So where has August gone?

seems to be disappearing very quickly in a haze of heat! We have never had it in the 30's here before, this is more like Spanish weather! Makes me feel I must up my efforts to go green!
Veg and fruit has been very disappointing this year, too much rain early on and not enough with excess heat now! Thin pickings this year but already starting to plan next year.
I am gradually putting together menu plans. Four weeks for each season taking into account what we provide for ourselves and what we can get elsewhere for the best price. It will all go on a spreadsheet for future reference. Nothing will be set in stone as I know there will be variables, like visiting friends, meals out and such.
My paperless household is going well. We are happily using the kitchen towels I made and they launder well. Same with washing up cloths. The other thing I have begun this month is making the dog and cat food. The dogs have meat with rice, potatoes and carrots. The cats have fish with pasta and a green veg, currently spinach! The cat food I loosely liquidize. At the moment they have kibble for breakfast and my meals for dinner. All are clearing the plate in one sitting! It will take me a while to build up meals in the freezer but eventually I will stop buying the kibble. I will need to invest in a meat grinder though as they will get calcium and other minerals from the bones. That is for the future now. I buy bones for the dogs as a treat and the cats eat mice. Sorry if that upsets anyone!
This came about as part of my bid to ditch chemicals. When I looked at what was in the kibble I was unhappy. I have read a few bits about how pet food is produced too. For my bird family we no longer buy the pellets, just wheat and maize and I top them up from the kitchen. Everyone is thriving!
The cheese project is about to begin, just getting the gear together! Hope to report first batch of farmhouse cheddar next month.
On the personal front I am now making my clothes. Two cotton skirts to make and two winter ones. Also am knitting a couple of cardigans too.
I am constantly amazed at how little I need to buy from the big guys, makes me happy!

Next homemade project...is.....

Finally I am going to start making a farmhouse cheddar. I can get small pieces of cheddar here but it is factory made and expensive. I spend a fair bit on French cheese each week that again is factory made. As you all know I am on a mission to ditch factory made food.
We have a small Apple press that can be used as a cheese press with a little alteration. I have ordered cheesecloth and am currently searching for starter and vegetable rennet. I have a big stock pot I can heat the milk in and my farmer neighbour will sell me raw milk. 8 litres of milk will give me 1kg cheddar. This will reduce cost once all the gear is assembled. The idea is to make several so that some can be left to mature to improve the taste. When my kitchen is finally built I will include an area for long term storage of my cheese. I am very excited about this as this is a large part of our diet. Simplifying our diet means something like cheese is a treat.
I have greatly reduced the meat intake too. I rarely give him indoors red meat now and do a chicken for our family Sunday dinner. Yesterday's chicken carcass is currently cooking with potatoes, carrots and rice topped up with water that will be dinner for the dogs for a couple of days. They love this. I like them to have it because I know it is chemical free.
I feel I am winning with making most of our food now!
I will put up a photo of my first cheese but do not expect it too soon!

Summer seems to be staying

weather is weird at the moment. Very foggy early mornings like Autumn with a cool start. It heats up as the day progresses peaking around 4pm. From 8pm as the sun starts going down it cools down. We sat out late last night and lit the chiminea which was lovely. There is something comforting about sitting by an open fire.
The apples look as if they are ready but are still a bit small. It is about a month too early to harvest. Runner beans are available daily now and all the red onions are in. The squash does not look as though I will get any this year. Generally it has been a bad year for veg.
Spent a day sorting out my pantry. The mice have been active again so had to clean up. I have rearranged things and it is now organised. I have also rehomed the tins and bits stored on the floor so it feels more open. I want to get some white gloss paint to redo the shelves. This will make them easier to wipe down. Am gradually getting everything into glass jars and metal tins.
I have now made the bags to hold the dirty cloths and have knitted a good stock of them. I have plenty more cotton to make more. I have also started on my paperless kitchen towels. I have made several and the rest are cut ready to be sewn. I plan to keep these in a basket. I have one more paper roll to use but will no longer buy it.
My next campaign is to ditch plastic. The plastic containers I have I will continue to use but will not replace when needed. I will look for glass containers. The challenge will be the freezer. From next year our supermarkets will no longer give plastic bags for fruit and veg which I am pleased about.
On the chemical front I now use homemade makeup wipes as well as my face cream. I use real natural soap for washing me and am looking at other ideas for removing chemicals from our lives.
All of this I saving me money too which cannot be bad!

