May has been a strange month so far. We've had higher than average temperatures and lower rainfall, until this week when all of the rain seems to have fallen over 2 days with more forecast. So today was an indoors, quiet and pretty dull day.
Maybe it's because hubby filled the above ground pool? a freak weather pattern? or possibly just global warming/cooling? Who knows for sure? But please just let me have a little sunshine during the day and rain after 8pm :)
Our volunteers are getting along well and working very hard. They have a few projects on the go and some are staying longer than planned as they'd like to see things through and complete tasks they have a part in. I really must say that they're a lovely bunch of folk, from a variety of places and with many skills and ideas between them. Plus they will eat almost anything so I'm getting to try out a few new recipes, which seem to be appreciated.
The vegetable garden is starting to produce again and is almost fully planted. New raised beds have been built and there are a few experiments on the go using old straw, compost and whatever I could find around the place. I'm glad to say that the last 3 years trying to improve areas of soil seem to be paying off nicely.
We have some lovely new artwork done by some of the volunteers, more planned for another rainy day and hopefully they will remind us of the fun we had when they were here. The sewing machine has been getting regular use, new cushion covers made, garments altered or repaired with some fabric leftover for more projects.
Our orchard area is now clear of the many young, wild fruit trees that were dominating the area, new fencing has been erected and a stone wall rebuilt. Hopefully soon the weather will break and it can be finished. Then the horses can enjoy grazing without being tethered.
I'm off to bed soon and hope you are all enjoying life, but before I go I wanted to answer Michael's comment from my previous post.
There are a fair amount of British expats in the VT region, and differing reasons for moving to this area. Some may find solace in the fact that there are others close by that they have things in common with, others because property is cheap here. Personally we moved here because we loved the scenery (and did look at other areas of BG before VT). Plus we could find what we were looking for - which was a structurally sound house (in need of renovation) with more than the average amount of land. Truthfully the British residents in the area are pretty well spread apart and do not live in each other's pockets. We are 1 of 4 expat families living in this village (10 people in total including 3 children) and a very small proportion of the village inhabitants (at the last census 806). We all live in different parts of the village and have Bulgarian friends and neighbours.
Keep posting the comments folks :)
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden. Show all posts
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
The Big Thaw
Hubby has been home just over a week now and life is slowly returning to normal. It's lovely having him back but I do really miss my 2 kids. For them, life has improved by going back to the UK. They're both doing well at school, have lots of friends and seem happy. That's waht counts at the end of the day, I'm just a little sad that I don't see them every day.
In other news there was a huge thaw over the weekend, temperatures rose, the sun shone and the snow is almost gone thankfully. We can finally get the car out again so headed out on Saturday morning to collect bales of hay for the ponies and donkey as we'd run short. Luckily we bought some in the village so didn't have far to go, only to arrive home to find water rushing under the garden gate and a river flowing down the garden! The water level got so high that at one point we started moving electrical goods and furniture upstairs as the water got into the house and kept rising. A few hours of baling out, moving things around and trying not to panic were had, until the water slowed down and started dropping......phew :) So nothing ruined, some wet floors and socks but we're ok. Now there's just the mud to cope with.
So fingers crossed spring is now really on it's way. This week (1st March) we'll be giving and receiving martenitsa's again. They're the traditional red and white wrist bands or pins that we wear to appease Baba Marta in the hope of good weather. They're worn until you see the first storks of the year, then tied to a tree or placed under a stone for luck. The 3rd of March is Todoroff Den, a day to celebrate horses, this year I'll be heading out to meet friends at Arbanassi and to see the parade of riders there. Also coming up is International Ladies Day on 8th March, and that's a day out for the ladies of the village, should be fun as they're a comical bunch once you can understand the Bulgarian language. So a busy month for me and if the ground dries up enough I'll be starting my Spring planting outdoors also, onions and radish mainly. I have a few seedling in pots inside already, garlic and peas overwintered in the garden but I think the lettuces have been eaten by snails so I'd best plant more.
Hopefully I'll be back to riding shortly too, it seems like years since I last went for a hack out. I'm just waiting for the ground to dry a little more and I'll be off exploring again. The ponies and donkey haven't had the easiest of winters and were really bored when they couldn't get out. Maybe this year we'll have time to build a small turnout paddock with a shelter which is much needed. One of the ponies had colic the day before hubby came home so a visit from a local vet was needed and a very stressful night was had by me. Luckily she's fully recovered now but cannot have any straw bedding as she will eat it and that could be part of the problem.
I'm off to my bed now, but hope you're all having a good week. Leka nosht :)
In other news there was a huge thaw over the weekend, temperatures rose, the sun shone and the snow is almost gone thankfully. We can finally get the car out again so headed out on Saturday morning to collect bales of hay for the ponies and donkey as we'd run short. Luckily we bought some in the village so didn't have far to go, only to arrive home to find water rushing under the garden gate and a river flowing down the garden! The water level got so high that at one point we started moving electrical goods and furniture upstairs as the water got into the house and kept rising. A few hours of baling out, moving things around and trying not to panic were had, until the water slowed down and started dropping......phew :) So nothing ruined, some wet floors and socks but we're ok. Now there's just the mud to cope with.
So fingers crossed spring is now really on it's way. This week (1st March) we'll be giving and receiving martenitsa's again. They're the traditional red and white wrist bands or pins that we wear to appease Baba Marta in the hope of good weather. They're worn until you see the first storks of the year, then tied to a tree or placed under a stone for luck. The 3rd of March is Todoroff Den, a day to celebrate horses, this year I'll be heading out to meet friends at Arbanassi and to see the parade of riders there. Also coming up is International Ladies Day on 8th March, and that's a day out for the ladies of the village, should be fun as they're a comical bunch once you can understand the Bulgarian language. So a busy month for me and if the ground dries up enough I'll be starting my Spring planting outdoors also, onions and radish mainly. I have a few seedling in pots inside already, garlic and peas overwintered in the garden but I think the lettuces have been eaten by snails so I'd best plant more.
Hopefully I'll be back to riding shortly too, it seems like years since I last went for a hack out. I'm just waiting for the ground to dry a little more and I'll be off exploring again. The ponies and donkey haven't had the easiest of winters and were really bored when they couldn't get out. Maybe this year we'll have time to build a small turnout paddock with a shelter which is much needed. One of the ponies had colic the day before hubby came home so a visit from a local vet was needed and a very stressful night was had by me. Luckily she's fully recovered now but cannot have any straw bedding as she will eat it and that could be part of the problem.
I'm off to my bed now, but hope you're all having a good week. Leka nosht :)
Thursday, 5 January 2012
300 Posts & Happy New Year to all
Double whammy - Best wishes for 2012 and my 300th post here. So what does the future hold for us all? I'm not even sure I'd like to know if it was possible. Much easier to take things as they come and work out any problems on the way.
Speaking of problems - we've had no phone line now for 16 days thanks to Vivacom, their inept customer service and even worse, their ability to actually listen to clients and get off their backsides and fix the problem. How many e-mails and phone calls will it take to finally get sorted? I hope they don't expect to be paid for this month either.
Did you make any New Year's resolutions? I will admit to not making any at all this time round, nor even really thinking about it. Christmas and New Year have been a very quiet one for us and my days have been much the same as normal. Animal feeding, mucking out, riding the ponies and not much else. But the weather has been good, bright and sunny even though we've had a fair amount of snow.
I've figured out that Maya really likes snow, and loves to go out hacking in it. Instead of being quite laid back and happy to plod she can get quite exciteable but does calm down after 10 minutes or so. The snow has almost melted now but we're due more at the weekend but hopefully if all is well on saturday Karen is going into town so I can hitch a lift and stock up on provisions again. Karen has been over today so we managed a nice leisurely hack out with both of the ponies. It went well apart from Milka getting a fright when my dog Baba ran up behind her twice. Baba doesn't usually come with me but must have decided she fancied a change of scenery!
