get polytunnel down even if I had time.

Sister asked for "tummy tubes" or knitted maternity belts. Number One is going to have a sibling! Sis has some difficulties to fit in her winter clothes, so I knitted her two tubes (brainless ribbing with stripes). It didn't take time away from veg plot, because I knitted during evenings, and we have darkness by half eight - by half seven today.
I wanted to pick some mushrooms today, but no, my fingers will not work in this weather (I don't have arthritis in my hands, yet, but my mother and my brother have, so it's in my genes and working in cold and wet environments is trigger to it).

Sis is also moving closer to us, and now I have to sew that cover for that chair I bought for her. Now they will have room for it. And Number One will have his own room, we shall see how much sewing that includes.

It's Sunday, and so far I haven't had time to relax. I should be writing presentation (or making PowerPoints) to next weeks seminar, because I will not have any time next week because I'm still working on that planning group. And all my other work is on hold at the moment, which means I have to squeeze it all into few weeks I'm able to work in December. And when I thought I will have nice calm summer next year without rushing through all berry picking farms, I will be working even more during the summer - at least for the next four years.

I have a terrible headache and I just wish this four years will rush forward very rapidly.

Brrrrr!

It's snowing. Not hoped for this, but oh well, it's October. I still haven't made a teacosy for my teapot, and I still haven't build another cold frame for my garlics. So thick scarf will keep my tea hot and old garlig frame will do another year.
Of course this snow will not stay. It's been snowing for three hours now, and ground is not covered. Ys is sick and stays at home, and he wanted to get dressed to see snow falling down.
'Suma spent some time chasing flakes, but realised they just melt into water ans she really really doesn't like water. Cats came in as soon as I was able to open a door to them.

There was some slush on lense. Couldn't wipe it dry because more of it was raining.Now it's actually a flurry!

Still snowing

There's still light in mornings, but evenings are getting shorter quicker than I'd like. If I go 'Sumawalk after eight o'clock, I need to take some light with me, I can't see my feet in forest. I'd stumble on branches even if I know where I am. I know paths and tracks by heart but new branches will fall daily.

There are also areas I will not go if it's dark or near twilight. Not because I'm afraid of monsters or something, but because it's actually dangerous there:

Also so creepy.

This is an old spring, it's lined with logs to keep it clear. Water was used in the fish ponds, it's about 2-3m deep, and if you fall, you will not be able to climb up alone. At least one moose has fallen to it's death to this pit/spring, it couldn't climb up and died of exhaustion and panic.
One thing I have no answer - why is the edges clear of any vegetation? This is in the middle of woods, no-one takes care of this (it's built around 1910) . Usually there's plenty of water, but ground water is so low now (at least 1m lower than norm), that you can see the bottom.

I've been knitting, socks. Someone's not impressed.

I have started fire in above seen stove. Hb bought me a fan to put on it, so heat can be distributed around downstairs. I don't know if it's working that way, but at least it's spinning allright. At least this corner where I work is warm and cosy.  Os complaned 'Suma has eaten all is socks, so I had to make him another pair.

I did get all tomatoes, pumpkins, melons and others from greenhouse and polytunnel. I harvested corn and beans, and since then there's been heavy frosts so no more harvest.

 

 

My pumpkins, and a zucchini.

Green harvest

I have some beet and potatoes left on veggie plot, and parsnips and carrots in one of cold frames. I pulled some parsnips few days ago - they were tiny and few were very wooden, But after all, it's been a successful experiment and I'll sow more next year. I just have to start early enough!
There's some kale left in polytunnel, and herbs.
But that's all.

Preparing for colder months

Mid September. Somehow it feels like winter is going to be here right now, but in real life I know it'll take at least two months until we are really in to the winter.

I have a bunch of tasks to do before serious frosts and snow (and the darkness October and November brings).

