As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

mardatha

Kittie - what's the forecast for us up here? I am sick to the back teeth of rain.We are getting warm sun in betwween showers but it's all midgey and buggy. Garden's wrecked.

RAS

mardatha wrote: »

Garden's wrecked.

Same here after the downpours last week. Someone suggested a photo competition called "Thwarted dreams" or some such title.

ceridwen

mardatha wrote: »

Wouldya look at this nonsense ! -
http://www.theagitator.com/2011/07/07/does-michelle-obama-know-about-this/

Yep...I sat there yesterday and thought "Ohforgawdssake:mad:". I saw it on one of my blogroll blogs:

www.cityfarmer.info/

There seems to be a "bit of a thing" in some parts of America about front gardens having to be very "garden" style and one gets "whacked" by the local authorities if they arent. Its not on for the authorities to take such a stance - particularly with an even weaker Welfare State than the British have....

Must admit I might make "discretion the better part of valour" and keep obvious foodstuffs for the back garden only if I lived in the relevant parts of America. My plan is - if ever I get my missing front garden (ie a better house) to put food of the type that wouldnt be immediately recognisable as food in the front - ie herbs and edible flowers (so that only those "in the know" would "recognise" that it wasnt just a typical ornamental front garden) and all would be revealed at the back. Mind you - it might be a leetle tiny clue that I plan to rip up the drive of any better house I buy and use the earth underneath that drive (improved by loadsa compost/topsoil/etc) to grow my "inconspicuous" plants in. I think a few peeps might just wonder why every house in the road had a drive apart from mine and they could see a garage visibly there - but no means of driving towards it from the front gates:rotfl::rotfl:

That garden (front and/or back) is all there in some detail in my minds eye - tree cabbage/climbing strawberries/perpetual leeks/purple sprouting broccoli/white chard in a strawberry pot/espaliered fruit trees/a couple of "square foot beds" with salad greens in/tomato and potato joint plants (ie tomatoes above ground and same plant is potatoes below ground). Got it all worked out in theory...its the darn practice that is missing....visualise...think positive...make Treasure Map....visualise...think positive....make Treasure Map.......Om.....O..mm.....LOL.

I've never yet come across a British garden remotely like I plan to have (give me half the chance) - so surely surely surely The Universe will give me the chance to demonstrate what such a garden would be like......pretty purlease...
(and thats not even mentioning the box of surplus food outside the gate for peeps to take - pour encouragez les autres - to encourage a large proportion of peeps in the road to do the same and we all to get swopsie stuff and some to spare for "visitors")

Charis

ceridwen wrote: »

I plan to rip up the drive of any better house I buy and use the earth underneath that drive (improved by loadsa compost/topsoil/etc) to grow my "inconspicuous" plants in.

You might have rather a job on your hands. You'd better double check before you get the pick axe out. The driveway in my last home sank, leaving a manhole cover and two inches of ironwork protruding and I was told by the nice NHBC man, who came out re. the guarantee, that to take the weight of a vehicle there should be a foundation of hardcore and either a layer of cement then sand covered by brick paving, or several inches of concrete.

ceridwen

Charis wrote: »

You might have rather a job on your hands. You'd better double check before you get the pick axe out. The driveway in my last home sank, leaving a manhole cover and two inches of ironwork protruding and I was told by the nice NHBC man, who came out re. the guarantee, that to take the weight of a vehicle there should be a foundation of hardcore and either a layer of cement then sand covered by brick paving, or several inches of concrete.

:rotfl::rotfl:...Oh well...never made life easy for myself yet...so why start now?:rotfl::rotfl:. I certainly am not planning on a "pickaxe job" - more like "Where's your heavy-duty machinery - and how much do I have to pay you to use it?" level:):rotfl:. I'm a feeble little woman (physically speaking....:cool:) - so I know my limitations...

