tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44603323277870590292024-03-13T21:40:17.662-07:00 Mrs Fox's DenMrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-30664710659668907332016-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:002016-02-05T07:39:12.423-08:00The postman brings promises<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zujTp-P3IkQ/VqyfdJTCIdI/AAAAAAAAG0U/L44i98-r1zo/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="seed packets" border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zujTp-P3IkQ/VqyfdJTCIdI/AAAAAAAAG0U/L44i98-r1zo/s640/Image.jpg" title="seed packets" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I got back from the Farmer's market this morning with a heavy basket, part of my major new years drive to buy local, seasonal produce. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The postman had been and the veg seeds I ordered at the beginning of the week lay on the floor in the hall. Bea had decided to attack them as they came through the letterbox; part of her major new drive to seek and destroy all who threaten our home, real and imagined. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Fortunately the seeds were well enough packaged to have survived. Thank you <a href="http://www.thompson-morgan.com/" target="_blank">Thompson & Morgan</a>, not just for your conscientious packaging, but also for the hours of fun day-dreaming as I peruse your website for inspiration these cold winter months. The promise of the new year is all here contained in these little paper packages.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-42999254759082559502016-01-21T05:50:00.000-08:002016-01-30T04:10:34.426-08:00Hello 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pRaEdLnoDvM/Vp_OXvDf5UI/AAAAAAAAGzs/SePtEnzy1SQ/s1600/IMG_8146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sewing Bix" border="0" height="464" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pRaEdLnoDvM/Vp_OXvDf5UI/AAAAAAAAGzs/SePtEnzy1SQ/s640/IMG_8146.JPG" title="Sewing Box" width="640" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pRaEdLnoDvM/Vp_OXvDf5UI/AAAAAAAAGzs/SePtEnzy1SQ/s1600/IMG_8146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
The beginning of a new year, full of potential.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z6_90L36wuA/Vp_r0wvdH6I/AAAAAAAAG0E/bejXceFrH7U/s1600/IMG_8399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z6_90L36wuA/Vp_r0wvdH6I/AAAAAAAAG0E/bejXceFrH7U/s640/IMG_8399.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
I've been making new felted animals, a few new dogs and developing the foxes.<br />
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<img border="0" height="470" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CFnPvGoi6n4/Vp_Obb82ViI/AAAAAAAAGz4/Gv6a0fZ2Nm4/s640/IMG_8162.JPG" width="640" /><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M03SQCdryRo/Vp_ONs_5tRI/AAAAAAAAGzU/KXYuOoRWY_M/s1600/IMG_8399.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b_5yBWn4DoQ/Vp_OW4eAOPI/AAAAAAAAGzg/CCn_37FOWNQ/s1600/IMG_8147.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b_5yBWn4DoQ/Vp_OW4eAOPI/AAAAAAAAGzg/CCn_37FOWNQ/s640/IMG_8147.JPG" width="640" /></a>
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-90980330229586596342015-11-20T05:30:00.000-08:002015-11-20T05:33:13.074-08:00The Last Autumn Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-luCUzpjY82M/Vjakde01leI/AAAAAAAAGxA/s_ATKsEU60E/s1600/IMG_8175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-luCUzpjY82M/Vjakde01leI/AAAAAAAAGxA/s_ATKsEU60E/s640/IMG_8175.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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It's been so mild that last weekend we cleared the veg patch and planted more onions and garlic to over winter. In clearing, I realised that considering we had decided to buy no new veg seeds for the garden, we did quite well this year.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bji810ZQLHs/VjamugwZluI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/Oa2kjO3-RKc/s1600/IMG_7372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bji810ZQLHs/VjamugwZluI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/Oa2kjO3-RKc/s640/IMG_7372.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">The Herb patch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klJtdUjiJF4/VjalS9iN1QI/AAAAAAAAGxY/a0ba_CjDZZY/s1600/IMG_8115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klJtdUjiJF4/VjalS9iN1QI/AAAAAAAAGxY/a0ba_CjDZZY/s640/IMG_8115.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Green Tomatoes for chutney</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oT6kxb2lMOQ/VjaldtMGJGI/AAAAAAAAGxg/HSuxpfP7tsg/s1600/IMG_8118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oT6kxb2lMOQ/VjaldtMGJGI/AAAAAAAAGxg/HSuxpfP7tsg/s640/IMG_8118.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Chillies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H76Ecm1QGPs/VjalkJizY4I/AAAAAAAAGxo/kdcpVasS45Q/s1600/IMG_8090.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H76Ecm1QGPs/VjalkJizY4I/AAAAAAAAGxo/kdcpVasS45Q/s640/IMG_8090.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Tumbling Toms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FKogS5ly2MM/Vjal4hGFlXI/AAAAAAAAGxw/a5jWNOcM45M/s1600/IMG_8106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="greengages" border="0" height="438" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FKogS5ly2MM/Vjal4hGFlXI/AAAAAAAAGxw/a5jWNOcM45M/s640/IMG_8106.JPG" title="greengages" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Greengages - A revelation to me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nSO5ssYJVh0/VjamK5s6kQI/AAAAAAAAGx4/bVuKMyUhcfY/s1600/IMG_7395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="nigella" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nSO5ssYJVh0/VjamK5s6kQI/AAAAAAAAGx4/bVuKMyUhcfY/s640/IMG_7395.JPG" title="nigella" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Nigella has seeded all over the place from the Roydon Road garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxRs2vzE0w/VjammO0lLtI/AAAAAAAAGyA/tTvMTQMpNi4/s1600/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="apple blossom" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxRs2vzE0w/VjammO0lLtI/AAAAAAAAGyA/tTvMTQMpNi4/s640/IMG_6968.JPG" title="apple blossom" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Apple Trees are not really ready to fruit yet, but give it a year or two</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0TYPgndAspk/VjamnwN-SeI/AAAAAAAAGyI/-n7Zv4ZwonM/s1600/IMG_7509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="marigolds" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0TYPgndAspk/VjamnwN-SeI/AAAAAAAAGyI/-n7Zv4ZwonM/s640/IMG_7509.jpg" title="marigolds" width="554" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Another herb I'm encouraging to self seed all over the garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cplmz9bKitI/VjakyLYxFUI/AAAAAAAAGxI/y3I7WKawCh0/s1600/IMG_8198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="quinces" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cplmz9bKitI/VjakyLYxFUI/AAAAAAAAGxI/y3I7WKawCh0/s640/IMG_8198.jpg" title="quinces" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Not grown by me, but I'll be planting a quince tree in the garden next year without fail.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OI2EokDI94/VjakyUCI_tI/AAAAAAAAGxU/jRZ9_sV_WTk/s1600/IMG_8177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8OI2EokDI94/VjakyUCI_tI/AAAAAAAAGxU/jRZ9_sV_WTk/s640/IMG_8177.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">And of course, what else does one do with all this bounty, but eat, eat...</td></tr>
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So, I am very excited for next year, when we are officially getting stuck in on the garden. I've already planted native bluebells and wild garlic along the fence by the river for the bees. I've not included the bees in the list of this year's bounty - but then we didn't get any honey this year. The chickens, have been great though, 4 eggs a day and I'd like to increase their number and add ducks and grouse or quail to our menagerie.<br />
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Much of the fruit we planted this year was left to get established so, there is some pruning to do before next year when I'm hoping we might get more of a harvest. The tomatoes did well in the greenhouse, but not so well in the veg plot itself. So, our old greenhouse from the allotment needs to go up for them next year. With two greenhouses I'll be able to germinate and raise young plants whilst also allowing tomatoes, chillies and aubergines to thrive under glass.<br />
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And we also had a fabulous crop of potatoes this year. We broke our rule and bought seed potatoes as they were to help us to turn the soil on the new plot. They were quite neglected, so I am impressed with how well we've done, 4 sack loads.<br />
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<a href="http://mammasaurus.co.uk/hdygg/" target="_blank" title="Mammsaurus HDYGG"><img alt="Mammsaurus HDYGG" src="http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53a99b85e4b056099ff40689/t/564d1c74e4b0d233ed1a5085/1447894132832/?format=300w" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-53395583851371174562015-11-01T15:33:00.004-08:002015-11-01T15:33:39.294-08:00The Door - A Navel Gazing Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hpFJAhTQROI/VjabG-vU4dI/AAAAAAAAGwo/iQmA3KQkUvE/s1600/IMG_7348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hpFJAhTQROI/VjabG-vU4dI/AAAAAAAAGwo/iQmA3KQkUvE/s640/IMG_7348.JPG" /></a></div>
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In Ash cottage there is only one door that usually remains closed. It is my workroom, <i><b>Mrs Fox's Workshop</b></i>. Not only is it shut, but it has a key in the lock. </div>
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Before moving I wrote a post called <i><a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/a-room-of-ones-own-studio.html" target="_blank">A Room of Ones Own: The Studio</a>.</i> I looked forward to how my new work space would be integrated into my home rather than a shed in the garden. As it is, my work space has become a junk room and the door remains closed. It's a mess in there, and I just don't want to look at it.</div>
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This last month I've had a bit of a creative break through and I'm starting to work again. The door is slowly opening, but, the key is still there in the door. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03sf6qdWNmA/VjabNQSnXRI/AAAAAAAAGww/JL6o3l8hFio/s1600/IMG_7343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03sf6qdWNmA/VjabNQSnXRI/AAAAAAAAGww/JL6o3l8hFio/s640/IMG_7343.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-69428767577145900632015-10-07T03:12:00.000-07:002015-10-09T05:33:41.735-07:00Autumn Harvest - Greengages<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fRbHeGXpOaE/VhOkFT8YfTI/AAAAAAAAGuo/74jy0xj5UJE/s1600/greengage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="greengages " border="0" height="302" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fRbHeGXpOaE/VhOkFT8YfTI/AAAAAAAAGuo/74jy0xj5UJE/s640/greengage1.jpg" title="greengages in the garden" width="640" /></a></div>
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In any new home your garden starts as something of a mystery. I always think it is best to leave a garden for the first year and see how it works, where the sun goes, what grows well, what secrets it has to reveal. We moved on 26th September 2015 and celebrated our first year in Little Hadham with a bottle of organic cider at the village music festival.<br />
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<span class="s1">One rather lovely surprise from the Ash Cottage garden has been the greengage trees. There are 6 of them. A little over kill I thought, never having tasted a greengage in my life. However, over the last month they have gradually unburdened themselves of their fruit. Little green goblets of sharp, golden, green nectar in firm skins of bright green. They are delicious. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLTfZLgmx2I/VhOkgAKbNZI/AAAAAAAAGu0/oHuhK-BEcZI/s1600/IMG_8100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="preserving greengages" border="0" height="546" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLTfZLgmx2I/VhOkgAKbNZI/AAAAAAAAGu0/oHuhK-BEcZI/s640/IMG_8100.JPG" title="preserving greengages" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="s1">They are delicious picked straight from the tree, they are delicious in jam, they are delicious in clafoutis, they are delicious stewed with yoghurt, over ice-cream or in crumbles, they are delicious in chutney they are delicious in jam, we will see if they are delicious in gin!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L8SPulSvYzs/Vhez3NE4l-I/AAAAAAAAGvQ/CYSPwvQUjks/s1600/clafoutis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Greengage Clafoutis" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L8SPulSvYzs/Vhez3NE4l-I/AAAAAAAAGvQ/CYSPwvQUjks/s640/clafoutis.JPG" title="Greengage Clafoutis" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Greengage Clafoutis</td></tr>
