Tracie Dowling

Gardeners’ World Recommends…

Posted on 28th Mar 202128th Mar 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Every Saturday morning and my day off, first thing I always do is stick the kettle on, get the tea pot out and pop in a bagel to toast.

I then go into the snug and pour out my first cuppa of the day (and I have quite a few!!)

Next it’s feet up, cat on lap and on goes Friday night’s Gardeners’ World. Our Monty Don brightens up the morning. He tells me how to grow all the fruit and vegetables the children love to eat. I have my jotter ready for recommendations and what I need to do for that weekend.

This week our Monty recommended Padron Chillies. Well my face dropped! I can’t stand Chillies, way too hot for me! Monty went on to say they are not hot but fruity!

Shall I give them a go? I chickened out, thinking there’s no point getting them when we have other types chillies growing for the children and our families.

Monday morning who’s ringing my door bell? It’s Granny Smith waving a bag of Padron Chillies!

She says “Our Monty recommended these chillies last night on Gardeners’ World!”

“Really?” I said “I never watch it!” Hehehe.

So I think about it for a while, well if I have to try them, Emma and the children do too!

Georgia did a thumbs up, she said it was delicious.

Emma thought it was sweet but it repeated on her.

Sophie and Luke wouldn’t try it at all

I was so brave, I had two bites! It wasn’t hot in-fact, it’ll be lovely in a Chicken Kebab! Mixed reviews from the children, but thanks Monty Don for recommending the Padron Chillies!

Tracie x

rangers, Seedlings, wanderers

Messages From Niamh

Posted on 24th Mar 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

The Little Seedlings said a farewell to Niamh back in December 2020 as she was moving back home to Ireland with her mummy and daddy.

Niamh Wearing The Apron She Made With Us

Since then, we have been sending pictures and messages to each other. Niamh sent us this picture of her, wearing the apron she made in the last week with us.

The Little Seedlings sent this picture back, asking her how she was and if she had settled in her new home.

Niamh said she misses us all but she loves having mummy and daddy with her all the time.

Today we had a special message from Niamh, she was reading us her favourite book!

Poppy was very happy as it was called ‘Poppy and Sam’s Bedtime’ we are amazed how grown up Niamh has got! Talk soon, love the Little Seedlings.

Uncategorized

Bisto pot update

Posted on 20th Mar 202110th Apr 2025 by Tracie Dowling

In February Jacy planted some tomatoes in a Bisto pot. Now the tomato plant has grown big and strong.

Think we need to get Jacy growing more vegetables he’s definitely got green fingers!!

Seedlings

Messy Time With Martie

Posted on 19th Mar 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Tracie thought it was about time Martie took the Tracie’s Treasures squirty cream challenge.

We wanted to see how much mess she can make, what mark-making creativity she does and how much cream is left after the challenge!

Tracie added sprinkle stars to the mixture.

By the end of the activity there wasn’t much cream left on the tray, it was all over Martie! Must be time for a play bath, to get nice and clean for Mummy and Daddy.

rangers, Seedlings, wanderers

Comic Relief 2021

Posted on 19th Mar 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

The Little Seedings made some very nice Red Nose Day biscuits. Tracie mixed the water into the icing sugar and it exploded everywhere, we all thought this was very funny!

Somebody couldn’t wait to ice and add sweets to their biscuits! The face said it all!

Tracie and Emma didnt want to miss out! Emma made a double dip stack and Tracie wanted hers plain and simple. Both were delicious.

We decorated some biscuits for the Wanderers and Rangers for when they come home from school. Let’s hope they aren’t eaten before the come!!

When the wildlife Rangers and Wanderers came home they wore their noses and ate the biscuits all up and gave a big thumbs up!

Uncategorized

Wildlife Rangers helping in the Garden

Posted on 19th Mar 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today Mason asked to help out in the garden. We decided to plant the bedding plants in the front garden as it’s looking bare before all the bulbs and wildflowers start coming through. Mason was extremely careful and gently took the plants out of the pots and planted them into the soil.

