Showing posts with label sunshine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sunshine. Show all posts

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Four Seasons in One Day

The title of this post really fit the weather this Sunday.  I woke to the pouring rain and the disappointment that once again I'd be unable to garden.  It's official that this August is the wettest since records began.  By the time I'd managed to get out of bed and down some breakfast the sun had come out and it was warm enough to lose the sweatshirt.  I decided to go get wet.  I really wanted to build a raise bed to grow my carrots and peas in.  So I set to with my unhandy skills.

I think our household is missing a vital gene.  In fact if I didn't know better I'd say we were foreigners.  The great kiwi ability to DIY is definitely missing.  But I do own a rusty hammer and an equally rusty saw.  That was enough to knock together the required bed.  I then barrowed compost from the bottom of the chicken coop up the slope.  Lots and lots of barrow loads.  I was sweating buckets by the time I'd finished cleaning the chicken coop and filling the new bed.

I was covered in mud as I finished but boy was I happy I'd finally achieved something in the garden.  I collected the seeds to plant.  Garlic up the back amongst the black currants (yes I know it late for garlic but I'm going to give it a go), sugarsnap and climbing peas, carrots and a few strawberry plants.  Then the heavens opened at it started to hail.  I ignored the weather and got those seeds in.

After I finished the lightning and thunder started.  Then the rain, then the sun, then the rain, then the thunder and lightning, then the sun - actually I think you are getting the picture.  Four seasons in one day.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I saw some bright shiny stuff




It's true! I saw some bright shiny stuff I think is called sunshine. Actually it was beaming in pretty strongly - and I had sewing to do. I only managed one costume before sneaking outside to put up some more bird netting around the chicken run.

I think I banged inexpertly two staples before a friend arrived and made me a coffee. The aforementioned friend's husband is still supposed to be building me a chicken hutch. Before I knew it the morning had gone and I was taking Kathryn's netball team for their exchange with the other local primary school. So off we all wondered and played their best - with very sad results as we were far outclassed. Half way through the game winter came back with vengeance. The local bus company was called to take us all dripping wet back to school.

Once home, changed and drinking yet more coffee the sun decided to come back out. So I abandoned the coffee and went back to the chicken run. I popped the Dixie Chicks out and they loved it. Unfortunately it was not cat proof and the dog had a good go at getting in too. If it is fine enough today I'll see what I can do to make it safer while they are still quite small.