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They are a revelation that I can’t recommend enough. Despite gorging ourselves on them, freezing them, preserving them in jam and chutneys and giving them away to friends and family, teachers and mums at the school gate, we still have more...<span class="s1"></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RIYDJgj4M0/VhOkqx6PhXI/AAAAAAAAGu8/4uB4aP5sxbo/s1600/IMG_8101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="greengages in kitchen" border="0" height="404" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1RIYDJgj4M0/VhOkqx6PhXI/AAAAAAAAGu8/4uB4aP5sxbo/s640/IMG_8101.JPG" title="greengages in Mrs Fox's kitchen" width="640" /></a></div>
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Next year I will save up the soft fruit punnets from the grocers, and the little foxes can earn pocket money picking them and batching them up into saleable quantities to dispose of at the garden gate.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-4753486258254720912015-09-16T06:57:00.000-07:002015-09-16T06:57:29.576-07:00And How are the Bees Doing?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y62LCJ-p3ek/Vfk2T1nuNVI/AAAAAAAAGqE/Y89taMgMoYA/s1600/IMG_7340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bees on honeycomb" border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y62LCJ-p3ek/Vfk2T1nuNVI/AAAAAAAAGqE/Y89taMgMoYA/s640/IMG_7340.JPG" title="Mrs Fox's bees on honeycomb" width="640" /></a></div>
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Well, there is a long answer and a short answer to that question: <br />
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Short is: I still have a colony of bees that I am readying for winter. No, honey for us this year, but lots of other bee keepers say that is no surprise in the first year. The long answer is below, here are some pictures of me with my little bee-keeper assistants to ready you for it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-U-m3067i4/VflayOZPd4I/AAAAAAAAGqU/0OLNufoxa3E/s1600/IMG_7515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="beekeepers bees" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-U-m3067i4/VflayOZPd4I/AAAAAAAAGqU/0OLNufoxa3E/s640/IMG_7515.JPG" title="louis and mrs fox with bees" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><b>Little Louis Fox & Mrs Fox ready for an inspection </b>Photo by Una</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWdmWCQzunY/VflbPRc6AeI/AAAAAAAAGqc/UjkmVooWISE/s1600/IMG_7520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWdmWCQzunY/VflbPRc6AeI/AAAAAAAAGqc/UjkmVooWISE/s640/IMG_7520.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><b>Little Louis Fox ready to check his bees </b>Photo by Una</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnICyeEPuT8/VflbznRdV3I/AAAAAAAAGqs/JVCiAIzFawA/s1600/IMG_7748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PnICyeEPuT8/VflbznRdV3I/AAAAAAAAGqs/JVCiAIzFawA/s640/IMG_7748.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><b>Little Una Fox puts the queen guard back on the hive</b> Photo by Louis</td></tr>
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So, long story is: I got more relaxed with inspections and things seemed to be chugging along ok. The colony built up in size and so I added my supers to the brood box and waited for the bees to do something. They didn't take much interest, so after speaking with my <i>'bee guru' </i>(Malcolm) I added some frames of drawn comb because, apparently, bees can sometimes be a bit uninterested in the hard work of making the wax honeycomb to store the honey in. Lazy bees!<br />
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By the time I had collected the drawn comb from Malcolm my bees had made a start on drawing the frames of foundation that I had given them in the super. Clever bees!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><b>Bees on the brood frames</b> Photo by Una</td></tr>
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They were soon busily storing honey in the new super. And I thought I was well on my way to a successful first year of honey production. I checked them weekly through June and July, tore down any queen cells I found to prevent them swarming. We had a couple of episodes of <b>bearding</b>. Bearding is when the bees all come out and hang around on the side of the hive, making you panic and think they are going to swarm. But they didn't.<br />
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I was a very happy, excited, quietly confident beginner bee-keeper, when I went down to the hive one sunny morning and I immediately knew there was something wrong. There were very few bees outside the hive despite it being past 11 on a sunny morning. I couldn't check them until later that day when I discovered there were very few bees inside the hive either. After a bit of panic and calling a few experienced bee keepers for advice I had to accept my lovely gentle queen had left me. <br />
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A fellow bee keeper popped over with a frame of brood (baby bees) in case I needed to rear a new queen. How nice is that? Friday evening, just pop over to some woman I don't know's house, give a stuttering wreck of a bee keeper a frame of precious brood in case she needs to re-queen a colony of bees!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FUBeVgyA7WI/VfloB73lx2I/AAAAAAAAGq4/Xm90GC2DS-w/s1600/IMG_7752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="bees returning to the hive" border="0" height="570" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FUBeVgyA7WI/VfloB73lx2I/AAAAAAAAGq4/Xm90GC2DS-w/s640/IMG_7752.jpg" title="bees returning to the hive" width="640" /></a></div>
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Fortunately there was a new young queen in the hive. I didn't find her straight away, but once I had seen her, I then had to leave the hive undisturbed for a few weeks to give her the chance to fly off, mate and (hopefully) return to the hive ready to spend the rest of her life laying eggs. This has all seemed to happen in order. <br />
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But my new queen is not so chilled and calm as my old queen and the mood of my colony is very different. They are quicker to become agitated when you inspect them, louder, the guard bees quicker to try and see you off and a lot more persistent in their job. The difference in the nature of my two colonies is huge and I miss my old queen. <br />
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Since then my new young colony have eaten all the honey stores that were in the super, hence no honey for me. They've also had to fight off marauding wasps that tried to eat their honey stores. This they have done admirably, but then considering their temperament I'm not surprised.<br />
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I'm undaunted. I'm getting this lovely lot ready for winter and planning to get a new colony next year and maybe try re-queening. I've already got my name down for another bee keeping course, Bee Improvement for All, this in the hope of better swarm management and a gentler colony. The next big challenge is getting this colony through the winter. I'm treating them for varroa to get them as healthy as possible and starting to feed them so they can make enough honey to store through the lean winter months. Wish me luck<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-42275074950935321282015-07-27T04:04:00.000-07:002015-10-05T08:43:28.578-07:00Our Hen's are laying<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O6l8TVnBXDo/VbYNTxYUu-I/AAAAAAAAGm0/J4dZ_JnJcsw/s1600/IMG_7641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Mrs Fox's hens chickens" border="0" height="452" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O6l8TVnBXDo/VbYNTxYUu-I/AAAAAAAAGm0/J4dZ_JnJcsw/s640/IMG_7641.JPG" title="Mrs Fox's hens" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-luWBSAEdr48/VbYPJNSozhI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/UhTS4Y1QXN4/s1600/IMG_7639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mrs Fox's hens chickens" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-luWBSAEdr48/VbYPJNSozhI/AAAAAAAAGnQ/UhTS4Y1QXN4/s640/IMG_7639.JPG" title="Mrs Fox's hens" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aKD7LB0JNyw/VbYNX-ekzpI/AAAAAAAAGm8/fIZBMId_3tY/s1600/IMG_7647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Mrs Fox's eggs" border="0" height="436" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aKD7LB0JNyw/VbYNX-ekzpI/AAAAAAAAGm8/fIZBMId_3tY/s640/IMG_7647.jpg" title="Mrs Fox's eggs" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Mrs Fox's eggs - when our hens first started laying there was quite a wide variation in the size of their eggs.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJVFiWZE25Y/VbYOyLoyDOI/AAAAAAAAGnI/N1LXtJM_Ir4/s1600/IMG_7654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="boiled eggs" border="0" height="388" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJVFiWZE25Y/VbYOyLoyDOI/AAAAAAAAGnI/N1LXtJM_Ir4/s640/IMG_7654.JPG" title="Mrs Fox's eggs" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-29187801976110352402015-06-10T01:38:00.001-07:002015-06-10T01:56:23.877-07:00First 21 Days of a Bees life<div id="fb-root">
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<a href="https://www.ted.com/talks" target="_blank">TED Talk</a> showing Anand Varma's incredible time lapse photography of the first 21 days of a bees life. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6-tqiaPoS2U" width="640"></iframe><br />
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He also talks about research into finding other ways to control varroa than chemical treatments.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-70452278278801932992015-06-09T03:43:00.001-07:002015-06-10T01:44:11.753-07:00First Inspection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It was quite nerve racking. I needed to; try and find the queen, look for brood (eggs and young) and for any queen cells (sign the colony might swarm), check the general health and temper of my new colony. <br />
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I also needed to change the old floor of the <b>brood box</b>* to the varroa floor, which sits better on my hive stand. </div>
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The colony is quite strong so I added a <b>super*</b> onto the brood box.<br />
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The inspection took two attempts, one on Thursday 28th, then Friday 29th May. I was so nervous I only managed to check the first 4 frames, before I decided to get on with moving the floor and adding the super. The bees were pretty negative about my intrusion and the brood box so crowded, I felt I was killing more bees than I was gaining any information. <br />
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So, in the hope that there would be more room in the brood box, I checked the remaining frames the following day. The bees weren't much more welcoming the second time, and I didn't catch sight of my queen. But I was a bit calmer and I felt I got more out of it. My colony seems healthy, the queen's laying and, other than a probable moth larva, healthy.<br />
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Bee keepers are lovely people, generous to those of us '<i>newbees'</i>. In the last weeks I have fired off slightly panicked emails to 4 or 5 of them and received suggestions and support, and it's to them I owe the success of these first few weeks. In particular, Malcolm, the very experienced gentleman bee keeper I bought my bees from, he has been SO kind. Responding to my emails, letting me 'help' him with his bees for a morning and answering my never ending stream of questions.<br />
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After a morning of bee keeping at Malcolm's I came back home to do my first confident inspection, and I found my queen. <i>Yay!</i> However, the bees didn't seem to be taking much notice of the super with it's frames of brand new foundation. <i>Boo - lazy little bees!</i><br />
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*The<b> super</b> is the structure that holds the<b> frames</b> with foundation (<b>a thin sheet of wax</b>) that the bees build the <b>honeycomb</b> on, which will eventually contain honey. It sits on top of the <b>brood box</b>, which is the structure that holds the queen, her eggs and young. After consulting with Malcolm, he suggested I add some <b>drawn frames</b> to the super, these are frames that have the wax honeycomb built on them already. The drawn frames allow the bees to get straight on with storing honey and encourage them to do the same to the frames with just foundation. <br />
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Yesterday I went down to the hive to pop the drawn frames (that Malcolm had very kindly dropped off on the weekend. - See LOVELY people bee keepers!) into the super. My clever little bees had already started drawing out the foundation themselves, three frames of it well under way. It is hard to describe how pleased I was without sounding like some kind of nutter. Suffice to say, I told my bees they were very, very, clever.<br />
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The kids have named our queen Bess, the workers are all called Buzz and the drones are all Dave. Which leads us to much hilarity as we stand at the side of the hive saying:<br />