The 2 dogs we have been caring for over the holidays will be going home this weekend. Their owners Alex and Jodie are due back from Texas and are looking forward to seeing their pets again. It'll be a little quieter with 2 less dogs and a cat and great to see our friends again.
I'm already thinking about what to plant this year in the garden, but will have to wait until the ground dries up before I can really do anything. I'm hoping we have more volunteers too as there are plenty of jobs and I really do need the help. Plus I enjoy having friendly, interesting people about the place. It's always lovely to hear their stories, swap ideas and generally have a laugh.
Our friend Neville is back in hospital unfortunately as he has an infection. He's been rather ill again but hopefully is on the road to recovery. Get well soon Neville xxx
Speaking of problems - we've had no phone line now for 16 days thanks to Vivacom, their inept customer service and even worse, their ability to actually listen to clients and get off their backsides and fix the problem. How many e-mails and phone calls will it take to finally get sorted? I hope they don't expect to be paid for this month either.
Did you make any New Year's resolutions? I will admit to not making any at all this time round, nor even really thinking about it. Christmas and New Year have been a very quiet one for us and my days have been much the same as normal. Animal feeding, mucking out, riding the ponies and not much else. But the weather has been good, bright and sunny even though we've had a fair amount of snow.
I've figured out that Maya really likes snow, and loves to go out hacking in it. Instead of being quite laid back and happy to plod she can get quite exciteable but does calm down after 10 minutes or so. The snow has almost melted now but we're due more at the weekend but hopefully if all is well on saturday Karen is going into town so I can hitch a lift and stock up on provisions again. Karen has been over today so we managed a nice leisurely hack out with both of the ponies. It went well apart from Milka getting a fright when my dog Baba ran up behind her twice. Baba doesn't usually come with me but must have decided she fancied a change of scenery!
The 2 dogs we have been caring for over the holidays will be going home this weekend. Their owners Alex and Jodie are due back from Texas and are looking forward to seeing their pets again. It'll be a little quieter with 2 less dogs and a cat and great to see our friends again.
I'm already thinking about what to plant this year in the garden, but will have to wait until the ground dries up before I can really do anything. I'm hoping we have more volunteers too as there are plenty of jobs and I really do need the help. Plus I enjoy having friendly, interesting people about the place. It's always lovely to hear their stories, swap ideas and generally have a laugh.
Our friend Neville is back in hospital unfortunately as he has an infection. He's been rather ill again but hopefully is on the road to recovery. Get well soon Neville xxx
Monday, 10 October 2011
A Change of Pace
I babble on about the weather in most of my blogs posts and this one is no different! We have had rain, and a fair old amount of the stuff - just what the garden needs after at least 8 weeks without it. Hopefully as temperatures aren't that cold we may even get some grass starting to come through as the field has been looking pretty bare and parched.
We have filled the central heating system back up and had the fire burning, luckily all of our winter wood supply is indoors and nicely seasoned so should burn really well. There is still a fair amount of logs to split but that can be done over time, a little a day and soon it will be all ready for the winter.
At the moment we have 2 workaway volunteers with us and they are really nice. We've enjoyed having both lots of volunteers stay and help and I think we'd be hosts again, but probably not this year as there is less to do now. Next spring we'll probably start accepting volunteers again to help in the garden and with a few projects that we haven't got round to doing this year.
I'm quite looking forward to winter, snuggled up with a book, fire roaring away and not worrying about whether or not my clothing matches as no-one will see it anyway. There will still be the animals to take care of and the usual cleaning and cooking but there should be more time to chill out and relax too.
My garden is looking a bit bare since the pumpkin harvest and now most of the other plants have been pulled out too. I do have garlic, peas, lettuce and radish planted so we may get a late crop of a few things. If not at least the garlic should grow well and be established before winter arrives, then have a head start in the spring. This year's garlic bulbs were wonderful and pretty big, the best to date. I have saved a couple of chilli plants and potted them up to come inside for the colder months, this week all of the small potted trees, flowering plants in pots and a few other bits and pieces will have to be brought in to the house until spring. Every year the number of pots in the house grows and I struggle to find places for everything!
Well I'm off to find something to do, woke up this morning with backache and have had a headache lingering on since around 10am - I doubt looking at this pc screen is helping!
Ciao for now :)
We have filled the central heating system back up and had the fire burning, luckily all of our winter wood supply is indoors and nicely seasoned so should burn really well. There is still a fair amount of logs to split but that can be done over time, a little a day and soon it will be all ready for the winter.
At the moment we have 2 workaway volunteers with us and they are really nice. We've enjoyed having both lots of volunteers stay and help and I think we'd be hosts again, but probably not this year as there is less to do now. Next spring we'll probably start accepting volunteers again to help in the garden and with a few projects that we haven't got round to doing this year.
I'm quite looking forward to winter, snuggled up with a book, fire roaring away and not worrying about whether or not my clothing matches as no-one will see it anyway. There will still be the animals to take care of and the usual cleaning and cooking but there should be more time to chill out and relax too.
My garden is looking a bit bare since the pumpkin harvest and now most of the other plants have been pulled out too. I do have garlic, peas, lettuce and radish planted so we may get a late crop of a few things. If not at least the garlic should grow well and be established before winter arrives, then have a head start in the spring. This year's garlic bulbs were wonderful and pretty big, the best to date. I have saved a couple of chilli plants and potted them up to come inside for the colder months, this week all of the small potted trees, flowering plants in pots and a few other bits and pieces will have to be brought in to the house until spring. Every year the number of pots in the house grows and I struggle to find places for everything!
Well I'm off to find something to do, woke up this morning with backache and have had a headache lingering on since around 10am - I doubt looking at this pc screen is helping!
Ciao for now :)
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Feeling a Bit Lost
I'm struggling to get back into a routine now that the Wwoofers and our guests have gone. Seem to have lost the urge to really do much but I'm muddling along as usual in my own time and thinking that it's far too quiet here again.
Meanwhile my garden is struggling too, we've not had any rain for about a month and the constant sunshine and lack of water is weakening the plants. It's almost time to be pulling out the tomatoes and thinking about clearing the plot to make way for overwintered stuff like garlic. I'd like to plant lots more garlic this October and have the space for it, we use it almost every day so would save money by growing more.
I'm also going to overwinter lettuce and try growing a late crop of radishes this year. Work has started on a polytunnel(ish) structure but until it's finished I might make a couple of small cloches to extend the growing season slightly here. Not that it's cold enough for them yet - it's still mild and sunny most days with temperatures quite high during the day. Nights are cooler though and I'm actually wearing a cardigan tonight :)
Poor little Baba dog has learnt a lesson tonight, the hard way! She loves to come with me when the horses go out or come back in for the night. They usually tolerate her quite well and are used to seeing her following me around. Tonight she got a little bit too close to Milka's back feet and ended up getting a quick warning kick! Luckily for her she's fine and wasn't hurt, but it might make her a little more wary of getting too near a half tonne animal with big hooves.
Meanwhile my garden is struggling too, we've not had any rain for about a month and the constant sunshine and lack of water is weakening the plants. It's almost time to be pulling out the tomatoes and thinking about clearing the plot to make way for overwintered stuff like garlic. I'd like to plant lots more garlic this October and have the space for it, we use it almost every day so would save money by growing more.
