Lockdown Adventures 2.0
So today is the start of lockdown v2 and I thought now was a good time to share with you my tips and tricks to staying busy (within the guidelines). The weather during this lockdown is colder and wetter than the first lockdown in Spring/Summer, so good footwear is a must this time.
1. Walking
During my daily allowance of activity I will be walking every day - we have to walk every day as we have two dogs that require a lot of running (think mad cocker spaniel on speed) and two young boys (very similar to dogs - run them and they are happy).
During the last lockdown, I disovered a new app, GetOutside which I will be using daily to discover new walks around your area and allows you to put in distance / time required so it is great for a quick bit of fresh air or a longer walk to really dust those cobwebs off.
For the slightly warmer days (10-20°), I wear my Cara or my Joyce boots (depending on my outfit, although during lockdown not a lot of thought really goes in to this). However, when the weather starts to get colder, below the 10°c mark, this is when I tend to pull out my Oz boots as they are lined with a full shearling lining (you can also just wear normal socks with these which is good).
All of the boots mentioned are waterproof and have very good grip, so are the perfect choice for exploring.
2. Gardening
Another activity I intend on doing during this lockdown is gardening - I find this the perfect excuse to be outside in the fresh air whilst getting a bit of me-time. I normally take out my trusty old radio, or listen to a podcast and it is absolute bliss! We are lucky to have a greenhouse which is due it's winter sort out, so I will no doubt be spending a lot of time in here over the coming weeks. Now is a great time to be getting out in to the garden and cutting back and having a general tidy up - cutting back will allow everything to grow even thicker and fuller next year.
There’s still time to get bulbs in the ground in November to guarantee winter colour from January onwards. Choose a mixture of varieties and plant in clumps, so that you get a good effect. You can lift and divide them every few years too. The greenhouse is still fairly warm this time of year, so I throw on some old jeans, t-shirt and my Ada boots which are my go to for pottering!
3. Build something!
If your husband / wife / partner is like mine, he hates any form of gardening, but loves building things - so I plan on getting him to get outside and build some new raised beds! Again, winter footwear is important so I have given him a pair of Arlo boots as a Birthday present so he is well equipped!
I am aware that building something is easier said than done! If you aren't confident (like me), start with a small project, something that you can work on outside like a flower bed or square flower pot box.
Luckily builders merchants are all open this time round so you can easily get hold of some timber that isn't too pricey. We have gone really overboard this summer and building things in the garden has become a bit of a hobby that we continued post lockdown, moving on to building climbing frames for the kids once the shops all opened again!! I find this remarkably therapeutic and it does not have to be expensive - please do give it a go, you will be amazed at how fulfilling it is (just make sure you have gloves and safety specs!).
I would love to see some of your lockdown adventures, so please do tag us in any on Instagram, @a.c.hare. But above all, please stay safe and look after each other.