sock knitting world!!

 My first ever attempt at sock knitting- using 2 needle pattern- needed lots of help from mum with this!! used cheap yarn and as you can see odd balls!!  They have been worn so much they now have big holes in them but I think this is due to using very cheap yarn as much as anything- but hey I can do it now and went on to knit another pair with 2 needles for Holly, my daughter.

 First attempt at sock knitting using 5 needles!! lovely sock yarn Opal Herzogin Eugenie (Rainforest 4001)  75% superwash wool & 25% polyamid- to be much harder wearing hopefully!!  I like the way each sock is individual but matching!!!! used a very easy to follow pattern that came free with the yarn purchased here: http://www.thread-bear.co.uk/product/30988/Opal_Rainforest_4Ply

So now raring to go on more socks and patterns!! Also still knitting my slippers with the Alpaca wool- lovely.......

Hughs Ginger Beer Recipe

Have just had the first sip of this lovely simple home brew- yum and nice and gingery!!

Hugh Furnley Wittingstall recipe

1/4 teaspoon brewers yeast ( I used super wine yeast)
225g caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon finely grated fresh root ginger
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon honey

Clean a 1 lt plastic bottle- add the yeast and pour in the sugar.

Mix grated ginger with lemon juice and honey and add to the bottle
Half fill bottle with water and shake until sugar is dissolved.

top up with water leaving a 2.5cm gap at the top to allow for gas production.

Put top on bottle tightly. Put bottle in a warm place for about 48 hours.  once the bottle feels very hard it should be ready.Place bottle in the fridge for several hours to halt fermentation.

Pass through a fine sieve and enjoy!!!

Our two boys!

So here are our two furry boys!  Hurley (fluffy guy) and Jynx (black guy).  They love their cat house too- both of them are in it in the photo- difficult to see Jynx but he is there. These two guys are partners in crime and always together.

Official Patch!

Sign made and put in place on our little patch!!  Made a lovely Rhubarb & Ginger cobbler tonight with our first rhubarb from the patch- yum!

Aubergine potted on this week, tomatoes growing well, small cucumbers growing already!  Had to remove another crop of radish due to cabbage root fly- this is war! I have now planted radish in a small trough and completely covered with mosquito net!! will report back on the success of this defensive action!  We have also put a cover on the broccoli bed - allowing the plants to just pop through- again in expectation of attack from the various bugs that somehow find out we have planted!

The bees have been busy around the raspberry canes- again in all this space how they find us is amazing!!  Good crop of strawberries awaiting the ripening sun to do it's job.

Funny how a small patch can find us so much to do!  Weeding is always there to keep us busy following the willow seed dispersion that was helped by the wind a few weeks ago- how come they come up so quickly and nothing likes to eat them!!??

New resident at Glaslyn Cottage!

Found this lovely guy at the auction in Cricieth last week!! He now has a place on the bathroom windowsill!

First harvest and first pest attack!!

Lovely and tasty radish however I also found something else enjoying them today and had to clear the lot with only a few for me!! Apparently Cabbage root fly also enjoy radish--how do they find them ??? Advice from Carol Klein is to harvest early rather than leave to mature for ages.  Have planted some more in another location! I was reminded of the thoughts I have about fishing... fishermen seem to spend a long time feeding the fish with delicious bait- rarely catching a fish!! Gardeners appear to spend an awful lot of time planting for the benefit of all these weird and wonderful creatures and maybe occasionally eating their own stuff!!!

Knitting with a number of needles!!!

This has been another challenge and learning curve but lovely with the alpaca wool and wonderful colourful 5 needles!! Plans to be a pair of slippers!

Chocolate Granola!

Yummy granola with a chocolate twist- adapted recipe from Green & Blacks book!  I cheat and buy Aldi's fruity porridge mixture and add the sugar syrup, chocolate, cocoa, honey and veg oil- then bake at 180 c for 30 mins. Ready to have with yoghurt in the morning!

Woodland Garden

So the oak trees suddenly have their leaves and have created their lovely shady canopy in the woodland- how lovely and cool it has been on these hot days!