The Worm Works (Original Organics Composting Worm System) # 1

You may recall last Friday that I ordered and was eagerly awaiting the arrival of my Worm Works, composting system.
Yesterday by the time I got up at 7:30am this parcel had been left on my doorstep. You may wonder what prompted me to try this method of composting as opposed to going the traditional route. Well we tried that and as we don't have a very big garden it didn't really work, it was smelly and a rat found it very welcoming and set up home there. So after we got rid of the rat we also stopped using the compost bin. Worm composting seemed to be the answer so here I am giving it a try. It better work because the kit was quite expensive!
This is what was in the box to get me started. You can't see very well because of the reflection, but you get three bags of live Tiger worms, a coir brick (becomes bedding for the worms-sounds like they are to be pampered pets!), shredded newspaper, and a bag of lime mix (to reduce acidity and keep conditions sweet-egg shells apparently have the same affect).
All this would be no good without some instructions!
I chose to have the deluxe version which included a compost caddy and a book on composting with worms. It also gave me free posting and a guaranteed delivery date. Although I already had a compost caddy this one is slightly larger, and this offer actually worked out to be the best value for money.
The instructions were clear and I managed to put it together quite easily, and I was very keen to get the worms bedded down as quickly as possible.
It was fascinating to see the coir expanding before my eyes. I'm so glad I put it into a large mixing bowl, because it was completely full. After an hour I was able to wring out the excessive water (I put it onto newspaper) and add the other ingredients to make the worms bed. See below:

The lid has feeding instructions printed on it. I was quite worried reading that they get stressed and it my take them a while to settle. I decided to keep the wormery in the porch, but there is no heating and it was pretty cold last night, so my fear was it would drop below 5c. Now according to the instructions you leave them for three days and then check that there are worms around the food. Well curiosity got the better of me and I decided to peep under the lid this morning. Lo and behold there were worms crawling everywhere, as you can see below. What I don't understand is why they were not down where it was snug and warm and where the food was!


Original Organics the company in Devon who supplied this kit also included an extra little gift for me and a lovely little note saying they had seen my blog, so had sent me a bag for my collection-how cool is that! Or should I be worried that when I search the internet I can be so easily traced!Beccy loves these string bags for her vegetables so now I can try one out for myself. Thank you Original Organics.

So I now hope that the worms will thrive in their new environment.

Several of you have expressed an interest in my new obsession so I thought I might do the occasional update to let you know how I get on.

Archives:
2008: Electronic Arts Redwood City
2007: Don't you just love Garfield

Fun Monday # 99 2nd Anniversary Edition

Fun Monday has been running for two years now and I'm sure when Vikki and Willowtree spawned the idea they did not imagine that it would become a weekly staple for many of us.

Julie over at Another Chance Ranch is our delightful host for this anniversary edition of Fun Monday and she is taking us back to it's roots. This is what she says:

"I have decided to put a twist on the traditional Fun Monday. Instead of standing in your front door and taking a photo of what you see outside, let's turn around and take on of the inside".

Now, I'm letting you see things as they are, even though you will see my muddles and junk.
This is looking into my front porch, lots of shoes, some towels in case it's very wet, my mother's walker and a few plants. You can see the edge of a step ladder that I hate having in full view, but it's handy to grab in an emergency and Embee likes to keep it there.
I know many of you will have seen my hallway, but this is what you see when you enter the house. I couldn't get everything in but it's just a few chairs and a hall tallboy(not in view). The unit you can see belongs to my daughter, (there is a story to it but I won't bore you with it here), and I had nowhere else to put it!
Either side of the hall I have paintings and plate racks to display some of my blue and white china.

FM-21 What hangs on my wall

I wonder if we can keep Fun Monday going for another year! Head over to Julie to see who else is letting us view inside their front door.

Archives:
2008: Crouching Spider Sculpture
2007: Pink Saucepans

Witty Wednesday # 71 Love Story, Marriage Guidance, Erectrician

My friend Daffy provided me with all of today's material. Thank you Daffy.

The love story of Ralph and Edna.

Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

Ralph and Edna were both patients in a mental hospital. One day while they were walking past the hospital swimming pool. Ralph suddenly jumped into the deep end. He sank to the bottom of the pool and stayed there.

