Raised beds.

This year I,m going to try Chinese Permaculture. This involves gridding the veggy plot into raised areas held in place with wooden batons attached to stakes. I have fed the soil with over half a ton of cowdung, chickenshit and compost so hope for some spectacular results. I have'nt used the mechanical rotovator this year because it kills the worms, and worms play an important part in this type of horticulture. This is a no dig arrangement for up to five years.

You use the grass cuttings for mulch, which keeps the weeds down, and also to feed the worms. The worms, in turn keep the soil aerated and workable. This is a crude first attempt at Chinese Permaculture so wish me luck.....

A new start to the Brown Trout season.

This usually means the start of the trolling season for the serious sporting angler. Next week I,m off to Loch Oich to do some fishing with a few buddies. We intend to do some trolling of dead baits and lures for pike or ferox trout for a few hours on the Saturday, and camp overnight with static deadbaits out till bed time. This will include a barbecue and blowing the froth off a few cold ones. At first light I,ll have the dead baits out before even putting the kettle on. I,ll report back with some pics, hopefully of big fish, but failing that some pics of the loch and surrounding scenery.

Finished painting the cottage this morning. Took five months of scraping, sealing, sanding, undercoating, topcoating. The landlord will have to get his wallet out.

Another big fish.

Still cant believe it but it happened. Had a day off work today so decided to have a few hours pike fishing. First of the day was this pristine female pike of 20lbs 2oz. Thats 2 20's in 2 weeks. This one was followed by anther 12 fish weighing between 2 and 14lbs. All fish carefully landed, unhooked and returned.
Tried a method I have'nt used for quite a long time called wobbling. This is essentially making a dead fish look like a sick or dieing fish. You set the bait on a wire trace with a wee bit of lead, cast it out and twitch it back ever so slowly. Deadly!!

Started painting the exterior of the cottage at the weekend. It will need 2 coats. Next visit I,ll put before and after pics.

Big fish.

I was fishing at the weekend at a wee loch near Glasgow with a good friend and mentor Ricky Macintyre. Ricky has an inovative style of fishing that involves more than simply chucking out baits or dragging a couple of lures aimlessly around.
This specimen weighed in at 23lbs 4 oz and was fooled by a red herring fished in such a manner that it must have looked like an injured or sick prey fish.
She, I know she was a she because for one thing males do'nt grow this size, and also because I was covered in caviar.
This big lass was carefully returned and swam off with no problems.
I find it a wee bit difficult to smile for the camera because I,m never happy till the fish is safely returned.
That night when I got home I had to celebrate alone because Sandra was working. Scoffed a litre of cheap and cheerful French Country Red from Spar then hit the sack
. When Sandra came into the bedroom on the Sunday morning and woke me she said I was smiling in my sleep.
Must have been dreaming about my "affair" the previous day ;-)

Plot empty, freezer full.

Everything harvested, earth rotovated with half a ton of cowshit. I also have a 250 litre compost box that I,ll spread over it in the early part of the new year. I reckon next year will be even better. Dwarf runner beans under cloche in March, along with a few Swedes, leeks, loads of onions and shallots. Salad stuff, lettuce, spring onions, radishes, cant wait but I,ll have to, roll on the spring.

Painting the white exterior of the cottage just now. Its pebbledashed so will need aprox 30 litres of masonry paint. The landlord asked me to do it and is going to pay me for my time. Its a good wee homer because I can do it when I feel like doing it. No rush.

Not a good week.

Started my new job last Tuesday, settling in fine.
The job involves painting, gardening, archive sorting, general maintenance and houskeeping.
I,ve got man flu or maybe just a summer cold, so probably will stay home this weekend. Cant phone in sick I,ve only been there for two weeks.
Was supposed to be going fishing to Loch Arkaig Saturday with mates but no point if I,m feeling like a pile of pigeon droppings.
On a lighter note.
We have a great crop of courgettes one of which seems to be turning into a marrow of some kind. The carrots will have to come out soon before they start bolting. Millions of runner beans, some over a foot long, and piles of peas. There are 18 leeks of various sizes and lots of spring onions. Its been a great season with no major problems or disease.