OpenPermaculture - Herb/Garden Spiral

I think I like this one better
OpenPermaculture - Herb/Garden Spiral

Mitra Ardron - Permaculture How To Build a Herb Spiral

Mitra Ardron - Permaculture How To Build a Herb Spiral: "You'll need: 1-1.5 m3 of rock, more in a humid climate; 1/4 - 1/2 m3of compost; 20 or 30 herbs; A small amount of cardboard; Friends with strong backs"
Something like this?
Actually I dont really get this... Help!

More garden capers

More garden capers today at Elaine's. She took the children out to find some brushes, etc for cleaning the cellar, but got stuck in traffic, so by the time they returned Allie and I had laid these stone paths.
Afterwards I collapsed in a heap in a chair unable to move, while Elaine fastened an old gate over the giant hole in the wall, with the aid of some cable ties and rocks. The children filled in the rock pile with soil and gravel. They had been busy sweeping and mopping inside and scraping the walls. They got quite into it and did loads of work, but also played all sorts of games in between.
By evening they were all absolutely muddy (as was most of the house) so they all went in the bath while Elaine's Ebay item went up in price, rather dramitally, during its last few minutes. This was all very interesting and exciting, as I have just got into ebay; I've never really quite understood it before, but I am bidding on somthing now. Correction: I am watching something now and intend to bid on the last day; why? i dont really know, but I assume people are like me and will change their ind about how much they want something, especially if other people want it?
Allie did some drawing at JR's desk while the others lolled about. They all went to sleep very quickly as soon as I got them home to bed! I had another hot bath for the benefit of my back- I must rest it tomorrow. Hopefully I haven't overdone it, but it's better having a slight back strain from doing too much gardening than from stress. i am finding it all very theraputic. I hope I can put this amount of energy into my garden and tidy it up a bit. Somehow it's easier doing someone else's garden. It's a good job Eaine just lets me do what I want! We have been discussing plans for mosaicing the patio, AKA large slab of concrete, with pebbles, and stuff, and making a herb garden (spiral? photos, please,Tech!). Elaine thinks we are going back tomorrow. I think I'm doing nothing tomorow!

so they all rolled over and one fell out

Thursday: I went shopping and when I got back I seemed to have inadvertantly sold the cot: someone had seen the ad, come round, liked it and left the money. Maeve found a flat. That night I lay on the cot and had a little cry: my babies!
Friday: I lent Maeve the money for the flat deposit and had a look round it. The cot was taken away. I got over it. I also parted with a Wilkinet, baby bouncer, and baby gym. I was £65 better off.
Saturday: I spent the money on ("ant") chairs for the flat and a load of pressies for Fug's birthday.
Sunday: I went to the car boot sale and got a coffee table in the shape of a paint pallette for £2, some stripy wool, a bike and an old bicyle wheel. I was a bit stressed about the flat still, but it seemed a lot better after moving some stuff in- I got a mattress and wardrobe in 2 journeys in the back of the clapped out Saab, which I am getting used to driving.
Monday: The clapped out Saab also came in handy for emptying rubbish from Elaine's cellar and garden.
Tuesday: (Well, it's not really Tuesday yet, but I just got carried away.) So now I have only 3 children at home. I seem to have destressed myself somehow- that intensive gardening, followed by a lovely bath, must have been just what I needed. Thanks, Elaine!

Ground Force

Today Jem and I went over to Elaine's to help sort out the cellar/garden. By the time we got there Linda and N had been there for hours and they had made a good start on the garden, where we spent most of the afternoon, as it turned out quite sunny. I don't know what happened to the other hoards of volunteers, but I think between the 6 of us we did a great job. There was much fun to be had by all, jumping on bits of wood and burning it on the bonfire. The girls did some P&D and Elaine also cleaned the windows, letting sunlight actually shine into the cellar.
Once I'd got started I just went at it like a mad thing and couldn't stop till it was really cleared. I managed to trap one of my fingers between two stones within the first five minutes, and later on I very stupidly burned my fingers quite badly on a stone from the bonfire. Fortunately Elaine found some Lavender oil, which I applied liberally, and I ate my tea with my hand in a cup of cold water to stop it smarting. I had visions of not being able to play the guitar again and Elaine had visions of spending a few hours in A&E, but by the time I left they were obviously better, although a little red and swollen, and it has not stopped me blogging (with two hands, I might add!).