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"Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz","Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz","Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz",<br />
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"Morning Dave",<br />
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"Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz","Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz", "Morning Buzz"...<br />
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What can I say, it's a Bee Keeper's joke! And an inaccurate one as you wouldn't really see Dave outside the hive unless he was dead. But it makes us laugh.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-14587982499511810672015-05-26T01:20:00.000-07:002015-06-10T01:44:40.280-07:00I am a Keeper of Bees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have been fascinated by bees for years. I lived in California, over 15 years ago now, and a friend allowed me to help with her bees once and that was it, I've wanted to be a bee keeper ever since.<br />
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After moving to Ash Cottage one of the first things I did was sign up to the local bee-keeper's association and take their introductory course. It finished a few weeks ago. <br />
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Friday was my birthday I had a wonderful day; went for breakfast with my mum and sister, Anna, received most of my bee keeping gear as gifts, spent the day in the garden, and ate the yummiest birthday cake EVER. After a birthday party with friends on Saturday, both little foxes headed off for sleep-overs with their friends so that Mr Fox and I could get up early Sunday morning to pick up the bees.</div>
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A fellow bee keeper in my association was selling off some over wintered queens with their first colonies. So we drove to pick up my first colony of bees. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgF9oPAthYQ/VWQbDdxy_lI/AAAAAAAAGhw/r3-pV6GNIN0/s1600/IMG_7095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgF9oPAthYQ/VWQbDdxy_lI/AAAAAAAAGhw/r3-pV6GNIN0/s640/IMG_7095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The bees after returning to their hive the night before are sealed into the broodbox. Can you see the blue sponge stuffed into their entrance to stop them getting out? That was all there was between us and 50,000 bees in the confines of old Betsy, our 15 year old Volvo estate. <br />
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Bees are naturally woodland animals and like dappled light. But they also need the warmth of the sun on the hive for much of the year in our temperate climate. Although we have a large garden, we do also have 2 dogs and 2 children, so the hive has been positioned at the edge of the garden, close to veggie patch which will, at some point, be fenced off from the rest of the plot.<br />
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Once in the garden we decided to face the hive entrance into the hedgerow along the side of the river that is the western boundary of the garden. This should encourage them to fly up as they come out of the hive, sending them as quickly as possible above head height in the garden and so avoiding collisions between bees and people.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdcrhE5dCjc/VWQfZ_Y5JVI/AAAAAAAAGic/jYm8maOc2Zw/s1600/IMG_7098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mdcrhE5dCjc/VWQfZ_Y5JVI/AAAAAAAAGic/jYm8maOc2Zw/s640/IMG_7098.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Once in position and the sponge removed from the entrance, they were very active and have continued to be so for the last two days. Non too friendly for the first 20 minutes they have since appeared to be quite happy to let us stand just to the side of the hive entrance to the north - they mostly seem to fly off to the south towards the fields at the back of our garden. Watching them come and go from their brood box is all I've been able to do since Sunday. I'd been told not to open the hive for a couple of days but just let them settle. They were inspected before being closed up on Saturday and there were no queen cells - so, today I need to do my first inspection.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-alqDRJ75QBY/VWQfKKnQm5I/AAAAAAAAGiM/b21XSK7wZA4/s1600/IMG_7086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-alqDRJ75QBY/VWQfKKnQm5I/AAAAAAAAGiM/b21XSK7wZA4/s320/IMG_7086.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Birthday Cake EVER!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-2592613151971138642015-05-13T10:05:00.001-07:002015-05-13T10:05:43.404-07:00Little Rituals<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-il_0zaJYMAE/VVG8ALppFJI/AAAAAAAAGe0/b8JSmXzGhZw/s1600/IMG_6964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="first morning coffee" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-il_0zaJYMAE/VVG8ALppFJI/AAAAAAAAGe0/b8JSmXzGhZw/s640/IMG_6964.jpg" title="first morning coffee" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Monday's coffee in Rob Ryan enamel mug</td></tr>
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I recently read a lovely post on my Bloglovin' feed called <a href="http://frame.bloglovin.com/?post=4319725700&group=0&frame_type=a&context=feed_all&context_ids=&blog=3880172&frame=1&click=0&user=0" target="_blank">Little Rituals by Gillian from Tales From A Happy Home</a>. Gillian's post was about the small daily rituals which, after moving home, are the things that make your new house your home. And it set me to thinking; I LOVE our new house and in the short 9 months that we have been living here it has become the home of my dreams, for the rest of my life, absolute heaven. I don't mean to gush, but it has.<br />
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And Gillian is right, it is the day to day rituals, things that you only do in your own house that make it your home. So, here is a very ordinary day, Monday to be exact, but one that brought me much pleasure.<br />
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Little Louis seems to always get up first, and too early. He comes into our bedroom and wiggles around in our bed, making snoozing impossible, but, I have a new trick up my PJ sleeve. I send him off to let the chickens out of their house. <br />
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Little Una Fox has a barking dog alarm clock which goes off just after 7am, over, and over, and over again. Mr Fox gets up for work, and brings me a cup of tea in bed before he goes - Isn't he grand! I don't feel alive until I've had my tea, washed my face and applied my Fushi Oils. They are an indulgence that I decided I deserve now that I am in my 40's.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxEfxil1N2g/VVHEX7k3CZI/AAAAAAAAGfE/AlfxJsorK00/s1600/IMG_6355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fushi oils" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xxEfxil1N2g/VVHEX7k3CZI/AAAAAAAAGfE/AlfxJsorK00/s640/IMG_6355.JPG" title="Fushi oils" width="640" /></a></div>
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But my day begins proper, much like Gillian's by the sound of it, after I drop the Little Foxes at school - now only a 90 second walk rather than a 30 minute drive away. On my return I have my best coffee of the day. Fresh ground, made in an espresso pot bought before the Little Foxes were born. The cup I use is very important. It is usually one of a choice of 3, but each cup has a slightly different meaning for me. The one I went for on Monday means - "a day in the garden".<br />
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Even though the school run is now such a brief excursion I still get greeted by our two dogs, Bea and Beau, like I've been gone for days. Sometimes this ends in disaster, as I trip over them extracting a yelp from the victim and a non too savoury word from me. On other occasions disaster eludes us and we have a bit of a love in, the dogs and I. Tails wagging, neck scratching, jockeying for position and general over-excited chaos on a small furry canine scale. <br />
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Then we do our tour of the garden. When Mr Fox is home he and I walk the garden, but otherwise the dogs like to accompany me. We check the chickens,...<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O3b0R_0oWw8/VVHJEvLyTVI/AAAAAAAAGfQ/ff-a_g8pd7E/s1600/IMG_6966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O3b0R_0oWw8/VVHJEvLyTVI/AAAAAAAAGfQ/ff-a_g8pd7E/s640/IMG_6966.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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and this is why we check the chickens; evidence of a fox having taken a rabbit in our garden last night<br />
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I gaze at my apple trees for a bit, and dream of my orchard. <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/a-is-for-apple.html" target="_blank">Planting the three apple trees</a> was all quite a palaver, so to see the blossom on them now is wonderfully reassuring.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VH83z_-Dfj8/VVHMGkWHVoI/AAAAAAAAGfk/ZrrsJAFBTWg/s1600/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VH83z_-Dfj8/VVHMGkWHVoI/AAAAAAAAGfk/ZrrsJAFBTWg/s640/IMG_6968.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We also take in the veg patch and green house where I've sown seeds that I'm hoping have germinated. Little green seedlings are a cause for celebration. Hopeful watering of all other seed trays and plants in pots elsewhere in the garden brings my garden tour to a close.<br />
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I sit at the computer for a bit once inside. I'm still not sure where my favourite spot for sitting at the computer is in this house. I've been moving it around. But I quite like the table in the back room at the moment.<br />
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I check emails and Facebook; friends are so scattered these days, all over the world from the US and Canada to Australia and Bangkok. Do a bit of writing, upload some photos. Then remember that I am supposed to be doing the shopping online not getting distracted.<br />
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I do agree that a home is not a home until you've broken in the kitchen. And most of my toil in the garden is all about edible crops. At Ash Cottage the kitchen wasn't in too bad a state when we moved in. But shortly after our move, one by one, everything functional broke down, including the cooker. So, we bought a reconditioned <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/how-to-build-aga.html" target="_blank">Aga, built on site</a> it was great to watch it grow in my kitchen, and as we are talking rituals, it has become something of an idol to be worshiped. I do a fair but of <i>cookery exchanging</i> (my marmalade for her pesto, sloe gin for elderflower cordial, that kind of thing) with my friend Jennie and last weekend she leant me her ice cream maker. I've made a batch of blackberry ice cream and with the spare egg whites a batch of meringues.<br />
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Where one woman's rituals is another woman's chore, in <i>Tales From A Happy Home</i>, Gillian writes eloquently, and supplies beautiful pictures, of her house-work; bedding changed and beautifully made up beds, washing on the line. With the greatest respect to this lady I'm not going to do that. I go by the adage that no woman on her death bed would say; "I wish I had spent more time doing the house work". My house work is done as quickly as possible, the bare minimum, "a bit of dirt never hurt" as my granny would say, in her spotless house(!). It's a quick, kitchen - post breakfast detritus cleared, bathrooms - given a quick swipe (yes, swipe not wipe), beds made, kids clothes picked up off the floor and stuck in the washing machine, then get back out in the garden.<br />
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Today, I wanted to get the second bed of potatoes into the ground. Which involves moving huge piles of soil from an old compost heap onto the veg beds on the other side of the garden.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you spot the potato?</td></tr>
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This quiet, simple, sometimes strenuous, repetitive to the point of meditative activity is why I love gardening. Sharing a chat with my elderly neighbours over the garden fence, exchanging tomatoes for runner bean plants. A quick snack for lunch, and a couple of drink and chicken watching stops mean that I am little more than started on the potato beds when it is time to pick the Little Foxes up from school. Gardening eats time.<br />
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On a Monday the children have no after school clubs, so they come straight back home and go say "Hi!" to their chickens. As it was such a beautiful day they persuaded me to turn the sprinkler on for them to play in after tea.<br />
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I had to stop my toil to watch them screaming and jumping into the cold water, a beautiful end to the day. Straight into the shower for those two, PJs, hot milk and a madeleine while they wait for daddy to come home. Mr Fox usually puts the children to bed while I do our dinner. That is his most important ritual and sometimes I join him to listen to the bedtime story.<br />
