First fire

It is no colder than it was yesterday, but this evening I have treated myself to a fire. It lit perfectly the first time

Collecting leaves in the dark

Just before I got ready for bed on Thursday night I took an empty bucket to the end of the road to fill it with plane tree leaves (they are huge this year!). As it was after 10 o'clock there were not many people about so I didn't feel too self conscious!

Made 5 trips. Put them on the front garden. As the nasturtiums as still alive due to the mild weather, I stuffed them between the plants and the wall. This is all to help hibernating insects and toads.

Making my robin Christmas cards

The first idea I had for this year's home-made Christmas cards didn't work. Instead I have adapted, by simplifying, a card in the December issue of Country Living.

I have cut out a shape from brown wrapping paper, stuck this on 100gsm white paper folded into 4, drawn on an eye and legs with a black biro, add a red circle and, hey presto, a robin.

This will only go to close friends and relatives. I will be getting a Survival reindeer card for everyone else.

"Beachcombing" on Thames foreshore

This afternoon I went on a London Walk starting at Mansion House tube. On our way to the southern side of the Thames, just below Tate Modern we heard about the history of this part of the Thames.

Before we could go down on to the foreshore, we had our warning on veils (spelling?) disease and had to wear plastic gloves. As we did not have a Port of London Authority licence we could not dig "even with our fingers". Anything made of precious metal would belong to the Queen, anything of archeological significance would go to the Museum of London.

This is me on the edge of the Thames.

We were asked only to take a couple of things. This prevented stuff ending up being thrown away and going to a council tip somewhere. This is what I took - something that looked like pottery with a grazed glaze - they don't know what these are, 2 pieces of chalk as fancy using foraged chalk (didn't count this as part of my "2 things"!), and a button for the button box.

Misty ride with mystery noise

This morning was very misty (or is it a fog?).

I rode my new bike for the first time (a Claude Butler). Unfortunately I can't have a front pannier on it, though I will keep a look out for a bag with straps. The bell it has is pathetic! I will take the old-fashioned bell off my old bike and use that.

I wished I had dressed up a bit warmer, particularly with leggings under my trousers, though several joggers were in shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts. My toes were very cold by the time I had finished my ride but my finger tips had warmed up!

As I cme out of the east part of Victoria Park there was a mandarin duck swimming in the Hertford Union.

My bike got a noise while I was in Victoria Park which continued until I was within a couple of yards of the bike shop, which now opens Sundays. I can come back within 3 months and they will make any necessary adjustments. I had correctly identified where my now-stopped noise was coming from (the pedal shaft rubbing against the plastic chain guard) and it took the guy two seconds to adjust with a spanner.

The Bike Shack is a nice bikeshop - pity it is so small so not a lot of stock.

Peter - I am impressed with the photo of how much you got off your allotment at this time of year!

Temporary mantlepiece

I have hired Rene, a friend from kayaking who makes designer bathrooms, furniture, light sculptures, etc, to put in a chunky mantlepiece for me.

He has made it - I've seen it in his workshop. It's made from cedarwood - his favourite wood. But it is now 2 years and it is still in his workshop not my sitting room. With the second year without a mantlepiece to put my birthday and Christmas cards on, I've made a temporary one.

I've used the offcuts Len, the carpenter who lives 3 doors up the road, gave me for my stove to make two equal piles. For the top I used a long piece of wood I rescued from a skip and didn't like to cut up until I really needed it, in case it came in useful - and it has!

Unfortunately the 2 piles are on a slant - I think the floor's not flat. One side is very slanty indeed. I am afraid of the cats knocking everything flying, so I have only put 2 candlesticks on it, metal ones that won't break.

Looking forward to displaying cards on it soon.

watch out for weather!

On 14 November 2007, presumably a Sunday, I spent some time in the afternoon in my hammock. The next day was the first frost of the year. The day after that there was a heavy frost and ice on my pond.

Haven't my heating yet, but might have to soon just to get clothes dry!

Bucket of autumn leaves disappears!

For years I would see plastic hands for gathering autumn leaves in the catalogues and didn't buy them as I would only need them for a few weeks a year. Then a few years ago I got them and wished I'd got them sooner.

This year I at last got round to tidying my shed and found today that I had moved the hands from near the door. Blocked by the wormery by the door and bags of twigs from my neighbour's ashtree and bushes (for kindling) I can't see where I put them or easily get near the back to look. So I used a small handtool and my hands.

