A buzzard flew over the garden, low, in silhouette as I sat on my bench and nursed a cup of tea whilst watching the day wake up. I love the sounds at this early hour; songbird song which comes across so crystal clear, the gentle rasp of crows in anarchic passage from big trees here [...]
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Posts Tagged ‘st james’
29 October 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman THURSDAY MORNING 6.35
Thursday, October 29th, 200921 October 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman TRUE STORY: HOW IT BEGAN
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009Edible gardening began to be a serious part of my life back in 2001. In fact, a number of events took place that year which I can identify as instrumental in providing the foundation for where I am now. Apart from some profound family stuff, which I’d rather not elaborate on, there was of coarse [...]
Read More »13 September 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman MOMENTS OF CLARITY, AN EMPTY SKY
Sunday, September 13th, 200913 September 2009 MOMENTS OF CLARITY With the fresh winds come a sense of clarity. Looking over the plot you can beginning to see what’s in store as winter approaches. Against the light-brown of a dry surface and under blue sky with white fluffy clouds, mid-September offers much in the way of promises for the [...]
Read More »31 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman COUNTING APPLES, A VIEW FROM CHERRY ORCHARD TO GUY’S MARSH AND LITTLE LONDON
Monday, August 31st, 200931 August 2009 COUNTING APPLES I managed to get out the house for gardening shortly after 2pm. It was lovely. The swirling 36-hour mist had gone on and been replaced by brilliant late-August sunshine. The weather grumblers should be pleased, although there remains a decent breeze. I’m sat beneath St James Hanging, a precipitous slope [...]
Read More »3 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman BUTTERFLIES BEFORE 9 AM, MORE BUTTERFLIES
Monday, August 3rd, 20093 August 2009 BUTTERFLIES BEFORE 9 AM It could be a fine day. Two peacock butterflies were sunning themselves on the light surface of a stone wall. They opened and closed their distinctively wide-eyed wings slowly as if absorbing the reflective rays. I chatted on the phone and watched them. Just before the church clock [...]
Read More »1 July 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman TROUBLE WITH THE GARLIC
Wednesday, July 1st, 20091 July 2009 TROUBLE WITH THE GARLIC I lifted the garlic late this afternoon. It’s the second big harvest of the season to come in, after shallots on the Solstice, and I’m more than a little worried. Usually ripe garlic is firm of bulb and deliciously aromatic. Alas, not this year. The bulbs are all [...]
Read More »27June 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman WASPS IN THE BIRD BOX, WASPS IN ST JAMES
Saturday, June 27th, 200927 June 2009 WASPS IN THE BIRD BOX One of the bird boxes in my mum and dad’s garden, in the Vale of White Horse five miles south of Oxford, is home to a nest of wasps. I noticed it this afternoon on a visit while looking round the borders and beds. It’s on the [...]
Read More »21 June 2009: DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman ORMSKIRK SAVOY
Sunday, June 21st, 200921 June 2009 ORMSKIRK SAVOY Planted out five Ormskirk Savoy cabbages (sown 17th May) in the garden. I always cultivate a few of these tight and crispy-headed winter brassicas. I have a personal soft spot for them. They remind me of who I am and where
Read More »14 June 2009: DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman PLANTING OUT LEEKS
Monday, June 15th, 200914 June 2009 PLANTING OUT LEEKS Most of my leeks are in their final resting places. From seeds sown in trays during February and pricked out into nursery beds when like blades of grass, now is the time to get the pencil-thick alliums into the main bed with fingers crossed for a decent haul to [...]
Read More »8 June 2009: DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman PART-BUILT MARTIN’S NEST FALLS
Monday, June 8th, 20098 June 2009 PART-BUILT MARTIN'S NEST FALLS I had hoped to report good news regarding the St James house martins, but sadly not. You see, last evening on coming back from down on the plot I stopped by the cherry tree to get a view of the back of Pat’s house. Even without my field [...]
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