Month: September 2011

when browsing through journal entries notably a good harvest you may notice an ash tray with a cig in it, hand on heart it isnt mine its hubbies, i am on week 9 and counting tg

just got 2 pks of narcissis today and a couple of cyclemen, i have my eye on the magnolias for next thursday, never had one so that is on my wish list. didnt get anything done to day. thursday is shoppin day and by the time that is done and put away(which i hate) then dinner., but hope to get something done on saturday weather permitted, tomorrow we are having a barbeque at my moms, for all the bride and grooms family,, brother getting married soon althought the weather is not good, we will still be eating and enjoyin the fun.

do any of you know if you can freeze plums, do you need to blanch first or how can you do it

Wasn’t it lovely to day with a rise in temperature. It was possible to get working at areas where perhaps it was not so pleasant before. I got at the rockery where there was a very large Geranium which was choking a lot of the other plants. I got the spade under it and levered, then tackled it from other angles and eventually it was uprooted. It had been a small plant not so long ago. Now it was taken away from the rockery and moved to a bed which had become idle. In that bed there had been plants which had been hit by frost last year. Some weeding was done in the rockery. A small portion of the Geranium was left behind. Some Alyssum (perennial) was put into the rockery and they should be good next spring. By degrees it is taking shape and some plants which were not given the chance to grow can do so now. A piece of ground at the back where I had grown beetroot was dug and I hope to be able to plant something there soon. No photos to day, maybe to morrow. I have plants ready for the Country Market to morrow morning.

this what it seems like right now.

i bailed out of the property which had the lovely garden as last posted.

i based this bail out on the architects opinion of the house, which had pointed out some structural shortcomings which would have been difficul for my purse to rectify but not impossible at a push, but given also the state of my health i felt that i might see another that was less needy.

 

the vendor took it off the market and decided to sort these problems and i went back to view again today.  well they sorted putting in new windows to the front to allow firemen get in and then they put up plaster board to make a bedroom which would only hold the bed and nothing else, biffed out the kitchen tiling in the process and worst of all they got rid of EVERY bloody bush and plant in the garden, the bungalows crowning glory.  i was utterly speechless and have been crying all evening.

i havent a flipping clue what to do now. i am in ill health and totally shattered after yet another spell in hospital ten days ago with another crohns blockage, i am speechless! speechless! a psycho was let loose in that there garden, a psychopath with a shears! a

i have to buy really as nothing else available and my health is BAD now.  so tired i can hardly walk and my autoimmune diseases all now in tandem trying to rid myself of the nasty cells of stress.

i need to move. twin also disabled has found a property in this small estate and i need to get out of a place where i am being harrassed almost on a daily basis, i dont know from day to day what next will be thrown at me here, literally.

sometimes big decisions have to be made in life, this is one and i wilt. 

without feeling comfortable in your own home, health is the first to suffer.

 

this move was because of LACK of safety, the attacks on me and the chihuahuas, it was a necessity to shift and mags and i both wanted to before winter sets in.

the vendors have butchered the garden, removed the fantastic mature planting and the stuff on the trellis but that said, life is a bit of an experiment at the best of times.

lets see now what i can make of what will be entirely my own with no beer bottles or louts around the next bend or at your door or on your wall!

Peace, its what Yeats wrote about and what Worthworth did too, its about what you perceive of ‘goodness’ in both people and environment and what God gave us to enjoy and feel replenished in.

i need this in spades and intend to work for it now.

Life far too short to be living in misery and trauma and terror.

i am sure in greystones i can find a quarum that will enbrace what i can offer and lets hope i will find ‘community’ and a good bit of laughter along the way. er, and get going on my exhibition and the arts award which needs to be brought to completion.

although rather depressed and a bit all over the place, i know what i have been striving to achieve in the past two years is within my grasp and if this is what i have, its what i have and its what i will make my haven for my end days.

nothing is so precious as PEACE! i also will be on my helicopter – was i mad to buy a whirry lounger at Kilquade!!! i love it, oh imagine that beside a small pool and the bees and the birds and the bug eyed chihuahaus snapping the flies and making me giggle!!! 

