Warmed

OK so the woodburner has been on and the honey has now gone through a couple of sieves, so far I have about 3lb of the golden stuff. So to recap. The heat was free as I used collected wood from the local woodland and the honey was from my own bees. I'm beginning to get there.

Too chill

Today was meant to be a hunting day but weather was against us ,so decided to extract the honey from my first frames. Problem is my house is a little cool so the honey is crystallised, so now I've got to let it warm a little so as I can spin it out. Never mind the bits I tried tasted great.

Winter on its way

Was loveley this morning to see a stunning flock of 40 pink footed geese flying over my little house.  All in formation and calling in the autumn sunshine. My bees are also enjoying the warmth, bringing in goodies from local gardens as well as feasting on the ivy flowers.

At last

Just took my first honey from my hive, great feeling. This has made me feel good , something I've needed after much negativity at work and also shows me there is light at the end of my green journey.

Squirrels got them

On well, checked out the walnut trees I spotted earlier in the year, they were full but tonight completely gone. Looks like the greys got there first, never mind.

Time for planning

Well I'm starting to research the idea of a static caravan on site or in a field, the realism that even the most humble of houses will push my income to its limits and will not allow me the land I need to become more self sufficient.
The caravan idea comes from when I lived in a caravan in my own  garden after my separation, it was peaceful  and gave me a sense of freedom, yes it was cold in midwinter in fact -3 inside , but wrapped in a good duvet I felt none of it.
Waking to bird song or rain was beautiful, and falling asleep to the sound of owls and wind was calming, so moving to a much larger space but still a caravan is appealing ; the issue will always be the land. More research is needed ! .

Walking , Therapy for life.

Today was one of those rare weekend days that I get off the Hamster wheel of life. And decided with no plans or routes to walk. 5 hours later returned from a walk which took in,roads,lanes,fields,hills villages rivers river banks cliff tops ,beaches and finally a stroll in the see.
Yes my legs are shattered but my body feels healthy and my spirit is refreshed for a time. All thoughts of my work and financial troubles evaporated for a day.   Blessed be.

A day to contemplate

As usual at the moment sleep was absent last night ,a tell tale sign that work is stressing me, add to this earache and its sure fire stress, not as bad as last time but non the less there.Usual cure is to sit in the countryside and just chill but i had a cleaning job to do,but at least i get to have a 2.5 mile walk there and back in the sunshine. On my journeys it was nice to see a bramble in full flower covered in at least 4 species of bee with honey bees being the most numerous. Along side fed wasps, hoverflies and the odd meadow brown butterfly. Also a sure sign that natures autumn has started were the large number of silver y moth on the wing. Once Christmas is gone and my trip to New Zealand in February has finished i really need to think about a job that doesn't make me feel so down and ill. I need to follow my greener life or my body will bust. Sorry for that pun .

Where next

Sat here wondering, what and where next.I'm sure life in greenville shouldn't be so complicated. Can't start a new life because i have ties to an old one.Can't find a new place to start my new life because I'm tied to a job because im tied to another life.  Its one viscous circle that many of you must know. I need off this Hamster wheel . Somewhere away from nosey neighbors. Sure there is a new tv series here where a complete newcomer to the organic lifestyle can try and follow in the footsteps of river cottage. I'm feeling totally enclosed and trapped tonight , not a feeling i enjoy. To add to this i think my brain knows there is not a way out of this working for nothing for at least two to three years,hence my sleep is disturbed,im fatiqued and it all feels a bit much.

They have arrived

At long last I have moved forward on my green quest!  I managed to buy a hive with bees. That was just over a week ago and all seems well.

"Bee" there soon.

I've moved further towards a greener lifestyle ,I actually found a place for a small apiary near an allotment, and better still they have spar plots too. Also found a local honey farm who do courses and will supply me with a nucleus of bees.

Time to plan

Well,its that time of year again where I need to consider what to grow. Definitely barlotti bean, and courgettes and hopefully some squash,spinach. Staple stuff like leeks maybe and do fancy trying globe artichokes.  Borrage too for the bees.

https://www.facebook.com/GreenerLifeOrBust

Scrap

After just having to scrap my lovely 19 year old car ,I realised how price can influence activities such as fly tipping. I was expecting at least eighty to one hundred pounds for the car,  instead they say scrap prices have dropped to fifty pounds a tonne reducing its value to forty three pounds and twenty pounds for the catalytic converter.. At these prices small scale retrieval of metals from streets by people has reduced leading to people just tipping by the road side etc.  I am glad to say I've managed to find a much younger car, only 15 years old thereby km keeping another car of age on the road which means one less new one and the excessive use of energy to make it

First shooting of the year

Well we've managed to gain the shooting rights on a 80 acre site nearby.  So a visit was needed. Just on a rough shoot enough wood pigeon for two peoples meals, good start I say so yesterday spent the day building 2 hides so as to cut down setting up time, I just hope the storms last night didn't do them too much damage.
I know shooting is not everyone's cuppa but it provides a welcome source of organic freerange meat for myself and akso helps tge farmer with his crop.