"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

greenbee

Got up too late to do the transplanting, but this evening would be more sensible anyway.

Cleared up some of the (mostly dead) strawberry plants - just tipped them all, with the soil, onto the fruit bed where they're probably die, but at least compost.

Did some weeding, edging, and mowing, and unearthed the overgrown paving.

Having a rest now - need to mow with the blade set lower, then try to get as much cardboard on as I can today before it rains.

Stinky wants a walk, but it's really far too hot for black dogs to be outside at the moment.

greenbee

Have mowed and again, transplanted seedlings, put the mower away, put the two buckets of weeds in the very full garden waste, and made lots of lick mats and kongs which I now need to stay up and slowly shovel into the freezer.

Stinky did get a walk, and we're now waiting for rain. So depending on the weather tomorrow there should be cardboarding and mulching and weeding, and there may be mowing.

greenbee

We did get some rain, but sadly not much. And I did get most of the lick mats and kongs done (I need to cook another BNS for him today, although I might keep half for me!). I'm going to freeze some batches of stuff to go in his treat ball as well - they don't last as long as a kong, but they're a good distraction and it's a refillable ball so I can freeze the filling in a silicone mould and decant into plastic bags.

Slow start (no one woke me up!) and we've had a reasonably cool, damp walk. Stinky keeps bringing me balls, but I'm far too tired (currently having some coffee). It looks like we'll have a fairly overcast day, so I'm aiming to get the cardboard and mulching done. And probably some watering. And a couple of fly screens on the kitchen and garden room doors (which will of course guarantee that is is too cold to leave them open from now on!).

Squash and cucumber plants will need potting on soon, and courgettes will need planting, so I may need to source more commercial compost to mix with the homemade stuff. And obviously still need to find space for all this lot. Planters by the kitchen need reviewing and compost topping up to use for salad stuff. There's rocket growing but not much else.

I should also pick spinach, chard, and leeks and to some batch cooking for the week ahead. And my bed needs stripping and remaking, possibly with the thinner duvet and a blanket instead of the heavier duvet.

greenbee

Didn't pick anything, or cook anything. Or make my bed. Did pull up a bucket-full of weeds and couch grass from the veg plot paths and cardboard over them, but am now in two minds as to whether I should cardboard and mulch, or keep mowing them. I think I'll cardboard until I've finished this round of weeding and then either compost the cardboard or use it to start creating new borders. It'll probably be easier to mow the veg plot, more comfortable on feet/knees, and stops the paths ending up the same height as the beds!

So hopefully veg plot will be mostly weeded tomorrow. I could do with sowing some carrots and beetroot - and I still need to work out where courgettes and squash will go. I'll also need to buy some commercial compost to mix with homemade stuff for anything going into pots, and the planters by the kitchen that I use for salad.

Autumn sown broad beans need tying up, as do the raspberries, but if I can break the back of the maintenance, then it should be manageable.

Strawberries aren't going to be great this year - I suspect most will come from the runners in the paving cracks. However, I'm hoping that the bed will fill up again with runners and next year will be good. Asparagus crowns almost all seem to have survived, so next year I should finally be able to eat some!

greenbee

Another slow start. Dull and overcast, so finished my book and then took Stinky for a walk. Lick mat and kong-filling stuff cleared up, chard and spinach picked, and leeks dug - all trying to bolt, so all the leeks are done, and the bolting bits taken off the chard and spinach. Am currently working through washing them.

Three trays of veg prepped, one with paneer, two with tofu. Two are in the oven, and one will go in after them.

Bed stripped, and mattress cover washed and on the line. There's not much sunshine today, so I'm being a bit extravagant using the WM and cooker as the battery still hasn't recharged. Particularly as I'd like to get the leeks, spinach, chard and last of the peppers into some kind of omelette/frittata thing tonight with some feta that needs using. That way I should have food sorted for me and Stinky for the rest of the week.

Not sure much else will happen today (hopefully I can get the kitchen tidy and relatively clean). CBA to do anything in the garden, and there's not enough solar to motivate me to do the rest of the laundry, although I will need to make my bed later.

KajiKita

Sounds like a positive day 😊

What flavourings do you use with the veg / paneer / tofu tray bakes? Do you include them in the roast or add them as you serve and eat them?

KK

greenbee

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81986615#Comment_81986615

I originally used Rukmini Iyer's Roasting Tin books, but now just follow her principles and chuck in whatever herbs/spices I feel like at the time. Paneer had ginger/cumin/coriander/turmeric. Tofu had ras el hanout. If I have time I do actually look up and follow recipes… Paneer had a jar of black beans added, tofu had chickpeas. Tofu has less veg so I'll stir some spinach through it when I reheat it.

KajiKita

Thanks @greenbee, I will have a look at her books 😊

KK

greenbee

Builders are making progress, but I’m not sure whether they are back today or Monday. I think floors are next (and getting the door on at the front). Garden doors need measuring now the hole is there, and they’ll take 3 weeks. Plastering needs doing. And hopefully it’ll all be ready for when the UFH goes down and heat pump goes in which is scheduled for the first week in June.

Oil tank is being removed today, so I need to go out and see what I have to shift to improve access - definitely the bins, but I’ve noticed that the builders have left a fair amount of stuff that may restrict access so there’s a pile of old fibre board to move and possibly some other bits. And a neighbour is coming over to check out some bits and pieces to make sure we get the heat pump right - he’s having his serviced this week, so I’m going to suggest that he breaks the news to the installer then that he’ll be project managing my installation 🤣.

Last night was cold. One cat decided to sleep downstairs, but the other was very snuggly from about 1am. Very cute, but not conducive to a good night’s sleep!

greenbee

Oil tank is gone. Dog is walked. Electric blanket is washed and on the line. Dog is sitting outside in the sunshine and is about to have his peaceful stick-chewing interrupted so I can go and do food shopping!