Snow, progress in the Nursery and Salvage yard Shopping

Wednesday and back to work and the nursery today, while I've enjoyed my relaxing festive break, it's great to be back, so that's a great sign. First job this morning was the cafe flowers which you can see below. New year, new ideas, a bit of Scottish hillside colouring influence I feel. Next job was to tidy the office, day six task. I finally boxed up all the account stuff in the cupboard and piled it on the top shelves, rearranged other shelves and cleared the floor more. Then I had room to put away things that were lying around the office. It now looks much better and more organised and I remembered to take the rubbish and recycling away. Downside was I found the flask of milk I forgot to take home when I finished up for Christmas! No one wants to open it! The weather was typically soggy and so dull it felt like someone had switched the lights off. I got out standing paperwork done, new diary filled in and when David came over in the afternoon we got more levelling in the tunnel done until the light went. Another couple of hours should see that job done. When I got home there were several parcels waiting, one of which was a SAD lamp. If you've read previous blogs you may remember I've talked about feeling down and depression and I have noticed I do feel worse in winter. After chatting with Jean about it all, she very generously sent me a lamp which is now sitting in the lounge next to me, so we will see how it works. 

This weeks cafe flowers

Fresh ideas

Sad lamp

Thursday and it rained and it drizzled, it was colder and some sleet blew past at one point, thank goodness for the heater in my office. After doing some paperwork I tidied through some plants in the covered area, potting up some poor ones to go to the tunnel. It's not the best time to strip down and re pot plants but some of the neglected plants we inherited with the nursery are not going to make it through the winter unless I try, so I reckon it's worth the risk. I alternated doing this with paperwork in the office so as not to freeze completely. In the afternoon when David came over we went over to the poly tunnel and finally finished levelling and laying it out. Another big job crossed off the to do before spring list. There is still some space left in the tunnel, but there wont be for long when I start sowing seeds. I'm so excited to have the tunnel finished and up and running.

The completed tunnel, look at all those lovely young plants for this year 

Looking up from the far end

Looking for some seasonal inspiration
 from my gardening book shelves

The temperature has taken a plunge over night and Friday morning brought a real frost with crunchy grass and windscreens to scrape. Fortunately my task for today was an outdoor job but a warm one - turning the 3 three compost heaps. Like all big jobs it's always more daunting before than in reality. But after a relaxing break it was real physical exercise, ideal for burning off the Christmas indulgence and keeping warm in the minus temperatures! I planned to do half the job today, not wanting to over do it and cause some muscle damage. In the end I kept going and was only stopped by the start of the snow in the early afternoon and I got two thirds done, very pleased. I think I will ache tomorrow! The rest of the day was spent doing paperwork and website updating. It got too cold for potting and everything was frozen anyway. A nice mocha from the cafe helped and David put a new shelf in the sales cupboard which means no more bruises from the too big table I had to squeeze by all the time. The snow started about 2 pm and gradually go heavier, by 4.30 it was huge flakes and I decided to call it a day, taking a careful journey home as the roads were white, it was snowing heavily and getting dark. But there are always idiots on the road, no matter how many warnings and accidents. After a warming shower and cottage pie for tea I got none of my planned tasks done as Bracken and I fell asleep on the sofa for over two hours! Not a good idea.

I had these guys for company today while I turn over the compost heaps,
as long as they stay on their side of the fence we'll get along just fine.

Black and white snow at the nursery

Maybe we are going to get a winter after all

The temperatures stayed below zero over night so the snow was still there the following morning. We headed along to the nursery all wrapped up with a plan to empty the stuff belonging to Quercus in two of the farm sheds, sort it out and decide what was to be kept, especially as the farm have a skip on hire! We got rid of lots of rubbish which is always good, David finished the shelf in the sales area and I did some admin. Having achieved a lot more that we thought we headed home to the warm and dry in the mid afternoon.

Driving to the nursery

Snouts out! Piggies at Whitmuir

Snowy trees behind the nursery

One of the great things about being my own boss, especially in this business at this time of year, is the degree of flexibility I can have over my working hours. It's snowing huge flakes out there and will be worse at the nursery, so I stayed home to do admin in the warm and dry on Sunday. I've got to go to Whitmuir for a meeting on Monday (my day off) so will stay on at the nursery after that, so I'm effectively swapping my days around. I did feel better after  long lie, now taking tablets to keep a cold like lurgy at bay. The chickens have been in full production lately as you can see in the photo below. I spent most of the day designing a pull up banner and up loading it to be printed out. hopefully it will be ok and that's another item ticked off my to do list.

Eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner I think

There were huge flakes of snow this morning

It's snowed, it's rained, it's frozen, but there was sunshine and blue skies today, it was great to feel the sky wasn't sitting on my shoulders for a change. Our day off was a busy one involving work! We had a multi business meeting at Whitmuir to discuss events for this year and other things that need done, and lots of progress was made. Since it was dry David and I stayed on at the nursery to finish turning the compost heaps, so that's another task finished and scored off the list. We got it finished just before the rain came on and it was completely dark!

Driving to work on Monday, great to see some blue sky

Snow on the Peebles hills

Last night was the worst night's sleep in a long time, yawn. Fortunately it was a day off and we were heading south to do some sourcing for things for the nursery. David drove, allowing me to vegetate for a bit! There was plenty snow in the Lowther and Moffat hills but as we headed further south it turned to sleet then rain. Out destination The Brunswick Yard in Penrith was damp and freezing but we still had a great time rummaging for interesting items to use in the nursery. We came home with  boot full which I am really looking forward to sorting through, re-purposing and then showing you what I've done. The reclamation yard has just opened a cafe so we of course had to sample it and treated ourselves to lunch. The food, service and surroundings are great and I'd thoroughly recommend it. After an uneventful drive home we arrived back before dinner time, to catch up with the kids. Eldest had an interview for a training placement for six weeks, so fingers crossed he is successful. He really needs a break after nothing since leaving college last June. Tonight will be paperwork then relaxing before heading back to the nursery tomorrow.

One of my favourite places 

They also now do lovely food in the new cafe

Results of our rummage at Brunswick yard for the nursery

Results of our rummage at Brunswick yard for the nursery

Snowy Lowther Hills, B&W

Have a great week.

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