Squeeze

20 comments

Last week of term. Phew. It feels like we are squeezing everything into it.

The Teen, for one, is chasing forms for her DofE, and also work experience, ready for after the break. Qualifying to go on to the next stages. I think it’s been an eye opener for her. There is no let up with homework. She is discovering that each teacher seems to believe that their subject is the only one on her timetable. A concept most students will probably sympathesize with. I found her up at 6 this morning finishing her art, that she was working on the night before.

I’ve been squeezing in time to work on my new summer dress. I’ve broken the process down into elephant bites. Doing one bite every evening.

(collar and both sleeves are now attached.)

The bodice is complete, except for buttons and buttonholes. I’m loving the fabric. So soft. I’ve tried  it on a few times to check the fitting and I’ve not had to squeeze into it. A good thing for a garment intended for summer days.

I’ve squeezed in time to plant the sweetcorn and half of the squash plants. I’m using the three sister planting method again – sweetcorn, squash and bean. They did really well last year. I have noticed that I can plant the sweetcorn slightly closer using this method and the deep bed. I’ve squeezed 72 sweetcorns in, which even I am thinking may be over the top.

I may yet be dressing the children in dungarees and straw hats, ready to man the stall at the end of our drive.

Salad beds are doing well. Spotted the beetroot coming up that I planted just over a week ago. During the day, I grab five minutes and a cup of elderflower tea, to hand weed an area. Amazing how much I can clear in that time.

When next door’s builders moved my compost bins, they must have muddled up the composts. As a result, I now have a sea of tomato plants making a bid to take over one of the salad beds. Seeds from my passata making last year. I’ve never seen so many tomato seedlings. I can’t squeeze them in, so back to the compost for them.

Along with our resident slow worms. To be admired for their slug eating habit.

I did notice another slug eating friend in among the squash plants. When I planted the spaghetti squash, I sunk the empty pots into the ground beside each plant. Makes it easier to drench the plants, without wasting the water.  As I poured water into one pot, last night, a toad popped up. Squeezing through the drainage holes in the bottom. It swam around in the water for a bit, until the water drained through and then it squeezed back down through the holes. Not a bad place for a toad to make its home, I think.

We have a lot of toads in our garden.

And slow worms, which are not really slow.

My theme this week has turned out to be squeeze. With the horrendous attack in Manchester this week, I’ve found myself hugging the children even more. We both have. I don’t think they minded the extra squeezing. Just want to hold them that little bit closer.

Now to squeeze in the rest of my work before end of school and half term begins!

20 comments

  1. Ooh, I need slow worms in my garden, I get way too many slugs. I only planted up our salad bed a couple of weeks ago, with the kids eager help, and already there are shoots which they are delighted about. That fabric looks very pretty, I hope it’s going well and you’ll soon be wearing it x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

    1. How lovely that the children are excited about growing in the garden. Definitely worth encouraging slow worms. Populations are down.

  2. That sewing machine is love!

    Sounds like a busy week. I didnt know that slow worms are slug eaters! I need them in my life but then again I only have a terrace and few potted plants thats now all dead because of the slugs. I dodnt even know how they got in my terrace but they are there and I cant seem to stop them from eating my plants!

    #wotw

    1. You may be up against it, trying to attract slow worms to a terrace, but I wonder if a toad might move in.

  4. It has been lovely (when in the shade lol) I love this time of year when you get so much wildlife about. Oh I remember doing DoE and going to the palace, such fun times X #wotw

  5. I’ve been squeezing my children a bit tighter this week too – hearing about awful things like the Manchester attacks in the news certainly makes you want to do that. It sounds like you’ve had a very productive week in your garden. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a slow worm before. I never knew that they were slug eaters. Lovely to spot toads in the garden too. I love the fabric for your summer dress – so pretty. Good luck to your daughter with all the homework, doing her DofE and work experience. Hope you have a lovely half-term. #WotW

    1. Thanks Louise. The dress is now finished, so hoping to make the most of half term and have the children take some photos of it.

    1. Dress is finished, but the weather is not playing ball. I should have made a warm dress and then the sun would have coem out.

  7. I love that fabric! Love the slow worm too!
    I feel awful i did not mention the manchester attack in my round up. It has been on my mind all week. Definitely been squeezing my too as well.

    1. I’m not sure all our slow worms and hosts of toads could completely clear all our slugs. Maybe make a dent in the population.

  10. Yikes those slow worms look too much like snakes for my liking. I’m in awe of your handcrafts. I’m sure it will be fantastic when it’s finished. #WotW

  11. Beautiful peony – I think it’s been a good year for them. And I didn’t know that about slow worms I could do with some, slugs are the one thing I just can’t stand. Awful, awful events in Manchester and since London, I think everyone has had a wake up call sadly. Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo and looking forward to seeing you model that summer dress

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