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As Gillian asked; outside my open bedroom window I can hear birdsong and cars. <br />
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And I can hear the creaks and groans of my house bending and stretching her old bones. I talk to my house, she is a she. I like to think our inhabiting her is something that she is a willing participant in after some years of neglect. That we are gently restoring a lady in her middle years (I don't like to call her old!) to something of her former glory. Each day we live in her, no matter how ordinary or normal, is nourishing her as much as she shelters and protects us.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-36406143895361785682015-05-07T05:05:00.000-07:002015-05-07T05:05:10.897-07:00Bees<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o08NPApQGM0/VTAk_Vsa8AI/AAAAAAAAGXs/t8E-LWA8hug/s1600/IMG_3195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o08NPApQGM0/VTAk_Vsa8AI/AAAAAAAAGXs/t8E-LWA8hug/s1600/IMG_3195.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have just finished the <a href="http://www.stortfordbees.org.uk/getting-started/" target="_blank">Beginner's Bee Keeping course </a>with the <a href="http://www.stortfordbees.org.uk/" target="_blank">Bishop Stortford Bee Keepers Association </a>. It has been lovely to put the kids to bed of an evening and then drive over to <a href="http://www.hopleys.co.uk/" target="_blank">Hopleys Garden Centre</a> in Much Hadham to listen, learn and talk about bees with others as enthusiastic (if not more so) as I. The course was great and I met a lovely group of people, both BSBKA members, committee and fellow "newbies"; thank you all! <br />
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In the second week we all made a hive, split into teams we each worked on a different section of the hive. The team I was in made the brood box and frames. It was great to realise that with basic carpentry skills I will be able to build and maintain my bees' home. And doing something with my hands, made the course come alive for me. I've been babbling about bees to anyone who will listen ever since, reading up on these fascinating creatures, and getting more and more excited that I will soon be a bee keeper. At the end of the session, whoever emailed first could buy the hive we'd all built. I was home in a flash and emailed my interest, so here she is in the garden at Ash Cottage.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSkdhIdZsk8/VUCiHAVCXiI/AAAAAAAAGc4/2kTWdqYtrhs/s1600/IMG_6862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qSkdhIdZsk8/VUCiHAVCXiI/AAAAAAAAGc4/2kTWdqYtrhs/s1600/IMG_6862.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Thank you John for delivering it - look at that <i>dappled light</i> in the photo. Apparently bees are into a bit of dappled light.<br />
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So, I have the hive and frames, I'm hoping to pick up my first colony of bees on the May Bank Holiday weekend. I have been browsing the bee keeping suppliers websites for about 4 weeks now in various states of confusion. I am just about ready to purchase what I think are the absolute essential things I'll need to have for the bees arrival: </div>
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Bee keeper's all in one suit (v. important!), </div>
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smoker, </div>
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J shaped hive tool, </div>
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bee brush, </div>
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1 gallon contact feeder,</div>
...that's what I've got on my order, is there anything else that those of you with more experience than I would say <b>I have to have</b>?<br />
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I thought it was the honey and doing my bit for the environment that would be my main interest in bee keeping, but I have become fascinated by the creatures themselves. Bees are amazing. Don't get me wrong the honey is still a big attraction. Little Una Fox gets repeated bouts of tonsillitis. We use Manuka honey to treat it, and if we catch it early enough it prevents going to the doctors for antibiotics. I am hoping to switch to raw honey from our own hive for the same result. <br />
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And then of course there are all the delicious things you can make with honey. Sarah, my fellow newbie noticed The Guardian had an article on the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/feb/09/10-best-honey-recipes" target="_blank">Ten Best Honey Recipes </a> the other weekend, I fancy making the Madeleines.<br />
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So soon I will be a bee keeper! <i>< small scream of excitement ></i><br />
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<b>To the land where the honey runs</b></div>
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<b>In rivers each day</b></div>
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<b>And the sweet tastin' good life</b></div>
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<b>Is so easily found</b></div>
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<b>A way over yonder</b></div>
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<b>That's where I'm bound</b></div>
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<i>"A Way Over Yonder"</i> lyrics by Carole King<br />
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Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-20343320330020047892015-04-26T13:41:00.000-07:002015-04-26T13:41:55.442-07:00How Does Your Garden Grow... Suggestions Please?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As the Spring heralds new life, a new<i> something</i> seems to appear every day in Ash Cottage's garden. On Thursday I thought I would photograph the emerging surprises that a new garden brings, for Mammasaurus' <a href="http://www.mammasaurus.co.uk/journal/?category=How+Does+Your+Garden+Grow" target="_blank">How Does Your Garden Grow</a> linky. I'm not sure what many of these plants are, so, if you know please let me in on the secret. Above is some type of clematis?</div>
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I brought cuttings from our old garden, a lot of which didn't survive the transportation and neglect over the winter. One thing that did was Nana's peony, I'm discovering that the previous owners of Ash Cottage also liked peonies. The picture on the left is a quite healthy looking specimen in a overgrown bed in the centre of the garden and I think the picture on the right is another one, there are at least 2 more.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf-joVD-VOw/VTlnvB7K0_I/AAAAAAAAGbw/73VwnMn96Tk/s1600/peoniesemerge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="peony garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Nf-joVD-VOw/VTlnvB7K0_I/AAAAAAAAGbw/73VwnMn96Tk/s1600/peoniesemerge.jpg" height="374" title="peony garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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When we moved into Ash Cottage the plan for the garden was to clear, sort out the veggie patch, chickens and trees, use up old seeds and then not buy or plant any new ones. To get ready to start the garden year proper in the Autumn. This isn't quite what's happened. I've now got a <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/the-garden-at-ash-cottage-introduction.html" target="_blank">hexagonal greenhouse</a> full of tomato seedlings, with nowhere to put them. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9u0OQKcEEw/VTlqFF6fXMI/AAAAAAAAGcA/1qR6heAzHlg/s1600/IMG_6851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9u0OQKcEEw/VTlqFF6fXMI/AAAAAAAAGcA/1qR6heAzHlg/s1600/IMG_6851.jpg" height="640" title="garden ash cottage" width="492" /></a></div>
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We've been here since September and while I know we have a lot of stinging nettles, ivy, dandelion and other weeds, I am now discovering some hidden gems too. Hidden amongst the comfrey(?) that is rampant all over the western boarder of the garden is the shy head of a <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/7403/i-Fritillaria-meleagris-i/Details?returnurl=%2fplants%2fsearch-results%3fform-mode%3dtrue%26context%3db%253d0%2526hf%253d10%2526l%253den%2526q%253deuphorbia%2526s%253ddesc%252528plant_merged%252529%2526sl%253dplantForm%26query%3dFritillaria%26aliaspath%3d%252fplants%252fsearch-results" target="_blank">frittilaria</a>(?)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRH8mnly26Y/VTlNZ7eSggI/AAAAAAAAGaw/UIXq89dI3oI/s1600/IMG_6835.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="frittilaria garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IRH8mnly26Y/VTlNZ7eSggI/AAAAAAAAGaw/UIXq89dI3oI/s1600/IMG_6835.jpg" height="640" title="frittilaria garden ash cottage" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oag54EoeCko/VTlNQhZXSaI/AAAAAAAAGak/Q5H4hQpvyec/s1600/IMG_6833.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="frittilaria garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oag54EoeCko/VTlNQhZXSaI/AAAAAAAAGak/Q5H4hQpvyec/s1600/IMG_6833.jpg" height="640" title="frittilaria garden ash cottage" width="424" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gl30Ke-6tY/VTlNQeEGujI/AAAAAAAAGag/hUH5D9OhFZU/s1600/IMG_6832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="frittilaria garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gl30Ke-6tY/VTlNQeEGujI/AAAAAAAAGag/hUH5D9OhFZU/s1600/IMG_6832.jpg" height="640" title="frittilaria garden ash cottage" width="484" /></a></div>
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I think I almost dug this beautiful flower up when feeding, weeding and re-seeding the lawn. It is a reminder to go a bit slower in my attempts to clear and tidy the garden as I don't yet know what else may be hidden.</div>
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In the same bed is the plant below, which I think is a euphorbia?</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXFpAEKOKR4/VTlgWyvwqJI/AAAAAAAAGbI/aCpjssPLJ7k/s1600/IMG_6846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="euphorbia garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXFpAEKOKR4/VTlgWyvwqJI/AAAAAAAAGbI/aCpjssPLJ7k/s1600/IMG_6846.jpg" height="578" title="euphorbia garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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I think this might be a euphorbia too? The ants seem to like it.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjgBvPy_6I4/VTlhN7ZYrXI/AAAAAAAAGbg/QXzwKtghhSI/s1600/euphorbia1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="euphorbia garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CjgBvPy_6I4/VTlhN7ZYrXI/AAAAAAAAGbg/QXzwKtghhSI/s1600/euphorbia1.jpg" height="460" title="euphorbia garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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I've no idea what these plants are:</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Mystery Plant One</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_hJggTFSSE/VT1CUEJk5XI/AAAAAAAAGcc/h-Er5qQWwUc/s1600/IMG_6849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_hJggTFSSE/VT1CUEJk5XI/AAAAAAAAGcc/h-Er5qQWwUc/s1600/IMG_6849.jpg" height="640" width="530" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">Mystery Plant Two</td></tr>
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The little pink flower is on a shrub, whilst the other comes straight out of the ground on a single stem.</div>
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I'm on safer ground with the picture below. It's blossom from a fruit tree. Some kind of plum, damson or greengage maybe? I've got to wait until late summer when the fruit has set to be sure which one, but from the shrivelled desiccated old fruits still hanging on the tree from last year, I think it is something of that kind.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lt6BLABBFzE/VTlgDQUN--I/AAAAAAAAGbA/3GqRlpuee7U/s1600/IMG_6858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lt6BLABBFzE/VTlgDQUN--I/AAAAAAAAGbA/3GqRlpuee7U/s1600/IMG_6858.jpg" height="640" width="490" /></a></div>
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And finally - Ta Da! - my apple trees are putting out green buds and leaves.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HwsT0rJR3s/VTlhGJQN3iI/AAAAAAAAGbY/UORLQS6iti4/s1600/apple_april.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="apple saplings garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0HwsT0rJR3s/VTlhGJQN3iI/AAAAAAAAGbY/UORLQS6iti4/s1600/apple_april.jpg" height="452" title="apple saplings garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;">James Grieves April 2015</td></tr>
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I'm relieved, after all my faffing around (<a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/so-there-i-was-digging-hole.html" target="_blank">details here</a>), getting them into the ground I wasn't sure they were alive, that I hadn't just spent a lot of time planting sticks. James Grieves is doing the best, then Grenadier and then Blenheim Orange, but all have green shoots. Phew - Proud Mama!<br />
