Norwegian Wood

Haruki Murakami's book has been made into a film which is coming out in March! Also, the soundtrack is by Jonny Greenwood.

Family tree

I have been interested in genealogy for several years now, though it is only the last few that I have been spending long hours researching my family tree. I have been a member of Ancestry.co.uk for a year and a half and have found a lot of stuff on there. Also on the web in general including Google News Archives.

Some of the most "distinguished" (ie well known in their time) can be the easiest to find information on, but still often the most interesting too. These are my ancestors the Mitchells and the Johnstons (Johnstons their less known relatives) in Wisconsin. Alexander Mitchell (1817-1887) was a railroad and banking magnate, also a member of Congress. His grandson Billy Mitchell was an army General described by some as "father of the US Air Force". It is quite a nice feeling to see your ancestors on Wikipedia :)

Alexander and his nephew John Johnston both arrived in the US from Scotland so I have roots there too. Scottish ancestors have been doctors, farmers and coalminers.

Of course other people in the tree interest me as much, and there is more difficulty in finding information and piecing the puzzles together from what I know making it more rewarding.

2nd set of seeds planted

It is almost February now so I thought it was about time to plant some of the tomato (Sungold and Gardener's Delight both cherry toms), rocket and flowers "Swan River, purple Splendour". Maybe a little bit early but I was impatient :) The packets said Feb. They are in a propagator tray with lid, in the windowsill. Strawberry seeds already planted, I am expecting a slower start for them.

Had a bit more of a look outside (the last few times it has been dark after I get home from work, with just the security light on, so I couldn't really see). There are various shoots - I didn't label things so not sure which are which. No shoots from the pot I know was snowdrops :( though there were a 2nd lot planted in the flowerbed.

A few weeks ago an animal had been digging up some of my bulbs, suspecting it could have been a cat I've put pieces of lemon on the soil as I read that this is one of the less harmful ways of discouraging them. I haven't had a problem yet since though I'm not sure this is due to the citrus.

seeds, veg

noticed in Homebase today (I think they are new) 99p small pots with seeds, compost and domed propagator type lid for tomatoes, peppers and various herbs. Seems quite good for those with not too much space. My trays will have more space for seedlings to grow though as these were round and tall/not very wide.

Here's a random old pic of bright medley of asters, tulips etc from last summer.

Got a reduced pink chrysanthemum for indoors. My muscari (outdoor bulbs but in a pot on my windowsill) are flowering, not yet the same bulbs outside. There are various shoots but I'm not sure which are which. Wonder when and if my snowdrops will show?

Intro, gardening year 3

This blog will probably be mostly about 2 things that interest me - researching (my and others') Family Trees, and gardening. Novice gardening, as I live in a rental house and have only a small flowerbed and some pots. I don't know all the techniques or types of plants, I just muddle through and read up on the net about what I want to grow. What I buy is what I like the look of, not always very planned out and not always a success. I'm still learning what plants seem to like our garden and soil.

Year 1, my first summer with my own garden: I had success with Dahlias (big red flowers with white tips, may update with a photo when I find them) but then the next year only the dwarf dahlias from seed (started off indoors) flourished whilst the "proper" cacti ones didn't. 1 didn't grow and the other was fighting for space with plants that were doing better. Admittedly they were from the poundshop! But so was the red and white one that did so well.

Crocuses and irises didn't grow or disappointed, sad because the blue irises would've looked so nice, they grew some green but no flowers. Pansies/violas took over. My photos of them don't bring out the purples right - they look blue. Some of these and the asters survived into the next year even though I thought I'd pulled up most or all of them to make way for the new plants.

Last summer - tulips did OK, lots of different colours. Just a run of the mill mix of yellows, reds, pinks. So this year I have planted more unusual looking "Queen of the Night" dark black tulips alongside red and white stiped ones, hoping for an uncommon and striking combination.

Then I knew before the weather makes me want to get into the garden much, I would like to germinate some seeds indoors. I had reasonable success before with this (yes to marigolds, dwarf dahlias and violas, no to some sort of large pink daisy relation that I forget the proper name of). I bought some purple flower seeds that look dangerously like the daisy ones, but maybe I will have better luck this time. Purple is my favourite colour.



Some seeds/flowers I'd like take too long to see results (are biennials) and I'm not patient enough. I think it was snapdragons as an example. Ah, I don't know if this was the problem but my lupins (something I'd really like to see in my garden) bought as mini plants, barely flowered at all - the flowers dried out and died (and didn't appear in some plants at all. Now the plants have died). :(

Then an urge I didn't know I had struck me and decided I want a growbag and vegetable seeds. I looked in Homebase but seeds were quite pricey for my first attempt, so I bought some on the Internet (I will mention where later if I have good results when they grow.) Artichokes I love but these were out for the patience rule above, as it is recommended not to let them flower/fruit in the first year. Maybe one day when I have more experience. So I went for tomatoes (the obvious choice - 2 types, a red cherry one and a yellow variety, Sungold I think it was), yellow courgettes (again for the unusual factor, I'm not sure if the taste is different), strawberries (apparently very slow to start but then hopefully a spurt if they grow well) and rocket. Rocket I plan to grow indoors in a pot I expect, which I might be able to resow to keep growing and refreshing the leaves. I don't have many windowsills so I'm not sure where! The rest I will germinate in a seed tray inside and then eventually put in growbags or pots.

Note: sungold is not my pic, is how they are meant to look if they end up growing!


I don't know if I am being a bit over-enthusiastic, maybe I should try 1 at a time! This gives some chance of one working out though I feel... we will see. I haven't spent much yet, will refrain from buying tomato food etc until they get big enough, if they do. I did buy a (small, reduced) strawberry plant which died quickly, but if I try to grow a few seeds and pick the strongest plants to repot maybe I'll have better luck. I'll stagger them as well because of different recommended months to sow and lack of space indoors and out.

Currently my mint plant has all died off except 1 strong healthy sprig. I am trying to winter it inside while it could still be frosty. I like it for adding to my herbal teas.