Simple living in the country - back to basics

Cheery_Daff

I planted it a few years back, it's designed to be like a mini forest garden, but with hardy and edible things. For the 'tree canopy' I have damson, rowan, crab apple (which is still tiny), then there's a large shrub layer of lots of elder, a smaller shrub layer of gooseberries, blackcurrants, and blackthorn, and then below that rhubarb (and a whole lot of nettles 😂)

It's filled out quite a lot in the last year or two, requires very little maintenance - I stick a load of the cut grass from the meadow on it to keep the weeds down, although that does make it very fertile and encourage a lot of nettles.

It's actually the most productive bit of the garden - mostly because it's all perennial and doesn't need me to do anything (except to remember to harvest stuff before the birds get it!)

starnac

That sounds fab. Thank you

beanielou

Flavoured gin here too 😊

Karmacat

It really does sound fab, what a great idea!

Cheery_Daff

Morning MSE chums 😊

Not a great sleep last night 🙄 Sniffling and snuffling and coughing and waking myself up 🙄 Not enjoying us both being poorly over Christmas, but I'm quite glad I'm not meant to be at work 🙄

I did get quite a bit done yesterday.

* Made a curry (which I've just remembered is still in the haybox, oops!)

* Boiled some potatoes, now in the freezer

* Finished the last of the present bags and put the sewing machine away

* Did a load of washing which is mostly now dry

* Retrieved the dried oranges, lemons and limes from the dehydrator and replaced then with a couple of boxes of mushrooms that were replaced to 20p the other day

* Had an end of year goals meeting on Zoom with my sister

* Had a bit of a tidy round everywhere

I fear today may not be quite so productive as I do feel quite rough, and Mr Cheery doesn't seem to be getting any better either 🙄 What a pair! And what a way to see out the year! Mr Cheery had covid last year, and shingles a couple of years before that - this is becoming a bit of a habit 🙄

Anyway, I'm not going to make any plans for today. Rescue the curry from the haybox and put some of it in the freezer, and perhaps an end of year blog post. 

Jessy103

Hope you feel better soon cheery x

Karmacat

Sorry you're both so ill, Cheery, I hope you get to the other side of it as quickly as possible.

starnac

I hope you are both feeling better soon. 

KajiKita

It is mis when you are ill at this time of year - I had Covid all over the first Christmas it was circulating and I went back to work in January and promptly got sent home again for a week because I still looked and sounded so bad! 😂

Lean into it, be ill, eat from the freezer and easy invalid food and just be. You’ll get through it quicker, honest. 

KK

Cheery_Daff

Thank you all, and don't worry, there's nothing going on BUT leaning into it, I can assure you! I've just had a nice long bath, and I've just suggested to Mr Cheery that he move from the bed to the sofa so there's a bit of a change between day and night 🙄

Mind you, I might have to venture to the shop for some milk to tide us over the next day or two. Might not go further than the village shop though, and might treat me to a box of cornflakes while I'm at it 😂