The Cottage Smallholder February gardening competition. The winner is…
As expected we’ve had some great entries for our February gardening competition. It was really difficult to choose just one winner. As I mentioned previously Erika from Lunar Organics is sponsoring this competition. The prize is one of the beautiful moon gardening calendars and explanatory booklet plus three packets of biodynamic seeds that the winner can choose from the Lunar Organics catalogue. There were 26 entries for the February competition and Erika and I had a hard time selecting a winner as there were so many brilliant ideas. In...
read moreValentine’s Day – a true celebration of love
Over the years I’ve experienced the full gamut of Valentine’s Days. From the lonely days of not receiving a card when even the birds seem to be flying in pairs to the time when I was sent a huge bouquet. It was so large that I couldn’t travel home on the tube and had to take a taxi instead. Being a bit of an old romantic I enjoy Valentine’s Day. Forget the expensive candle lit meal in an exclusive restaurant, the heart shaped presents and flowers. All that I want is a card and a hug from someone I love. Two people in the cottage...
read moreSurprise present
This morning’s hard frost meant that the Min Pins didn’t hear the postman glide up the gravel drive. His visit is usually a daily excuse for barking their heads off and tweaking my eardrums and patience. Because they are small, they yap. Big woofs are fine but high, shrill barks are a bit testing – especially early in the morning. I also didn’t hear the postman and was surprised to find an exciting envelope on the doormat. When I picked it up it had a crinkly feel. What could it be? Who was it from? I opened the envelope...
read moreIt’s official
Things have been hectic here at The Cottage Smallholder. I have finally been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME), which developed from the bad kidney infection that I had in summer. The diagnosis takes a long time as you have to be tested for the full gamut of other potential illnesses (cancer, thyroid problems, TB etc). All those tests were negative and I’ve completed the six months of prodding and poking. I’m now booked into seeing a consultant neurologist on Tuesday. But I don’t want to dwell on being ill –...
read moreSlow Cooker Chef: Tender pork shoulder braised in light beer, with apple, ginger and honey recipe
Danny bought some pork shoulder steaks this week. He wanted to try out a pork, mushroom and cream recipe that he had found at the local supermarket. “The pork is sautéed in a pan. I don’t feel confident as I reckon that it should be fillet.” He was right – the pork was chewy and disappointing. It wasn’t Danny’s fault. Shoulder was the wrong cut for the recipe unless you really want to put the sharpness of your teeth to the test. He did however make an excellent rice and bell pepper dish to accompany the pork. This was the...
read moreMitch Albom: Tuesdays with Morrie. A review.
A new Internet friend wrote to me saying how good it must be to have the time to escape through reading. I haven’t been doing this recently. Nor listening to the radio. Just doing the blog and tending my seedlings. All reading has been directed to increasing my knowledge of biodynamic gardening. “Yes,” I thought when I read her email, “she is right. I need a distraction. To escape into another world.” The next morning I woke to find that the books had shifted on the big bookshelf beside my bed. We have a lot of books and the...
read moreForgiveness
Yesterday I woke at six fretting about someone who bullied me at work seven years ago. “You have to let go.” I told myself. “This is eating you up.” I didn’t like this guy. Let’s call him Len to save his blushes. I didn’t respect him. Every now and then Len would order me into a private office and declare. “I know what you are doing.” Clearly someone had overheard me talking about him and reported back. I would try and stare him out and then he would say. “I have a very sensitive nose – you smell.” It was hurtful and...
read moreLove anytime cards for the stand
For a few weeks I’ve been squirreling away bits and bobs to make some cards for the gate side stand. But as with so many things I have put the project on the back burner as I didn’t really know how to begin. I probably made my last handmade card as a teenager. I did serve the Blue Peter apprenticeship and enjoy making things but how was I going to design something to sell on the stand? I trawled through hundreds of Folksy shops for inspiration. There were loads of great ideas but I was getting nowhere. So two days ago I set myself a...
read moreHow to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy Balanced Diet, with Very Little Money and Hardly Any Time by Gill Holcombe: a review
I woke this morning feeling low and dispirited. I haven’t felt inspired in the kitchen for days. After a large mug of tea I reached for Gill Holcombe’s book – How to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy Balanced Diet, with Very Little Money and Hardly Any Time. I was looking for inspiration and a much needed lift. We don’t have a family but Danny has a huge appetite. So I follow family recipes. I got this book a few months ago. After a brief enjoyable scan it has lain on the bed, waiting for the intense treatment that it...
read moreAndrew James premium halogen oven plus accessories: a review
I want to introduce you to Andrew. He is our new kitchen assistant. When he arrived he was given the night off but in the morning was up early to cook a perfect full English breakfast. It took the same time to cook as using the conventional oven but instead of using two hob rings, the grill and the fan oven Andrew took care of the sausages, hash browns, tomatoes, mushrooms and bacon. Leaving me to make the fried eggs and work out how much electricity we were saving. Andrew is quite chunky. With his 12 litre bowl he takes up a fair amount of...
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Most Recent Articles
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Win £50 worth of B&Q vouchers with The Cottage Smallholder and Direct Line Grand DrawFor those of you who missed out on the metal bedstead competition: we’ve got another great prize to offer you!… »
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Update on the remaining Min PinsIt’s been seven weeks since The Conteesa died suddenly in her sleep. Danny buried her in the garden under the… »
It’s the little things that make the differenceI don’t often write much about the little things that give me pleasure. They initially seem too insignificant to… »
Recent Comments
{ I was thinking the same as Magic Cochin but then like you I don't have my phone attached by an umbilical cord wherever I go.... } – Wed 8 :47 pm
{ Good point but I don't tend to take it about with me everywhere 
} – Wed 7 :25 pm
{ Doesn't your mobile phone have an alarm setting? C x } – Wed 6 :32 pm
{ I would put it towards a bbq, it's just a shame you can't purchase some sunshine from b&q } – Wed 12 :04 am- { Hi Lesley The clucking means that she is brrody also plucking her own feathers is a sign too. } – Tue 11 :58 pm
- { Hi Lesley They have to stay in the broody coop 24/7. Could you put in a garden shed or garage? } – Tue 11 :57 pm
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