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Thoughts on……Month 19: The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.

It’s hard to believe another month has whizzed by……it has been a crazy busy month for me but I have managed to have some peaceful and reflective moments while practicing the Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. Don’t worry – it’s nothing morbid….far from it.

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Vivi’s Kitchen Garden 135: Brussels Sprouts and chatting while digging.

It may be chilly and damp out there but it’s perfect for a bit of digging and bed rearranging……my new motto has become ‘Just get out there!’……the rewards, for a few hours of work, are huge. I leave the garden on a high and know that I’m doing the best for my little space to give back to me next year…..so, go on, just get out there.

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In the Kitchen: Butternut squash & sage risotto.

When you wake up on a chilly morning feeling a bit below par it’s time to make comfort food. Today it’s squash risotto…….ooooh, it is creamy loveliness in a bowl and makes me feel better in an instant. You will need: 1 squash (about 500g or more), 1 large white onion, a few cloves of garlic (to taste), a few sage leaves, 1 cup of risotto rice and one liter of vegetable stock. Have fun and enjoy the scoff.

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Vivi’s Kitchen Garden 134: Lily, Cosmos and over-wintering my Pelargoniums (Geraniums).

I’m so glad I managed to get some time in the garden yesterday to sort out my Pelargoniums for winter…….the temperature has really dropped and we’re beginning to see some frost and these wee plants wouldn’t be able to stand it. They’ll be quite happy at home with me over the winter and then, come spring, they can give me a few cuttings and get back to the garden ready to give me some blousy colour in the summer.

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My fence, deck & path. From cutting the turf to the very last screw – the whole story.

About a year ago I decided to get on with making my fence/deck/path… I was rushing to get the work done before knee surgery and my wrists were floppy and weak after breaking them both….but with a stubborn streak and a deadline looming plus help in the Spring from my gorgeous friends Jackie and Ky I was able to get it done. Sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy the work and the peace of the garden over Winter and early Spring….

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Vivi’s Kitchen Garden: November Garden Tour (2018).

It’s hard to believe it’s already November. I love this time of year in the garden…..the pace slows so much….all the hard work through the earlier part of the year paid off with the crazy harvests through September and October…..now it is time to relax some and simply enjoy being in the place with no particular thing to do other than breathe it all in and day dream.