‘Keeping the Wolf from the door’ is a saying and probably an action we are all familiar with but last weekend I was glad to see my brother ‘bring the wolf to the door’.  He lent me his Wolf telescopic pole saw, so I could take some biggish limbs off my old apple tree.  It’s one of those jobs that I have been meaning to do for a couple of years and just not got around to it, mainly because it’s not easy.  The tree isn’t good to climb (I never need much of an excuse to do that), the ground falls away steeply under it and there is a whole load of shrubs, stone walls and steps preventing ladder access.  (I’d rather climb a tree than a ladder anyway.)   It was also one of those jobs that gets done when I feel like it rather than when the text books advices so it is pure luck that I am still within the winter pruning time-frame, although it made sense to tackle it before it was in leaf again.

As well as being a bit smug as I can now cross it off my ‘to do’ list, I have chosen to write about it this week purely to sing the praises of Wolf tools.  I am very much old-tool lover, which is why most of my gardening tools come from Tools For Self-Reliance.  I adore their much-used and much-loved recycled tools; I even have some that I will probably never use but just like to have about.  My brother on the other hand, other than still using my Dad’s spade which is now like a half moon, is a ‘wolf man’.  I don’t mean he has a hairy face and pointed ears (though now I mention it ....)  but when it comes to garden tools he has long sung the praises of the Wolf interchangeable tool system.  You simply buy your yellow handle (in three different lengths) which is also easy to spot amongst other tools in the back of a truck or shed, and then simply buy the different attachments for it from a brush, to a rake or an apple picker to a pole saw.  There is also a similar range for hand tools – one handle and lots of different attachments. 

It’s a cool system though previously I have probably viewed it as a bit of a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’, but I have to say that the extending pole and saw system were awesome.  The saw blade is designed to cut when you pull back so you don’t even have to exert a lot of pressure which is just as well when it is 9 ft above your head.  It is like using the extendable pruner or lopper, like using your brain on a stick, as you have to focus on the end of the tool not the end of your arm but once you get the hang of it the only issue is the strength need to keep the whole thing up in the air. Once I got the hang of it all, I actually managed to remove two boughs that were the size of my thigh; it took a little while and I had a few whiffs but it did the job.  I really can’t recommend it enough.  And once the bigger stuff was cut out , I simply changed the saw for the pruning head to nip off the little shoots.   

So now it looks as though this Lone Wolf will have to get her own Wolf!

Taken from Lynne Allbutt's column for the Abergavenny Chronicle 16th February 2012

I seem to get through gardening gloves like some people get through kitchen roll – honestly, I have tried so many different types from the cheap an cheerful to the ridiculously expensive and miserable, miserable because they didn’t last long either.  As well as going through the ends of the fingers in a silly-short time (and being  gardener I can’t even blame long nails), my other trick is taking them off and putting them down to answer the phone and not being able to find them again.  Both of these challenges seem to have been resolved by Joe’s Gloves www.joes-garden.com  

The gloves are warm, comfy and my fingers have yet to escape.  The cheery colours also mean no more time wasted relocating abandoned gloves.  There are three types,  so you can choose from the Protective One, the Dexterous One and the Essential One, all brightly coloured and starting at £5.99 a pair or £10.00 for two pairs. Order on line or call 0115 7143533

I seem to get through gardening gloves like some people get through kitchen roll – honestly, I have tried so many different types from the cheap and cheerful to the ridiculously expensive and miserable, miserable because they didn’t last long either.  As well as going through the ends of the fingers in a silly-short time (and being  gardener I can’t even blame long nails), my other trick is taking them off and putting them down to answer the phone and not being able to find them again.  Both of these challenges seem to have been resolved by Joe’s Gloves www.joes-garden.com  

The gloves are warm, comfy and my fingers have yet to escape.  The cheery colours also mean no more time wasted relocating abandoned gloves.  There are three types,  so you can choose from the Protective One, the Dexterous One and the Essential One, all brightly coloured and starting at £5.99 a pair or £10.00 for two pairs. Order on line or call 0115 7143533

With Tuesday being St Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share a little bit about the Language of Flowers, or floriography, a means of communication that became popular during the Victorian time.  Various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages which   allowed individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken.   These messages would often be created by several types of blooms in a posy or Tussie Mussie to convey the communication correctly.