This is a test card transmission

Hi guys. *I am still here*, just not my usual chatty self, mind you, I did go to the pub last night ;). The mastitis and bad back have cleared up now, thanks.
The children have been blogging more than me lately, so have a look here and here if you want to see more.

understanding egg codes

After a week of money and beaurocratic hassles of tax credits, morgage arrears, council tax. etc etc, it was a bit of light relief cooking lunch. As I was happily scrambling I happened to glance the inside of the egg box, which said "understanding egg codes". I could go into more detail as to why this made me laugh, but I haven't time right now, just suffice it to say that I quickly shut the box and put it away.

The day my world fell apart and I found all the pieces and glued them back together. Can you see the joins? 

guitar lesson, park, friends

Jem let me teach her some chords on the guitar, so now she can play "Little Boxes", well, with some practice, but she does well to play a chord at all. She has obviously wanted to play for ages and keeps picking it up and strumming it. She is really proud of herself now. I'm so glad she let me, as she usually resists being taught anything. I put some little colour-coded stickers on the frets to show her where to put her fingers.
It took me hours to get ready to go out today, as it involved getting everyone dressed, having lunch, putting the washing out and getting together all the stuff I needed to take to Josie's. She hadn't answered the phone, but then, she seldom does, so I thought we'd go anyway. I left the stuff (baby stuff, birthday cards, etc) outside as there was no answer and we went to the market, where I scored some freebie stuff (misc clothes) and the park, where we bumped into a few friends. We went back to Josie's on the way back and the children were there with grandad, and by the time I'd had a cup of tea, so was Jose. It was great to see them, it seems like ages. It was especially good for Fugs, as I expect he has missed seeing any of 'his own friends'. We finally gave Immi her birthday present and arranged to meet up next week.
It was late when we got back, but I managed to get some pasta together and they went crazy afterwards trying on all the clothes (not theirs) that I got today. But still had to read a chapter of Ballet shoes before they would go to sleep.

so how come we have a sunflower growing out of the side of the house? Is it a little ray of hope amid the dark sea of uncertainty? 

we went for an evening walk 

physalis fairy 

lyrics

ok, on request:
Little boxes by Malvina Reynolds

1. Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky, Little boxes, little boxes, Little boxes, all the same. There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same. 2. And the people in the houses All go to the university, And they all get put in boxes, Little boxes, all the same. And there's doctors and there's lawyers And business executives, And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same.

3. And they all play on the golf-course, And drink their Martini dry, And they all have pretty children, And the children go to school. And the children go to summer camp And then to the university, And they all get put in boxes And they all come out the same. 4. And the boys go into business, And marry, and raise a family, In boxes made of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one And they're all made out of ticky-tacky And they all look just the same.

little boxes

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
erm..I don't sound much like this!

little boxes

Not much to report today, except that we went to LIDL and stocked up on our ice cream and coffee supplies- phew! I shall survive now ;o) We got all sorts of sundry items, too, such as another stripy rug, some lovely mules for me, water shoes for Fugs and trainers for Jem. When we got back they couldn't wait to dig into the ice lollies, and there was a bit of moaning, arguing and falling over :'( when I was trying to get a few minutes to myself to make a phonecall. But all was calm after tea, and they were inspired to try out the new watercolour set we got today. Later we tidied up a bit and Jem got out a guitar, which was hopelessly out of tune, and Fugs was screaming "my guitar", which it isn't, mind you, it is his birthday soon... so I ended up tuning/playing "Big Yellow Taxi", as I usually tune the children's guitar to Joni Mitchell tuning to make it easier, but Allie started requesting "Donkey Walk" so I switched to another guitar and we had a reet good sing song. I tried to remember a few old folk songs and the likes of "Little Boxes" which they loved, so I'll have to dig out the words. I really enjoyed it and it was lovely to sing with them actually joining in. We had done "She'll be coming round the mountain" on the way home to try to stop Allie crying, which is fun, as you can make up your own verses. Maybe I'll have to do a Music/craft group meeting one Friday (/any day) here, if anyone's up for it... Well, either that or I'm going to start busking, so watch out!