Garden, veggie plot, geenhouse and polytunnel:

Things need to be done now (before we have first frosts at the end of this week):
- harvest everything that can be harvested (beets, chard, nz spinach, zucchinies, beans, corn, potatoes from bags)
- cover plants that need shelter (pumpkins, zucchinies, beans)
- get strawberry runners planted
- make sure greenhouse and polytunnel are kept ready for cold nights

Things need to be done ASAP:
- build a new additional cold frame for garlic
- build a new frame ready for next summer's cucumbers
- build a new additional frame for more strawberries
- empty compost bin to aforementioned frames
- harvest everything that will not be producing anymore from greenhouse and polytunnel (cucamelon, herbs, potatoes)
- mix old spoiled concrete mixes with sawdust and fill holes on the forest tractor tracks (so that tractor is no longer in danger to fall over or lose it's oil plug)
- forage more mushrooms (boletes are soon over)
- get chillies and peppers from polytunnel inside house (and buy a growing light for them)

Things need to be done before winter is here:
- harvest all pumpkins
- harvest all tomatoes
- harvest carrots and parsnips
- plant garlic to new frame
- empty all growing bags (excluding ones inside greenhouse) and pots into cold frames
- harvest everything else left in greenhouse and polytunnel
- empty greenhouse and polytunnel, rescue rosemary and ginger (they need growing light, too)
- harvest aronia berris from aunt's garden
- harvest rowan berries (from aunt's garden?)
- empty ash buckets to cold frames (this needs to be done several times to get all frames covered)
- take poly from polytunnel down and put it into greenhouse for winter
- try to figure out how to protect kale from hares during the winter....

And some additional stuff to be done:
- try to locate some free apples
- buy new winter shoes fro three kids
- check kids' winter coats if they neew new ones
- mix sawdust and (garden) peat for outhouse use
- get some heavy duty candles for outhouse
- grind ys's new room's outside wall ready for filler
- level out that wall with filler
- get one wall done with planks, treat planks before that
- fill, sand and fill again plaster walls to be painted
- figure out what colour ys wants for those plaster board walls (hopefully not wallpaper)
- make floor with vinyl planks
- move ys to that room!
- and then the toilet...

Budjeting and harvesting

Summer is about to end, we will have warm days a week or two, but usually by the mid September autunm is here with full force.

Kids are back at school, so everything is normal. As normal as it ever is here at Ulv's lair.

Soon I need to check all winter clothing, because cold weather comes always fast, too fast. I bought a new jacket for me last winter, it will do at least another winter (it was around 12€, so I'm not counting on it to keep many years). I think kids have winter jackets ok, but they probably all need new shoes. Well, os won't, he has his winter boots he has been wearing through this summer, and they are ok. I don't need new shoes (I got new work boots last winter). With some rotation, I found wellies for all kids. I'm the only one without decent wellies, there is places where no waterproof shoes or boots will do, only wellies. I would have a pair, but someone ate them. Hrmpf.
Kids also need new winter gloves, they wear them out in less than a winter. I don't bother to buy the most expensive ones,  it only makes me mad/sad when they get them ripped on barbed wire or burn holes with fire while grilling sausages... something always happens.

Boys need skates, and I think I have to buy a pair of skis (+shoes +poles) for ys, he will use them at school. Sys likes to ski, so he might need also now ones. They have actually grown!

That would probably take us to the Christmas. by then d will need a new tab for drawing, and I think sys would also need a better one, he has been using d's old one, which was already worn out when he got it. D likes to have a polaroid camera, so that must be hinted to his uncle, who might or might not want to buy it for present.
I need to check kids' cell phones, ys's phone is quite ond and battered, and os doesn't even have a smart one at all. Hb needs a new phone, too, he has found CAT phone he likes.

- 3 pair of winter boots (60-75€/ pair)
- 3 pair of winter cloves (20€/ pair)
-  hb's phone about 300€
- 2 phones for os and ys (100€/phone)
- 2 pair of skates, one helmet (about 50€/pair + 45€/helmet)
- 2 set of skis + accessories (about 150€ per set if I'm lucky, more likely 250€)

One thing I don't have to buy is tea. I have enought loose leaf black tea and dried herbs (raspberry, meadow sweet, rowan, blackcurrant, strawberry) for at least a year (it is packed airtight) and have some mint, too. My mint isn't enjoying dry weather, and I haven't been able to water it enough. Next year I might to need a new spot for it to grow. I should pick lemon balm and lemon thyme to dry, they should be nice as tea, too. At work I'm drinking tea I got as a present from my co-worker (but I did buy her a gift, too).