I'm also going to overwinter lettuce and try growing a late crop of radishes this year. Work has started on a polytunnel(ish) structure but until it's finished I might make a couple of small cloches to extend the growing season slightly here. Not that it's cold enough for them yet - it's still mild and sunny most days with temperatures quite high during the day. Nights are cooler though and I'm actually wearing a cardigan tonight :)
Poor little Baba dog has learnt a lesson tonight, the hard way! She loves to come with me when the horses go out or come back in for the night. They usually tolerate her quite well and are used to seeing her following me around. Tonight she got a little bit too close to Milka's back feet and ended up getting a quick warning kick! Luckily for her she's fine and wasn't hurt, but it might make her a little more wary of getting too near a half tonne animal with big hooves.
Monday, 5 September 2011
Steady Progress & a Houseful
Well we've gone from being just the 2 of us rattling around in the house, me on my own during the day, to having a houseful of people and it's really nice to be honest.
Not only have we had 2 guests staying - a lovely young couple who are buying a house in another village and needed a place to stay for a few weeks. We now have 2 lovely and hardworking WWoofer's here and over the last week they've helped out so much. I'd recommend anyone who has a small holding or large garden growing vegetable etc to take a look at the Wwoof site (you'll find a link here on my blog), read the information and if you feel you have something to offer volunteers, enrol as a host farm.
This is the first time we've had volunteers stay and I can't praise them enough. They are energetic, polite, helpful and eager to learn new things plus great company. The problem with hubby having to work when he can is that I get left to my own devices and quite often end up sidetracked and don't finish jobs I have to do. Then the garden starts looking a mess and I get down and do even less. With help here though I've found it easier to stay motivated and jobs have been done properly. So now the herb and raised early vegetable beds are all clear, the straw bales have been stored away in the barn and a very neglected corner of the garden has been given a new lease of life.
I'm not sure how long the volunteers are staying but with so much help here we may even get that bl**dy paddock fence done and hope to build a small polytunnel this week too. I'm off now to make lunch, have a rest and then get back to work once the weather has cooled down a little and will post photos another day :)
Not only have we had 2 guests staying - a lovely young couple who are buying a house in another village and needed a place to stay for a few weeks. We now have 2 lovely and hardworking WWoofer's here and over the last week they've helped out so much. I'd recommend anyone who has a small holding or large garden growing vegetable etc to take a look at the Wwoof site (you'll find a link here on my blog), read the information and if you feel you have something to offer volunteers, enrol as a host farm.
This is the first time we've had volunteers stay and I can't praise them enough. They are energetic, polite, helpful and eager to learn new things plus great company. The problem with hubby having to work when he can is that I get left to my own devices and quite often end up sidetracked and don't finish jobs I have to do. Then the garden starts looking a mess and I get down and do even less. With help here though I've found it easier to stay motivated and jobs have been done properly. So now the herb and raised early vegetable beds are all clear, the straw bales have been stored away in the barn and a very neglected corner of the garden has been given a new lease of life.
I'm not sure how long the volunteers are staying but with so much help here we may even get that bl**dy paddock fence done and hope to build a small polytunnel this week too. I'm off now to make lunch, have a rest and then get back to work once the weather has cooled down a little and will post photos another day :)
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Piggin Lovely
Once again we've been busy, and now there are a few more small jobs finished in the house and they can be ticked off the evergrowing list of things to do. The tiling in the living/dining room and on the staircase is finished and what a difference it makes. I've still got to grout some of it though but that's the easy part!
Yesterday evening we had friends around and roasted a half pig, it was such a beautiful sight and enjoyed by everyone who came along. Each person brought along a side dish and none of us really knew what the other would bring so that added an element of surprise too. The table was laden with food, drinks flowed nicely and all 6 of the children that were here managed to behave quite well mostly. The rain stayed away and although there was a slight breeze the weather was nice. I'm sure we'll have another pig roast (this was our second) or BBQ at some point this year as it's really nice to be able to enjoy an evening with great company. The only downside to last night was when hubby decided to have a quick dip in the pool and forgot to remove his full pack of cigarettes and lighter from his pocket, they're ruined but it was rather funny.
My garden is looking a little crowded, as admittedly I've not done any weeding for some time. But we are picking ripe cherry tomatoes daily and everything else looks well. Apart from the young onions that I grew from seed and the last chilli plants that went in as the dog has dug them up overnight in her attempt to stash leftovers from the pig roast! Poor Baba the Bulgarian mongrel is looking a little sorry for herself today and I can only guess that she may have eaten too much pork last night. Hopefully she'll perk up tomorrow and be back to her usual, happy self. Neighbours and friends have been giving us bags of cucumbers so we're eating a lot of salads.
Tomorrow we have to go and collect the barley from the village corporation that we ordered earlier in the year. We never know until it's been harvested how much we will get as you pay by the amount of land so some years the harvest is better than others. This year we have 2 decares of land and the harvest was 320 kilo's per decare, so we are collecting 640 kilo's of barley tomorrow which will help feed the pigs and horses over the winter months. There's still straw to order and maize to collect when it's ready too. We just need to sort out some storage for everything now.
I've already started on stocking the kitchen cupboards for winter but am finding it really hard to cook for just two of us, instead of 4, so the plastic freezer tubs are starting to be filled with things I've made that we can just reheat later in the year. Soon I'll be in preserving mode and I'm just waiting for the victoria plums to ripen fully before I turn them into jam. This year I will make less jam and simply freeze some of them for crumbles and puddings over the winter. I won't be making chutneys this year as we still haven't eaten all of the last batch I made. However, I will be turning a lot of the tomatoes, peppers and aubergines into sauces and soups again mmmmmm.
Well I'm off now to sort out leftovers for tea, feed the animals and spend a quiet night in front of the TV.
Yesterday evening we had friends around and roasted a half pig, it was such a beautiful sight and enjoyed by everyone who came along. Each person brought along a side dish and none of us really knew what the other would bring so that added an element of surprise too. The table was laden with food, drinks flowed nicely and all 6 of the children that were here managed to behave quite well mostly. The rain stayed away and although there was a slight breeze the weather was nice. I'm sure we'll have another pig roast (this was our second) or BBQ at some point this year as it's really nice to be able to enjoy an evening with great company. The only downside to last night was when hubby decided to have a quick dip in the pool and forgot to remove his full pack of cigarettes and lighter from his pocket, they're ruined but it was rather funny.
My garden is looking a little crowded, as admittedly I've not done any weeding for some time. But we are picking ripe cherry tomatoes daily and everything else looks well. Apart from the young onions that I grew from seed and the last chilli plants that went in as the dog has dug them up overnight in her attempt to stash leftovers from the pig roast! Poor Baba the Bulgarian mongrel is looking a little sorry for herself today and I can only guess that she may have eaten too much pork last night. Hopefully she'll perk up tomorrow and be back to her usual, happy self. Neighbours and friends have been giving us bags of cucumbers so we're eating a lot of salads.
Tomorrow we have to go and collect the barley from the village corporation that we ordered earlier in the year. We never know until it's been harvested how much we will get as you pay by the amount of land so some years the harvest is better than others. This year we have 2 decares of land and the harvest was 320 kilo's per decare, so we are collecting 640 kilo's of barley tomorrow which will help feed the pigs and horses over the winter months. There's still straw to order and maize to collect when it's ready too. We just need to sort out some storage for everything now.
I've already started on stocking the kitchen cupboards for winter but am finding it really hard to cook for just two of us, instead of 4, so the plastic freezer tubs are starting to be filled with things I've made that we can just reheat later in the year. Soon I'll be in preserving mode and I'm just waiting for the victoria plums to ripen fully before I turn them into jam. This year I will make less jam and simply freeze some of them for crumbles and puddings over the winter. I won't be making chutneys this year as we still haven't eaten all of the last batch I made. However, I will be turning a lot of the tomatoes, peppers and aubergines into sauces and soups again mmmmmm.