community cohesion

This morning the kids were playing so adorably with dollies that I could not bring myself to drag them out to the Rawtenstall Mela. They all disappeared into a small playtent for ages with their three prams parked outside it. I had told Jill last night that we might go and see our "people" in situ and it sounded a bit diffrent, anyway. We finally arrived at about 2, 2 hours after it had started (that's home-ed time for you, now), after a leisurly morning, in which I tried to recover from staying out too late, and found out there was no coffee. I was informed by Elaine, by international textepathy (I am a tomorrow person), that I needed to go out and buy more coffee or else I would die and that the decaf I had found lurking would send me into a coma. Well, this was nearly true, as I headed off in the wrong direction, having completely sailed past the Bacup turning and went for miles before noticing.
It was a multicultural festival, but fairly municipal, with lots of info stalls in tents giving away stuff. If you have ever seen that episode of Peter Kaye's Pheonix Nights when they have a fun day, just imagine that in a park. There were two food stalls, an Asian one, selling chips and kebabs (halal), which was mainly frequented by the Asian population, and an English one selling burgers and fries, attended by, you guessed it..., and there was a similar obvious divide in who watched the bands. The boys spent the first half hour clinging very quietly to my skirt, slightly open-mouthed, while Jem did a banner making workshop, had her face painted, and had a henna tattoo on her arm. By this time the boys were happily occupied with a balloon for ages. The highlight for Fugs must have been the chip pan fire demonstration, which we managed to get so close to we had to back off when they showed what happens if you put water on it.
But the biggest damper on the day was when Jill reallised her jacket, which my children had been sitting on, had gone missing. It had her car keys and wallet in it. She had to get driven home to get her spare car keys so she could move it off the park. I felt really awful as I had unwittingly moved the children off the jacket so they could sit on level ground a few feet away, as I had got them some chips and me a cup of tea, and I didn't have anywhere near enough hands and when I got back with the second lot of chips Allie had knocked the first lot over Jem so she was sitting helplessly still, with ketchup and mayo all over her, waiting for me too *do* something about it, and no-one wanted to hold my tea for a bit because it looked over stewed (just right for me, though!), and then the buggy started toppling over, you know the senario, but I managed to keep calm, but somehow lots of things got left a bit far from us, and Jem retrieved her wellies and the baby cup, but somehow the jacket got left and someone else must have picked it up. O dear.

Home-ed time

Jem was invited to a party yesterday, and I had to take her out to buy a present in the morning. So we indulged in a pleasant bit of retail therapy and one-to-one bonding, starting at Poundstretcher, or Instore. There we found one of those DK flight kits for £5, which entertained Fugs for the rest of the afternoon, while I transformed a large pot of foam letters into a Montessori-type movable alphabet. Then there was home bargains, where we got some Ello for the birthday girl (had no idea what to get, actually); card-making kits, stickers and wrapping paper;and some marvellous novelty toothbrushes, which not only flash, but have a little ducky in some coloured liquid inside the chunky handle, all for 79p. We had to go into the town centre to find a proper toyshop, but happily found a parking spot very close to Toymaster, where we found emergency top-up Hama beads, a Scouby book, and some blast-from -the-past small interlocking circles. I seem to have a soft spot for small multicoloured objects, which remind me of "hundreds and thousands" and sweeties. I loved going to the toyshop and marvelled at all the things you can get. I was like a kid in a, well, toyshop, I suppose. It's amazing what head space you can get into if you spend all your time with kids.
Well, that was it as I had probably already broken the bank, so we just had time to get home, wrap up the present, make the card out of the card-making it, and pick up a change of clothes, as it was pouring down with rain and they had a bouncy slide there. We decided to call for Jem's friend on the way back, being almost time to set off to the party, anticipating that we would have to wait for her, but her dad had already taken her, called in at our house and gone up the track and down, by the time we got back, and it was still only 5 to 3. I was not planning on arriving until after 3, as this was the time on the invitation, and I would have thought it a bit rude to arrive at a party early. But, when we got there at 10 past 3 all the other party guests were already there, and had already done some of the party games- talk about prompt! When I related this to my friend, (mother of the friend we were hoping to share a lift with) it was not taken as being unusual. It was then that I realised that I was operating on what is often called home-ed time. All the other parents are used to dropping of their children promply for 9 o'clock, which really means 8.45-8.55, and when they get an invite for 3 they simply assume it is for 3 and things will actually be starting at 3. I just thought it would mean any time after 3, within reason, like to, eg 1/2 hour, and seeing as I had spoken to them that moring to say we were coming, that they could have waited 10 minutes before starting games.
Anyway, (*rant*), I asked my friend to call on the way to pick them up, or to pick up Jem for me, as the track is a really bumpy, single track, and it was raining or I would have walked up. She called me back to say the dad had arranged for his child and another friend to come back with someone else, so I had to phone the party and get someone else to do it, and someone's granny, who answered the phone, didn't quite get the message that I'd rather Jem wasnt jus't bundled into the nearest car of someone she didn't know, which is what happened, and without her raincoat. Argh!!

