Time still flies
Today is May 10th, exactly one year since we bought the house.
Whereas last year, the seasons were late, this year they seem to be ahead of whatever "average" might be. For example, last year the House Martins didn't start making their nests until a good few weeks after we arrived. This year, the nests are made and I'm guessing eggs are laid. The milk thistle have been flowering for about a week now, last year they were only a couple of feet high.
When we drove from Sofia to Elhovo, most of the mountains all the way to Yambol were snow topped. Whilst we can only see Sliven when we go to Yambol, we've hardly seen any snow on the mountains, all through winter. (No, it's not global fecking warming, it's the normal distribution!)
I've had two delicious strawberries from the overgrown patch and a handful of peas straight from the pod, oh I do love peas from the pod, they rarely see the kitchen!
Grape Balls of Wire
With our friend George (first water leak, pig slaughter fame) we replaced the rusted failing wires supposedly holding up the grape vines, with 4mm wire rebar and a central support transverse pole. Lost a few potential grapes, but good for another 20 years!
Celeriac Corner
Designing my irrigation system on a futuristic Grand Prix circuit, this is a sweeping 180 degree turn called celeriac corner, will clearly get knobbly balls if you take it too fast.
A couple of curly kale, savoy cabbages and globe artichoke designed to keep the circuit wet, even on a sunny day.
Difficulty rating 7/10
I fought the weeds, and the weeds won
Tomatoes coming on, potatoes looking good, the three sisters plot (butternut squash/pole beans/sweetcorn) all out of sync, the pole beans should be climbing up the corn, which to be fair, are putting in the effort, but lagging the pace, the BNS have just decided to set a few fastest lap times and are racing down the slope. Will probably have taken over the toms when we get back from Sofia.
Strawderberries
Getting a quart of cream tomorrow, ready for the 20 or so turning nicely red.
Heaven.
My pods
Who doesn't love to secretly have a pea in the garden ;-
My Supervisor
Fell asleep on the job today. Constantly chasing insects, shouting at birds and stalking them from 20 yards, still thinking she'll catch them in the trees.
She's had 3 mice that we know of.
She doesn't mind getting her paws dirty in pursuit of whatever dreams touch her tiny mind.
Poppy the Sailor Man
Poppies had a reprieve from the mower, the fig bushes behind. Thinking the figs are only useful for green fig jam, apparently it should refruit later in the year?
Using my Loaf
With Petya away in Sofia with Bobi, for his GCSEs, home alone me makes his first ever loaf of bread. A solid 6/10, kneeded to wait a little longer to let it re-expand, before putting in the oven, and I reckon an extra 5 minutes cooking.
Mouse watch
Anna sits here for hours. Today, she stalked a stork. Given that the stork is 3ft tall and can spot a worm from 20 yards, I didn't fancy her chances. She did make progress halfway across the lawn, like paint sliding down a wall. To make his point the stork flew off directly over Anna
Slip Up
The Captain Blackadder approach to growing Sweet Potatoes is to stick a cocktail stick in each nostril and say "Wibble".
The smart money is half burying the potatoes in moist potting compost and wait for the shoots to appear.
I also did two back up wibbles when nothing seemed to be happening
Slip Sliding Away
In typical inconclusive fashion, despite doing the wibble 4 weeks after the smart way, both methods began sprouting at the same time.
Anyways, as of 12th May 2024 I now have 24 slips stuck in compost, hoping that they will root pretty quick.
Sweet Potatoes require 120days of sun and being left alone.
Fingers crossed for a year's supply around the first frosts of Autumn/Winter
Breakfast (18th May 2024)
Stawberries, cherries, peas and snap peas, most eaten (during harvesting) and within 30 minutes of being picked.
You cannot beat frsh fruit and veg from the garden.
A Bulgarian Carrot!
The Bulgarian Carrot is in fact, obviously, a chilli. Apparently it's cultivation pretty much died out in Bulgaria, but dem pesky Russians had been secretly growing them. A campaign is underway to re-introduce them to Bulgaria.
I'm doing my part, and gave one seedling to the little old lady down the road, where we get our eggs from. Have 2 in the greenhouse and one outside.
They are an early variety, so fingers crossed and we'll be having fresh chillies from the garden very soon. (It's the only chilli/pepper to have flowered and started to develop into a fruit).
Snake Cucumber
The first cucumber to flower. A Chinese Slangen, whatever that is - an old variety and I guess not a favourite of EU officials, as it doesn't grow particularly straight.
Holy Moley
Giving me the run around these pesky vermin. They, apparently do not like noise, or strong smells. I've tried TCP, a vinegar and bleach mix (produces chlorine gas) and currently using calcium carbide rocks that fizzle in contact with water and give off a gas that smells like garlic.
Not bloody working!