Well I'm off now to sort out leftovers for tea, feed the animals and spend a quiet night in front of the TV.
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Plodding Along
Changeable weather here again with more storms thrown in for the dramatic effects, in fact we were sat outside last night watching the lightning flash across the fields with the rumbling, rolling thunder right overhead. It was fantastic and again I got off from garden watering duties as the hevens opened and did it for me.
We had friends and family arrive on Tuesday who will be staying for a couple of weeks, so things are a little less peaceful here and it's lovely to see them again. I hope they enjoy their holiday.
Today has been breezy and cool so I managed to get in the garden and clear another raised bed ready for other things to be planted. I have some carrots, beetroot and chard that need thinned out so they'll be transplanted later on once the sun has gone down. We've eaten our first cucumber and tomatoes from the garden and they were lovely. Hopefully there are plenty more to come.
We are having a half pig roast next week and it will be lovely to have more friends around and catch up. As there are a few kids coming I've decided that they will have their own table and picnic food - I'm not the most patient of people and like to eat my meal without a lot of fuss and kids grabbing at things so this seems the easiest option. Plus they can get in the pool and have fun while the adults chat etc. let's see how it goes, I may even take some photos for this blog as it's lacking in a bit of colour lately :)
We had friends and family arrive on Tuesday who will be staying for a couple of weeks, so things are a little less peaceful here and it's lovely to see them again. I hope they enjoy their holiday.
Today has been breezy and cool so I managed to get in the garden and clear another raised bed ready for other things to be planted. I have some carrots, beetroot and chard that need thinned out so they'll be transplanted later on once the sun has gone down. We've eaten our first cucumber and tomatoes from the garden and they were lovely. Hopefully there are plenty more to come.
We are having a half pig roast next week and it will be lovely to have more friends around and catch up. As there are a few kids coming I've decided that they will have their own table and picnic food - I'm not the most patient of people and like to eat my meal without a lot of fuss and kids grabbing at things so this seems the easiest option. Plus they can get in the pool and have fun while the adults chat etc. let's see how it goes, I may even take some photos for this blog as it's lacking in a bit of colour lately :)
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
I Hear Thunder
This weather just doesn't quite know what to do with itself it seems. We've had fabulous sunshine most days and some fantastic storms too. Thunder, lightening and even hailstones yesterday. It rained so much yesterday afternoon that our pool overflowed, but then the sun came back out and today is bright and warm again.
Hopefully by the end of the week we should have our first crop of hay cut from part of our land, which we've not done before. All the rain we've had and sunshine has meant that the grass (and weeds) has grown wonderfully long and thick and it seems a shame not to use it as animal feed for the winter. We aren't buying any lucerne (alfalfa) this year from the corporation as A) it's expensive to have baled up and B) seems to make one of our mares quite tense and at times aggresive when they're stuck in during the worst weather. So we'll have to try and get as much hay as we can stored and ready for when we need it.
Other news is that the kids are now definitely going back to the UK to finish their schooling. Education here is good but they aren't progressing enough to be able to finish their education at the right ages. Son hit the nail on the head when he said "At this rate we'll be 25 by the time we leave school" I'm really going to miss them and am so proud of what they have achieved here in Bulgarian school, but I have to give in and say that them returning to the UK is possibly for the best. Best for them, but upsetting for me!
Hubby's broken rib(s) are almost healed and there are a few jobs waiting for him when he feels up to it. Mostly for other people though as renovations here have drawn to a halt again due to a lack of funds. At least the good weather gives me plenty to do outside and the animals are much happier now that they get to spend all day eating. Some of my vegetables are growing really well but others are struggling with the increased temperatures. The radish and onions are now trying to bolt, whilst the lettuce seems to be wilting with the heat. But I have pumpkin plants popping up all over the place so the pigs will be happy when it's harvest time!
A local charity that helps Bulgarian children and orphans is having a whole pig roast on July 2nd and one of our piggy's is the main course. Bookings are going well and I'm sure the day will be a huge success and raise much needed cash to help more children.
Hopefully by the end of the week we should have our first crop of hay cut from part of our land, which we've not done before. All the rain we've had and sunshine has meant that the grass (and weeds) has grown wonderfully long and thick and it seems a shame not to use it as animal feed for the winter. We aren't buying any lucerne (alfalfa) this year from the corporation as A) it's expensive to have baled up and B) seems to make one of our mares quite tense and at times aggresive when they're stuck in during the worst weather. So we'll have to try and get as much hay as we can stored and ready for when we need it.
Other news is that the kids are now definitely going back to the UK to finish their schooling. Education here is good but they aren't progressing enough to be able to finish their education at the right ages. Son hit the nail on the head when he said "At this rate we'll be 25 by the time we leave school" I'm really going to miss them and am so proud of what they have achieved here in Bulgarian school, but I have to give in and say that them returning to the UK is possibly for the best. Best for them, but upsetting for me!
Hubby's broken rib(s) are almost healed and there are a few jobs waiting for him when he feels up to it. Mostly for other people though as renovations here have drawn to a halt again due to a lack of funds. At least the good weather gives me plenty to do outside and the animals are much happier now that they get to spend all day eating. Some of my vegetables are growing really well but others are struggling with the increased temperatures. The radish and onions are now trying to bolt, whilst the lettuce seems to be wilting with the heat. But I have pumpkin plants popping up all over the place so the pigs will be happy when it's harvest time!
A local charity that helps Bulgarian children and orphans is having a whole pig roast on July 2nd and one of our piggy's is the main course. Bookings are going well and I'm sure the day will be a huge success and raise much needed cash to help more children.
Thursday, 12 May 2011
Taking The Smooth With The Rough
Things weatherwise have been very up and down here lately. Rain one minute and sunshine the next and it's driving me mad - yesterday I managed to get outside and do some much needed weeding and caught the sun, today I'm indoors with a jumper and long pants on again. Grrrr hurry up summer!
But at least the time we're having to spend indoors is helping hubby recover from his broken rib/ribs. He's feeling much better but not totally healed yet. He's sleeping a bit easier and right now is in his workshop doing something - sometimes I worry that I married the mad inventor lol. At least he is much happier though and has a few jobs lined up soon. While he's been laid up he has been experimenting with making smoked bacon, ham joints and gammon which have all been a magnificent success. It's lovely to have some really good tasting pork products as that's one of the things we really can't buy here.
I've started tentatively planting things outside and all of the flowering plants have been evicted from the house too. I'd planned to get the tomato plants in the groundd today as they really need a larger space but the weather seems to be playing a few tricks today and we're having sunny spells interspersed with quite heavy rain. We've already had a few meals with some fresh produce from the garden - just radishes and a few baby lettuce so far, but it's a start and there should be plenty more over the coming months.
There have been some tough decisions to make this year so far and it looks like the kids will be heading back to the UK to finish their education. It makes me sad that they won't be here but it is probably the best option for them. The education here is good but the school really isn't pushing them enough and they seem to spend half of their class time asleep, drawing pictures or reading books. It's not fair to try and keep them here when they aren't really making any futher progress at school. The finer points haven't been decided yet and we're not sure when they will be going.
But at least the time we're having to spend indoors is helping hubby recover from his broken rib/ribs. He's feeling much better but not totally healed yet. He's sleeping a bit easier and right now is in his workshop doing something - sometimes I worry that I married the mad inventor lol. At least he is much happier though and has a few jobs lined up soon. While he's been laid up he has been experimenting with making smoked bacon, ham joints and gammon which have all been a magnificent success. It's lovely to have some really good tasting pork products as that's one of the things we really can't buy here.