Apologies

Life has been difficult for a few weeks now. Am beginning to turn the corner but it is hard work.
Our latest guest arrived on Saturday. She is on her own with two cats and a dog and drove from Germany. Her car broke down not far from us! The garage she was taken to ( which we know) kindly brought her, the animals and all her gear here! Yesterday they brought back her car fixed! She is with us three weeks and is a lovely lady who speaks a little English. I had prepared a few German phrases for her arrival which made her smile!
Him indoors went back to the UK last weekend for a reunion come birthday bash. It gave me space to think about things.
My sil who lives next door with our daughter has for sometime suffered from severe depression. They have now been here for nine months and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Much like with all of us who have experienced a complete breakdown, depression is never far from the door. It is the peace here and the relative isolation that has helped.  This means I cannot force the sale of this property. I am now making a conscious decision to bury my negative thoughts and re engage with life here. I very much hope that things will be easier when work begins on my house.
The finishing touches are being done to our roof as I type this. It has been a long haul but at last we are just about there. The last two days we have at last emptied out the duck pond and cleaned it. I cleaned out the pump and filter and today the waterfall and filtration is working again. Another thing that cheers me up. For some time now, whenever I have wanted help with anything it has always been the Gites must come first. This has added to my unhappiness. I am not very good at putting myself first! This morning I have cleaned out and refilled the goose pond. I used our new pump which is very effective but due to my mismanagement was sprayed with the contents of the goose pond! Have now showered and my clothes are in the washing machine.
The latest in my green projects is going well. I have bought a lot of inexpensive crochet cotton and am knitting cleaning cloths. Colored for general cleaning and white for washing up. I have also bought some flannel and terry fabrics to make paperless kitchen towels. An idea I found on Pinterest. I also have oilskin cloth to make a bag to put the dirty cloths in whilst they wait to be washed.
Small sponges are used here but they do not last long. It also occurred to me that there was a time when things like kitchen roll did not exist.
My dream always was to be as self sufficient as possible and rid us of as many chemicals as possible. I am now back on track with that. I am pleased with how far I have come.

Update on chicks

These are two of the six chicks born this year. They are almost full size. They are very healthy and happy in the flock. The others keep asking if they are ready for the pot and I keep saying they are not big enough. I cannot face them going in the freezer.
It seems to me there is too much horror in the world now and I desperately want to keep my little world peaceful. I feel there is no place for killing animals. We do not need meat so let them live.
I have started emptying the duck pond again as there is another leak. I am having trouble finding this one. It is an enormous task but is a good chance to clean out the pond. I have found a system for filtering the pond but need help to put it in place. As the others are all focused on finishing the Gites I am on my own with what I want done.
Finally cut the grass in the orchard as the clover had finished and the bees are busy with the lavender now. The geese can see where they are going now.
The perimeter of our land is nearly all fenced now and clear of brambles. There is a clear view of the surrounding fields. This means there is no cover for a fox and it will be more difficult to get in. This is good but I do rather miss the wild tumbled garden. I have managed to keep an area of nettles near the duck pond and the wildflower area in my veg patch. I think I need assertiveness lessons!
I have taken the decision to try to eat fish and give up most dairy. I will probably keep having butter as I will not eat plastic spreads.
I have also found some inexpensive crochet cotton and am busy making floor and washing up cloths. I no longer want to use anything disposable and proper cloths are not available here.
I continue to make progress with my chemical free and green life.
My plan for next year is to get loads of flowers into the grounds. Shrubs and bedding. If I can get my polytunnel finished I can grow things from seed which is more affordable.
I am putting in a lot of work to enjoy living here but it is hard to do.

Summer has finally arrived

 The last two weeks it has been summer. Late starting but here at last. Still not normal though...temperatures have ranged between 25 and 38. I have been spraying the dogs and chickens with cold water.
It has meant work has been slow as it is often too hot to be outside. This has also meant our roof is still not finished. I begin to feel like it will never be done.
Last weekend we were in England. I finally picked up my fathers ashes. We took them to a country park he loved and scattered them in the undergrowth in the woods. A couple of rain showers will wash them into the ground. I found it very traumatic but that is the last thing to do for him!
I still feel very unsettled with no clear idea where my life is going. In my heart I really want to be in England. It has many problems but it is my home. The other three all are happy here. So as always I keep quiet.

Created for my bees

This is a section of a small wildflower garden I created for our bees and other wildlife. I would like to create more areas the same as I love wild flowers. The poppies self seed each year and spread without any help. The other flowers seem to sort themselves out too!
The next patch I will create will be in the orchard where the geese and bees live.
The lavender is now in flower and the beautiful humming bird moths are already visiting. I have seen my bees on it too.
The Hazel trees are covered in nuts so I hope I can beat the squirrels to them this year. They are still green at the moment. Apples and pears are in abundance too. Lots of chutney making before long.
We are slowly getting our land the way I want it!