Another week has gone by with no gardening taking place.
We are so glad to have got all our digging and bed preparation done before all the rain set in. After all the exceptional rainfall the soil will most certainly be soaked and too wet to do anything with. We have fruit bushed to prune or cut back but we are guessing the paths will be too soggy to walk on as we don’t want to turn them into mud.
Whatever the weather the trees are still managing to hang on to their leaves which seem to glow in the gloom.
Come rain or shine we are taking Ruby out for her walks. We bought her a lightweight raincoat but she wore it for the first time in what amounted to steady drizzle and when I took it off she was really wet so the coat was sent back. It’s really difficult to find a lightweight coat that has good coverage for her tummy. Most are well padded for warmth.
We are trying a different style but this won’t be good in mild weather as it has a furry lining.
We paid regular visits to Temple Newsam and Nostell.
The winter lake has increased in size yet again. Goodness knows how large it will grow by the end of winter.
The level of the main lake is also very high, worryingly on our visit no swans were to be seen.
The main lake is separated from a lake in the garden by a dam. Once water in the garden lake rises it flows over the dam wall into the lake in the parkland that we walk around. At the moment the waterfall being created is impressive.
All the water emptying into the lower lake causes the level of water to rise and flood the surrounding areas and so a sluice at the bottom end of the lake allows water to flow out into a small stream which flows alongside the meadow. Last week water was pounding through the sluice.
The path that we take alongside the lake is bordered on the other side by a wooded area. A lake had also formed here amongst the trees.
Channels have been dug across the path to try to divert water from amongst the trees back into the lake. These cut across the route that we take which didn’t impress Ruby. Martyn had to carry her over them.
Water was gushing from these channels into the lake.
Other paths were flooded which cut off our access to the wooded area that we usually walk through.
I wonder what the scene will be like next week. Will rain continue to fall or will the drainage channels improve the situation?
If you have forty minutes to spare and would like to take a virtual walk with us around Nostell a video is posted here.
One thing that the rainfall doesn’t affect are the meals being prepared.
One of our meals was a potato curry into which went some of our potatoes, onion and garlic along with peas from the freezer. This was served alongside bharjis made using our onions. The recipe was similar to that I have linked to but I used tikka masala paste instead of the individual spices.
I made a turkey and red wine casserole using our onion, garlic and carrot. I also added some peas from the freezer. This was served with mash made from our potatoes.
AS always until next time stay safe and well.
The weather certainly is wet, wet wet! It’s the same here. Lovely photos though, loving darling Ruby.xxx
Thanks, Dina
Turkey and red wine casserole sounds tempting, I’d love to try it, Sue. Your photos amazingly show what a flood you have after the rains. The lake overflowed and water flowed across the paths. I hope the weather becomes dry soon.
It’s been better this week, Nadezda
You’ve got some really lovely photographs there. I haven’t been able to get out to see what the flooding is like in our little valley. A river runs through it. So it is prone to flooding. your trees are doing better for providing some autumn colour than here. The majority of the leaves are long gone now.
The trees are beginning to lose their leaves here now, Debbie
Wow, all that rain is impressive. Strangely, it hasn’t been quite as wet here in the west country. A white cockapoo that I know has a fleece dogsuit. It has legs so it keeps her really clean. It’s not waterproof, but it does stop all of the mucky upsplashing.
I can’t get Martyn to approve a coat with leggings for Ruby, CJ. It would certainly be fun getting her into one. Her coat does cover her chest so some of her unders[de is protected