Cold

 We have the coldest start to Winter for a while.. yesterday I stayed indoors all day, it was not just cold, but had a dank feel to the air...so just this and that.. recovering from Sunday's flu and covid jags, letting my body do it's work.

Today has been dry underfoot, so once the landfill bin had been collected I ventured out on nice warm buses!

A pleasant chat on the way into town with a woman who moved here five years ago. And a bus connection straight away. I had hoped to do a little fresh food shopping in town, but the co-op is having a refit and won't be reopened for another ten days.

A small bagful of fresh items... some reduced...and I just missed the return bus. I wasn't going to stand there for 25 minutes, so I walked back into Ayr from the nearer edge of Prestwick. Luckily I was wearing a buff so brought that up over my nose to keep the cold air and traffic fumes out.

Just over half an hour later and the bus passed me just before the bridge over the river Ayr.

Then luckily the bus home was ready to leave the bus station!!

Back home to make soup from the leaves and stalks of last week's and this week's (organic) cauliflower, a couple of leeks from the garden, tatties and coconut milk for a nice creamy soup!

I lifted a yellow beet as well....not sure what to do with that for supper... possibly just in a salad!

Now it is cold and getting colder... possibly too cold for snow, but we might get some during tomorrow. Plenty of places in all directions have had snow already.

I'm snuggled up warm on the sofa with a three ginger tea...supper needs to be something quick to make..it's too comfortable here!!

Garden tidying

 I started the day with house cleaning... pushing the vacuum around everywhere ....but as the sun was shining..Just went garden pottering...ground cover fleece over bare patches, compost on polytunnel beds and grass clippings as mulch. Getting the garden presentable.

Weeding here and there..plus digging out more thornless blackberry roots ...and shoots that have reverted...it was cleared out as it has rust for two years...so not a lot of fruit. Now it is trying for a subterranean takeover!

If I ever grow anything like that again, the roots will stay in a large tub!!

Then cleaning the rest of the garlic crop...the scapes are still not 100% dry so I can't plait and hang them

And the tomatoes..still rather skinny but beginning to set fruit.

So a low key day in the sunshine...16⁰C....yay!!!!

Garden.. progress

 Bit by bit....with a break to meet friends for a cuppa....should have checked when their ride would be finished....so just had the cuppa.

The garden is crying out for "summer"....I had thought that the squash plants would be well on their way and ready to go out.....

The tomatoes are getting taller...but are rather skinny...

But the paths are just about clear. The grass on the sides needs another cut to be short enough for the mower...but it is ok for now.

The flowers are blooming in the garden...high time I weeded the pots where the roses are growing!!

It doesn't rain, but....

 At least it is beautiful outside.

Pirate has managed to get himself seriously dehydrated...so another infection to clear, and I have to stay on his case to get him drinking.

Being dehydrated he is also a tad confused.

Neither of us need this. Why do things like this always happen on a weekend...and a long weekend to boot!

Still, it was a bonus when the emergency doctor came out...he is a cyclist and walker, and his wife is a triathlete..and we know him!

I cut a leek from the garden in half...soup time... isn't it beautiful.