Preparing for Winter V

SuzeQStan

That makes good sense Cherry we are open bannisters as well.  

House is majority open plan downstairs so the log burner heats lounge/dining room and kitchen without need to pop GCH on. Upstairs is a different story - we’ve found the fans work pretty good for us to move the heat upstairs but combine that with heated leccy under blankets.

edit to add - warming mulled wine on top of log burner is full of Christmas cheer for our household. Not thought about cooking atop tho so thank you for suggestion!

Eldi_Dos

@SuzeQStan
If you are wanting to draught proof your  Transom window for the winter, look into caulking rope that can be removed in spring time.

Cherryfudge

SuzeQStan said:

That makes good sense Cherry we are open bannisters as well.  

House is majority open plan downstairs so the log burner heats lounge/dining room and kitchen without need to pop GCH on. Upstairs is a different story - we’ve found the fans work pretty good for us to move the heat upstairs but combine that with heated leccy under blankets.

edit to add - warming mulled wine on top of log burner is full of Christmas cheer for our household. Not thought about cooking atop tho so thank you for suggestion!

Thanks for this - hadn't thought to added mulled wine to winter prep but hey! Why not? And it sounds as though it would be worth it to get a stove-top fan.

I did try drying thin slices of oranges for Christmas decorations (with ribbon, star anise and bits of greenery) but took my eyes off them and they singed. If anyone tries it, don't put them too close to the surface of the stove.
And while I'm thinking about Christmas (sorry!), if you're a crafter and you want gold spray paint for decorations, the shops run out as you get nearer Christmas so buy in good time.

SuzeQStan

Eldi_Dos said:

@SuzeQStan
If you are wanting to draught proof your  Transom window for the winter, look into caulking rope that can be removed in spring time.

That looks ideal - lots of applications for that never heard of it before thank you!

HappyinDevon

@Cherryfudge @SuzeQStan
yes some of my neighbours have open banisters and the heat travels upstairs much better when they have fire lit, but also the cold creeps about more when they don’t, swings and roundabouts I guess!

SuzeQStan

Exactly Devon - that’s why I like your top of stairs curtain idea - ran it past OH already and keeping an eye on auction sites/charity shops for a new curtain.
my 2 curtains in photo are both are backed with blankets. With one directly above the front door and other over the hallway to try and keep drafts out!

Chloepad1

I had to go to the pharmacy this morning and while I was there I booked in for our winter jabs for covid and flu.  I have scheduled in our boiler annual service. Hopefully over the weekend I can get the autumn garden tidy up underway and some more blackberries harvested..  

annieb64

We got a text from the surgery this morning and have booked our jabs for October.Need to defrost the garage freezer but am waiting until it's a bit cooler.

Still waiting for most of our tomatoes to ripen and don't think we are going to have many runner beans  this year.

SuzeQStan

tomatoes have been a disappointment this year here as well Annie - we’ve now removed all leaves near the fruits and pinched out any flowers in a desperate bid. Gold stars tho to cabbages, beetroot and cucumbers all been great.

Laura_Elsewhere

I have my grandfather’s notebook from the war and on Aug 21st 1943 they picked 4lb 8oz of runner beans… 
Tomatoes were only yielding c.4-6oz a week until Sept when they went up to 1lb 7oz on the 2nd, another 1lb on the 3rd, 1lb 15oz on the 5th and 4lb on the 7th and it carried on like that, until 11lb picked on the 25th with note ‘cleared garden of tomatoes’!

so maybe you just need to wait until Sept  

they had 43 tomato plants (yielding 42lb 2oz in all!)- also the runner beans ( 26lb 15oz in all) and marrows (10 in all)