Garden is producing nicely. Zucchinis/courgettes are coming strong, as well runner beans and green beans. I have managed to freeze some, I think after a week or two I'll have enough to cover whole winter consumption of green beans/runners. Also broad beans are producing, I had a massive black fly infestation this summer (because of drought) but I sow a lot in spring, which in hindsight has proven a very good idea. And brassicas are suffering very badly because of some species of phyllotretas. They are everywhere, even in beans and corn this year. I guess drought is the reason.
Corns are making cobs, so I might even have something to serve to os, he likes homegrown corn, but usually I end up few mini cobs if I get anything. This year things look more promising.
Nzs with only six or so plants is producing massive amounts. It started out really slowly, but now I can harvest every day.
But potatoes. Oh my poor potatoes! Those in bags have grown ok, but on veg plot they died. I get about 3 spuds per plant, so it is very good thing we can have food from shops instead on relying on my vegetable plot. Two years ago potatoes suffered because they don't know how to swim, well, this year...

I'll be off to check my damsons, they might be 30-40 fruits if no-one has eaten them (wasps most likely) I'd like to have 10l bucket of damsons to freeze, but it will never happen - this is the best year ever in 20 yrs I have had that bush/tree, and last "big" crop was about a dozen fruits😂

Can't get apples anywhere, might need to buy some. We eat them just like that, of course, but my mother makes apple sauce I use in everything (mainly in tomato based sauses). Maybe I'll need to put up a note on office's entrance.

It's still not raining much, so we might be in trouble in winter. Well is still dryish, so much that we have been going to local spa once a week for a thorough wash! Kids enjoy standing under a warm shower - at home we never allow them to take long showers, because our water heater is old and too small for our use. We run out of hot water quite often. (But it is not as bad as it sounds, we have a sauna and we warm/heat it at least once a week in summer and twice a week in winter, so even if kids can't spend their evenings under a shower, they can get properly clean in very warm environment ). And of course we have our pool, which is used daily now. But you just can't wash with snow... So we might need to come up with new ideas by then.

Two rainy days have made a difference in the forest, though. Mushrooms (chanterelles) and ceps are growing fast, i have found porchinos  daily. This morning I picked two and brought them to my aunt, she was happy, she had an eye operation few weeks ago and isn'n allowed to go foraging.

Did I say I was expecting frost?

And frost indeed we had. When I was taking off fleeces in veg plot after morning's 'Sumawalk, they were still stiff with frost! Ok, it was 6.30 am, but sun had risen two hours earlier. I'm so glad I tackled fleeces over runner beans and corn, too, as they would have been doomed. I hope I didn't take covers off too early, but I had to leave to work. D will open greenhouse and polytunnel doors.

Back to business, I thought I would be alone in the office today, but colleague is here too. Well, he might leave early today (after he has checked all his mail), they had a new baby in late June and he might be needed at home - his wife might be a bit in a hurry with four small children. I know I was.

We did go berrypicking with my sister yesterday, I was back home 8.30pm. We got quite nice amount, but I must say picking wild raspberries is not one of my favourite hobbies. All nettles (ouch!) thorns (ouch), mosquitos, few wasps... 'Suma was so nice, she didn't run off, se only tried eat her waterbottle twice (there's no water in forest at the moment) and she tired eat raspberries all by herself! It was lovely and funny, she loves raspberries, but this is the first time she actually tried to eat them by herself. It was much easier with 'Suma than with kids! There are so much unripened berries left, we might need to go there later. Sister is on four week vacation, so we have time.

Progress so far

So I made a list or to dos I wanted to do duiring my vacation. So far:

I have two weeks off again, I have a list of tasks in my mind I'd like to complete:
-plant cherries (bought in early June?) nope, way too hot
-weed veggie path nope, too hot and as 'Suma wants to be with me, can't go to vp, she'll boil
-feed kids carrots from cold frames that's an easy one, though not every day
-start using beets from frames this is also an easy target; I also use beet tops as char, because I couldn't sow chard until straight to the veg plot, is't coming but slowly
-harvest Belgian garlic from both frames still going on, maybe half harvested (as I pick only what we eat)
-eat potatoes from bags (I still have 13 growing bags of potatoes) had some potatoe meals
-forage mushrooms this will goi on all to way to the winter
-find some more strawberries to make more jam (to say it was a succes is a bit understatement) Yes! Persuated one market stall seller to sell me one more 5kg box even they are now selling only hal kilo punnets; made 9 jars of jam

-take sys and ys to adventure park d wanted to come along, too
-move cut and split wood from field to forest (there's pallets waiting them to be stacked) will not do this now, there's a family of viviparous lizard babies living in the stack, they cute and really need the shelter
-have a little day trip with my sister. done yesterday, d came along, too, again. Nice and funny and we are all still tired.

