Long Mizzle Garden

 Hello m' clearance mince pies, Imagine my surprise and delight when BBC  Gardeners' World contacted me earlier in the year. A very nice producer asked if they could come to visit Long Mizzle Garden for a new winter special. I said "of course!" And so, in December I had a knock at the door. Low and behold, there stood none other than Adam Frost, the producer, a camera guy and sound woman.  Promptly I popped t' kettle on and whipped out the best biscuits from my posh tin. I could tell Mr Frost was eyeing up the craft beers in m' cupboard though, so I put some in the fridge for after the shoot. He didn't bring his cat, but my neighbour's cat couldn't stop following him around. If you listen carefully you can hear it going for Adam's 'Catnip Cologne'. It has been so hard keeping this a secret from my friends, family and bloggy chums, but now I  can officially share the footage, that unfortunately did not make it onto the winter special... ...

 Eh up m' jolly baubles , It has been a long month full of rain, then ice, then rain again. Some people would call that a sh*t sandwich, I call it a slushie surprise. Tomorrow will lead to our longest night. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice is upon us. Being part brown bear, I have officially been in semi-hibernation. Aside from the mince pie and cider stash, I'm not feeling particularly organised this year. Soon I will have to leave the comfort of the cave and venture out for extra supplies. Please don't adjust your screens - that is a real Christmas tree sat in the corner.  I finally succumbed to working parent guilt and took the kids one weekend to Travena Cross Nursery near Helston.  It was actually a hoot : singing reindeer, dancing penguins, a story telling owl, a giant polar bear to sit on, a sporadic flurry of fake snow from a 90s foam party machine, toasted marshmallows that were still on fire, mulled wine to legitimately get pissed on in...