As was tradition for many people where I was born, the Christmas decorations are removed on the last day of the year and the house is thoroughly cleaned; this has been done today.
The Christmas tree was a small Norwegian Spruce complete with root and this has been planted in the garden. Whilst it has been in the house, it has already started to produce new shoots. Last year's tree and the tree from the year before, are still growing nicely, however last year's tree has been 'pruned' by the deer so will not grow very tall. This is not a problem as it is in a border, which I am trying to make into a shrubbery with plants and shrubs between three and six feet tall. Today I have also planted, in the same border, two small trees similar to Christmas trees, which grow to about four feet high.
Whilst in the garden I also pruned a small plant whose name I do not know and also several lavenders, probably the wrong time of year to do this, but it has now been done and the border looks much tidier; overall a half an hour well spent.
Next year in the garden I plan to grow more vegetables if possible and fill the 'curved' border, with more shrubs. I may include a lot more lavender and rosemary bushes, as the deer are not fond of these so they may survive better. I will also try and fill all the other borders and keep them all weed free, but time and my blogs will tell if this is achieved.
Friday 31 December 2010
The end of 2010
Well it is New Year's Eve and this is one of the days I do not like; Christmas Eve being the other one. As far as I am concerned it is now 2011, as I have watched the Australian fireworks heralding the New Year. As was tradition, for some of the local people, where I was born, the Christmas decorations have been removed and the house cleaned.
2010 has not been as good a year as I had hoped for, like 2009 it brought many more health problems for my husband; maybe 2011 will be better, but there will still be many visits to Addenbrookes hospital in 2011.
I plan to work less in 2011 and with this in mind I have given up tutoring one course for the coming year. This still leaves me with two separate courses, Psychology and Heath. With my husband's health problems, I will have much more to do in the garden as well as around the house. I will also try to make more jams, chutneys and preserves than this past year and concentrate on knitting and crafts, which have been neglected somewhat this year. On my husband's good days I hope we will be able to go out more often to places we enjoy visiting. This is the plan, but whether it is achievable is debatable; read my blogs for 2011 to see how I get on.
2010 has not been as good a year as I had hoped for, like 2009 it brought many more health problems for my husband; maybe 2011 will be better, but there will still be many visits to Addenbrookes hospital in 2011.
I plan to work less in 2011 and with this in mind I have given up tutoring one course for the coming year. This still leaves me with two separate courses, Psychology and Heath. With my husband's health problems, I will have much more to do in the garden as well as around the house. I will also try to make more jams, chutneys and preserves than this past year and concentrate on knitting and crafts, which have been neglected somewhat this year. On my husband's good days I hope we will be able to go out more often to places we enjoy visiting. This is the plan, but whether it is achievable is debatable; read my blogs for 2011 to see how I get on.
Thursday 30 December 2010
Fog
It has been foggy for two days, but the snow has gone and overall it has been warmer both during the day and the night. The natural pond now has water in it, the first time for months; due no doubt to the snow melting.
Yesterday, as well as the other usual birds, there were two bullfinches feeding on seed heads, unusual, they rarely appear show themselves in my garden. Other than that not much else is happening.
Yesterday, as well as the other usual birds, there were two bullfinches feeding on seed heads, unusual, they rarely appear show themselves in my garden. Other than that not much else is happening.
Tuesday 28 December 2010
Rain and Deer
There was heavy rain during the night and some of the day, but the snow has still not gone. We also had warmer temperatures than of late bringing fog. One Muntjac deer was seen early this morning, wandering around my car and then eating windfalls under the tree.
Monday 27 December 2010
Researching - Who shall I consider today?
Well, the two main days of doing very little at Christmas are now over, so for the rest of the holiday I can continue with my family research, but which name or branch shall I consider next?
I have researched a long way back with the Ream family of Wisbech and Newton, but need to confirm some of my recent findings and then put more flesh on the bones; I also have to write up many of these details.
What about the Leverington side? Again I have a lot of information and much still to research and to write up; this is also true of the Browns, mainly in Canada. The Lamm family in Germany are causing a problem and I think this is one brick wall which will take some knocking down. What about further research for the Blackstaffes, not today. Today I think I will concentrate on the Canadian side as it is believed that there were some native Indian ancestors and I think the first one has now been found; time and much further research will prove or disprove the connections.
It is not just a matter of finding the names and entering the information on to the family tree. Everything has to be confirmed and then documented to produce comprehensive reports to support the information in the tree. I have been researching the family history for many years and there is still so much to do.
I have researched a long way back with the Ream family of Wisbech and Newton, but need to confirm some of my recent findings and then put more flesh on the bones; I also have to write up many of these details.
What about the Leverington side? Again I have a lot of information and much still to research and to write up; this is also true of the Browns, mainly in Canada. The Lamm family in Germany are causing a problem and I think this is one brick wall which will take some knocking down. What about further research for the Blackstaffes, not today. Today I think I will concentrate on the Canadian side as it is believed that there were some native Indian ancestors and I think the first one has now been found; time and much further research will prove or disprove the connections.
It is not just a matter of finding the names and entering the information on to the family tree. Everything has to be confirmed and then documented to produce comprehensive reports to support the information in the tree. I have been researching the family history for many years and there is still so much to do.
Sunday 26 December 2010
Mainly the Weather
Well, it was minus nine in my garden this morning, not as cold as just before Christmas when it was minus thirteen, but then my garden is in a frost hollow. There are the usual birds on the feeders as well as a nuthatch which visits infrequently. The garden is still covered in snow despite having only about two inches fall before Christmas.
