The Shed

limeyrob wrote: What a smashing day it has been. Just finished putting up some bird proofing to the strawberries. It looks like a good year for strawbs. Last two years were a bit of a disaster with all the rain we had. The strawbs then just turned to mush

Man Erg wrote: Sounds excellent,Rob. My Sweet Peas have gone beserk. I had to re-stake them today. They must be about 6ft tall at the moment.

Sounds like most Sheddites were in full on gardening mode at the weekend, then. As part of the ongoing garden works chez Garten, the 9 foot hedge boundary between our neighbours & us got a damned good education from both sides on Saturday & is now a much tidier 6 feet tall; a 20 foot self-seeded mountain ash is now gone (worry not, we still have plenty of trees, but now more light to the rest of the garden - and a couple of potential walking sticks) & many shrubs have had haircuts

Good thing about the above was a few years ago we were given a decent garden shredder, so after a couple of hours sterling work by Vicky, all the cuttings went into 4 smallish rubble sacks & thence to Stevenage's recycling centre.

A good day's work +++smug grin+++

^

Yup, 'its the time for making the elderflower champagne too - the tree in out garden has just come into flower (late I know, but it is in a shaded corner under a beech tree).

Dean wrote: Yup, 'its the time for making the elderflower champagne too - the tree in out garden has just come into flower (late I know, but it is in a shaded corner under a beech tree).   Nettle soup - after my weekend unintentional nettle munching I think I'll pass on that. Taking of River Cottage and nettles, have you tried Huge Fearnleymearnleywearnley Whittingstall's Stinger beer? - odd, but not bad.

All this talk of nettles reminds me - if you get the chance, check out Wobbly Bottom Farm's goat cheese with nettles - sounds foul, but I'm a real convert:

Wobbly Bottom Farm

Their soft goat's cheese coated in chillies is a bit of a stunner too

^Happy Birthday Steve. Hope that all is well.

Happy birthday Steve,

Incidentally - blood taken earlier today to check up on the cholesterol level - bit of a shock a few months back when it came in at 7.6, since when all biccies, cakes, butter & most red meat out of the window, in with porridge (with soya milk + seeds) every morning, 'proactive' spreads & a higher intake than usual of fresh fruit & veg.

After a few months of the above, I am going to be soooo ed off if my level hasn't dropped

Edited by Jim Garten - June 17 2009 at 05:00

I have Alan, honestly - nary a biccie or cake has passed these lips these last 3 months...

...it had better have been worth it!

Mind you - I'd better not take a blood test when I get back from Nfld this July...

Jim Garten wrote: I have Alan, honestly - nary a biccie or cake has passed these lips these last 3 months... ...it had better have been worth it! Mind you - I'd better not take a blood test when I get back from Nfld this July...