Garden Update July 31st

'm pretty excited these days. Summer is in the air, garden veggies are being harvested daily from the garden and when one bed of spring greens or summer veggies is done next goes in the fall crops. - See more at: http://littlemountainhaven.blogspot.de/2013/07/fall-garden-planning-planting.html?showComment=1375284573458#c911858689578628409

I love this summer, hot and sunny days, with temperatures past the 30 degrees Celsius for the last 6 weeks, so completely different to my summers that I lived up in the North East of England. The garden is growing and producing fruits, in some areas more and in some areas less. I love the daily harvest and the amount of fresh food that I have available. We have lot's of beans both bush and climbing beans. This week I gave a 10 liter bucket to my neighbor who had none. In return I will get apples from her tree later on, since my tree is still quite small (only in year 3).
The blackberry bush is full with fruits and I am, looking forward to that harvest in a few weeks time.

This year for the first time, I am planning or trying a fall winter garden. I have already planted some kale and radish and some salad will follow in a few weeks. I am also planning to plant at least a pear tree and some blueberry bushes this fall.

How does your garden look like?

'm pretty excited these days. Summer is in the air, garden veggies are being harvested daily from the garden and when one bed of spring greens or summer veggies is done next goes in the fall crops. - See more at: http://littlemountainhaven.blogspot.de/2013/07/fall-garden-planning-planting.html?showComment=1375284573458#c911858689578628409

'm pretty excited these days. Summer is in the air, garden veggies are being harvested daily from the garden and when one bed of spring greens or summer veggies is done next goes in the fall crops. - See more at: http://littlemountainhaven.blogspot.de/2013/07/fall-garden-planning-planting.html?showComment=1375284573458#c911858689578628409

'm pretty excited these days. Summer is in the air, garden veggies are being harvested daily from the garden and when one bed of spring greens or summer veggies is done next goes in the fall crops. - See more at: http://littlemountainhaven.blogspot.de/2013/07/fall-garden-planning-planting.html?showComment=1375284573458#c911858689578628409

Meet the cast - The babes

 

I can't believe that the babes (as I call them) are three weeks old today. It seems to me as if they been here forever already. They are growing up nicely and I can't get enough of watching them and their antics. Mia is a great mom and I am very pleased with how she handled motherhood. She will definitely stick around as my breeding doe for a while. The babes are still being fed by their mom but start nibbling on proper food too. I can't see yet which are gonna be boys and which are going to be girls but over the last few weeks their names established, so let me introduce you:

Muffin

 

 Snowy

 Junior

Blacky

They each have different personalty traits and as I said before I love to watch them. If I have a favorite out of all of them it probably is Blacky but I love all of them. I hope that at least one of them is a doe, that I can add to the breeding stock. 

I am considering supplementing the  breeding stock next year with a smaller breed for cross breeding, so am keeping me eyes open for a New Zealand White or Californian.

{this moment}

 

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

 

 

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see

 

 

 

First onions

{this moment}

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

 

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see

Garden Update July 18th

It has been dry here over the last couple weeks, too dry to be honest. We have not had rain in weeks and that impacts the garden. I usually spend an hour every second evening out watering the garden with the hose, to enable it to grow. During this week, I changed this a bit, as it often is still to hot in the evening to water the garden. Now, I usually water the garden, when I do the morning chores with the rabbits. Instead of watering every second day, I water every day but usually only about half an hour. It does help and the garden is growing.
Last week/this week we ate the last of the iceberg lettuce and took them out. The first round of peas will follow at the weekend. The beans are starting to produce beans and the tomatoes are hanging full with little tomatoes . I ate a few carrots last week too. The gooseberries and currants bushes are empty now but the blackberry bush is full of fruits now. Cherries are only a handful on the tree this year which is a shame.

I am planning to plant a few more radish and then some kale & beets for a fall/winter harvest. I have never done that before and it will be a first. Also thinking about getting a small low tunnel build for some more winter gardening.

What does your garden look like?

A Little Bit of Land

A Little Bit of Land

 A little bit of land is all I ask.
Just a small place to call my own,
Where I can put down roots, so deep, so deep,
That great-grandchildren will still call it home.