what goes around...

...comes around.
Hey, guess what? we wove bicycle wheels with bits of coloured binding and strung up CD's in Tech's garden today. I'm sure this sculpture trail thing has been an inspiration for lots of activities using recycled materials. We managed to come away with some reels of of the binding, which came from Lindsey, after having brought the cd's. The bicycle wheels were from a scrapstore. It was open house/a meeting about the new budding eco project, which, I must admit has got a bit bigger than I can chew. But it was nice to see some more people and chat and generally sociallise. We had some amazing frozen banana "ice cream" with mango and pineapple juice, made in Tech's new super juicer.
Jr brought her mars rover, but I didn't see it in action. Allie played quite well, considering, and left me alone for at least some of the time. The others just disappeared, only reapperaing when they needed food.
Elaine and Jr are going away for a few days, so we shall miss them : ( but Jem has been invited to a party tomorrow, by someone from school, and thinks she might go, although she feels a bit shy about this. So I'll have to sort out a present in the morning.
It's all quiet here. It's so nice when they've all gone to sleep and there's noone else here- I actually get some peace and quiet. I felt like just going to bed, but have to make the most of it!
By the way, they like their new beds, or matresses, although Jem fell out of bed this morning.
The windmills are on the way home (that's us in the car) we had fish and chips (again!) from the best chippy on the world.
I just spotted the circular/ rotation/ recycling motif in all the pictures, hence the title. This is really a parallel of my inner struggle, cycles and transformation.

how weird

You Are 20% Weird

Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself.

How Weird Are You?

take me to the river

Here is where we went today: we got forcibly dragged kicking and screaming out of bed, by Elaine, to Ilkley park. Well, ok, I didn't kick or scream and a couple of text messages aren't exactly force, unless you take into account the unstoppable power of Elaine's texts. I was just feeling a bit weary after a night of stress, but it was good to get out and be distracted, and to see L and N, too. I am beggining to pefect the art of very quickly getting together a picnic lunch every time we go out. I just need a flask now. Hmm.. tea? or coffee?
The children enjoyed paddling in the river; teasing the ducks with sandwiches that suddenly became more appetising at the thought of throwing them away; and playing on the play park, especially on a big grassy knoll, which they ran off to. It was a lot warmer there than when we set off, so I got a bit hot and bothered. Wandered round the town a bit and got some bits in Woollies, including some nice big triangular coloured pencils with grippers on each one for only just over a pound.

people

This is what we have been doing today. Jill (incessant blog lurker, with no comment ;)) has beed running some workshops and we helped with the finishing touches. It is for the multicultural festival in Rossendale, I think I've got that right.
I did one; it is me! Jem did a few- here she is working on a cowgirl. They represent people from around the world. She said something about community cohesion.
Allie bimbled in and out of the house, saying "people, people", with one of his playmobile characters, that he calls "a people."