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Speaking of which, finally, finally, here are my girls, out in the garden for the first time this/last week. Haven't they grown.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TTrX2SVfXNk/VT1D9V9yXOI/AAAAAAAAGco/JbTwdpMk90k/s1600/IMG_6821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chicks garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TTrX2SVfXNk/VT1D9V9yXOI/AAAAAAAAGco/JbTwdpMk90k/s1600/IMG_6821.JPG" height="320" title="chicks garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-40983663886052176072015-04-16T15:32:00.000-07:002015-04-19T14:47:37.980-07:00"Say Little Hen" <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFLgvr5YlXo/VTArKZVctzI/AAAAAAAAGX8/Ol8MUGM5sxY/s1600/chicks1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="mr fox's first chicks" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pFLgvr5YlXo/VTArKZVctzI/AAAAAAAAGX8/Ol8MUGM5sxY/s1600/chicks1.jpg" height="640" title="chicks" width="538" /></a></div>
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I just could not resist using that title for this post. I think you'll find it comes from <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00732tl" target="_blank">The Good Life - Series One, Ep.2.</a><br />
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This Easter we got 4 chicks, babies only just over a week old. The Little Foxes only changed schools at last half term (quite a wrench!) and we ask their old school, who take part in the <a href="http://www.livingeggs.co.uk/" target="_blank">Living Eggs</a> scheme, if we could re-house the chicks that they hatched this year. On the last day of term we drove back to the old school, picked up our little ladies, peeping noisily in a cardboard box. They have been living in the nearly renovated boot room at Ash Cottage, in a home-made brooder with a heat lamp, ever since. <br />
We each named one chick, they all had to have names that began with the letter <span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>.<br />
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Please meet:-<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7dO-KvvANm0/VTAsNt0bIfI/AAAAAAAAGYE/WAZkFuCiJU4/s1600/agatha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7dO-KvvANm0/VTAsNt0bIfI/AAAAAAAAGYE/WAZkFuCiJU4/s1600/agatha.jpg" height="640" width="528" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agatha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xn4iE69CIT8/VTAsO-W2HNI/AAAAAAAAGYM/bIcSV-FQygc/s1600/anoushka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xn4iE69CIT8/VTAsO-W2HNI/AAAAAAAAGYM/bIcSV-FQygc/s1600/anoushka.jpg" height="556" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anoushka</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUeqFAJjSlg/VTAsQgt_P0I/AAAAAAAAGYU/3jYDcImKaGk/s1600/ashleigh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iUeqFAJjSlg/VTAsQgt_P0I/AAAAAAAAGYU/3jYDcImKaGk/s1600/ashleigh.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashleigh</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CllM8FCvJdc/VTAsTiWo2NI/AAAAAAAAGYc/EgCmKZifLdw/s1600/astrid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CllM8FCvJdc/VTAsTiWo2NI/AAAAAAAAGYc/EgCmKZifLdw/s1600/astrid.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Astrid</td></tr>
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The Little Foxes <i>LOVE</i> the chicks, and are extremely good at telling them apart. Astrid is blondest, biggest and bravest and named by Una after the character in <i><b>How to Train Your Dragon</b></i>; Ashleigh, Louis named and is a very calm bird; Anoushka, is Mr Fox's little lady and is second largest and rather flighty; Agatha is mine and the youngest, she has only just got some tail feathers and is rather silly and flappy. We look forward to them supplying us with eggs, around 15 weeks from now. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XAqz-7W1tI0/VTAv-i5Co7I/AAAAAAAAGYo/WNG3k6J3U74/s1600/chicks%26bea2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XAqz-7W1tI0/VTAv-i5Co7I/AAAAAAAAGYo/WNG3k6J3U74/s1600/chicks%26bea2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Possibly even more excited about the presence of chicks than the children is one of our dogs, Bea. She has spent the last 2 weeks almost permanently at the side of the brooder, as close as she can get, whining quietly but with a very high pitch. This does not seem to phase the chicks at all, in fact I wonder if the noise is not quite comforting to them. Maybe they think that attentive, white, fluffy being is their guardian, with no thought but of their comfort and safety. I think they need to read that informative work of one of my idols, Beatrix Potter - <b><i>The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck</i></b>.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iryUrz29ifY/VTA0E8OdycI/AAAAAAAAGY0/648PnJjrEg8/s1600/IMG_3177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="chicken house" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iryUrz29ifY/VTA0E8OdycI/AAAAAAAAGY0/648PnJjrEg8/s1600/IMG_3177.jpg" height="640" title="mrs fox's chicken house" width="480" /></a></div>
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Ash Cottage came with a 60ft chicken run, which we have cleared, fixed and down-sized slightly. The Sargies, who cut down our trees and built our garden fences, also built us a chicken house. Best described as channeling a bee hive it's design is influenced by that wonderful book Rosie's Walk.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rP4zF-2QStY/VTA3vnXbN0I/AAAAAAAAGZQ/mMtupuQAffg/s1600/rosieswalk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rP4zF-2QStY/VTA3vnXbN0I/AAAAAAAAGZQ/mMtupuQAffg/s1600/rosieswalk.jpeg" /></a></div>
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Our chicken house could probably house about 10 chickens so I am hoping if all goes well to increase our flock by the end of the year.<br />
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Today for the first time this Easter Hols I have had the whole day alone, the children went to the local stables for a pony day. So, with the help of Bjork, Carole King and Pat Hutchins I painted the chicken house. Bjork (<b><i>Debut</i></b>) & Carole King (<b><i>Tapestry</i></b>) I have discovered are very good to paint to.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
And the sweet tastin' good life<br />
Is so easily found<br />
A way over yonder<br />
That's where I'm bound</blockquote>
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<b><i>A Way Over Yonder lyrics by Carole King</i></b> </blockquote>
Joining in with Mammasaurus' How Does Your Garden Grow again this week:<br />
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Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-78342009699858890962015-04-03T14:43:00.000-07:002015-04-04T03:00:36.026-07:00A is for Apple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In our garden in North London, when I was a child, we had an apple tree. Its' apples were tastier than any from a store, climbing it was an adventure and reading a book in it's dappled shade a delight. I knew when we bought Ash Cottage that we would plant apple trees. I dream of a wild flower meadow with my children climbing in the branches of the trees to sneak early apples from their boughs. My chickens perched in the low branches. Bee Hives below, with the bees foraging among the wild flowers.<br />
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We have cut down quite a few trees at Ash Cottage in the last few months and I am a little embarrassed by this. Not to mention concerned that all the birds that I have seen in the garden will not return. Along with the bird feeders and bird houses now hanging from the remaining trees, I need to do a bit of tree planting.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eB1E05G2Ya8/VR8GydRYYEI/AAAAAAAAGXY/o-dn57fyDls/s1600/IMG_6647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eB1E05G2Ya8/VR8GydRYYEI/AAAAAAAAGXY/o-dn57fyDls/s1600/IMG_6647.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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However, apple trees are not quite as simple to cultivate as I at first thought. There are pollination groups and root stock to consider, bare root or pot grown saplings to choose from. Culinary, dessert, cider or dual purpose varieties, early or late fruiting, tree, bush or pollarding to consider. Position and situation of the orchard to plan. I don't remember my parents doing anything but picking apples from the apple tree in our garden. But then it was an established tree by the time we moved in.<br />
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So, I've been reading up, and did some research online, and have chosen a group of three heritage trees;<br />
Grenadier<br />
James Grieves<br />
& Blenheim Orange.<br />
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The latter was the first to be chosen;<br />
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"Blenheim Orange is a large classic English dual-purpose apple, useful for dessert and culinary purposes. It has the characteristic orange flush which is often associated with English apples". </blockquote>
This last line in the description called to mind the apple tree in my childhood garden, so it was my first choice. Blenheim Orange is a triploid, this means it needs two other trees to cross pollinate it.<br />
This then dictates the other trees are from within it's pollination group, <i>group 3</i>, or adjacent groups. I chose another dual purpose apple - James Grieves,<br />
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"...raised in Scotland at the end of the 19th century, the height of the Victorian period of apple development in the UK. It is a very juicy apple, producing plenty of sharp-tasting apple juice."</blockquote>
James Grieve is an excellent pollinator for many other apple varieties and is a variety that matures mid-season, while Blenheim Orange is a late variety<span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Ubuntu, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4em;">. </span><br />
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My final choice was Grenadier, an early season cooking apple, that is apparently "fool-proof" to grow. I ordered bare root trees. These are young trees that are dug up whilst the tree is dormant for winter. They can usually be ordered between November and March and need to be in the ground by the end of this month, before the tree comes out of it's dormant period.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvFC43yGGPs/VRhjm5zK4OI/AAAAAAAAGUo/OveWmpMhAyU/s1600/IMG_6707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvFC43yGGPs/VRhjm5zK4OI/AAAAAAAAGUo/OveWmpMhAyU/s1600/IMG_6707.jpg" height="640" width="406" /></a></div>
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They were delivered last Monday by courier, in a box, quite large, bare, twigs with a bit of netting on the bottom. As they are dormant, they look, well, to be honest, quite dead. It feels like we have just spent a lot of time planting dead bits of twig in the ground and I keep going out there and gazing at them in the hope of seeing something that looks a bit more alive. I made the classic error, that I was warned against in my reading, of not preparing the holes before the trees arrived and as <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/so-there-i-was-digging-hole.html" target="_blank">my last post details they were delayed going into the ground</a> by a long deeply sunk metal post, or 3.<br />
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I ordered the trees on M26 rootstock. This is a semi-dwarf variety. Rootstock, and I think I may be becoming an apple tree nerd here, I found fascinating. Apples trees are made up of 2 parts, the largest part being the <b><i>scion</i></b>, which is the fruiting tree of the variety you have chosen, and it's <b><i>rootstock,</i></b> which in apple trees is usually another apple tree. The scion is grafted onto the rootstock primarily to control the size of fruit trees, but also allow trees to grow in local environmental conditions and may provide some disease resistance. However it is not a straight forward as <b>root-stock = tree size,</b> local conditions, pruning and species of tree all play a part.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o3Pf2KD4Spc/VRhbrgzka4I/AAAAAAAAGUY/ufMXGZ4GPsI/s1600/rootstock_large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o3Pf2KD4Spc/VRhbrgzka4I/AAAAAAAAGUY/ufMXGZ4GPsI/s1600/rootstock_large.gif" height="342" width="640" /></a><br />
I was going for a tree, but not too massive so M26 rootstock is bigger than M9 (which is used in commercial orchards) but smaller than M111. As apple trees are probably the first trees humans ever intentionally grew for fruit, and have been cultivated for thousands of years in Asia and Europe, we've spent a lot of time messing with them, grafting them onto this, that and the other. <br />
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So I know that my M26 rootstock is derived from the M9 (or MIX) rootstock produced in 1917 by the East Malling Research Station in Kent (still up and running; <a href="http://www.emr.ac.uk/">http://www.emr.ac.uk/</a>). M9 is derived from the <a href="http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/articles/apple-rootstocks-for-historical-gardens" target="_blank">Paradise</a> rootstock "Jaune de Metz". Paradise was the most widely used rootstock in the 19th Century with a wide variety of vigours and no standardisation, until the East Malling Research Station began classifying rootstock and developing new ones for specific purposes in 1912.<br />