Is it so much to ask? A lane of trees,
Bringing birdsong and colored leaves,
A grape arbor, the roses beyond,
Sweet lilacs, holding in their arms, the lawn...

Tulips and yellow daffodil,
Spattered up and down the cedar hill,
Sweet gurgling brook, fresh and cool,
The brush beyond, sheltering grouse
And sage, and shy, sweet deer.

Oh aching heart, hungry, hungry soul,
What little bit to make a grateful whole.

Is there no spot in all this Universe?
A little valley, with a cabin home,
A bit of garden I can call my own...

I would not bruise the land, or tear it apart,
But keep it beating with a happy, blooming heart.
Each bit of soil, which God had surely blessed,
Would be a cozy home for seeds to rest...

And grow and nourish, comforting all men,
With fruit and shade, and food for every soul.
A little bit of land, to call my own,
Within its small confines, a loving home...

And fertile soil, no matter the toil,
I would so grateful be, if God
Would take a little chance on me,
And give me a small plot of lonely sod
That needs a gentle hand, and God.

(By Jennie Senrud Hutton)

The babies - 1 week old

The babies are a week old now. Mia is a great mom and I was worried for nothing. The babies are growing nicely and have doubled their birth weight. They are getting a bit more agile now too, especially when I open the cage to feed Mia and check on the babies. The babes will open their eyes in the next couple days and in about 10 days will start to discover their surroundings. Other then Blacky, I have not given them names yet. I need to wait until I know their sex and see what kind of distinguishing marks they have.

I hope you had a great weekend

Heaven on Earth

This morning, early as always, I was out in the garden, gathering some salad and small onions for my lunch later on. I harvested another kohlrabi and sneaked in some peas and cherries while I was out. Fresh fruits and veggies straight from the garden in my mouth.

Today I had planned to eat Spanish omelette, while prepping it, I realized that my whole lunch came out of my garden or locally. The potatoes I harvested on Thursday in my garden, the eggs came from my neighbour and the salad and onions again out of my garden.

That's when I realized once more, that this is heaven on earth.

 

{this moment}

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see

Garden update July 10th

I have been up early, just after 5:30am, I had the dogs fed and checked on the rabbits. The babies are doing fine and Mia appears to be a good mom, no eating of the babies or not feeding them as of yet. I am slowly starting to relax now with them. For the last couple days I checked on them frequently, fearing what might happen and worrying that they all survive. I have 4 little ones actually not 3 as assumed on Sunday morning.

After checking on the rabbits I tool the dogs out for a walk. I love these early morning walks, the quietness, the fresh air, the sun just coming and peaking out over the hill or the woods. It's very peaceful. When I got back home, I thought I give you an update on the garden but instead of taking pictures, I thought I give you a short video tour. I hope you all enjoy!

4 days old

Baby's

Mia gave birth this morning for the first time. She started building a nest on Friday afternoon, so I figured she would give birth in the next few days. I checked regularly on her since then and when I came home from church this morning, I noticed a tiny baby. Upon further inspection, I found 3 little ones. I am very exited for this and at the same time extremely nervous. It's the first rabbit babies that we have here and I am scared that something goes wrong. I was already pleased that the babes are alive but now I am worried about Mia feeding them and so on.

Gandersheimer Domfestspiele

I enjoy going to the theatre. When I still lived in Newcastle, I frequently went to see shows at the Theatre Royal and Northern Stage. My little home town usually does not have many attractions but for the past 55 years it hosts the 'Gandersheimer Domfestspiele'. The Domfestspiele is an open air theatre that is on a stage in front of the cathedral, starting on the 1st of June and ending in the middle of August. I have been visiting the Domfestspiele to watch their plays since 1985. Initially as a kid, I went for the children's play watching things like Pippi Longstocking, my magical friend Sams, Jum Knopf and many others. When I became a teenager, I went mainly for the musicals or any of the adult plays that took my fancy.

 

Last night I went to watch the musical 'Cabaret'. I sat in the front row and really enjoyed the show. The actors usually engaged are pretty awesome and many return frequently the following years. I wasn't allowed to take pictures during the show, so you have to make do with the outside pictures.

 

walking down the street to the cathedral

prior to the show

the show is over

going home