Whilst scooping up leaves I saw there was some fruit on my autumn raspberries, so I put the bucket down and picked and ate about 10 fruits. Came back and couldn't find the bucket!

I have a small garden, and was anyway only a few pacss away from the raspberry canes when I put the bucket down. It had seemly disappeared through a hole in the space/time continium (the one that often follows me around). Finally I saw it. From above a bucket full of autumn leaves standing on autumn leaves is very well camoflaged!

Along the road to the east of me are some plane trees - the leaves are really large this year. Is this the result of the wet summer?

Recycling collection in the dark

Waltham Forest Council have contracted Kier to collect both rubbish and recycling on the same day in the same lorry. The lorry is divided into two sections.

Chaos, with some streets not having had anything collected for weeks. Also recycling was seen going into the rubbish section of the lorries when the recycling bit was full. A friend of mine in Chingford saw them putting the recycling from the green recycling bins into the black rubbish bins and then chucking the contents into the rubbish section!

RoseMarie at my rugmaking session said a lorry had come back to do the recycling in her street. My rubbish bin was emptied during the day yesterday, but they were collecting the recycling at 7.30 in the evening. I hope this means some low-paid people are getting some decent overtime!

Firework litter louts

Had my Sunday morning cycle ride, on the fold-up as my big bike still upside down in the dining room.

On the field behind the ice rink where at least a dozen empty firework boxes. Obviously a private firework party leaving their litter for others to clear. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the guests at that party were responsible for the beer cans thrown in the stream further north.

They have also put (back?)a cattle grid in the path on the east side of the Navigation. It is right at the bottom of a short, steep slope. There is a bit to the side of the grid wide enough to cycle (but too narrow for any cows). However I don't have the confidence to cycle fast incase I miss, so don't have the speed to get up the slope.

The Thrifty Forager

I have just treated myself to this book by Alys Fowler.

Several of the plants mentioned grow in my garden. I'll ignore the spinach type ones. I have swiss chard free seeding in the garden, so I have no need of anything else spinach-like.

There is featured in the book the stag's Horn sumach/velvet sumach, which looks like the tree I pass on the way to the bus stop. I'll have to check it is not the varnish tree (same family) which is toxic.

The red fruits of the stag's horn sumach are soaked in water for several hours with a little honey or sugar to make a lemon-like drink.

It seems a long time to wait before I can start putting this book to use.

B!@@%$ bycycle back wheel

Wednesday morning I moved by bike so I could get out the front door and realised the back wheel completely flat (why always the back wheel?).

So Wednesday evening I upturned the bike in the dining room and changed the innertube, adding the punctured one to the pile of 4 already waiting to be patched.

I usually have major problems getting the wheel back in place, each time I adjust it so the wheel is evenly adjusted between the brake pads, I then have to adjust it so it doesn't rub the mud guard, which then means it is no secure in the holding (can't remember technical term for where the axle goes), and when I adjust.....

This time I haven't even got so far - I can't get the back wheel in in the first place! There are lots of people at work who'd look at it if it was here, but that's no good when I have a one-wheeled bike back at home.

One more try this evening, seeing if I can get the chain really out of the way when I put it in. If it fails I will be looking for a second hand bike.

This one cost me £25 from a colleague of a friend plus a £30 service and I have had it for at least 3 years.

Garlic transfer and cabbage hearts

This summer the garlic leaves dried off so quickly that by the time I went to harvest them they had disappeared and I wasn't able to find all of the bulbs. Some of those lost have sprouted and on Sunday I dug them up and put the cloves into next year's onion bed. I covered them with a sturdy metal mesh I have to protect them from the local cats. This morning I went out to take a photo. You can see the mesh but not the garlic. The big leaves you can see are foxgloves - always keen to grow in my vegetable beds rather than the flower beds!

The picture below is of one of my January Kings. I am supposed to protect the heart from the winter weather by tying the outside leaves around it. What heart?! I hope the cabbages keep growing over the winter, otherwise they will have been a complete waste of time!

I am trying to get more than just a few leeks to harvest over the winter. The Organic Gardening Catalogue has "flower sprouts", a cross between curly kale and brussel sprouts which I plan to try. I'm getting old if the memories of curly kale we ate every winter through my childhood have faded so much I am prepared to grow something associated with it!