Gardening

Raised Bed Number 2.5

Another Saturday means another chance to work in the garden :-) This time we finished off the second raised bed by swapping the extra tall sleepers for a shorter one. And started on the third. However rain stopped play in the afternoon. It's not that we mind working

Gardening

The right tools and KISS (2nd Nov 2014)

This weekend was better. Thankfully payday was midweek so we were able make a trip to the local reclamation yard, J. Brant Reclamation Ltd [http://www.jbrant.co.uk], on Saturday and buy the rest of the sleepers we needed. This was a big investment, both in money and in

Gardening

Nothing to show

Another weekend but this time we didn't manage to make any progress in the garden :-( We're a bit disappointed about this as we're trying to make sure we make some sort of progress each week even if it's only small things.

Gardening

Saturday Gardening, Fettling, & Mushroom Bed (Part2)

We pressed on with the garden today. First item on the menu was to cut the remaining sleeper for the base of the second raised bed. It was the sleeper for short sides so it need to be cut twice to produce two 50" beams. Again, it was done

Gardening

The Mushroom Bed (Part 1)

On Saturday morning, while we were waiting for the aggregates delivery to arrive, we cut the decking for the mushroom bed. The mushroom bed is a bit unusual in that it lies outside the picket fencing of the garden. The end of the garden has a communal path just beyond

Gardening

Sleeper raised bed prototype 1

Having decided that the sleeper raised beds would be built end on, we laid our first one to see how big it was going to be in real life. And the answer is, pretty big :-) We're really pleased with how it looks. Testing it out, the size

Gardening

What is a garden without a path?

Every garden needs a path, but ours does expecially. The earth in our garden is basically clay. Useful stuff to make cups and plates from, but less useful if you want to walk across it repeatedly. We know from bitter expereince that if you have to walk up and down

Gardening

Tea, Cakes & Brain-Storming

After unloading the first set of sleepers we decided to head-over the the local cafe at Pride & Joy [http://pride-and-joy.co.uk] for thoroughly well deserved tea and cakes ... and for a brain-storming session on our garden design. Note: the garden plan and Permaculture Design book in the foreground.

Gardening

Getting the sleepers for the first raised bed

I said in the previous post [http://sustainable.ghost.io/2014/09/12/raised-beds/] that we were going to get enough sleepers to prototype the raised beds. Well today, being a Saturday, was the day that we could pop over to our local reclimation yard to see what they had

Gardening

Raised Beds - First Thoughts

We want to use raised beds in our new garden. I wouldn't go into the advantages here - if your curious you can Google it. We are looking to use old railway sleepers to do it. They're a good size, very strong, virtually indestructable and recycled.

Gardening

A New Beginning - Garden 2.0

Like a lot of people we have a rather neglected rear garden. About a decade ago it looked like this - Then we got horses and dogs and our free time evaporated. So now it looks like this - The good news is it means it's ripe for

Technology

Fingerprint locking your phone IS a useful security

Security is about making things difficult to steal, not impossible. If someone is really determined to get hold of something, they'll do it. All you can do it make it sufficiently difficult that it puts most people off. A case in point is the fingerprint scanner on the

Life

5 minutes is all you need when your message is this powerful

I was researching Ignite presentations[1] and I came across this. It doesn't need a whole lot of writing about, just watch it, it's only 5 minutes ... "How to be a refugee" by Tara Horn [https://youtu.be/5T1o6cUUVQ0] When a message is this

Technology

Worth it's weight in security ...

With yet another breach in security reported, this time from Adobe ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24392819), I had the opportunity to bless a small piece of software I use. Memory feats Trying to remember all the passwords you need these days to exist online is nigh on impossible.

Humour

Inside the mind of a six year old ...

* For those with no children - this is totally hysterical! * For those who already have children past this age - this is hilarious. * For those who have children at this age - this is not funny. * For those who have children nearing this age - this is a warning. * For

Blogging

Welcome ...

This blog is being written on the exciting new blogging platform Ghost. If you want to know more about Ghost have a look here http://ghost.org. So what are we going to talk about? Oh, just about anything - some specifics might be data science [https://www.muddydogs.life/

Health

Pimping your (data)self OR How you sell your (data) soul for a free app

When you sign up for a weigh-watching app or a fitness app, you are giving the app's vender a HUGE amount of information. Is this a good exchange?

Dogs

A Collie at Work and Play

Three pictures of a border collie at work and at play

Humour

The Working Week - A Humorous Guide

A humorous picture that portrays the working week from Sunday to Saturday - from mid-week depression to the glorious weekend.

Life

Hygienic Insanity

Whilst a sensible attitude to hygiene is a good idea, have things gone too far? Are we actually damaging our children by not letting them touch life.

Life

British Sentimentality or Responsibility?

Would you leave your pets behind if ordered to evacuate by the authorities? We wouldn't. Is that sentimentality or responsibility? Discuss.

Life Style

Switching to Organic Veg

What is it really like to switch from supermarket veg to home delivered, organic veg - we tried it a few months ago, and this is the result.

Humour

Mama Squirrels Kick Ass!

A dog pins down a baby squirrel - mama squirrel sees from the tree and leaps (literally) into action, and kicks the dog's ass.

Dogs

Countryside Walks

We were walking the dogs last night and we had a real wildlife walk :-) Wild skies, giant straw bales, good wood rats and grass snakes :-)

Life

Better to “Fail with Style” than “Celebrate Mediocrity”

People should be trained how to fail so they can cope with failure and carry on. Failing isn't bad, it's what you do next that really counts.