Might still add something else on that list: take three youngest to nearby natural history museum , we'll take a train and have sushi buffet lunch.

Miles of strawberries

So far I have managed to freeze about 10kg of strawberries, 2 kg went into jam. Os asked me to make some strawberry jam to taste (he doesn't eat shop bought jam anymore).

Boiling jars and lids.

And strawberries - I use jam sugar with some pectin. It'll keep at least a year, but I think this one will not see next summer...

I was away for three days driving along smallest of small country roads trying to find berry farms, and two days again this week. I have seen ostriches, lambs, the most huge orpington cockerel, bunnies and miles after miles of rows of strawberries (and Ukrainian berry pickers). Blueberries are not in season yet, and raspberries are ripe only in tunnels. lasti week I drove 500 miles, and in the end of day three I thought I wouldn't walk five hundred miles more... This week only 300miles.

And this wasn't the narrowest road I drove...

Next summer I really hope I don't have to do those tours, they are exhausting. (I do this as part of my work, not to get berries)

Kids have been eating handful of our own strawberries almost daily, they say they are far more better than bought ones.

Most of firewood is cut and split and stacked in storage for the winter. There is s small(ish) pile of cut and split wood in the field, it's still wet and have to be stacked somewhere to dry. There is also 8 stacks of dry and split wood which is still 1m long, so it needs to be cut. Kids hate me, because they have been stacking wood for three weeks now...

These 5 piles need to be cut, and we have three more piles like these to be cut as well. 'Suma found a new playground.

Veg path and polytunnel as well as greenhouse survived my being away. D had watered them just fine, not too much and not too little. Of course because we had very cold weather so there was no need to water anything much. There was even frosts at night a bit north from us, luckily we have had +5C or +6C nights. If I had basil, it would have suffered.
Well, now we have Saharan heat wave coming. Talk about u-turn.

I found first flowers in tomatoes -  I know, most people are already eating their tomatoes. I also have nice flowers in my melons, watermelon is a bit behind now. Cucamelon is also flowering.

This is  melon, do I really need to pollinate them by myself?

 We ate first potatoes a week ago, with pickled herring, chanterelles (from pur own forest), fried eggs and roasted vegetables. Kids were not impressed with violet potatoes, to me they were ok. We do have normal white/yellow potatoes, so kids will not be starving this summer. But those potatoes are really dark, deep purple.

Violet Queens and some unidentified white potatoes.

They are spuds even if they look like black beets. They even bleed blue.

Today I'm going to pick some more chanterelles, as well other mushrooms I'll find. Os will eat them happily, and I noticed last weekend all children eating them (fried in butter). Even ys, who has been refusing 'shrooms lately.

I weeded under my black currant bushes, they are not quite ripe yet, but soon. Noighbours white currants are ripe, asn well as reds. I might pick some tomorrow, I have room in freezer. Pity there's no lingon berries coming this year, I saw no flowers in spring and therefore no berries... Kids like them in smoothies.

Is this a hazelnut?

Carrots my ow (I have purple too, but they are tiny), saskatoon (serviceberry) I bought from a berry farm to taste. Ok.

I have two weeks off again, I have a list of tasks in my mind I'd like to complete:
-plant cherries (bought in early June?)
-weed veggie path
-feed kids carrots from cold frames
-start using beets from frames
-harvest Belgian garlic from both frames
-eat potatoes from bags (I still have 13 growing bags of potatoes)
-forage mushrooms
-find some more strawberries to make more jam (to say it was a succes is a bit understatement)
-take sys and ys to adventure park
-move cut and split wood from field to forest (there's pallets waiting them to be stacked)
-have a little day trip with my sister.

I had to come inside, because there's too hot for black dog like 'Suma. Now she's been sleeping an hour so we can go back outside, this time to pick mushrooms I found yesterday while at 'Sumawalk.