After the Country Market where my total sales were one pound of tomatoes and one Hydrangea. The sales are low compared with other years. Some say the recession but wait. The schools are open again. Adjacent to where the building is, the one where we have the market there are two large car parks most of the cars are those of the parents of the children back at school and if you were to see the cars, the type of car they have and none apparently are old, you might say what recession? It seems that there is some other reason. In the afternoon I drove to Tullow for a meeting, then back to my garden where most of the work was again cutting up dead wood (Griselinia). Much more space in the back garden now. I am now looking forward to the rain which has been forecast. It is badly needed.

we just bought the house and in it i have a big lawn. with hedge and tree around the border. it is quite untidy and a lot of work needed.i want to change it to have a vegetable patch and a play area for my son and maybe a meriomial aera for my uncle and mum.any ideas gratefully

hello there friends.

went to see a second property in this area, it is a good property far better in structure and not micky mouse, but the asking price reflects this.

none the less i think i will try and put in a bid.

it was nice my brother managed to get to see both the property mentioned here and this next one.

i am gonna pray like crazy during the next week, and also see which bank is a weak link’ to rob!!! joking, unfortunately!

well thats it for the moment.

i felt very comfortable again in this greystones area, very very very.

lets hope very shortly both twin and i will literally be packing to live out our lives in peace and a bit of happiness.  just fingers crossed all round.

garden is secondary to peace, agreed all round!

you can make a ‘goodie’ of a small patch! 

Thank God the rain has come. It was impossible to water the garden up to now especially that I had transplanted some flowering plants yesterday. Now these plants, even though they had been watered it was not enough but to day how they stand up. Gerry Daly this morning on Lyric FM stated that the rainfall was quite low this summer and that what came had not penetrated very much. Going to bed last night it seemed as it the forecast would be wrong again but what a relief to look out this morning and see the ground wet. an interesting point was that here at least we had no rain to day, at least from 8 a.m. onward. Some ground was dug and how easy. Spring onions which I sowed last month are now up and with the ground moist and warm should make good progress. The cabbage I sowed is showing the true leaves. Some roses are beginning to open. I have been headhedding the roses for some time now.

 i was googling and emailing last night. the owner of killegar house has come back to me today with some info. i will try to edit email and paste it for you to see.

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Hi Evelyn, 
Attached is an information sheet that should tell you everything you need to know. It was first written as a press release, so forgive me if it still reads a bit like that. It’s been useful to add things to as events, demonstrations, exhibits and talks have developed. There should be something for everyone. I am in the process of drawing up an event guide/timetable of what’s on and it will appear on Killegar.net in the next few days. 
I’ve just had a look at your website – most impressive. I am hoping (fingers crossed) to get some of the old pathway walks around the lake cleared by the time of the festival so people can walk them for the first time in 60+ years. We have a lovely (overgrown!) terrace garden here, plus the old gardens (sadly hardly recognisable) and a secret/walled garden (also badly in need of attention). It’s just my pair of hands and there is so much to do in the house, I can never get to the gardening. I can dream… 
The only thing the attached doesn’t tell you is how to get here – we are between Killeshandra (Cavan) and Carrigallen (Leitrim). I’m not sure where you are coming from but it seems from across the country. I’m not sure if some of your members may want to make a weekend of it but please find below some local accommodation information (I’m afraid I’ve never stayed in any of them so this is by way of information, not recommendation): 
Castle Hamilton in Killeshandra is https://www.fishingcottagesireland.com/. It would be ideal if all your group want to be able to stay together. In Killeshandra there is also The Lough Bawn Hotel, Main St, Killeshandra 049 4334404 and The Shamrock Inn, Killeshandra, 049 433 4139.

Derreskit (049 433 4826 – Ben and Suzanne) is between here and Killeshandra and can accommodate up to 30 people in a group. They have a small swimming pool and the location is safe and fun for children (they have  farm animal petting area) as it is on its own grounds too and would be the closest place to here. 
The Kilbrackan Arms https://www.kilbrackanarms.com/ in Carrigallen (049 433 9737) and Mitchell’s https://www.ireland.com/food/restaurants/mitchells-bar-restaurant/216012 (049 433 9000) 
I hope your members will find the festival of interest and look forward to welcoming you here.
Best wishes,
Sue
Sue

1st September, 2011

 

First Ever All-Ireland Mushroom Festival at Killegar

 

Have you ever walked through fields and woodlands during Autumn and wondered which of the mushrooms you see growing would be safe to eat and which are best avoided? Here is your chance to find out! You can be part of the first ever, all-Ireland Mushroom Festival to be held in the grounds of the enchanting Killegar Estate, County Leitrim, on 25 September, 2011.

