sowing seeds guide for beginners

Sowing seeds – a beginner’s guide

by with No Comment Uncategorized

If you are feeling adventurous and want to try your hand at growing your flowers and vegetables from seeds, this is the perfect beginner’s guide.

We must first cover the benefits of growing plants from seeds; one of them being that you can start gardening earlier in the season. If you have the right lighting and environmental control you will be able to see your plants flourish from seed to harvest.

However, here are a few top tips to get you started.

Sowing seeds a beginners guide

  1. Don’t stretch yourself

For any experienced gardener it can be very easy for elements in the growing process to go wrong. So, therefore it is best to try and keep the first batch of seedlings you grow nice and simple, by growing just a small variety. For example, some seeds like tomatoes are easiest to grow indoors so as a beginner it is best if you grow these first. Other good choices for beginners are basil, sweet pea and marigold.

 

  1. Sunlight

Whether you are growing seeds indoors or outside in the garden, you will only have the best success if you choose to plant your seeds where they will receive lots of sunlight. Patio areas which are unshaded and greenhouses are perfect if you want to keep the gardening outdoors, but even a south-facing window indoors would do a sufficient job. As long as all the areas get lots of sunshine! The beginning stages of your seeds growth require the most sunlight because otherwise they will grow weak and will be more likely to die. If you do not have access to lots of natural sunlight and live in somewhere like a tower block apartment, you could invest in some artificial lights and timer which will trick the seedlings to grow.

 

  1. Timing

Every seed plant has a different optimum growth period, you must time their full potential with the seasons and environments that they flourish the most in. Some seeds and types of vegetables grow best when they are planted outdoors, it prevents them from sprouting and growing too quickly.

 

  1. The right equipment

Make sure that you have all the right equipment in place so that you are ready for any eventuality; for example, having the right containers will really help. They need to be a few inches deep with some drainage holes, you can even make these yourself with a little DIY using some yoghurt cartons or paper cups.

Having the right soil will make a big difference too, don’t use soil from your garden as it is much better to start with a healthy, sterile mix which will ensure your seeds stay disease free! When you fill the trays with soil, dampen the soil a little so that the soil will mould well around your seeds.

If your soil mix doesn’t contain any nutrients, you will need to spray the seeds with a little fertilizer once they have germinated to help them keep growing.

You can buy all of this equipment from a local gardening store, just ask for help if you are unsure!

 

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post.

fun ideas make memories summer

Fun ideas for making memories this summer

by with No Comment ParentingUncategorized

Summer may feel like a long way off right now with sub-zero temperatures and snow storms but the summer months are getting closer and closer. If you feel like last summer just flew by because your life just gets too busy then you will want to make sure that you plan this summer out well to ensure you have one to remember for a very long time.

From planning family trips, to going to events with friends, make sure you get your summer planned out so you have plenty of memories to look back on later on in the year.

Here are some ideas:

Fun ideas for making memories this summer

Camping trip

It isn’t everyone’s idea of fun but camping can be a great adventure with the right company and some good camping equipment. Do some research to find a good camping location, so if you like being out in the countryside, find the best place. Or if you want a campsite with lots of facilities like showers and toilets then make that your priority.

Music festivals and gigs

Another place where lots of great memories can be made is at music festivals and gigs. Whether you fancy a big mainstream music event like Glastonbury, or you prefer something a bit less crowded, find a festival or gig with your type of music.

You could go all out and grab Big Time Rush tickets to make it a summer the kids will never forget, or find a new local band to go and support.

There are also lots of different festivals across the UK such as 80s bands that are just as much fun as the bigger concerts but fewer teenagers and mud involved!

Comedy nights

A good comedy night can be great fun, if you like a good laugh. You can go to venues run by comedy companies like the Comedy Store or you can look at independent local venues.  For example, if you’re in the East Midlands you can try local event venues in Nottingham to see what is coming up over the next few months.   If you have a favourite comedian then see if they are doing a tour that you can get tickets for.

comedy club summer memories

Edinburgh Festival

If you fancy a combination of comedy and music then you could plan a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where there is plenty of entertainment to enjoy throughout August. It is also a fantastic city to do some sightseeing, so there are plenty of opportunities for making great memories in Edinburgh in August.