I've started tentatively planting things outside and all of the flowering plants have been evicted from the house too. I'd planned to get the tomato plants in the groundd today as they really need a larger space but the weather seems to be playing a few tricks today and we're having sunny spells interspersed with quite heavy rain. We've already had a few meals with some fresh produce from the garden - just radishes and a few baby lettuce so far, but it's a start and there should be plenty more over the coming months.
There have been some tough decisions to make this year so far and it looks like the kids will be heading back to the UK to finish their education. It makes me sad that they won't be here but it is probably the best option for them. The education here is good but the school really isn't pushing them enough and they seem to spend half of their class time asleep, drawing pictures or reading books. It's not fair to try and keep them here when they aren't really making any futher progress at school. The finer points haven't been decided yet and we're not sure when they will be going.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Spring Photo's
As the weather is a bit cooler today I'm indoors and have some free time to post the long promised spring photgraphs of things around the garden. I'm still experimenting with the camera but do like the photo's I take so I guess that's what counts :)
I have a few small experiments going on in the garden this year too with one or 2 of the raised beds, lots of old straw bales and copious amounts of well aged compost. The neighbours still shake their heads and think I'm mad but at least they laugh about it now and occasionally agree that some of my methods do actually work. Mind you it's just occasionally, the rest of the time they just can't make their minds up about what I'm doing at all. It's fun to keep them guessing though :)
The daffodils and snowdrops are all finished now but there are signs of life in the flower garden again, small seedlings are popping up everywhere and the peony roses are getting taller daily. Some of the seedlings may well turn out to be weeds but it's a waiting game at the moment. My vegetable seedlings are still indoors as the nighttime temperatures haven't been great here, they are rising but slowly so hopefully in a couple of weeks everything else can go into it's final place in the garden.
And finally a lovley photo of some of the local girls (and my daughter) in tradtional Bulgarian costume, going round the village singing and dancing for Lazaren day. They had a great time and came home with loads of sweets, some money and 2 dozen eggs each!
I have a few small experiments going on in the garden this year too with one or 2 of the raised beds, lots of old straw bales and copious amounts of well aged compost. The neighbours still shake their heads and think I'm mad but at least they laugh about it now and occasionally agree that some of my methods do actually work. Mind you it's just occasionally, the rest of the time they just can't make their minds up about what I'm doing at all. It's fun to keep them guessing though :)
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Catching Up
After a few awful, wet, cold and quite dreary days and the meterological people issuing a code yellow for bad weather, the weather today has been lovely so we've spent the whole day in the garden catching up with things and dong what seemed like small jobs but are the type that really make a difference.
The dog proofed fence and gates are now finished and look very nice if I must say so myself, it certainly makes the garden look different and now I don't have to worry about big Spaniel paws trampling on my vegetables. Baba our little Bulgarian dog is not too impressed though as she can no longer go up the garden to bark or disappear off down the field unless we're out there with her. Not that she goes far or runs away but it's just nice to know she can't come to any harm.
Also finished is hubby's new BBQ, oh how he does love a good BBQ as many of our friends will confirm. When we first moved here he built a very nice BBQ in the corner of our yard that has served us well for 3 years but was looking a little tired and really wasn't in the best place so it was time for something different. After demolishing and recycling parts of the old BBQ he got straight to work and built a new, improved BBQ in our animal free garden zone, and boy is it a sight to be seen, very nice with lights and everything plus a few special touches......now we just need to start using it!
I've spent time today weeding the vegetables and flower bed, plus generally pottering about. The kids have been into town for a friend's birthday so it's been lovely and peaceful here too. There are still a lot of flowers to appear in my garden hopefully but the vegetables so far seem to be doing ok. I have a whole load of tomato, pepper, chilli and other things to plant out soon but need to put a bit more work into the raised bed area and find enough space for everything. My sister in law left some vegetable seeds last year when she returned to the UK, which had gone out of date, so thinking that they wouldn't germinate very well I put the whole lot in the soil and left them to it, now I have an abundance of swede, cabbage, broccolli and various salad leaves popping up everywhere! But if we don't manage to eat or freeze it all I'm sure I can find a few pigs that will help out.
Speaking of pigs, they are all doing fantastic, putting on weight steadily and getting up to mischief as usual. Hubby built yet another pig feeder today, so let's see how long this one lasts before they dismantle it!
The dog proofed fence and gates are now finished and look very nice if I must say so myself, it certainly makes the garden look different and now I don't have to worry about big Spaniel paws trampling on my vegetables. Baba our little Bulgarian dog is not too impressed though as she can no longer go up the garden to bark or disappear off down the field unless we're out there with her. Not that she goes far or runs away but it's just nice to know she can't come to any harm.
Also finished is hubby's new BBQ, oh how he does love a good BBQ as many of our friends will confirm. When we first moved here he built a very nice BBQ in the corner of our yard that has served us well for 3 years but was looking a little tired and really wasn't in the best place so it was time for something different. After demolishing and recycling parts of the old BBQ he got straight to work and built a new, improved BBQ in our animal free garden zone, and boy is it a sight to be seen, very nice with lights and everything plus a few special touches......now we just need to start using it!
I've spent time today weeding the vegetables and flower bed, plus generally pottering about. The kids have been into town for a friend's birthday so it's been lovely and peaceful here too. There are still a lot of flowers to appear in my garden hopefully but the vegetables so far seem to be doing ok. I have a whole load of tomato, pepper, chilli and other things to plant out soon but need to put a bit more work into the raised bed area and find enough space for everything. My sister in law left some vegetable seeds last year when she returned to the UK, which had gone out of date, so thinking that they wouldn't germinate very well I put the whole lot in the soil and left them to it, now I have an abundance of swede, cabbage, broccolli and various salad leaves popping up everywhere! But if we don't manage to eat or freeze it all I'm sure I can find a few pigs that will help out.
Speaking of pigs, they are all doing fantastic, putting on weight steadily and getting up to mischief as usual. Hubby built yet another pig feeder today, so let's see how long this one lasts before they dismantle it!
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Blossom Everywhere
I love this time of year, all of the plum trees are blossoming and the bees are busy pollinating the flowers. The smell is fantastic, even my small lemon tree has burst into flower. As the weeks go by other trees open the leaves and petals so the landscape is constantly changing from one day to the next. The garden is coming to life and soon it'll be madness trying to get everything planted and keep it watered.
We've had a busy few days and got a lot of jobs sorted out. The small trees and weeds have been cleared from the back of the barn, hubby's lovely hammock hanger is having a makeover and will become a much more useful thing over the next few month (more on that another time). The posts are in for my paddock, so I may get some riding done this year hopefully. I'd like to get back in the saddle but need to build some confidence first in an enclosed area.
I've added some old straw bales to the vegetable garden 1) as a border between different areas and 2) because some plants can be grown directly on top of the bales. Means less bending to weed and although the bales will only last around 2 years, once they have finished being used for planting the should be broken down enough to benefit the garden as compost would. Many barrows of our lovely compost have been added to the raised beds and new areas that I'll use later in the year.
I've been planting herbs and more tomato plants (cherry tomatoes this time), weeded parts of the flower beds and also netted the strawberry plants to try and keeps the dogs off them. Last year our strawberries were eaten by the bantams but since we don't have any loose chickens now (they're only allowed out to roam under supervision and spend the rest of the time in their large pen) hopefully we'll have a nice crop of strawberries to eat soon.
Last week I did take some photgraphs to post here but alas I'm yet again on the slow old laptop as our keyboard has mysteriously been broken on the pc! So bear with me and I promise to get some piccies uploaded sometime in the next week.