Edna promptly jumped in to save him. She swam to the bottom and pulled him out.

When the Head Nurse Director became aware of Edna's heroic act she immediately ordered her to be discharged from the hospital, as she now considered her to be mentally stable.

When she went to tell Edna the news she said, 'Edna, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're being discharged, since you were able to rationally respond to a crisis by jumping in and saving the life of the person you love. I have concluded that your act displays sound mindedness.
The bad news is, Ralph hung himself in the bathroom with his bathrobe belt right after you saved him. I am so sorry, but he's dead.'

Edna replied, 'He didn't hang himself, I put him there to dry. How soon can I go home?'

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Marriage Guidance

Jackie and her husband Mark went for marriage guidance after 25 years of marriage.

Jackie complained of neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable.

After listening for some time the therapist got up walked round his desk and after asking Jackie to stand up, took her in a forceful embrace and kissed her passionately as her bemused husband watched on.

Jackie sat down in a trance and the therapist returned to his chair

"This is what your wife needs 3 times a week can you do it?".

Mark thought for a minute then replied "Well, I can drop her off on Mondays and Wednesdays but I play golf on Fridays".

*********************************

'If the light stays on for more than 4 hours, call your "erectrician.'

Hope I've managed to make you smile. I know most of America will be smiling today because they have a new President!



Archives:
2007: Holiday Traditions

2006: Beautiful Sunset for Guy Fawkes Night

Fun Monday # 21 What hangs on my wall ?

Our host this week is Molly(mjd) Return of the White Robin Her challenge:

"I am asking that you show us something that hangs on your wall that is fun, interesting, endearing, sentimental, or otherwise enticing. Select the picture of Uncle Horace, Grandma Galt's needlepoint, or little Susie's first finger painting to show the blogging community".

I have a lot of treasures hanging on my wall and I found it difficult to choose just one item as they all have a story and are very special to me. I went around the house taking photos and I have picked out a few things to show you. The picture of my hall shows a collection of mainly blue plates and some are quite old.
The two pictures on the left were picked up at a house sale for a bargain £7 back in the 70's. They are not particularly good paintings and these are not the original frames but my grandfather bid for them on my behalf so they are special.
The three painting on the other wall are my grandchildren, painted by their other granny just after they were born, these are in my keeping for them to have in the future.

The two oblong paintings are views of Constantine beach in Cornwall, where we always went for holidays when the girls were young. The one on the right is my favourite and the artist painted this for an exhibition and was not planning to sell it but we managed to persuade him. I then commissioned the other so that I have a panoramic view which brings back so many memorable holidays.

The picture of the Freesia (my favourite flower) is one of two painted by the mother of a friend of Sam's, Toni Hayden back in 90/91, when I googled her I found this. She also painted the picture of Sam and Beccy which sits above the computer desk.

The picture of Sam when she was nearly three was painted in the West Indies from a photo and the colours are not right. The dress was blue not green and its not the best of portraits but it was the first one I ever had so its special to me.

The print 'Between Two Fires' by the American artist Frank Millet hangs in my mother's room and you can guess why we like this (not sure embee does!!)

The Imari plate is one of a pair the other now belongs to my ex sister-in-law and they came from her aunt. I was given it in the 70's and I don't know how old they are.

The large photo of the dog is hanging on my b'fast room wall and was given to me by the family one birthday back in the 80's. Just look at that face, she was the best companion for 14 years.

The photos of the girls hang in my bedroom and were taken by Sam when she was at college and was experimenting.

The clock hanging on my landing belonged to my grandmother, we do not keep it working as my mother does not like the chimes, pity really as I rather like them. The pictures alongside the clock are some more that I bought at a house sale just to decorate the walls in our previous house so I've had them over 35 years.

Lastly the Anime art was done by my grandson Dillon a couple of years ago just before his 12th birthday (I have posted these pictures before but I make no apologies for this as I think they are very good).

I think I've rambled on for quite long enough and you are probably bored to tears so I will leave you to watch my little picture show.


This nosey parker is looking forward to seeing what hangs on everyone elses walls !!