Charity run/event

Taking part in a Tough Mudder or a Race For Life event can be both very fulfilling and exciting at the same time. You can train for events to get fit for the summer and also feel good about doing something to raise money for a worthy cause. Signing up for an event with a couple of friends will mean that you can train together and keep each other motivated.

tough mudder summer memories

Day out at the coast

Wherever you are in the UK, you are never more than a few hours drive from the coast, so pick somewhere new to visit and see some of the UK coastline. Whether you fancy a bit of surfing at Newquay, or just finding a nice beach somewhere like Brighton in the warmer months, a day out on the coast can be invigorating.  

Theme park

If you love the thrill of roller coaster rides then get a date booked in to go to a theme park. Whether you are taking the kids or just love going on rides yourself, it is definitely a great day out even in the rain! Alton Towers, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures are all great theme park options for all of the family.

Do you have a summer bucket list for this year?  What things are top of your list for creating memories for you and your family?

Disclaimer: this is a collaborative post

ivel valley britbits wild bird food

BritBits bird food review – Ivel Valley

by with One Comment ReviewsUncategorized

I think it might be a bit of an understatement to say that this winter has been a bit of a chilly one.

After a bit of respite from the cold last week the freezing weather has returned in style over the last few days.  While we’ve been wrapped up warm and cwtched up inside, this cold snap will have been really tough on all the wildlife.

We used to feed the birds in our garden regularly, especially after we were sent some amazing ready peck bird seed to review a few summers ago.  After a particularly windy day took out our bird feeder though we let things slip and, for the most part, stopped putting food out for them.

So I was so pleased when the lovely people at Ivel Valley got back in touch to ask if we would like to try some of their new BritBits bird food.  It was perfect timing as I was planning on getting some more food in to put out for the birds again, with the really cold weather sticking around.

BritBits bird food review

The BritBits bird food that we were sent is different from the types of food we’ve had in the past.

We tend to have quite classic bird seed, or occasionally fat balls, to attract more birds to the garden.  These though are quinoa and suet bird pellets, and were designed to be a bit of a superfood for birds, giving them all the nutrition they need for growth and development.

BritBits wild bird pellets ivel valley

What I really love about these pellets is that they’re really versatile.

We bought a mesh feeder to put ours in, but you don’t have to.  The pellets can also just be put on a bird table, or even just on the ground in your garden.  I’ve seen some lovely ideas for open topped bird feeders made from old teacups or even from wooden lolly sticks, and these BritBits pellets would be great for a feeder like that.

BritBits wild bird pellets in hand ivel valley

Each pellet is a pretty decent size which makes grabbing some to sprinkle around in the garden really easy. 

We also found that they go really nicely in our standard bird feeder as well as the mesh one that we bought.

BritBits wild bird pellets ivel valley

I’m quite sad to admit that because we hadn’t been regularly putting food out for the birds they weren’t really visiting our garden that much.  And it did take a few days for the pellets to start disappearing from the hanging feeder.

I did put a few handfuls out on the decking that went quite quickly but it mainly seemed to be magpies eating it all which I didn’t really want!  After a few days though, and a bit of hovering around the kitchen window keeping an eye on the feeder I spotted more birds starting to appear and enjoy the BritBits.

BritBits wild bird pellets in feeder tree ivel valley

It has been so lovely to see the birds starting to visit us again.

We’ve had blackbirds and some tits, although they’ve been too quick for me to have a good look I think it’s mainly been coal tits visiting our feeder.  I think we may also have had a wren or two.  I’m hoping that the word will spread around the bird community that our garden is open for business again and we’ll start to see more and more of them coming for a little something good to eat!

Have you been putting food out for the birds this winter?  What type of birds do you tend to find at your feeder? 

Disclaimer: We were sent a pack of Ivel Valley BritBits bird food for the purpose of this review, but all words and opinions are my own.

You can get BritBits and a whole range of other wonderful bird food directly from Ivel Valley – Ivelvalleybirdfood.co.uk

 

living arrows

Living Arrows 2018 – 12/52

by with 5 Comments PersonalUncategorized

We’ve had a little hint of Spring here this week and it has been lovely.

I’m one of those people who quite likes winter with its cosy dark evenings and crisp cold days, but I’m still always happy to see the first signs of Spring appear.

