Thursday 17 March 2016

Deep rooted problem

Hello. Another garden day today, aren't we lucky with the sunshine. The next raised bed to be given a  makeover is this one. I forgot to take a photo before I removed the rotten pallets. It's not very big and always had the runner beans growing here in the corner, sheltered by hedges on two sides. Should be an easy job, should have it finished today. 
I soon got a sweat on with the digging and took a layer off. Heidi has found it on the table in the summer house. She does like to lie on my clothes, especially as it means snoozing in the sun as well.

I brought Rocky's spare bed outside. He lay watching me as I cursed and swore at the roots I found under the compost.

Bugsy moves up the garden to stay in the sunshine. He got off the towel and lay in the hedge bottom, then he moves up onto the decking. Eventually going back into the house to lie in the front window sill. He's not daft. 
Mayze is peering out of the summer house watching me huffing and puffing pulling the roots up.

 And this is how it finished at 5pm. A big pile of roots, I suspect they come from the surrounding hedges. I was in two minds whether to build a raised bed here or leave it flat. The ground has a slope on it so I have spread the compost about to try and level it. I have got enough bricks so I think I might put one in as it looks a bit bare. I don't want to plant anything too tall in the space because I have to get a stepladder alongside the hedges to cut them in the summer.

I'm feeling a bit knackered now, those roots were a pig to get out. I feel like I have done a three hour work out at the gym, the muscles in my legs are aching with all the bending down and pulling. I had to use the loppers to cut some of them off. They were too big and too deep to remove with my hands after loosening them with a fork. I could have done with a JCB, ha ha.

I've had my dinner and don't know if I can get off my chair. Now I have to decide if I can manage a walk or not. I'll make a drink first, then decide. Tomorrow I'm going to the small garden centre to see what plants they have. Janet is coming with me. We pass the tip so I'll load the car up and chuck a load of pallets in the skip on the way through. I put a notice up on the front gate this morning, free firewood, but no takers.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.

Adding a PS. I did get up off my bum and walk. Just come back and collapsed in a chair. Now I am really knackered. Ha ha. 

PPS. My sister has just rung, she says I am on the Jo Brand documentary. 

PPPS Carol, the links to my long walk work now, I have fixed it.  Thanks for letting me know about it. 

22 comments:

  1. You are such an inspiration Iliona. I need to get out into our garden. We have just bought a log cabin which is due for erection in a couple of weeks so that should motivate me to get out there, however we shall see lol

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    1. Did I spy you on the One Show the other evening when Jo Brand was on talking about her walk - I thought perhaps if was you walking behind her on the Humber Bridge?

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  2. My husband and I went to the garden center this morning and came home to plant our booty. I love spring.
    My son has made a large new bed by the side of our house. It's protected but gets good sun. He is almost finished turning in the compost. Then we will plant seeds and some of the starts we have grown. I cut toilet paper rolls in half, set them upright and fill them with compost before planting a few seeds. When they are big enough, the whole thing goes in the ground as the thin cardboard will rot.
    You're such a trooper to have walked after all that digging! Drink lots of your juiced up water and take some aspirin or ibuprofen if you get too sore. Lovely family pics today.

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  3. just seen you on the telly with Jo Brand. Brill

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  4. You made it on the telly. so pleased you didn't land up on the cutting room floor. Keep on walking, I admire you.

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  5. I have been reading you blog for about a year. I've just turned on the tv to see you on the programme about Jo Brand's walk. Very exciting. Well done with all the gardening and walking. Time for a well earned rest!

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  6. Ha! Just seen you on the Jo Brand doc.....you're lookin' good girl.

    Metta.

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  7. Yes I've seen you on tv as well. I couldn't believe it when I saw you , got so excited!!! Poor Jo, she struggled at times.

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  8. I have been following your blog for a little while now and marvel at your energy and inspiration. I just had to tell you that we have just had our first yellow sticker experience. We were almost passing a Tesco at 7.30 and I have come home with 2 2.5 kilo bags of spuds for 6p each, 2 bags of prepared stew veg, 6p each ,bag of parsnips the same, 2 peanut and noodle salads, 10p each!!!! As soon as we got home, hubby put chickens away and walked the dogs whilst I made a delicious veggie stew with cheese and herb dumplings for less than a pound and I've got 5 huge portions for that! I feel well and truly chuffed! Needless to say whilst doing this I ate the 10p noodle salad so didn't need anything else so 4 portions for the freezer, oh and hubby had a pud of fresh pineapple slices for 3p!!!!

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  9. Get some well deserved rest and congrats on your telly appearance!

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  10. Your furbabies are beautiful some serious relaxing going on :). You have done really well clearing the roots, I bet you get a good sleep tonight!.

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  11. Saw you on TV with Joe Brand. Weather-wise she really couldn't have done that long walk at a worse time of year!
    Love the pics of your furry friends.

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  12. Lovely pictures of your furry family enjoying the beautiful weather.

    Hope you find some pretty flowers at the garden centre. Your yard is going to be gorgeous.

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  13. Hi Ilona I missed the first half of Jo's walk last night and I have now just finished watching it on bbc I player and there you were. You came across really well. You have got to admire Jo for sheer guts and determination. A bit like yourself digging up those roots!

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  14. Thank you for fixing the link. I will read the last walk as soon as I have a moment. We recorded Jo Brand's walk and replayed the beginning bit several times shouting out "that's our Ilona". We were thrilled to see you and felt a bit of reflected fame by feeling that we "know" you. It did look like a hard slog for her but she made it.

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  15. I am new to your blog and really enjoying the photos of your pets (three cats myself)! Pity about the free firewood but as I live in
    Surrey it's rather a long way to collect it! Sue

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  16. Yes you were on the show i saw you , Recognised you straight away xxx

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  17. I saw you on TV last night. Was very excited when I saw you! You looked great. Well done for turning out and supporting Jo. Caroline x

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  18. Just watched Jo Brand documentary-didn'tshe do well? You were fab as usual and you looked so fit amd healthy. Well done for helping to support her. Catriona

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  19. Sounds to me like your workout for today was a good dose of gardening. I would be tempted to give the walk a miss. I have been offered a lovely job and partof te role will be 'Healthy walk Leader'....... I will get paid to go for a walk and play in the woods. It is only an 11 month contract but I have worked for the company before in a similar role. The initial 6 month contract gave me 5 years of work.

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  20. I can no longer garden due to a back injury, but you brought back memories for me when I did garden. I would be out all day long sweating and working and I loved every minute of it. I do miss it sometimes.

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  21. Hi Ilona, further to the Jo Brand comments, you were also quoted in the Daily Telegraph on 18th March page 32. There was an article about Jo Brand and you were described as a "veteran of the trail" having said that you "don't give a toss about what she looks like" etc. So you are popping up all over the place. I agree with your comments and she did really well.

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