 

If you enjoy the pleasure of eating something you have grown or harvested yourself, then this is a great opportunity to forage with the experts and to have the satisfaction of tasting your bounty after it is cooked up by renown Euro torque Chef, Louis Smith, a connoisseur of edible fungi and co-author of ‘Forest Fungi in Ireland’.

 

Killegar has been chosen as the ideal location for the first all-Ireland Mushroom Festival not only because of its beautiful grounds, it has a significant and rare continuous native woodland which produces a vast array of mushroom and fungi. On just one day last October, 75 different species were discovered. A percentage of these had not been previously recorded in Ireland – who knows you might find a rare specimen never before found on these shores!

 

Specialists from the Irish Mycologists’ Society and the Northern Ireland Fungus Group (NIFG) will lead small groups on guided forays throughout the day. Jonathan Spazzi, Forestry Consultant and Mycologist with a passion for mushrooms, Dr. Kieran Connolly, Environmental Consultant aongside specialists Diarmuid McAree, (Director CRANN), Debbie Nelson (Chariperson NIFG) and Roy Anderson from Northern Ireland and other mycology experts will be on hand to lead the groups. They will share their knowledge not only of mushrooms but of the woodlands, abundant flora, the birdlife and wildlife that is found in the area. Tina Pommer, from Leitrim Landscapes Guided Walks, is a  trained walking leader with Mountain Rescue First Aid, Eco tourism and ‘Leave No Trace’. Tina, who holds a Diploma in Archaeology and has training in apothecary herbs, will take groups on a foray with a archaeological slant and will also demonstrate training a Truffle Hound to hunt for truffles – here’s hoping we have some!

 

On arrival, there will be a brief introductory talk, A Beginners’ Guide to Foraging for Wild Mushrooms, which will explain where to look, what to look for, the component parts of a mushroom and how to identify a species. The experts can spot mushrooms/fungi/lichen in places you would not think to look and, on your foray, your guide will point out many different varieties you never even knew existed. There will be a chance to see a short presentation about the importance of mushrooms as an indicator to the health of our natural environment and about the woodlands and wildlife that are found at Killegar.

 

Aidan Brady, of the Cavan Bee Keepers Assocation, will bring his glass observation bee-hive to demonstrate and discuss bee-keeping. Vivienne Mayne of Jera Baskets will demonstrate how to weave baskets, so the more crafty of you can make your own. Vivienne will give three workshops for children throughout the day. The BawnboyTeddy Bear Museum’s travelling Teddy Bear hospital will be on hand to tend ailing teddys.

 

The Irish Wildlife Trust will be organising wildlife-related games for children, face-painting, mini-beast (forest creepy-crawlies) hunts, treasure trails and story-telling woodland-walks. The IWT will also have information on their children’s Badger Club.

 

Various lectures throughout the day include two presentations by Wojciech Chmura – biologist and mushrooms grower:

 

The Edible Assassin

There is no denying that some species are dangerous. Learn the basic rules to save making serious mistakes when hunting and eating wild mushrooms.

and

The Wonderful World of Mushrooms

They are present in cuisine, culture, language and recreation. Mushrooms are more than just part of the menu, they are part of our every day environment and can deliver lots of fun and adventure.

 

Dr. Matthew Stout, Department of History, St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra will give an archaeological and historical lecture on:

 

Fairy forts?

Looking beyond the folklore of fairy forts to discover their true origins and purpose.

 

After his talk Dr. Stout will take a group to the Killegar Fairy Fort for further discussion.

 

Dr. John Collier, Head of Reserach and Development, Monaghan Mushrooms will present:

 

‘A Mushroom a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?’

A chance to learn about the unique health benefits of mushrooms and how scientists worked to develop a new variety chock full of flavour and goodness.

 

Anja Murray, lately An Taisce’s Natural Environment Officer, will give an informal talk:

 

Nature’s Way

Biodiversity – the value of nature and natural ecosystems in Ireland.

 

Monaghan Mushrooms, Ireland’s largest producer, will have a display of mushrooms at different stages of cultivation and members of their R&D team will be on hand to discuss large scale mushroom production.