Easter will soon be here, but before that is another small event - it's my birthday tomorrow, another year older and possibly, maybe a little bit wiser.....or not, who knows? We're not doing anything special (unless it's a secret) but may have a wee drink or 3 to celebrate. The weather isn't wonderful this week and has been windy and much cooler, so we're still lighting the fire on an evening and eating lovely comfort and warming food. Roll on summer and salads!
I'm off back to the garden now to wheelbarrow more compost for the raised beds - lucky me :) But if you get a chance I'd like you to have a look at one of my friends blogs http://misswhiplash.wordpress.com/ It's not what it sounds like but amusing, well written and truthful, I like it anyway and hope you will too.
We've had a busy few days and got a lot of jobs sorted out. The small trees and weeds have been cleared from the back of the barn, hubby's lovely hammock hanger is having a makeover and will become a much more useful thing over the next few month (more on that another time). The posts are in for my paddock, so I may get some riding done this year hopefully. I'd like to get back in the saddle but need to build some confidence first in an enclosed area.
I've added some old straw bales to the vegetable garden 1) as a border between different areas and 2) because some plants can be grown directly on top of the bales. Means less bending to weed and although the bales will only last around 2 years, once they have finished being used for planting the should be broken down enough to benefit the garden as compost would. Many barrows of our lovely compost have been added to the raised beds and new areas that I'll use later in the year.
I've been planting herbs and more tomato plants (cherry tomatoes this time), weeded parts of the flower beds and also netted the strawberry plants to try and keeps the dogs off them. Last year our strawberries were eaten by the bantams but since we don't have any loose chickens now (they're only allowed out to roam under supervision and spend the rest of the time in their large pen) hopefully we'll have a nice crop of strawberries to eat soon.
Last week I did take some photgraphs to post here but alas I'm yet again on the slow old laptop as our keyboard has mysteriously been broken on the pc! So bear with me and I promise to get some piccies uploaded sometime in the next week.
Easter will soon be here, but before that is another small event - it's my birthday tomorrow, another year older and possibly, maybe a little bit wiser.....or not, who knows? We're not doing anything special (unless it's a secret) but may have a wee drink or 3 to celebrate. The weather isn't wonderful this week and has been windy and much cooler, so we're still lighting the fire on an evening and eating lovely comfort and warming food. Roll on summer and salads!
I'm off back to the garden now to wheelbarrow more compost for the raised beds - lucky me :) But if you get a chance I'd like you to have a look at one of my friends blogs http://misswhiplash.wordpress.com/ It's not what it sounds like but amusing, well written and truthful, I like it anyway and hope you will too.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
From A Different View
For the last week or so we've been without internet. A problem with the supplier meant we were disconnected and needed a new contract. On the plus side it meant more time to get jobs done around the place and on a rainy day I rolled up my sleeves and got baking. Hubby has been busy creating things and we almost have a dog proof garden fenced in just for us humans to enjoy. He's built a water feature from recycled items and it's working really well, he's also made a lovely frame for our hammocks that reminds me somewhat of a maypole, but looks very nice. A little more work to level the ground below it and we'll be almost set for summer :)
The kids have been on spring holiday from school but are at the point where they refuse to help with anything and I end up frustrated and shouting at them, which turns into an all out war sometimes grrrrr. Being a parent is the hardest job in the world and there are times whether I wonder if I'm doing it right or making a complete hash of things! But at this point it's much easier to walk away from a teenager who's shouting in your face and go dig a patch in the garden - certainly helps with anger management and it's good for the garden too. Occasionally they will do small jobs but are now much more interested in music and eating judging from our food bills.
I now have onions, fodder beet (for the pigs), peas, sweetcorn and a whole range of other things planted in the garden. The over wintered garlic is shooting away and I wish I'd planted more of it (note to self for next October - plant more garlic!). Tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergines and courgettes are starting to show themselves, whilst the radish and lettuce are growing nicely and should be ready to start harvesting in a few weeks. I'm really looking forward to preparing a meal straight from the garden. It's going to take a bit longer to get the main growing area into shape this year as our neighbour's tractor has broken down so he's unable to plow for us, such a shame but it does mean I should hopefully be able to work off some of my excess weight digging and turning the ground over.
Sometime next week I'll get out with the camera and snap new pictures to put on here, I had planned to sit outside and blog today from the laptop as our new internet connection does not need to be tied to a electricity supply but the signal was not good and I kept losing the internet, still it is nice to be back outside in the garden most days and even better to be able to see new life growing everywhere. My favourite plum tree is just about in blossom at the moment so by this time next week we will have a confetti look everywhere. It's amazing how much plants and trees can change in such a short time and it gives us something different to look at almost every day. Well that's break time over so it's time to head back into the garden for an hour or so before the animals decide it's time to come in for the night.
The kids have been on spring holiday from school but are at the point where they refuse to help with anything and I end up frustrated and shouting at them, which turns into an all out war sometimes grrrrr. Being a parent is the hardest job in the world and there are times whether I wonder if I'm doing it right or making a complete hash of things! But at this point it's much easier to walk away from a teenager who's shouting in your face and go dig a patch in the garden - certainly helps with anger management and it's good for the garden too. Occasionally they will do small jobs but are now much more interested in music and eating judging from our food bills.
I now have onions, fodder beet (for the pigs), peas, sweetcorn and a whole range of other things planted in the garden. The over wintered garlic is shooting away and I wish I'd planted more of it (note to self for next October - plant more garlic!). Tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergines and courgettes are starting to show themselves, whilst the radish and lettuce are growing nicely and should be ready to start harvesting in a few weeks. I'm really looking forward to preparing a meal straight from the garden. It's going to take a bit longer to get the main growing area into shape this year as our neighbour's tractor has broken down so he's unable to plow for us, such a shame but it does mean I should hopefully be able to work off some of my excess weight digging and turning the ground over.
Sometime next week I'll get out with the camera and snap new pictures to put on here, I had planned to sit outside and blog today from the laptop as our new internet connection does not need to be tied to a electricity supply but the signal was not good and I kept losing the internet, still it is nice to be back outside in the garden most days and even better to be able to see new life growing everywhere. My favourite plum tree is just about in blossom at the moment so by this time next week we will have a confetti look everywhere. It's amazing how much plants and trees can change in such a short time and it gives us something different to look at almost every day. Well that's break time over so it's time to head back into the garden for an hour or so before the animals decide it's time to come in for the night.
Monday, 21 March 2011
Waiting For The Storks
We're still waiting for the first glimpse of the storks returning so that can finally remove our rather tired looking Martenitza's. This signifies the start of spring, although the official date for spring to start is today 21st March First Day of Spring in Bulgaria. Unfortunately the weather has cooled off considerably and been a bit overcast and showery for the last few days, so back into the drawers the shorts have gone and the woollen socks are firmly back on for now!
So far in the garden there's been a good show from the flowering bulbs, who are getting bigger every day, not that I can remember what they all are. Some though have perished and got frost bitten after the warm spell we had in January. I'm not sure they'll do anything at all now and there's a possibility that they will never flower again. I'll just leave them be and wait to see. But we do have radishes growing in the garden and the fruit trees look ready to sprout into life again.
The grass has made a huge leap and is starting to look green and lush in places, which of course doesn't last long when one of the horses or donkey gets at it, but in all the animals are really enjoying the longer, milder days and making the most of it. We've made a few changes in the chicken house and they've been spending more time free ranging in the garden. Gone is our "Spare" cockerel, new roosts and a nesting box are in place and everything seems calm in the hen house. In fact so calm that the hens have started laying again which is great news. Maybe we'll even get a broody hen this year and hatch some chicks.