Nerys is a real one for wanting to be outside and in the fresh air, and I think she is really ready for some warmer days so we can spend more time outside.

One day this week she asked if I could walk to pick her up from school so we could walk back home together.  I’m so aware that our afternoons together are limited now, so I want to make them most of them while I can.  And some days that means carrying her scooter to school and then taking 2 hours to get back home again, via the park and the shops.

I love those days when we can just take our time and enjoy each other’s company.

We also spent a few hours after school on Friday in Brynmill Park where we happened to bump into two children from her class.  It was so lovely to see her playing with them, and really nice for me to chat with their mums.

All that being said, with a couple of nice trips out in the sunshine, this week’s Living Arrows photos are from an afternoon spent at home!

Rhys often likes to come home and put his pyjamas on after school, and on this day he was reading one of his books from school on the sofa.

child reading a book on sofa

There’s something about seeing children read like this, in their heads rather than out loud, that just makes them seem older, don’t you think?!

Nerys was given a spirograph type toy from one of my friends from her birthday and she absolutely loves it.

She definitely has a creative streak so this was a perfect present for her and she has used it so much already, creating patterns and using the little stencils that come with it.

living arrows

The only problem I have is that I find it so hard to throw away any of their artwork, so we have a big storage tub that is almost overflowing with all their creations!

Does anyone else feel guilty about getting rid of their children’s pictures?  Or do you have a system for choosing which bits to keep and which to lose?

Living Arrows
#ShowYouWereThere round up

‘Show you were there’ round up

by with 2 Comments Show you were thereUncategorized

Sunday is here again, and with it another round up from #ShowYouWereThere, my little Instagram community aimed at getting more parents in more photos, both with and for their children.

 

My first pick for this week is from the lovely Lucy at Mrs H’s favourite things.

Lucy always writes so openly and honestly, I’m always moved by her words.  We are so often our own worst enemies, saying things to ourselves that we would never dream of saying to someone else.  We could all do with a good dose of love for ourselves I think.

 

My next pick for this week is from Wendy at Naptime Natter.

I’ve featured photos from Wendy several times in the past and, like Lucy, she writes such raw, honest posts that resonate with so many people.

I love this photo and the reminder along with it that sometimes getting out in nature can be just what we need, even if what we really feel like doing is curling up in bed and hiding from the world.

 

Next up is this fab photo from Lianne at Ankle Biters Adventures.

Lianne’s caption for this photo is just everything I feel with all my heart about how important it is for us as parents to put aside our own feelings about how we look in photos, and think about what our children will see when they look at them in the future.

 

My fourth and final pick for this week is from Donna at What the Redhead Said.

I just love the composition of this photo, and how gigantic the trees look while her husband and daughter look so small in the picture!

 

Thank you so much to everyone who is using #ShowYouWereThere, I love seeing your photos popping up over on instagram, they always bring a huge smile to my face!

 

Now, my turn.

I’m into week three of my project for March, where I’m trying to get in a photo every single day.  Last weekend we went to the park for a little walk/scoot/play before Rhys went to his swimming lesson, and I took the camera along to get a few photos of the children together for this month’s siblings project post.

While we were there I also made a point of handing the camera over so that I could be in a couple of photos too.

I think this one of me and Nerys together is one of my favourites!

mother pushing daughter on swing

If you’d like to join in with my little community and possibly be featured in my next round up (with a nice link back to your blog!) then just share a photo of yourself over on instagram using #ShowYouWereThere.  It’s all about getting more parents in more photos.  And if you’d like to take part in my guest post series ‘The photo I’m thankful for‘ then take a look at this post or email me at thisgloriouslife@gmail.com for more information.

 

psychology of giving

The psychology of giving and why it feels so good

by with No Comment ParentingPsychologyUncategorized

Last Friday the children both came out of school with big smiles on their faces, feeling really excited because they had something special for me in their bags.

The parents association had organised a really lovely event for Mother’s day.  The children went in to school with a few pounds and were then able to go to the hall and choose a special present for us mums from a huge range of options.

They were given help to pick something out and then the gifts were beautifully wrapped up ready for them to give to us on Mother’s day.

What was so wonderful is how excited the children all were about it.  Rhys and Nerys were amazing though, and didn’t give me any hints at all as to what they had chosen for me.  They were just desperate for Mother’s day to come around so that they could see me open their presents.