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I'm sorry, I told you I've become a rootstock nerd. Anyway I found the whole thing fascinating and it has made me want to plant a mixed fruit orchard. We have about 6 fruit trees already in the garden; 3 greengage, and 3 damson or plum trees, we think. There is also a little line of sloe bushes at the end of the garden. I would like a Quince tree. Raspberries, gooseberries, black currants and rhubarb are going over in the veggie patch. And Mum has given me a fig tree, but I think I am going to return that to a plant pot over by the house as it is more sheltered.<br />
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<b>READING:</b><br />
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<b>River Cottage Handbook No.9 - Fruit by Mark Diacono</b><br />
<b>Fork to Fork - Monty & Sarah Don</b><br />
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<b>LINKS:</b><br />
<b>When I was looking to purchase trees I found both the following nurseries' really helpful and informative both online and in person on the phone. I only bought from one, but it simply came down to what stock they had available as I was trying to purchase the bare root trees late.</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/"><b>http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/</b></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/"><b>http://www.orangepippintrees.co.uk/</b></a></div>
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Joining in with Annie at Mammasaurus for "How Does Your Garden Grow" again this week.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mammasaurus.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="How Does Your Garden Grow"><img alt="How Does Your Garden Grow" src="http://loveallblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/hdygg-badge.png" style="border: none;" width="150px" /></a></div>
Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-40301745263572745772015-04-01T05:43:00.001-07:002015-04-01T05:52:53.740-07:00A Little Boy's First Room - Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p3P5AMs2oa0/VRLeudQhhKI/AAAAAAAAGSQ/Trc-miMdusU/s1600/IMG_6697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="little boys bedroom" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p3P5AMs2oa0/VRLeudQhhKI/AAAAAAAAGSQ/Trc-miMdusU/s1600/IMG_6697.jpg" height="640" title="louis' room - Mrs Fox's Den" width="446" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1879176017"></span><span id="goog_1879176018"></span>It was a good few weeks ago that I posted part one of this little tale, <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/the-first-paint.html" target="_blank">A Little Boy's First Room </a>. I thought I should finish it. And I wanted to prove that I have been doing things on the house, not just the garden. <br />
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So the hideous purple gloss ceiling took 4 coats of paint to conceal; ceiling painted white and walls pale blue. The far wall was painted black - so we wallpapered over that with a Cath Kidston wallpaper of London landmarks, buses and taxis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.rukaruka.co.uk/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YAxY1HYJj7I/VRPba8jjwlI/AAAAAAAAGTA/wktT2bEpEe4/s1600/louisroom6.jpg" height="514" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.rukaruka.co.uk/" target="_blank">Print from www.rukaruka.co.uk</a></td></tr>
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Louis loves cars (buses and taxis in particular) and he loves animals, so I had said we would go for one or the other as a theme. In the end we sort of went for both, with my love of London thrown in for good measure.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV6QXSYZwao/VRLe3gcAZHI/AAAAAAAAGSY/NvHlzeFvPvA/s1600/IMG_6685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a little boys first bedroom" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kV6QXSYZwao/VRLe3gcAZHI/AAAAAAAAGSY/NvHlzeFvPvA/s1600/IMG_6685.jpg" height="640" title="louis' room - mrs foxs den" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POdPdjxfn_Q/VRPbK8ndNCI/AAAAAAAAGSo/RbQPmmhokCw/s1600/louisroom3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-POdPdjxfn_Q/VRPbK8ndNCI/AAAAAAAAGSo/RbQPmmhokCw/s1600/louisroom3.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pkkZfeMQPug/VRPbMKk-lTI/AAAAAAAAGS0/E3HpjJk9X1w/s1600/louisroom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pkkZfeMQPug/VRPbMKk-lTI/AAAAAAAAGS0/E3HpjJk9X1w/s1600/louisroom2.jpg" height="262" width="320" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1cLRqlMkVFk/VRPbchJ9X7I/AAAAAAAAGTQ/0s0lNtwLPA4/s1600/louisroom5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1cLRqlMkVFk/VRPbchJ9X7I/AAAAAAAAGTQ/0s0lNtwLPA4/s1600/louisroom5.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVeuNjVojOc/VRPbb5SZ9pI/AAAAAAAAGTI/JTqllxEPC_g/s1600/louisroom4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVeuNjVojOc/VRPbb5SZ9pI/AAAAAAAAGTI/JTqllxEPC_g/s1600/louisroom4.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-o3wY4jb-w/VRPbLSay27I/AAAAAAAAGSw/OK-ybmWQxn8/s1600/louisroom1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W-o3wY4jb-w/VRPbLSay27I/AAAAAAAAGSw/OK-ybmWQxn8/s1600/louisroom1.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-65453316115855578592015-03-30T12:29:00.000-07:002015-03-30T13:52:09.801-07:00Reading List Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-st9uETdCNE4/VRhm4aGkEeI/AAAAAAAAGU0/J8zMCvx_ixE/s1600/IMG_6631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-st9uETdCNE4/VRhm4aGkEeI/AAAAAAAAGU0/J8zMCvx_ixE/s1600/IMG_6631.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/mrsfoxs-21/detail/1408817918" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><b>River Cottage Handbook No. 11: Chickens</b> </span></a> by Mark Diacono</div>
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This is a great book for anyone new to keeping chickens. It orders the information well and is concise enough not to overwhelm, I like the way Mark Diacono writes. I also love the pictures I will admit and this series of handbooks is becoming something I lust after. Our chicks; Agatha, Astrid, Ashleigh and Anoushka were born last Wednesday and will be with us on Thursday in time for Easter. Little Louis Fox has been counting down the days.</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/mrsfoxs-21/detail/1904573231" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black;">The Complete Book of Aga Know-How</span></b></a> </span>by Richard Maggs</div>
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Mr Maggs is not my favourite person at the moment. It seems that, when it comes to the Aga, I always do the opposite to what I am supposed to do, according to him. -SIGH!- However it seems there is a lot I need to know so I will swallow my pride and get on and read it.</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/mrsfoxs-21/detail/1405340851" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black;">Allotment Month by Month</span></b></a> </span>by Allan Buckingham</div>
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This book was our absolute bible 5 years ago when Mr Fox and I got our allotment. It is a clear, practical and concise reference guide to what needs to be done in the garden and when. Ours is covered in mud, ripped and water damaged, but I will still refer to it to get my brain in gear as I begin the work on our veggie patch.</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/mrsfoxs-21/detail/1405340851" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black;">The Heligan Vegetable Bible</span></b></a> </span>by Tim Smit</div>
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About 10 years ago Mr Fox and I went to Cornwall on holiday and visited the Eden Project, while we were there we went to see the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I came away feeling they were more amazing than the Eden Project itself. I bought this book in the book shop, there were about 10 other books I would have loved too. The Heligan Vegetable Bible is a book I love to flick through and make lists of the heritage breeds of fruits and veggies it mentions. Heligan is an inspirational garden, and this book captures the depth and breadth of the amazing Victorian Country House garden.</div>
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<a href="http://astore.amazon.co.uk/mrsfoxs-21/detail/1850299927" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: black;">Fork to Fork</span></b></a> by Monty and Sarah Don</div>
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Mr Fox bought this for me one Christmas around a decade ago. I love it, I've read it from cover to cover. It is a beautiful book and I find it an inspiration.</div>
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And in case you are interested here is my <a href="http://mrsfoxscottage.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/reading-list-one.html" target="_blank">Reading List One</a> post.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-77774754486688152812015-03-26T11:49:00.000-07:002015-03-29T11:38:23.677-07:00So there I was digging a hole...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfq__oHno5U/VRRHJxCTVbI/AAAAAAAAGTk/61STP_i3VaQ/s1600/IMG_6709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mrs fox's den the hole" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yfq__oHno5U/VRRHJxCTVbI/AAAAAAAAGTk/61STP_i3VaQ/s1600/IMG_6709.jpg" height="640" title="mrs fox's den the hole" width="596" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hole - This really doesn't do it justice, it's a lot deeper in real life, like a chasm it is!</td></tr>
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I was very excited about the <a href="http://www.mammasaurus.co.uk/hdygg/" target="_blank">How Does Your Garden Grow</a> post this week. I had it all planned when the three apple trees I ordered were delivered on Monday. I was going to write about my plans for an orchard in the garden. About ordering and planting apple trees. About spring amongst the apple blossom, summer afternoons in the dappled light of the trees, autumn fruits and apple pie, winter... Well you get the idea, I was planning to wax lyrical. </div>
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The problem was that when I went out on Tuesday to dig the holes for the apple trees, I discovered a line of 3 metal posts sunk into the ground approximately where I wanted two of them to go. So, I started digging. By the end of the morning I was still digging so I gave up for a bit and started on another site; clearing the weeds to an area of 120cm diameter, removing perennial weed roots, breaking up the soil, mixing in some compost, digging a hole of approximately 60cm deep and hammering in a wooden support post for the apple tree.</div>
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Then I looked at the first hole. And went back to digging. And still couldn't get the metal pole out. So, I measured it; the hole that is, it is now over 110cm deep and no sign of the bottom. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs Fox's Orchard - at least it will be one day, I hope.</td></tr>
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See that pile of earth in the foreground of the picture above that's the second hole. The pile of soil just behind is the hole with the pole. For the rest of the day I moved a bonfire pile from just by the hole with the pole (you see it there, behind the hole with the pole now). And spread the ash around, I will cover it with top soil and seed with grass eventually. When I get that metal pole out of the ground.</div>
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Went and looked at that hole with the metal pole in it again yesterday. Gave the pole a kick, it didn't move much. </div>
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And so I went and found a link to my favourite song about a hole and found this, with some great animation by someone called <b>niblickthe3rd </b>which at least stops me from crying and makes me laugh instead.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eq5pzufCZuY" width="640"></iframe>
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If you would like to see pictures of some beautiful gardens rather than pictures of holes in the ground, I suggest you pop on over to mammasaurus' blog , see link below:<br />
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<a href="http://www.mammasaurus.co.uk/" target="_blank" title="How Does Your Garden Grow"><img alt="How Does Your Garden Grow" src="http://loveallblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/hdygg-badge.png" style="border: none;" width="150px" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-58743159171170813102015-03-19T16:58:00.001-07:002015-03-20T13:48:28.504-07:00An Industrious Week in the Garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FLzIhSU_Quw/VQtSZn7ZYYI/AAAAAAAAGRU/0T4boJPDERE/s1600/IMG_6634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hellebores" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FLzIhSU_Quw/VQtSZn7ZYYI/AAAAAAAAGRU/0T4boJPDERE/s1600/IMG_6634.jpg" height="640" title="garden ash cottage" width="560" /></a></td></tr>
