A much needed break after a long season and lots of painting was required. So to keep our carbon footprint down a break was taken in the delightful Valentia Island in Co Kerry. The beach at Glanleam. My morning view of the bay at Knightstown. A great beach with the Skellig Islands in the background. …
For many Ikea brings up the image of flat packed furniture, busy checkouts, traffic jams and Swedish food, which is certainly not every ones cup of tea. However there is much more to this giant retailer. The Swedish furniture retailer, has been at the heart of green retailing for many years where they once trod …
The good people who make plastic hen and other animal houses have gone into the bee hive market with the Beehaus available in a range of colours (yellow, red, purple white and green). Although I am not a fan of plastic houses this may appeal to people and could get more people keeping bees. This …
With a glut of potatoes from the vegetable patch I need to get creative with the potato recipes. My varieties are currently Jersey Royals with their delicate papery skins, which holds the flavour, and Golden Wonder with a rich flavour which improves with storage. I was recommended Homity Pie a traditional English open vegetable pie, …
There is nothing more striking than vibrant red flowers at the end of the upright iris-like foliage of Crocosmia Lucifer and over the last couple of weeks I have seen it in so many gardens. It is so versatile in that it looks good in a mixed border of cannas and dahlias, giving a feel …
We have recently been graced with the pleasure of a beautiful hare, as have several of our customers. Rather than seeing it negatively they like us admire these beautiful animals and are keen to ensure their preservation. This is particularly important as Irish hares are going through a dramatic decline in numbers over the last …
I have kept fairly quite on the recent report commissioned by Britain’s Food Standard Agency last week which concluded that organic food does not provide any significant nutritional or health benefits. There have been lots of comments made and the majority written have been well thought out and make good points about the value of …
Our ducks and hens have a standard garden shed with roosting bars and nest boxes as well as a second building which is our recycled shop cut down to size and in its 12th year. With a 30 foot square pen with 6 foot high chicken wire and another foot of wire under ground a …
I was on the road today doing a delivery where I had the pleasure of driving up close to Munster Joinery Ireland’s largest window and door company. Not somewhere I would usually rave about however being close allowed me to see the two wind turbines that they installed earlier this year. It is impressive to …
It has always been a dream of mine to have a proper tree house. Not just the type where in my youth some planks were precariously balanced on branches and provided a den until the heavens opened. I desire one which can be used in all weathers and could provide me with my own space …