So far in the garden there's been a good show from the flowering bulbs, who are getting bigger every day, not that I can remember what they all are. Some though have perished and got frost bitten after the warm spell we had in January. I'm not sure they'll do anything at all now and there's a possibility that they will never flower again. I'll just leave them be and wait to see. But we do have radishes growing in the garden and the fruit trees look ready to sprout into life again.
The grass has made a huge leap and is starting to look green and lush in places, which of course doesn't last long when one of the horses or donkey gets at it, but in all the animals are really enjoying the longer, milder days and making the most of it. We've made a few changes in the chicken house and they've been spending more time free ranging in the garden. Gone is our "Spare" cockerel, new roosts and a nesting box are in place and everything seems calm in the hen house. In fact so calm that the hens have started laying again which is great news. Maybe we'll even get a broody hen this year and hatch some chicks.
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Getting Some Garden Time
For the last 4 or 5 days the weather here has been fantastic, sun shining, barely a cloud in the sky and temperatures above 20 degrees C. What a total difference from last week and a very welcome sight.
It's meant that we could finally get outside and start on the garden. All winter you try to plan and imagine the changes you'd like to make and now's the time to get busy. The locals obviously agree and instead of hearing the whirr of chainsaws we've been listening to tractors plowing and some of the neighbours have plowed their gardens the old way with horses.
Our animals have been making full use of the good weather and there's been some sunbathing done too. The horses are shedding their winter coats and enjoying the first signs of grass coming through while the donkey has just been pleased to be out and really looked like she appreciated having a roll in our sand pile again.
The neighbours think we are slightly mad to be wearing shorts before the official start of spring (which is March 22nd) and have passed a few comments about the mad english but it's all in good fun and our tans are already starting to develop nicely.
The kids have been taking tests in school and have done really well. So much so that the director said he's very proud of them and they didn't expect them to do as well. Now they can be moved up a year and get closer to the class they should be in for their ages. We are so proud of them too, learning a new language is not easy yet they seem to have become almost fluent. Pity we haven't really done as well! Oh well I'll keep trying lol
It's meant that we could finally get outside and start on the garden. All winter you try to plan and imagine the changes you'd like to make and now's the time to get busy. The locals obviously agree and instead of hearing the whirr of chainsaws we've been listening to tractors plowing and some of the neighbours have plowed their gardens the old way with horses.
Our animals have been making full use of the good weather and there's been some sunbathing done too. The horses are shedding their winter coats and enjoying the first signs of grass coming through while the donkey has just been pleased to be out and really looked like she appreciated having a roll in our sand pile again.
The neighbours think we are slightly mad to be wearing shorts before the official start of spring (which is March 22nd) and have passed a few comments about the mad english but it's all in good fun and our tans are already starting to develop nicely.
The kids have been taking tests in school and have done really well. So much so that the director said he's very proud of them and they didn't expect them to do as well. Now they can be moved up a year and get closer to the class they should be in for their ages. We are so proud of them too, learning a new language is not easy yet they seem to have become almost fluent. Pity we haven't really done as well! Oh well I'll keep trying lol
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Shovelling My Way into 2011
I'm back and hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and new year. We've enjoyed a bit of a break, a few drinks and some lovely meals and are now raring to go again ish!
Christmas here was a quiet family day, it was also a muddy but very warm 17 degrees C, not at all like you expect for the time of year. Alas winter has reared her ugly head again and we currently have a rather good covering of snow and even day time temperatures have stayed around the zero mark. Snow and cold weather means the woodburner is lit early and the animals don't get out as often as they should do, which leaves me more time to read books or watch films.
Daily life goes on for the villagers and they still manage to get to the cafe every morning (even Christmas day) to discuss the gossip or find out what's been happening. New years eve is a bigger celebration here and the whole village was alive at stroke of midnight as the fireworks were set off and the locals celebrated, some were even out bringing in the new year to the sounds of kalashnikovs being fired!
So that's the excitement over and done with for another 11.5 months approx now and we've been thinking long and hard what to do with ourselves in 2011. We're hoping that new challenges may present themselves and the weather is good for the veggie garden!
What are your hopes or dreams for 2011?
Christmas here was a quiet family day, it was also a muddy but very warm 17 degrees C, not at all like you expect for the time of year. Alas winter has reared her ugly head again and we currently have a rather good covering of snow and even day time temperatures have stayed around the zero mark. Snow and cold weather means the woodburner is lit early and the animals don't get out as often as they should do, which leaves me more time to read books or watch films.
Daily life goes on for the villagers and they still manage to get to the cafe every morning (even Christmas day) to discuss the gossip or find out what's been happening. New years eve is a bigger celebration here and the whole village was alive at stroke of midnight as the fireworks were set off and the locals celebrated, some were even out bringing in the new year to the sounds of kalashnikovs being fired!
So that's the excitement over and done with for another 11.5 months approx now and we've been thinking long and hard what to do with ourselves in 2011. We're hoping that new challenges may present themselves and the weather is good for the veggie garden!
What are your hopes or dreams for 2011?
Sunday, 24 October 2010
Things that go Squeak in the Night!
It's that time of the year again when the rodents try and move indoors and the war starts as we try to keep them out of the house. Not that I have anything personally again the furry little critters but I just don't want them running around the house while I'm asleep.
A couple of weeks ago we'd started seeing signs of rodent activity inside so off I went and bought more traps, baited them and waited. Within 20 minutes I'd caught a mouse and was half hoping that we were of top of things, but over the last few days we've noticed rodent signs again and this time there wasn't just 1, but what seemed like a whole fleet of the buggers! So armed with a small amount of lard we set 3 traps last night in areas we'd seen droppings and within 3 hours we'd caught 5 mice and another overnight.
All seems quiet tonight although Molly the cocker spaniel is still on mouse watch. She's become obsessed with trying to catch them (but not suceeded as yet), Snotty the cat is not interested in the slightest and prefers to spend his days snoozing and waiting for a human to feed him! What a life eh?
This weekend I've managed to pull all of the pepper plants out, collected the last of the green tomatoes and make a start on preparing the raised beds for the winter. I'm hoping to turn one into a hotbed to try and extend the growing season, although I've not yet decided what I could grow. We'll see, I'm sure there is plenty of information available on the internet if I do some hunting around, maybe that will help me make my mind up. Hubby and I also sorted out the feed room today and moved all of the sacks of corn and barley further away from the house in an attempt to try and keep vermin away. This also meant moving little Butch, the Bulgarian bitsa back into his "winter" house where he'll be warmer when the temperatures drop.
Lately we've had some rather frosty mornings but today the sunshine was glorious and I had to remove my baba socks as I was getting a little warm while working. The washing dried well, spirits were lifted and we've had a quite nice, relaxing sunday with a lovely roast leg of our home reared pork for tea mmmmm. How has your weekend been?
A couple of weeks ago we'd started seeing signs of rodent activity inside so off I went and bought more traps, baited them and waited. Within 20 minutes I'd caught a mouse and was half hoping that we were of top of things, but over the last few days we've noticed rodent signs again and this time there wasn't just 1, but what seemed like a whole fleet of the buggers! So armed with a small amount of lard we set 3 traps last night in areas we'd seen droppings and within 3 hours we'd caught 5 mice and another overnight.
All seems quiet tonight although Molly the cocker spaniel is still on mouse watch. She's become obsessed with trying to catch them (but not suceeded as yet), Snotty the cat is not interested in the slightest and prefers to spend his days snoozing and waiting for a human to feed him! What a life eh?
