I’ve had the dreaded winter bug this week and it totally wiped me out. All I can say is, thank heavens for Grandmas, books, scrabble and Dr Who on iPlayer!

watering my CP plants

Today though, I nipped outside to water my carnivorous plants and it was nice to feel a bit of sun on my face!

Secret scientist

A secret scientist delivered the most handsome Christmas present, this rather marvellous microscope!

It’s absolutely incredible and perfect for a rainy day or in my case a ‘poorly’ day. You can set it up via USB to a laptop and record live shots of microscopic things like an eyelash, housefly leg, onion cells, stems of cotton and wood.

It has a powerful magnification and resolution and I’ve been told to look at pond water, pollen grains and nettle stinging hairs; so I’ll be going out into the garden in my long white lab coat very soon!

Soup Share 

Back in October 2018, the Young Operation Farmers took part in the RHS Campaign for School Gardening’s soup share and it was so successful that yesterday we held another one. There was 14 of us kids and we prepped all this winter veg to make a spicy parsnip & celeriac soup and over in the baking area there was home-made soda bread and red velvet cupcakes. Just in case we had any customers who were on special diets, we made tomato and lentil soup, which was vegan and some bread rolls that were gluten-free.

It was REALLY busy, nearly 70 people turned up and we raised lots of money for Operation Farm’s running costs.

Big Garden Birdwatch Results

I’ve submitted my Big Garden Birdwatch results online and sent off the paper versions that were filled in at the Binn Green event. I love the chart that is produced when you submit your results, it’s so cool.

There’s just over a week left to submit your results

Bit more birdwatching!

Just before I became ill, I had another sneeky trip to Binn Green, in search of that elusive brambling. No joy again, but it was just lovely to sit and look at the birds through my cracking bins (they nearly were cracked when I slipped on the ice!)

Two siskins

Nuthatch

Blue tit

Coal tit in flight

Pheasant

Quick reccy in the garden

Had a quick reccy in the garden as I start to think of spring planting and in particular what veg to grow in the raised beds. The snowdrops looked stunning, until Buddy stood on them!

I’ve got a week to go until school finishes for half-term, then I’m off to Scotland for a few days to see my friend, Sarah on her farm. Hope you’re fit and well folks and thinking of spring days spent in your garden or looking at wildlife!