1 January 2014

Happy New Year

Well it's 2014. I have no idea where 2013 went, it just flew by so fast. It was a mixed year. Some good but a lot of sadness and bad times for my family and I'm hoping that this year is going to be a happier one for all of us. I have a big long list of things I want to accomplish this year, not so much resolutions but positive steps to getting my life finally sorted out. I want to develop my market stall and increase my product range so I can make it more profitable and I am absolutely determined, no matter what, to get my garden sorted out. Last year, because my horrible neighbours made my life miserable and made going out in my garden practically impossible, the garden suffered. It looked like a jungle and I hardly grew any fruit or veg at all. This year, all that is going to change. The neighbours are gone, I have started a list of things to sort and I will be working through them one by one as the weather gets better and I have started saving for a greenhouse. My daughter Megan gave me a Terramundi jar for Christmas and the greenhouse fund now has begun. I have picked out the greenhouse that I would like and I can't wait. In my greenhouse I intend to grow lots of tomatoes and cucumbers and things but I also intend to grow lots and lots of basil. I want to start making pesto to sell at the market. I'm so glad that I did the food hygiene course last year, even though, at the time, it was something I would have preferred not to do. It has allowed me to begin selling things I bake at the market. 

I have gradually been doing more cooking and baking, not particularly for the market but really just to get back into the swing of things because, lately, I have found myself falling into the convenience food trap. Not really something that I generally like to do but, when I was feeling fed up and miserable, cooking a meal was the last thing I wanted to do and it was much simpler to nip along to the local supermarket and buy something to simply bung in the oven or microwave! This will now have to stop. Not only are these meals filled with calories and additives but they are expensive too and this year is all about getting things sorted financially before hitting the big 50 next year!


Sausage and Cheese Pinwheels - with some of my gorgeous Christmas pressies from my lovely daughters, a beautiful heart-shaped plate, a gorgeous flour dredger and a fabulous pinnie ..... I'm so lucky.

The weather here in Cornwall is awful. It's been awful for days now. It's wet and windy and has forced me into hibernation mode and in between dashing out to sort out the animals, I seem to spend a lot of my time watching cookery programs and house renovation programs and dreaming of warm weather, strawberries and walks on the beach. At the market, we were extremely lucky not to lose the marquee just before Christmas when a tree was blown down right next to where we are. It missed the marquee by about a centimetre and then a couple of days later, a huge pine tree was blown down blocking part of the road. Luckily there were no cars driving past when it fell or it could have been a real tragedy.


Tree number one which missed the marquee by millimetres. Festively adorned with tinsel in the true Christmas spirit :-)


Tree number two which fell down blocking part of the road.

Well, it's now lunchtime on New Years Day and it's already been an eventful day. This morning, about 9am, I went out and checked the llamas and lugged another bale of hay through to them for their breakfast. At 9.30am I checked them again because the weather has been just awful and once again they were fine, happily munching away and then at 10ish, I nipped out again and found this ........


Within the space of about 30 minutes, one half of my field is flooded. In the 10 years I have lived here this is only the second time this has ever happened. The llamas were fine, there is always part of that half of the field that is safe from the water because it's a lot higher than the rest of the field and so a bucket of food each and move to the other paddock and they were once again munching away happily. I, however, was wet, cold and muddy and still in my PJ's with my waterproof coat over the top :-) 

Ah well, another year another crisis ...... not much changes. 


Mad woman in muddy pyjamas rescuing llamas ..... I feel like Mrs Noah ...... maybe I should build an ark.

9 comments:

  1. Oh noooo Kay! What a disastrous start to the new year. I was shocked to see where that tree landed - and so often there's a car parked there with the dog in it. OMG! Such a narrow escape.
    As for your field, I remember this same thing happening last year too, when it damaged a lot of your fencing. So glad the llamas are OK and taking it in their stride.
    Those savoury pinwheels look very tempting (and I have weight to lose, lots of it) so maybe I will be looking out for them when the market starts up again. Will you be there on Friday / Saturday?
    Finally - I have to say you must be rotten at maths; you cannot possibly be coming up to 50!!! I cannot belieeeeeve it!

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  2. PS - Great to see you blogging again. New Year's resolution??

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  3. It is good to make garden plans and once you get your greenhouse up an running you will wonder how you managed without it. I have been using a small one as a potting shed but this year it will be full of tomato plants. Your flood is rotten luck but at least the Llamas are safe. Happy New Year.

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  4. Hi Rambler, I'm not sure about the market yet, it depends on the weather, the car park was flooded on Monday so the market was cancelled. I will get Lizzie to pop a post on our facebook page to let everyone know if we will be there or not.
    Luckily it looks as if there is only one fence post down in my field from the flood this time but the weather is still rather wild so fingers crossed :-)

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  5. Happy New Year!
    Glad you are back blogging again, - I've missed you.
    I am glad there were no casualties at the marquee or in your field and so pleased for you that you no longer have horrid neighbours. Here 's to lots of fun in 2014!

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  6. Oh you poor soul. The weather has been really horrible of late hasnt it? Having said that I think we in the north have got away fairly lightly. I hope your market stall goes well this year.
    I know what you mean too about the convenience foods, we fall into that trap all the time and I'm sure that if we didnt work full time (Tony is on call at the local hospital too at least once a week) we could shop around and cook from scratch. I aim to try and spend less this year.

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  7. Which market is it you go to, Kay?

    Sandra
    www.livingin22.blogspot.com

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  9. Hi There Sandra, It's a local produce market at Kernow Mill at the Trerulefoot Roundabout on the A38. It's about 8 miles from Liskeard and it's every Thursday, Friday and Saturday :-)

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