I just thought it was so lovely that the act of giving seemed to make them so happy, and what’s really interesting is that there really does seem to be an innate part of us that takes real joy in giving to other people.

Why giving back feels so good

Studies have actually been carried out on children that have found that even at a young age we gain joy and satisfaction from giving and helping others.

One particular study carried out by Aknin et al. (2012) involved asking toddlers to share treats with a puppet and found that they showed more happiness giving the treats to the puppets than they did when they received the treats themselves.

The researchers came to the conclusion that the children were too young to have been particularly influenced by social expectations and so they believe that we have evolved to be naturally inclined to find happiness in giving to others.

 

This feel-good factor does seem to stay with us as we get older too.

A study by Dunn et al. found that people were happier when they spent around $5 a day on someone else, than if they spent that same amount of money on themselves.  I think we’ve all had experiences where we’ve felt that little happy glow after paying for a friend’s coffee, with no expectation of the gesture being returned.  Or felt so happy and excited when out shopping for presents for our loved ones.

It does spread further than that though.

If you’ve ever taken part in a sponsored event for charity you know how good it feels to do something proactive to raise money for a cause you believe in.  If you want to support a cause close to your heart, but don’t know where to start then this list of 100 unique fundraising ideas will get the inspiration flowing.  And if that’s still not enough ideas, then here are another 151 fundraising ideas with a mix of simple and more involved ways you can start fundraising.

 

Some people feel so passionately about giving back to others that they build their whole business model around it.

There are some amazing businesses here in Swansea that have done just this, and who go to show the not for profit idea can work for all sorts of industries.  Square Peg is a lovely coffee shop in Sketty (they also now have Peg 2 in Mumbles), with a warm and welcoming atmosphere, great food and especially great coffee.  They also give their profits away to good causes and offer training and apprenticeships in their coffee shops to help people get valuable work experience.

Over in Clydach there’s Dynamic Rock which I really have to pay a visit to at some point.  They’re a not for profit climbing centre who offer sessions for everyone from children and complete beginners to experienced climbers and businesses looking for a unique teambuilding activity.

All their profits go back into the business, so they can really serve the local climbing community as well as making climbing a more accessible activity for everyone.

I think Rhys would absolutely love to give indoor climbing a try, and I love the passion that everyone at Dynamic Rock seems to have for it.

 

Whether it’s just something small like buying a small present for someone, or even just paying them a compliment, or something huge like building a whole business around giving back, there’s a lot to be said for being generous and giving.  It’s a real win-win situation where everyone involved benefits and feels good.

And that seems to be mainly just down to basic human nature which is really quite nice to know if you ask me!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I was given a lovely tealight lantern to hang in the garden and a very sparkly hair-slide for Mother’s day!

siblings project march 2018

The siblings project – March 2018

by with 4 Comments PersonalUncategorized

How on earth are we already up to the third month of the siblings project for 2018?!

It feels like we only just rang in the new year and now Easter is just around the corner.

On Mother’s day we met with Steve’s parents for a little walk/scoot around Victoria Park and I took the camera along so I could get a few photos of Rhys and Nerys together for this month’s post.

After a few circuits of the park and a play on the swings the children stopped for just long enough for me to grab a quick few photos of them together.

siblings march 2018

siblings in park

The latest craze with these two is challenging each other to thumb wars, thanks to a recent episode of Paw Patrol.

They both absolutely love it, especially now I’ve taught them the proper rhyme to say before you start playing.  I remember playing thumb wars when I was younger and it really does make me smile to see my children doing it now.

The other thing they’ve been doing a lot of in the last few weeks is telling knock knock jokes, and they have had me cracking up a few times with them.

Nerys is still in the stage of telling jokes that don’t make any sense, and normally involve a poo-related punch line.  And she finds them so funny it’s really hard not to laugh along with her when she tells them.

Rhys on the other hand seems to actually understand the concept of knock knock jokes and has mastered one of my favourites, the one with the interrupting cow.

Even though I know it’s coming, it gets me every time and I can’t help but laugh.

Now I just need to learn a few new jokes myself that are a bit more appropriate than the ones I can currently remember.

I’m not sure Rhys’ teacher would appreciate him telling the ‘Nicholas’ knock knock joke at school.  Anyone else know the punchline to that one?!