Think I've got this pretty well worked out by now? - just getting VERY frustrated right now that I cant just get on with it.....by the time I blinkin' well get the chance I will probably have seen someone else featured as "All MY (ie their) idea - and here it is..." and have to grit teeth hard and remind myself "It doesnt matter...it really...really...doesnt matter....just as long as SOMEONE is doing this....". Well - I am (very) human...temper and all...and hiding in the background does have its advantages....LOL

VJsmum

To dig up a driveway you probably have to get through 6 inches of hardcore, 6 inches of sub-base (planings off a road, or limestone, or crushed concrete for e.g.) some kind of fabric layer to stop the weeds getting through and then your top course, tarmac, blocks or concrete.

Hope that helps !!

flowertotmum

Hi me again..

Softstuff..good luck to ya with that choclate..
Greyqueen..hope your mums ok..
Mardatha..sending the big yellow ball to you for a bit..
Ceridwen..i am considering doing my front garden as a veg patch..it gets the sun all morning until just after 2ish..so would be a nice spot..
Larumbelle..hugs for you..glad you got back to work..
Gailey..hiya..you take it easy..housework can wait,enjoy your baby boy.
Broomstick..glad you got your name back on the list..we love our lotties..

Well nothing exciting going on here..we do have new neighbours..very colourful family..hubby reckons they have moved from Deliverance county and the minute a banjo appears he is off...i have been trying to give them the benefit of the doubt..but i'm afraid its slipping away..the language is awful..disgusting actually..i actually blushed the other day..never heard a mum speak like that to her children...my other neighbour(prison officer) has been around twice now to ask them to keep the language and noise down as he is on nights..they shut the door on him...the entire family had a row last night at half eleven..heard every word..wish i hadn't..but will see if they settle down(fingers crossed)..

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the prices on ebay have gone loopy..normally i can get a little dress for tots for about £1..plus p&p..now they want at least a fiver..going to get my electric sewing machine out and have a go at making a little smock dress..

right off to have a cuppa and 5 minutes in the garden..might learn some more new swear words ...lol.
love to you all
ftm

paidinchickens

Rang the Land Registry today who are sending me the paperwork to fill in and send off (£5) to find who owns the land at the corner of my street. The lady was lovely and said she had never heard of anyone getting arrested for "growing with intent":rotfl: but she did say I could get booted off the land if the owners found out and lose anything I planted. However she did say that would be harsh as they have not done anything for 12 years and have not been bothered before. Plus if it is a company they would probably not want any bad press and wait until things were ready to harvest. Apparently there are loads of people across the country enquiring about abandoned land to grow things on as there are not enough allotments.

DH friend has a rotavator he said we could lend but I thought I would start of with a couple of small squares to start with. Early night and gardening books in bed for me :rotfl:

ceridwen

flowertotmum wrote: »

Hi me again..


Ceridwen..i am considering doing my front garden as a veg patch..it gets the sun all morning until just after 2ish..so would be a nice spot..


right off to have a cuppa and 5 minutes in the garden..might learn some more new swear words ...lol.

Well - I guess you might have seen a link I posted quite some while back now - re front gardens:

http://ourpintsizedplot.wordpress.com/

This was done a whiles back now - and no recent entries - but it gives some ideas in this respect....

...and I'll "borrow" any new swear words you pick up from the next door neighbours tonight...as its an evening where I'm sitting here stamping my little feet with frustration that "all plans laid - but cant darn well get ON with it...".

Chill ceridwen...chill...and get out that New Age music and relaxing aromatherapy oils now....trying hard to remind self tonight....:cool:

flowertotmum

Hi ceridwen..you ok? nope didn't see that one before just had a look..its brilliant...i love growing my own stuff..
as for chilling out have you tried keane..the first album is amazing and i must admit i listen to it a lot..
no new words tonight just lots of the old ones lol...must be awful for the neighbours closer to them..i'll shut my windows and keep away from them...scare me..
love ftm