More Birds - Less Snow
Last night my husband saw an owl fly over the garden, possibly a barn owl; this morning a heron flew over. Today it is much warmer than it has been with temperatures around plus three or four; this means the snow is melting. Not much else is happening in the garden as it is much too cold to work in the garden always supposing that I could see the ground under the remaining snow. I hope the fish in the pond are still alive, but there is no way to tell as they are likely to be lurking at the bottom of the pond where it will be slightly warmer.
Thursday 23 December 2010
The First Day
Well, not much is happening today, the garden is covered in snow and ice. This means the grass is unlikely to grow very much and if it does I cannot see it, so I will not need to cut it. I cannot see the weeds in the border either so they can stay there until later.
The birds are busy in the trees and on the bird feeders. Currently on the feeders there are blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, marsh tits, robins, greenfinches, chaffinches and goldfinches. There are thrushes, blackbirds and redwings currently stripping the Rowan tree of its berries. The male and female pheasants are feeding below the trees and occasionally flying onto the bird table. Also in the garden there are collared doves, magpies and pigeons.
Currently there are no rabbits or deer present, sometimes we have Muntjack and Roe deer, usually they come to eat the vegetables, but because of the snow I doubt they can find them; I cannot find them either.
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| Robin |
The birds are busy in the trees and on the bird feeders. Currently on the feeders there are blue tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, marsh tits, robins, greenfinches, chaffinches and goldfinches. There are thrushes, blackbirds and redwings currently stripping the Rowan tree of its berries. The male and female pheasants are feeding below the trees and occasionally flying onto the bird table. Also in the garden there are collared doves, magpies and pigeons.
Currently there are no rabbits or deer present, sometimes we have Muntjack and Roe deer, usually they come to eat the vegetables, but because of the snow I doubt they can find them; I cannot find them either.
Wednesday 22 December 2010
Ready for Christmas?
The postman called this afternoon, the first time for four days and we only had two inches of snow. Apprently it was too snowy on Monday for Royal Mail to allow their postmen to go out! Earlier this month I saw a notice at the Post Office advertising their services and claiming that they would get the Christmas post deliveried on time even during evenings and weekends, bit contradictory me thinks. The postman himself told me he was worried he might get stuck, but two large dustcarts as well as the small dustcart and my Sainsbury lorry managed to get down the road, along with many vehicles visiting the railway station; none of them got stuck.
No further snow overnight, so turkey collected, presents bought and wrapped and all the cards sent. However, all was not straightforward when collecting the turkey. My daughter stepped onto the travelator, similar to those at airports and slipped over. She has a very grazed and bruised elbow, not to mention many bruises elsewhere, fortunately nothing was broken so she was able to drive home.
Snow has been forecast for here all day, but has not yet arrived, maybe tonight, maybe not. However, I have nothing much left to do involving travel now until after Christmas so as far as I am concerned it makes no difference whether there is more snow or not.
No further snow overnight, so turkey collected, presents bought and wrapped and all the cards sent. However, all was not straightforward when collecting the turkey. My daughter stepped onto the travelator, similar to those at airports and slipped over. She has a very grazed and bruised elbow, not to mention many bruises elsewhere, fortunately nothing was broken so she was able to drive home.
Snow has been forecast for here all day, but has not yet arrived, maybe tonight, maybe not. However, I have nothing much left to do involving travel now until after Christmas so as far as I am concerned it makes no difference whether there is more snow or not.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
My First Post
This is my first attempt at 'blogging' and I plan to use this blog to record the happenings in my daily, often uneventful, life here in rural Newport in Essex, as well as what is happening in the United Kingdom. I also plan to record information about my hobbies, mainly gardening, growing flowers, fruit and vegetables, as well as my research, on my own and my husband's family trees. I have a daughter, two grandchildren and three cats; no doubt there will be information about them posted here too.
Today we have snow. In fact we have had snow since Saturday 18 December, which as usual in the United Kingdom has brought the country to a standstill; we, as a country, do not seem able to cope with a few inches of snow. Where I live, it is very flat, so no hope of any downhill skiing, although I have seen people out on cross-country and langlauf skies, as well as on sleds, mountain and quad bikes. We currently have airports, railway stations and many roads closed, making travel difficult, bringing the country to its knees and which will no doubt have an adverse effect on the UK's economy.
Where I live I was unable to see the Moon eclipse this morning as the Moon was too low on the horizon and could, I understand, only be seen from Southern England and Western Scotland. It is a shame I could not see it, as a Moon eclipse has not happened on the WInter Solstice for about 400 years.
My Christmas preparations are all in hand, with food and presents purchased, all except the turkey, which is still at the supermarket waiting to be collected, hopefully tomorrow, weather and transport permitting, but that will be another story.
Today we have snow. In fact we have had snow since Saturday 18 December, which as usual in the United Kingdom has brought the country to a standstill; we, as a country, do not seem able to cope with a few inches of snow. Where I live, it is very flat, so no hope of any downhill skiing, although I have seen people out on cross-country and langlauf skies, as well as on sleds, mountain and quad bikes. We currently have airports, railway stations and many roads closed, making travel difficult, bringing the country to its knees and which will no doubt have an adverse effect on the UK's economy.
Where I live I was unable to see the Moon eclipse this morning as the Moon was too low on the horizon and could, I understand, only be seen from Southern England and Western Scotland. It is a shame I could not see it, as a Moon eclipse has not happened on the WInter Solstice for about 400 years.
My Christmas preparations are all in hand, with food and presents purchased, all except the turkey, which is still at the supermarket waiting to be collected, hopefully tomorrow, weather and transport permitting, but that will be another story.
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