Mason had a sneaky peek in the cold frame to see how our plants are doing. He noticed the pansies needed thinning and the marigolds are getting stronger.

Our Wildlife Wanderer sowed some Sunflower Seeds along the wall area, we are hoping they will grow very tall and strong.

Look who Jacy found in the garden!!

All the children wanted to have a look but were very scared incase he jumped at us!!

Tracie made a run for it when putting out the bins, she tripped up the step while rushing too fast and nearly fell into the Spider! Scary or what!!

Seedlings

Happy 3rd Birthday Fearne

Posted on 18th Mar 202110th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today the Little Seedlings all threw Fearne a big Rainbow Birthday Tea Party.

The Seedlings all decided we should have carrot and cucumber sticks, corn snacks, Jam sandwiches, pear, banana and grapes as Fearne is a plant based child and these are her favourites.

When Tracie said we can’t have Birthday cake the children insisted we had to have one, not just any plain one. They all shouted “a big chocolate one” with candles!

The Little Seedlings decorated the room with rainbows that they had made in the morning.

All the girls came in wearing rainbows on their tops to brighten up the party!

Happy Birthday Fearne we hope you’ve had a lovely day!

rangers, Seedlings, wanderers

Happy St Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Posted on 17th Mar 202111th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today we all had a lovely sunny day for our St Patrick’s Celebrations. Sophie’s mum brought in some lovely decorations and fancy dress accessories, the Little Seedlings had fun taking turns wearing them. Even Tracie and Emma had a go!

Emma designed and created these lovely hats and the Little Seedlings enjoyed painting and sticking on some green glitter. We had glitter everywhere all over the tables, our clothes, in the hall, bathroom and all over Alfie!

At one point we thought Alfie was a glittery Leprechaun! Georgia thought he was a green smurf, from the Trolls movie!

The Little Seedlings loved colouring in the masks. Tracie asked the children to choose any pen to colour the face in, but not to colour the eyes as we are cutting them out.

What’s the first part they all coloured? Yes the eyes!

Even the Wildlife Rangers enjoyed taking part before and after school.

family, Seedlings

Happy Mother’s Day 2021

Posted on 14th Mar 202120th Mar 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Emma and the children have made these wonderful Mother’s Day cards for Sunday.

They made lovely prints and cards, Emma made templates of the word ‘Mum’ and placed them on-top of pink card. The children then used their fingers (some hands!) to make dots around the template so when it was removed the word Mum was highlighted with colour.

Emma adapted the prints for each child, Theo wasn’t too keen on finger painting so he used a paint brush.

Emma Wrote this Poem on the Back of the Prints

Charlie and Sophie chose to make a mosaic card by sticking coloured paper strips into a heart shape and colouring in the front with pre-drawn heart shapes.

The children loved this activity and were all very proud to give them to their mummies. They proved this by asking every day since making them if they could take them home.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our Mummies!

Uncategorized

Garden Therapy: Georgia Soon Forgot She Was Having a Tantrum!

Posted on 13th Mar 202111th Aug 2021 by Tracie Dowling

Today Tracie took Georgia for a walk in the sunshine to calm her down, she was having a tantrum while the babies slept and we didn’t want them waking up.

We looked at all the plants and flowers to distract Georgia, her favourite flower was the Winter Jasmine, she said she loved it because it was bright yellow like the sunshine.

While we walked around the garden, Tracie showed Georgia the new shoots and buds growing on the plants. Tracie explained to Georgia that they were her favourite plants, this is because it meant everything is beginning to grow and we are going to have lovely weather soon for trips to the forest and parks.

Georgia got excited and said she wants to go to the Zoo! Tracie said that we will see how things go and when they reopen we can, we will have to all go on the train. Georgia jumped up and down so much she forgot we came out into the garden because she was having a tantrum.

Once Georgia had settled Tracie decided it was time to sow the Onion sets, so she got Georgia digging, looking for worms and sowing the Onions. What a perfect way to forget about a tantrum? Gardening is like therapy for me and I love to share that with the children.