This weekend I've managed to pull all of the pepper plants out, collected the last of the green tomatoes and make a start on preparing the raised beds for the winter. I'm hoping to turn one into a hotbed to try and extend the growing season, although I've not yet decided what I could grow. We'll see, I'm sure there is plenty of information available on the internet if I do some hunting around, maybe that will help me make my mind up. Hubby and I also sorted out the feed room today and moved all of the sacks of corn and barley further away from the house in an attempt to try and keep vermin away. This also meant moving little Butch, the Bulgarian bitsa back into his "winter" house where he'll be warmer when the temperatures drop.
Lately we've had some rather frosty mornings but today the sunshine was glorious and I had to remove my baba socks as I was getting a little warm while working. The washing dried well, spirits were lifted and we've had a quite nice, relaxing sunday with a lovely roast leg of our home reared pork for tea mmmmm. How has your weekend been?
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Slightly Bewildered
Now there are people that may think I live my life in a state of slight bewilderment all of the time, and I'd say that it could be partly true. I'm rather haphazard and dis-organised, but I'd like to think that's just part of the quirkiness that can be me. Today's event however, have left me feeling more out of sync than I like to. Possibly because I just don't completely understand what went on in court this morning. I'd expected to be met by an interpreter, stand in a court room full of people speaking a language I only half understand and find out who stole our machinery and then possibly even find out they/he/she would be given a sentence or whatever and we'd get our stuff back.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case today and the court hearing was all about them taking another statement from me in front of the judge, clerk, prosecutor and a lady police officer, along with the interpreter they had provided for me. Her translations were good (apart from telling me I was there to be interrogated!) and the judge was pleased that I was trying to learn Bulgarian and understood half of what was being said. Around 20 minutes later we were done and I was on my way back home. I understand the need for an official statement of course, but that's 3 that have now been given about the same break in and very little has changed - apart from us realising there is an electric planer also missing which was added to the list today. No mention of anyone being caught, questioned, or any of our things being found. Ho hum :(
On a much more positive note the concrete pad for our new above ground pool is finished and boy does it look good. I'm putting a new path in tomorrow and will take photos once it's completed. Really could do with one of the strimmers though as the grass and weeds are growing like crazy with all the rain we've had lately. Let's hope the sunshine returns soon or the pool will be very cold!
How did your day go?
Unfortunately that wasn't the case today and the court hearing was all about them taking another statement from me in front of the judge, clerk, prosecutor and a lady police officer, along with the interpreter they had provided for me. Her translations were good (apart from telling me I was there to be interrogated!) and the judge was pleased that I was trying to learn Bulgarian and understood half of what was being said. Around 20 minutes later we were done and I was on my way back home. I understand the need for an official statement of course, but that's 3 that have now been given about the same break in and very little has changed - apart from us realising there is an electric planer also missing which was added to the list today. No mention of anyone being caught, questioned, or any of our things being found. Ho hum :(
On a much more positive note the concrete pad for our new above ground pool is finished and boy does it look good. I'm putting a new path in tomorrow and will take photos once it's completed. Really could do with one of the strimmers though as the grass and weeds are growing like crazy with all the rain we've had lately. Let's hope the sunshine returns soon or the pool will be very cold!
How did your day go?
Monday, 19 July 2010
Possible Solutions
Yesterday afternoon because it rained so hard and we had hailstones bouncing around in high winds it was decided that work was over for the day, it was Sunday after all and all work, no rest makes for a very dull life. After a cup of coffee and a chat with a few people on the internet it was nice to be invited out for tea and to collect a rather large easy set pool which hubby had been looking for (and in the shops was beyond our budget). Ex-pats in a village near us had one for sale and said they'd sort everything out so we could go over and pick it up. So off we went and had a lovely time, chatting, eating great food, swapping tales of village life etc and collecting loads of new plants for the garden which were very kindly given to us.
It was rather late when we got home and dark but we managed to get the horses in and settled and everything tucked away for the night. So we now have a pool to cool off in, but first we'll have to make a flat area in a sunny part of the garden for it to sit on. The kids will love it when they get home and while they're away we'll enjoy it too! Photos will follow when we get the thing set up and filled.
This morning I planted all of the lovely flowers and herbs I was given and generally pottered about as usual. My pepper plants are finally starting to fruit and despite the harsh winds we had yesterday afternoon everything seems fine. Except my washing which blew off the line and had to be retrieved from the field lol.
We're getting even closer to Charlotte's next litter of piglets being born and I'm just as excited as the first time, in fact, probably more so as it won't be minus 27 degrees C outside! We've yet to get round to sorting out her house for the babies but it's on our list of "Must do" jobs as urgent. We have to remove the raised sleeping area that hubby built as the piglets managed to take it apart almost so it's probably safer for the new litter if we just take it away and give them some straw to sleep on. The pig house needs a thorough clean out, disinfected and left to dry before Charlotte can go in and make herself comfortable.
Tomorrow I'm off to the vets in town with Sasha our Springer Spaniel as she appears to have something in her back right paw, it's very red, weeping and she's been constantly licking it for 2 days without any sign of improvement. She's not poorly at all, eating well (as normal) and isn't limping but there's something definitely wrong so best go get it checked out. We think there may be a grass seed head wedged in under the skin which would need removed under sedation/anesthetic.
Trying to keep the dogs out of the long grass is a daily chore here, both of the spaniels love water too and are quite fond of jumping into the spring outside the house when they want to cool down or get a drink. Here's hoping her foot can be sorted quickly, painlessly and without much fuss. Vets here on the main are quite good, there is a vet in the village but I'm not too impressed with his services and practices so it's off to the big town we go where the vets there have a proper surgery, speak english and will take the time to find out what the problem is instead of just doling out medicines. So once again my painting/gardening plans have been altered but for a good cause, I'll let you know how we get on tomorrow.
It was rather late when we got home and dark but we managed to get the horses in and settled and everything tucked away for the night. So we now have a pool to cool off in, but first we'll have to make a flat area in a sunny part of the garden for it to sit on. The kids will love it when they get home and while they're away we'll enjoy it too! Photos will follow when we get the thing set up and filled.
This morning I planted all of the lovely flowers and herbs I was given and generally pottered about as usual. My pepper plants are finally starting to fruit and despite the harsh winds we had yesterday afternoon everything seems fine. Except my washing which blew off the line and had to be retrieved from the field lol.
We're getting even closer to Charlotte's next litter of piglets being born and I'm just as excited as the first time, in fact, probably more so as it won't be minus 27 degrees C outside! We've yet to get round to sorting out her house for the babies but it's on our list of "Must do" jobs as urgent. We have to remove the raised sleeping area that hubby built as the piglets managed to take it apart almost so it's probably safer for the new litter if we just take it away and give them some straw to sleep on. The pig house needs a thorough clean out, disinfected and left to dry before Charlotte can go in and make herself comfortable.
Tomorrow I'm off to the vets in town with Sasha our Springer Spaniel as she appears to have something in her back right paw, it's very red, weeping and she's been constantly licking it for 2 days without any sign of improvement. She's not poorly at all, eating well (as normal) and isn't limping but there's something definitely wrong so best go get it checked out. We think there may be a grass seed head wedged in under the skin which would need removed under sedation/anesthetic.
Trying to keep the dogs out of the long grass is a daily chore here, both of the spaniels love water too and are quite fond of jumping into the spring outside the house when they want to cool down or get a drink. Here's hoping her foot can be sorted quickly, painlessly and without much fuss. Vets here on the main are quite good, there is a vet in the village but I'm not too impressed with his services and practices so it's off to the big town we go where the vets there have a proper surgery, speak english and will take the time to find out what the problem is instead of just doling out medicines. So once again my painting/gardening plans have been altered but for a good cause, I'll let you know how we get on tomorrow.
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