First really hard frost.

Well I guess I'm safe to start digging up my parsnips now. :) They've finally been flattened. 

I know that my Rudbeckia will probably die now, but I think it looks beautiful frozen.

I've got a doctors appointment today and I'm getting a blood test that I was meant to get weeks ago whilst I'm there, Because of this I'm sitting here unable to drink tea or coffee or have any breakfast.:/ I will also need to walk to the doctors which is all uphill on a massive steep slope without anything in my tummy. 

I also intend to visit the job center and the very nice looking new gym that has just opened to see just how much it would cost to join.

Allotment.

I finally got to go to the allotment today. :D Yey! Bring out the cake, it finally happened!!

Anyway. I was only there for around twenty minutes as I have work today. I cut back some brambles, pulled out some bind-weed, sawed down the Jerusalem artichokes (which had flowered! In the Midlands!) and harvested a load of artichokes, All of them from one plant and I left quite a few behind. I have three other plants that I haven't taken anything from. :)

Trouble came with me and she'd behaved very well. She just lay down in the sun and had a good sunbathe.

I think I'll plant a few Jerusalem artichokes in my backgarden somewhere as the last lot managed to die, but I can't decide exactly where...

Working.

I'm working a lot pretty much until Christmas. I can't say that I've done much on the self sufficiency front in a while. Its not really the time of year. I'm mostly just planning. I'm considering putting a bit of paving down so that I can put some chairs near the plants and put pots around the place. It would also make things nicer for Trouble as she hates the grass and the wet (I know, she's a freak) It would give her more places to lay around and stay dry.

I don't have much time to do much at the minute. I just walk the dogs, try to keep the chickens happy and keep the house ok-ish. Having such limited daylight sucks. :/

A "relaxing" weekend.

Yesterday and today are my days off work and happily they have been dry (so far) Yesterday I ended up taking both dogs on an epic dog walking adventure because I got lost. Now it won't be lost on some of you that Niche should not be going on two hour and forty minute walks at her age. I totally agree, and if I'd done the walk I thought I was doing then it shouldn't have been more than a ninety minute walk. Still a long way but acceptable with rest breaks.

Anyway it also turned out that we had to take Trouble to the vets yesterday. She had gotten hold of a cooked lamb bone and eaten it. The alarm bells started to really go off when she had bloody poo the next morning.
With the help of my boyfriends mum I got to the vets and it took the both of us to hold on to her to stop her launching herself at other dogs. Oh the life of a reactive dog owner. Well anyway, we got the all clear from the vet who had a good feel of her tummy and gave her some doggy rennies to settle her tummy. And that was yesterday.

Today has been quieter. (touchwood) I've done laundry, poo picked the garden, given the chickens a very nice breakfast, planted a lovely cyclamen that was bought for me by my boyfriends brother for my birthday and a lovely Hellebore that was bought for me by my boyfriends mum because I'd embarrassingly enough... Locked myself in my own house. Don't ask.

The chickens breakfast, corn, cucumber, lettuce, savoy cabbage, tomatoes and green peppers with seeds.

The cyclamen right after planting. 

The Hellebore right after planting

The border. Its looking a bit sad now that the frosts have killed off most of the flowers, but it'll be good again in the spring. Look at the lovely Esme enjoying some time out without the dogs because they refused to go out in the cold weather.

Porridge.

I've been going absolutely crazy for porridge lately. Up until today I've been mixing in a big t-spoon of this Chocolate fudge frosting, to make a homemade chocolate ready brek. Today I ran out of the frosting so I made an apple and cinnamon topping, that looked like this.

Both the chocolate and the apple were amazing. The perfect way to start these cold mornings.

This time of year is frustrating.

Its dark by 4:30 now. For me this time of year is a time of waiting, I'm waiting for Christmas and new year to be over.
One:  For the awfulness of Christmas and new year to be over
Two: So that the days are getting longer again.

All I manage to do is get the dogs walked, check on the chickens and maybe to a tiny bit in the garden before its dark. I live in a scary neighborhood so I'm not happy to go out in the dark now. which is saying something because I was out day and night when I lived in Heanor.
Five weeks and four days left until the shortest day.

At least I've paid to play World of Warcraft for the next two months so I'll have something to occupy my time.

R.I.P Orange.

You were a good chicken. :'(

We still have a chicken in our living room.

Orange the chicken was looking a bit perkier yesterday having been filled up with all of her favorite treats. This morning shes sleeping but she seems to be worse to me. It might just be because I dreamt that she died last night. I've wormed her, flea'd her, we bathed her, gave her apple cider vinegar. I've bought some probiotic, seaweed and mineral liquid for her but I ordered it online and I don't see her making it that long.


Whilst I was writing the above, I saw Orange choking. I tipped her upside down to help her dislodge whatever it was but now she's fallen on her side so I'm thinking it was actually her heart. She's still with us but she's very, very weak. I don't think she'll last much longer.

November 2nd.

Ok. So, I don't know if you guys know without looking but I live in south Derbyshire and the usual frost day is any time in October. Well, we didn't get one frost in October. We finally got our first hard frost today. November 2nd. Everything is white and spiky from the frost. I guess I can dig up my parsnips now. :)

You just never know...

whats going to happen... I have a poorly chicken. A really rather poorly chicken indeed. She went off her legs this morning, soon after I'd written this mornings post. She's now sitting in the living room fast asleep. I can't say that I'm hopeful about her survival rate to be honest. :(

To do list.

Well this morning I have been trying to make a dent in the to do list before I have to head off for work at 12. I have done a deep clean of the chicken coop, cleaned out the chicken water, cleaned out the snake water, walked the dogs, done some bank related stuff and cooked my food for my packed lunch and *cough* written to a man selling Brahma chicks about acquiring some. :)