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A week in the garden, and it has finally felt like gardening. I've been planting a few things, not the hellebore above I will admit, that was already in the garden. There has still been much clearing and rubbish removing. Please see below my favourite pile of rubbish so far. <br />
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I was pretty chuffed with this lot, none of it is actually going in the bin. And I've found a duck house and what I intend to use as a chick brooder in the chicken coop and garage. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQ_7DIct_Kg/VQtTHeulE4I/AAAAAAAAGRc/R00RjMkEDRw/s1600/IMG_6636.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQ_7DIct_Kg/VQtTHeulE4I/AAAAAAAAGRc/R00RjMkEDRw/s1600/IMG_6636.JPG" height="392" width="640" /></a></div>
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The lawn is usually Mr Fox's domain, but this week I have ordered 30kg of grass seed - no idea if that is enough, 100g of wild flower seed mix, and 20kg weed, feed and moss killer. The lawn I have now raked, cleared, scrapped, filled and finally scattered with the weed & feed. There is still the rest of the garden to try and reseed with grass, but that will be for Mr Fox to get to grips with. He's bought his stack of boy toys for the garden, he can use them. As our friend Jon said:</div>
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"... he's a real man, he's got a ride on lawn mower, a chainsaw and an asbestos out-building" </blockquote>
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That final one I don't quite get; I think it's a dad joke maybe. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6FOlkFQ9N0/VQtTXwIOnFI/AAAAAAAAGRs/ojrKTEC3sI8/s1600/IMG_6637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T6FOlkFQ9N0/VQtTXwIOnFI/AAAAAAAAGRs/ojrKTEC3sI8/s1600/IMG_6637.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today, I've been pulling up ivy that makes up about 1/3 of the garden's ground cover, grass and stinging nettles being the other 2 thirds. Having cleared ivy from down one side of the lawn to the first group of trees, I've started to plant my first bed. I've only used plants that I have brought with me from our old garden or plants I've found in this garden, but want to move. So far in the first bed, between the daffs, are 3 hellebores, 3 ferns, and some lambs ears (Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet'). It is in a slightly shady spot so I would appreciate any advice on shade loving plants that anyone cares to share.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrxEMX7C5bc/VQtTkuyjQGI/AAAAAAAAGR0/opk_rT4kta8/s1600/IMG_6638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hrxEMX7C5bc/VQtTkuyjQGI/AAAAAAAAGR0/opk_rT4kta8/s1600/IMG_6638.JPG" height="394" width="640" /></a></div>
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Joining up with "How Does Your Garden Grow: again this week, press the icon below for more garden loveliness.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-45180314610589314842015-03-12T02:35:00.001-07:002015-03-19T17:01:25.648-07:00The Garden at Ash Cottage - An Introduction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrX-j0ZIgtw/VGT3-4xUWrI/AAAAAAAAF7E/bl_su4l6HTc/s1600/IMG_6001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="ladybird ladybug" border="0" height="570" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zrX-j0ZIgtw/VGT3-4xUWrI/AAAAAAAAF7E/bl_su4l6HTc/s640/IMG_6001.JPG" title="a ladybird at Ash Cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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The mild weather that we had before Christmas, along with keeping the ladybirds out and active, allowed us to get a really good start on the garden. One of the main attractions of our new home is the garden at Ash Cottage. It is about an acre in size, with several out-buildings and a 60ft chicken run, loads of BIG trees and incredibly over-grown. The first thing we had to do when we got in was cut everything back, so that we could see what we have. <br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ANkMp-eiLzQ/VGUMGCMQ5gI/AAAAAAAAF7g/B845vWKUVYo/s1600/IMG_6005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="trees" border="0" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ANkMp-eiLzQ/VGUMGCMQ5gI/AAAAAAAAF7g/B845vWKUVYo/s640/IMG_6005.JPG" title="trees" width="640" /></a></div>
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What we have are a lot of very large trees that make the house and garden dark and prevent other plants from growing, but with views and hints of how beautiful it could all look once we get to work on it.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NzMlBTpcins/VGUKJY6UdvI/AAAAAAAAF7U/e364U96Zi8g/s1600/IMG_5996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Ash Cottage - line of trees" border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NzMlBTpcins/VGUKJY6UdvI/AAAAAAAAF7U/e364U96Zi8g/s640/IMG_5996.jpg" title="Ash Cottage view onto garden - line of trees" width="488" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rxrNkOPWctM/VI7Ak-g9xuI/AAAAAAAAGF8/DGi61DzCHWE/s1600/IMG_6055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rxrNkOPWctM/VI7Ak-g9xuI/AAAAAAAAGF8/DGi61DzCHWE/s1600/IMG_6055.JPG" height="387" title="garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CbJmSSJwHes/VI7Ap84-khI/AAAAAAAAGGE/VwPjhrLyQ30/s1600/IMG_6054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CbJmSSJwHes/VI7Ap84-khI/AAAAAAAAGGE/VwPjhrLyQ30/s1600/IMG_6054.JPG" height="425" title="garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, we went for it with the trees, all the leylandii except 1 were cut down; that's 8 trees (1 felled by the other Mrs Fox & I); plus an 11ft hedge of 7 more leylandii cut down by Neil with his trusty chainsaw; plus the 3 or 4 trees cut down by the electricity board (at our behest) to make safe the power-line that runs across the garden.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x3E_pTsoxs4/VQDB0mtm_uI/AAAAAAAAGO4/sXgiI4Rm6kU/s1600/IMG_6251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tree felling garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x3E_pTsoxs4/VQDB0mtm_uI/AAAAAAAAGO4/sXgiI4Rm6kU/s1600/IMG_6251.jpg" height="640" title="tree felling garden ash cottage" width="426" /></a></div>
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Most of the trees had to be climbed to be felled, there was not enough space to allow any of them to go down without them falling on a house, out-building, chicken run, caravan or other trees. The tree surgeons didn't think any of the trees had been touched for a minimum of 20 years. We still have tonnes of dead wood that needs to be cut out of the remaining trees to make them healthier and safer.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ORul0N52EZU/VQDB5-8FIHI/AAAAAAAAGPA/Xkzxif7TI24/s1600/IMG_6254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="tree felling garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ORul0N52EZU/VQDB5-8FIHI/AAAAAAAAGPA/Xkzxif7TI24/s1600/IMG_6254.jpg" height="640" title="tree felling garden ash cottage" width="426" /></a></div>
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After all the cutting down we've had huge bonfires to get rid of all of the wood and leaves, that are of little use in wood burners due to all of the oils in their timber. We are still working our way through this wood, huge long piles of tree limbs have been; trampolines, pirate ships, castles and forests for the children to play in and on for the last 3 months. They will be sad to see it finally all gone, and we have re-learnt that primeval enjoyment of just gazing at a big bonfire, poking it and stoking it and listening to it crackle and flame.<br />
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Despite all our felling we still have plenty of mature trees in the garden, including a large beech and sycamore tree that are over 100 years each, 4 more young sycamore, 5 silver birch, a willow, field maple, a cherry tree and several damson and greengage trees, 3 more substantial evergreens still standing, numerous hawthorn and elder, and I'm not even mentioning the various large shrubs.<br />
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Along with clearing the trees here has also been a vast amount of rubbish; old swings, barbed wire, garden machinery, chairs, wood, oil drums, cabling, concrete, glass, rubble, an old MG engine buried in the compost. The compost heap itself was about the size of a small urban garden and needed to be moved as it was rotting the neighbours fence it had been leaning against.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLib2jYrbos/VQDOeFOTMBI/AAAAAAAAGPw/7nqDIXX657A/s1600/IMG_6565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wLib2jYrbos/VQDOeFOTMBI/AAAAAAAAGPw/7nqDIXX657A/s1600/IMG_6565.JPG" height="426" title="garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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All this space in the garden allows us to say "Goodbye" to our allotment (sad day though it was) and incorporate the veg patch into our garden. Here's the final destination of that compost heap; but it's back breaking work.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1tLk9aLmxFk/VQDJsRElCtI/AAAAAAAAGPk/3RNkFuipNpA/s1600/IMG_6568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="veggie garden ash cottage" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1tLk9aLmxFk/VQDJsRElCtI/AAAAAAAAGPk/3RNkFuipNpA/s1600/IMG_6568.JPG" height="348" title="veggie garden ash cottage" width="640" /></a></div>
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And it is the veggie garden that has absorbed most of my attention this week. At one side of the garden is a hexagonal greenhouse that I have been renovating the last few days, clearing of ivy, cleaning, re-hanging shelves and re-making benches. Sadly neglected like the rest of the house and garden, it is being returned to it's intended use and now is home to two trays of tomato seeds. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JdhVzR2XJQ/VQDHeTGadgI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/KEczX-aKBAU/s1600/IMG_6566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hexagon greenhouse ash cottage" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1JdhVzR2XJQ/VQDHeTGadgI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/KEczX-aKBAU/s1600/IMG_6566.jpg" height="640" title="hexagon greenhouse ash cottage" width="472" /></a></div>
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And to make up for my decimation of bird habitat, we have put out feeders and bought nest boxes to go up in the remaining trees. Yesterday I ordered 3 apple trees and we've a walnut tree waiting to go into the ground too. <br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-68524742679159576132015-03-11T02:52:00.002-07:002015-03-19T17:01:05.767-07:00A Momentus Day in the Garden<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gdyUk5a7Ygk/VQAPQFJrLqI/AAAAAAAAGOk/4o3QYP09Qtc/s1600/IMG_6622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="seed trays in the greenhouse" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gdyUk5a7Ygk/VQAPQFJrLqI/AAAAAAAAGOk/4o3QYP09Qtc/s1600/IMG_6622.jpg" height="640" title="seed trays" width="610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Seed Trays - Tomato Curo Di Bue, </span>Super Marmande & Tumbling Toms</td></tr>
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Yesterday I planted something in the garden (in seed trays in the greenhouse) rather than chopping something down, digging something up, moving something to another place or throwing something away.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-29401905510716003572015-02-27T04:41:00.000-08:002015-03-19T17:00:33.442-07:00Planning the Veggie Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Me0uib4EZog/VOnlvcTapUI/AAAAAAAAGM8/8T-HN280zjw/s1600/victorygarden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Me0uib4EZog/VOnlvcTapUI/AAAAAAAAGM8/8T-HN280zjw/s1600/victorygarden.jpg" height="640" width="500" /></a></div>
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I've been collecting lots of inspiration for the veggie garden at Ash Cottage. Along with a <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/mrsfoxs/gardens/" target="_blank">pinterest board </a>bursting with beautiful pictures to inspire, I'm enjoying all the graphics I'm finding.<br />
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The above is taken from a US government information brochure explaining how to plant vegetable plots to feed a typical family. These Victory Gardens were both a practical and moral boosting effort encouraged by all the Allies to attain food security during WWII.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-alX2LpStJM4/VO8pGno5VTI/AAAAAAAAGNM/ECEt_93akw4/s1600/FourSeasons_Fall2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-alX2LpStJM4/VO8pGno5VTI/AAAAAAAAGNM/ECEt_93akw4/s1600/FourSeasons_Fall2014.jpg" height="394" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">http://modernfarmer.com/2013/04/how-to-turn-your-backyard-into-a-four-season-farm/</td></tr>