poison plants; nail board; beads:beds

OK. This is the critter I was sent outside to look at - the grasshopper- not often seen in this garden. You may notice it is on the ragwort, which I reallised was covered in cinnabar moth caterpillars. I got excited about this as I got the wildlife ID book out and identified it and realised it had been a cinnabar moth I saw a couple of months ago inthe garden, and I had never seen one here before, nor the caterpillars. I have since discovered that the caterpillars and the ragwort itself are poisonous, but, as far as I can make out, the caterpillars are only poisonous enough to make them taste horrible to birds, and that ragwort is poisnonous to horses as well as cows and sheep. Horses know not to eat them, but it sometimes ends up in hay. I usually get rid of the stuff as I had an incling that they were undesirable weeds in Ireland, where they are called boholons. As far as I know ragwort is not dangerous to humans unless they are involved in pulling up lots of it, where it is recommended that gloves and a mask are worn. I thought the cinnabar moth caterpillars might do the job for me and finish off the plant, so I wont have to do anything.

My back was still bad today, so we didn't go out again, but the children were saved from boredom by the arrival of Jr and Elaine, who made some interesting CD mobiles and sculpture ideas, involving plasticine and bits of old rope that was lying round the garden. We polished off the rest of the ice cream and just about all the other food in the house, as I haven't been able to go shopping, but I have finally managed to get some ordered to be delivered tomorrow.

I did manage to make something though: not sure what it's called - a nail board for elastic bands- a sort of Montessori thing. I need to do some more of these- need more offcuts of wood- maybe when I get those bookshelves in the living room... I did bring a little table and chair down for Jem last night, so now they all have their own little table to work at in the living room, as well as the rugs.

I had a text fron Brendan saying he had got the beds as he had been passing IKEA on the way somewhere. We thought he meant the beads, Hama beads, but I've got a horrible feeling he meant beds, he's bought some beds! Because I said "hama beads?" and he said "whoops!"

Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars

Wild About Britain - Wild About Britain's - Wild Gallery - Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars - Tyria jacobaeae: "Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars"
I was so excited to find these in the garden, I was called out to look at a grasshopper and the children had already seen these and not thought to mention it!

Hama, CD's, pain in the neck

Jem has been busy Hama beading after doing some at JR's. I must get round to ordering some more beading stuff, especially the animals and flag kit. I could quite get into it myself. I was doing one today- a glow in the dark moon, when Jem kindly informed me that when I'm 50 she will be nearly 18. I told her I didn't want to think about being fifty right now, but then I said I thought I would be an artist when I'm 50 and she said, what, a hama bead artist?

She later made this CD mobile, which can be seen from the kitchen window. Some other daft people threw theirs up to the high trees, from where they throw blinding flashes of evening sunlight into the house and create a glitterball effect all over the garden. I, rather sensibly suspended mine from the underside of the table parasol.

I woke up this morning with a sharp pain near the top of my back, which seemed to be emanating from my neck. Well, hardly surprising, really, come to think of it, as Allie was really unsettled all night after falling asleep over his tea. He did that again tonight, so I hope I'm not in for a repeat performance. My back is slightly improved after the application of warm and cold compresses and some gentle excersise, AKA making the tea and more muffins. O, I was too tired to blog last night after Saturday's Craggs experience. Yesterday we picked bilberries and made wild bilberry muffins. Maeve appears to have returned from her festival escapades.




I forgot to mention I finished my hat I started whilst camping (as the weather turned cold) the other day. Allie is modelling it here in a cute fashion.

There were five frogs in the pond today. 

where wood-ants dream

It turned out quite a nice day and we had another pleasant afternoon strolling through the Craggs, absorbing tree-energy, with the Woodlanders plus 'Chopsticks-Elaine and Jr with that crazy dog. The children loved looking at the sculptures and stopped to inspect every anthill, frog, leaf, stone, etc, so it did take rather a long time to get to the mill in the middle of the woods, and then we had to turn round and head back at what must have been at least tea-time.
We found the amazing spiral burnt into the ground at the end, that we hadn't seen before, although it was my third trip there this month.
The evening sun was really making the dangling CD's sparkle and they gathered underneath them to have a 'shower'. Later on at home I got out a bin bag of old CD's and they sorted them out to make a hanging sculpture for our garden.







Bye-bye piggy-wawer.









Allie tries not to fall down wooden plughole.