 

For a walk on the wild side, Tracey Yappa will have a display of cultivated wild mushroom on fruiting logs and the NIFG will display labelled mushrooms on moss and logs, as found in the woodland.

 

Curators Rob and Moira Steinke from the Museum of the Master Saddler, the only museum in the world dedicated to the ancient craft of saddlery and harness making, will exhibit traditional hand-stitching, harness-making techniques and their two minature Shetland ponies, Rocky and Rambo dressed in varius sets of harness, will work together as a pair pulling a plank harrow. The Glenview Folk museum will exhibit from their travelling 1950s museum-kitchen their collection of antiques, historical objects from pre-famine Ireland as well as churns, lamps, tradesmen’s tools and household items from days gone by. There will also be a variety of farmers’ market stalls showcasing the very best in local Irish produce. Hilton Orchard will be offering a delicious pork roast with various trimmings and a selection of BBQ food. There will also be exhibitions of arts and crafts.

 

Bring a picnic and some wet-weather gear as the foraging will go ahead no matter what the weather. Mushroom enthusiasts are never put off by a bit of rain! However, there will be a large marquee, a coal brazier to warm yourself by and various areas for people to take cover and have some light refreshments, should the heavens open up.

 

The Killegar Mushroom Festival an ideal opportunity for the whole family to enjoy recreation in beautiful, ancient woodlands, to learn about mushrooms and lots more about our natural environment from Ireland’s top experts.

 

Killegar is described by current resident Sue, Lady Kilbracken, as “a jewel in the heart of Leitrim”. Anyone with a love of heritage and of nature will enjoy this chance to stroll along its scenic lake shores, or beside the meandering river and through the ancient woodlands as they gather the fine bounty nature provides. All proceeds taken on the day will go to the ‘Save Killegar Campaign’ fund, which was set up in October 2006 to help to preserve this precious piece of Irish heritage.

 

Gates open 09.30 – Close 18.00.  Ticket prices: Entry Fee €15 per person, €5 students/OAPs/unwaged. Family tickets €35 (two adults and two children). Guided forays (places strictly limited) are an additional cost of €15 per person, €5 students/OAPs/unwaged. Family tickets €35.

 

Please note: apart from food purchases, these will be the only charges on the day and all the talks, demonstrations, workshops and exhibits are included in the ticket price.

 

For further details contact Sue Kilbracken 049 43 34309, check www.Killegar.net or email

August was the coldest recorded here in Ireland for 25 years and also a very dry month with rainfall well below average. We seem to be already seeing a start to autumn here in the grounds, with certain trees showing early colour.

The herbaceous borders are starting to fade in places and we are dead heading and tidying as required. Overall it has been a good show this year and we are very pleased.

It’s the time of year for pruning hedges, mulching beds and general tidying up in the vegetable garden. We have been cutting back our old raspberry and loganberry canes and tying in the new ones for next years crop. We have dug up the last of the potatoes. Lifted shallots, garlic and onions and planted out brassicas and leeks. Now is the time to sow spinach, winter lettuce and rocket to take you through to the autumn.

Late summer is the right time for taking a lot of shrub cuttings and we are starting to look at propagating some of our more unusual specimens. It makes sense to have some ‘up and coming’ stock plants to replace possible winter losses.

It’s also the time of year for wine making! The wild blackberries on the estate have been combined with some pears (generously donated by an interested acquaintance) to make a few litres of mixed fruit wine. Next it’s the Black Hamburg grapes. Reports to follow!

Getting back on feet slowly. Aided today by having Maisie cat home and the arrival of a big box from Irish plants….all Rachel’s fault.!! In it were;

Poppy Patty’s plum

Weigela Brigele

Hemerocallis Frans Hals

Lupin tree

Lupin  My Castle

Fuchsia microphylla Pink

They will probably overwinter in their pots.

I also got seeds of Orelya grandiflora from a friend. This one was new to me but I am very impressed with what I read about it.  The seeds are like tiny hedgehogs, weird.

Probably some of you grow this plant and there are plenty of seeds on offer. But I have about 10 to spare if anyone interested. Should more than one person want them and there are so few maybe a ‘draw’ would be the best idea   !!  Hopefully I will be able to give iers like Hosta. Bruno and Tony , who live nearby baby plants it they want them and the seeds do what seeds should do.