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A more modern graphical take on the same concept is this crop rotation info-graphic on the Modern Farmer website.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-62593269300947449802015-02-02T06:16:00.003-08:002015-02-02T06:16:44.569-08:00First loaf baked in the Aga<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGKkRA2F0kY/VM-GjJ7RrtI/AAAAAAAAGMk/KKyzO5CPw3g/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="homemeade bread" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IGKkRA2F0kY/VM-GjJ7RrtI/AAAAAAAAGMk/KKyzO5CPw3g/s1600/Image.jpg" height="480" title="homemade bread" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-62413158658308173442015-01-31T10:45:00.000-08:002015-02-01T05:23:41.811-08:00How to build an Aga<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zDCYLrDUu20/VM0MFDgHW6I/AAAAAAAAGMU/KJSxS5lwUZ4/s1600/IMG_6410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Aga - cooks breakfast" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zDCYLrDUu20/VM0MFDgHW6I/AAAAAAAAGMU/KJSxS5lwUZ4/s1600/IMG_6410.JPG" height="426" title="Aga - cooks breakfast" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Mr Fox cooking our first full English brekkie on Aggie</td></tr>
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Did you notice in the last post how I just dropped in, all blasé-like, that the door was in the way of the Aga's flue pipe. <br />
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Oh yes, it has taken months of whining, our old cooker blowing up (I had nothing to do with it), me getting chill blaines (I am not kidding, nor am I yet entitled to the OAP heating allowance, nor am I living in the Arctic). And Neil buying himself a ride on lawn mower, a week of plaster dust and the resulting snottyness, it has all been worth it, as my beautiful battleship grey Aga, newly named <i>Aggie,</i> is in.<br />
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She's already cooked several great full English breakfasts, a couple of good casseroles and is heating the kitchen like a dream.<br />
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An Aga is one of those distinctly English inventions (Yes, I know designed by a nobel prize winning Swede in 1922 and made initially in Sweden!) that really only makes sense in cold, damp English houses. First imported to the UK in 1929 they were made under licence from the 1930's. The cast iron components were originally cast at the <a href="http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/" target="_blank">Coalbrookdale</a> foundry, where they are still made today by the<a href="http://www.agaliving.com/" target="_blank"> Aga Rangemaster Group.</a><br />
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An Aga is a cast iron, heat storage cooker that is always on. It works on the principle that a 'relatively' small but continuously burning heat source's energy is radiated around the 2 ovens and 2 hotplates. There are now bigger Aga's with more ovens, but the classic is 2 x 2.<br />
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The Aga has no switches or dials, thermostatic controls maintain the top oven at around 220 and bottom at 120 and the two plates either boil or simmer. The boil plate does indeed boil a kettle pretty darn fast, while the simmer is more than what I would call a simmer - 2p under the saucepan seems to reduce it to more of a simmer. (Thanks Adrian for that!) Within the ovens heat comes from all surfaces simultaneously which is meant to preserve the food's moisture, flavour and goodness.<br />
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Aggie is bloody brilliant! The jury is out on her fuel efficiency and green credentials, but I love her anyway. I will not have a word said against her, she is wonderful. She is actually a reconditioned old girl, but looks and works as good as new; her insides having been sand-blasted and her outsides having been re-enamelled. I got her from <a href="http://www.londoncooker.com/" target="_blank">The London Cooker Company</a> who renovated, delivered and installed her. They were great, checked and re-checked the site was suitable and built her in situ. <span style="text-align: center;">Do you want to see how they build an Aga? I thought it was just amazing to watch:</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pafy4I2hDTs/VM0D_nxiN5I/AAAAAAAAGLI/aR1okIzAvUw/s1600/IMG_6392.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Build Aga - 1. pllinth" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pafy4I2hDTs/VM0D_nxiN5I/AAAAAAAAGLI/aR1okIzAvUw/s1600/IMG_6392.jpg" height="640" title="Build Aga - 1. pllinth" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The plinth</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kSu1q5ZCB0/VM0Dp0EDyII/AAAAAAAAGK4/Ev9zVjgmewI/s1600/IMG_6394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 2. sides, burner & bottom oven" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1kSu1q5ZCB0/VM0Dp0EDyII/AAAAAAAAGK4/Ev9zVjgmewI/s1600/IMG_6394.jpg" height="640" title="build aga - 2. sides, burner & bottom oven" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Once the plinth is level sides are added and the burner and bottom oven put in place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoJeYeizlxM/VM0KCRnyItI/AAAAAAAAGL4/IBv_JoC_Kkk/s1600/IMG_6395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 3. flue" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RoJeYeizlxM/VM0KCRnyItI/AAAAAAAAGL4/IBv_JoC_Kkk/s1600/IMG_6395.jpg" height="640" title="build aga - 3. flue" width="598" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Third side is in place and the circle of light you see is the hole for the flue. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcufyL-Di-U/VM0ECxuuaKI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/kaRtS0FtrAI/s1600/IMG_6396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 4. insulation" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcufyL-Di-U/VM0ECxuuaKI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/kaRtS0FtrAI/s1600/IMG_6396.JPG" height="426" title="build aga - 4. insulation" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The front is fitted and first lot of insulation is added - a vermiculite (In old Aga's it used to be ground seashells!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyISGqI4qGM/VM0Ihq2OrLI/AAAAAAAAGLc/OnrF_gNhmH8/s1600/IMG_6397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 4. top oven" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HyISGqI4qGM/VM0Ihq2OrLI/AAAAAAAAGLc/OnrF_gNhmH8/s1600/IMG_6397.JPG" height="426" title="build aga - 4. top oven" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Top oven is added</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OvED_VUkLPc/VM0In6LQzuI/AAAAAAAAGLk/Uc-c0MuO6Bc/s1600/IMG_6400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="aga build - 5. plates" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OvED_VUkLPc/VM0In6LQzuI/AAAAAAAAGLk/Uc-c0MuO6Bc/s1600/IMG_6400.jpg" height="640" title="aga build - 5. plates" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Plates are put into place, levelled and flue properly sealed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCDeKG_n0lU/VM0IvH14b1I/AAAAAAAAGLs/lDKVncZN-Dc/s1600/IMG_6403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 6. plates & insulation" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hCDeKG_n0lU/VM0IvH14b1I/AAAAAAAAGLs/lDKVncZN-Dc/s1600/IMG_6403.JPG" height="426" title="build aga - 6. plates & insulation" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The rest of the body of the Aga is filled with vermiculite, more fiberglass insulation added on top.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xD30xvk_epQ/VM0LuiqvV-I/AAAAAAAAGMM/IbkPpJiOVHs/s1600/IMG_6404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 7. enamel lid" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xD30xvk_epQ/VM0LuiqvV-I/AAAAAAAAGMM/IbkPpJiOVHs/s1600/IMG_6404.jpg" height="640" title="build aga - 7. enamel lid" width="558" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The black enamel top is added</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inhMa_rf7yI/VM0LjC7-PYI/AAAAAAAAGME/AgEhW7Vb3-w/s1600/IMG_6407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="build aga - 8. chrome lids & enamel doors" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inhMa_rf7yI/VM0LjC7-PYI/AAAAAAAAGME/AgEhW7Vb3-w/s1600/IMG_6407.jpg" height="640" title="build aga - 8. chrome lids & enamel doors" width="572" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">The distinctive chrome lids to the hotplates are in place and the enamel doors on the ovens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
And then just 8 hours for the old girl to get up to temperature. Oh yeah, that's why you never turn her off and as you can imagine, she's not very easy to move if you decide to redesign your kitchen. But that's fine because she isn't going anywhere, Aga's have a life-span of upwards of 50 years.</div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4460332327787059029.post-16542262597991933162015-01-30T03:38:00.000-08:002015-01-30T03:50:34.699-08:00The Amazing Disappearing Door<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mjSofU1NKKw/VMZGIpJcQjI/AAAAAAAAGKY/PIISgck7QMw/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mjSofU1NKKw/VMZGIpJcQjI/AAAAAAAAGKY/PIISgck7QMw/s1600/IMG_3045.JPG" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
I've not been well this week. A combination of catching some kind of throat infection that Una had last week and the plaster dust. <br />
<br />
The builders (or <i>da builders</i> as we like to call them) have been at Ash Cottage for 3 weeks, and we will have them with us most of next week too. So I know that the amazing disappearing door is not a hallucination brought on by head cold, but that they have:<br />
<ul>
<li>Bricked up the kitchen door to the garden. We have 7 external doors on our house, we simply don't need that many doors. Not to mention, it was right where the Aga's flue pipe needs to go.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-37H4OtZ87fA/VMY-y-DzvoI/AAAAAAAAGJw/ytF2DPxezn0/s1600/door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-37H4OtZ87fA/VMY-y-DzvoI/AAAAAAAAGJw/ytF2DPxezn0/s1600/door.jpg" height="338" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen door open. Kitchen door bricked up, and curtain to contain the dust of the new doorway. Old doorway plastered.<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Opened up a doorway between the kitchen and the office attached to the shop, which will become our new boot room/hallway. So behind that curtain you see in the middle picture above is Danny knocking a doorway through.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OC-HU0QUbxc/VMY_8t87c8I/AAAAAAAAGJ4/1z9ymgfnpN8/s1600/IMG_6376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OC-HU0QUbxc/VMY_8t87c8I/AAAAAAAAGJ4/1z9ymgfnpN8/s1600/IMG_6376.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lintel in place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EAzzpOc8irI/VMZAJ0QfR1I/AAAAAAAAGKA/EFDs1evdkMc/s1600/IMG_6381.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EAzzpOc8irI/VMZAJ0QfR1I/AAAAAAAAGKA/EFDs1evdkMc/s1600/IMG_6381.jpg" height="640" width="496" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The doorway after the first rough plaster</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Done a bit of remedial work on a flue for the tumble dryer that was stupidly messed up by a previous contractor.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Levelled door sills etc. ready for flood gates to be fitted and replaced air-bricks with ones that close in a flood.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Knocked out two of the hideous red brick and dark wood 70's style fireplaces, to reveal the original openings. Here's the one in the back room:</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tqA-cxLdNYw/VMYZ67eLFgI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/UraxUXhfAB4/s1600/IMG_6037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tqA-cxLdNYw/VMYZ67eLFgI/AAAAAAAAGJQ/UraxUXhfAB4/s1600/IMG_6037.JPG" height="240" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
BEFORE... </h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acC7Mm4-LN8/VMYlr9Nd8tI/AAAAAAAAGJg/P69sxMgxSiI/s1600/IMG_6379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acC7Mm4-LN8/VMYlr9Nd8tI/AAAAAAAAGJg/P69sxMgxSiI/s1600/IMG_6379.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
AFTER</h3>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm loving the colour of the green and grey-blue paints that remain on the red brick above the fireplace in the back room. For the moment I'm not going to try removing the paint from the brick, as I'd like to use the colours as guides when I repaint the back room.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0GzFmnd9JI/VMtq4Y5N8iI/AAAAAAAAGKo/v0KfzCevEKw/s1600/IMG_6411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f0GzFmnd9JI/VMtq4Y5N8iI/AAAAAAAAGKo/v0KfzCevEKw/s1600/IMG_6411.jpg" height="640" width="508" /></a></div>
<br />
For now, I sit cold and snotty, imagining the warmth and comforting glow of the new wood burners that will go into these fireplaces in the sitting rooms, so that sitting in them is once more a pleasure.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkXYiW4F0Ww/VMZAW735pYI/AAAAAAAAGKI/Pd3DKuJAlnk/s1600/IMG_6384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkXYiW4F0Ww/VMZAW735pYI/AAAAAAAAGKI/Pd3DKuJAlnk/s1600/IMG_6384.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/en/blog/12560871" title="Follow Mrs Fox's Den on Bloglovin"><img alt="Follow on Bloglovin" border="0" src="http://www.bloglovin.com/widget/bilder/en/widget.gif?id=12560871" /></a>Mrs Foxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03964628527899832494noreply@blogger.com0