Sunday, September 29, 2013

Back in the saddle again

Sorry about the bloggy break. The school holidays have started so I can focus on getting myself in order - healthy and all sorted out around here. It was only a nine week term, but because I was ill, a break is very welcome right now.

Yesterday we had my gorgeous cousin to visit after her morning at work. She brought me some surplus seeds from her King's Seeds order. I was very happy to give them a good home and got busy doing some sowing today. I sowed night scented stock, bright blue morning glory, painted lady runner beans, red cabbages, Florence fennel, Big Red tomatoes, crook necked summer squash and asparagus. Some, like the asparagus, are a bit of an experiment, and others are sure to succeed. I planted tiny amounts because it breaks my heart when I sow far to many and can't find homes for them. I'm afraid we are going to have rather a surplus of squashes and courgettes, but I find the whole growing business so exciting that it doesn't matter if some end up in the compost heap. Oh, I forgot that I also filled a polystyrene tray with mesclun mix and have high hopes for an exciting mixture of seedling sprouting shortly.


Tomorrow I have to sow some basil, radish, lettuce, onions, sunflowers, nasturtiums, peas, carrots, beetroot and pak choi and whatever else I can find in my seed box. I love pottering around in the vegetable patch, and I'm thrilled to have my greenhouse all organised and revamped. Mr Mouse did attempt to use a large seed tray as a toilet this morning, rudely disturbing some delphinium seeds, but that was the only blot on my gardening session.

Mrs Zanny and I had our first ride since she returned home to the farm. All of the jumping saddles were down in Waimati at a showjumping competition, so I had to use a dressage saddle, and unfortunately it didn't suit either of us. I felt like I was perched forward and couldn't relax in the saddle properly, and Zanny got a couple of rubs from the girth, even though I was super careful to remove loose hair and any mud on her. The girth had a sheepskin cover, but was quite wide and can't have been comfortable for her. In spite of that she was a very good girl. I was quite upset to see the wee rubs on her as I hope to ride again tomorrow. I need to get her her own girth. She is very prone to girth galls.

Check in tomorrow evening for another post. I love the holidays!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great to see your news. Sorry about zannys rub. We had over forty people to lunch today. Meg got the lunch ready and it all went well, thanks meg. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. No champion but we did well. Xxxxx

Anonymous said...

Sounds like your garden is going to be fantastic...mine is on the go but much more modest!!!

Enjoy the holidays, I will look forward to daily blog updates xxx

Meg xxx