Unfortunately the Language of Flowers has been surpassed by emails, Facebook, texts and Twitter  but the meanings are still recognised.  Obviously red roses are well known to indicate ‘I Love You’ but did you know that pink roses imply a lesser affection, coral or amber roses suggest desire and yellow roses indicate jealousy and infidelity.  And the negative yellow theme continues into carnations, with yellow carnations meaning ‘you have disappointed me’, pink implies ‘you are always on my mind’ and like the red roses, red carnations indicate passion and deep love, meaning ‘my heart aches for you’.

Daffodils, being yellow, carry the dubious message of uncertainty although they can also apparently signify respect.  Iris is an indication of good news, Lily of the Valley demonstrates trust and happiness and the snowdrop speaks of hope.

And if you have short arms and deep pockets, wildflowers are also willing messengers.  Daisies signify true love, white clover means ‘I promise’ and celandines promise joys to come.  Giving grass is seen as a sign of submission and although my little piglets are always pleased to see my mum arrive with a bag of (hand-picked) grass for them, I don’t know that such it would be so much appreciated by a partner; you may well end up submitting.

Don’t forget that shrubs and plants will last longer than cut flowers (though be warned, maybe only a gardener thinks that way).  Primroses mean eternal love, lavender promises devotion and Campanula and Canterbury Bells both indicate gratitude.  Rosemary means remembrance and thyme signifies thrift, so in these times of financial adversity they may be good given together to remind your loved one to be thrifty. Add Campanula and you have “I’d be grateful if you could remember to be thrifty!”

Vegetables and crops also have something to say.  Receiving a cabbage (or wheat) suggests a profit or riches whilst a lettuce indicates a cold heart and a gift of straw (back to my pigs) suggests unity.

If you receive any of the following, it may be time to review you relationship.  Mint means suspicion, birds foot trefoil stands for revenge and marigolds imply pain and grief, which is of course what you risk if you get the Valentine’s gift wrong. 

A visit to the florists will never be the same but whatever bloomin’ choice you make, have fun making it and have a  Happy Valentine’s Day.

from Lynne Allbutt's column for the Abergavenny Chronicle (Tindle Group) 9th Feb 2012

Cheryl Beer describes herself professionally as a woman who wears many hats and explains.  “The core of who I am is a singer-songwriter but I am also a film maker, have my own record label, run a  Community Publishing Company and currently am the Creative Director for the Story Telling Weekend at the National Botanic Garden of Wales on the 25^th and 26^th of this month.  It’s all been a very natural progression and everything I do has recently accumulated in creating events like the Story Telling Weekend.  We have a team of 14 amazing volunteer storytellers from all over Wales who will be telling stories through the different genres of art.  One of the volunteers, Greta Gillman from Carmarthen, has just published her first book at 90 years old.  That’s inspirational! We also have a Story Gallery Blog which includes all the artwork from the children who have taken part in Story and Marketing Workshops in Bigyn Primary School, Johnstown Primary School, Ysgol Caer Felin and Ysgol Y Ddwylan  www.nbgwstorygalleryforchildren.blogspot.com/

Cheryl first came to Wales as a student. “I immediately felt completely at home.  Your roots are sometimes far beyond this lifetime.  Wales is such a beautiful place and the outdoors is very important to me.  I love to look out and see as far as the eye can see; no buildings just hills and an ever-changing canvas.  It’s the most inspirational place to be and I feel blessed every day I wake up.  Yesterday a Red Kite was dancing away right outside my window whilst I was doing my cash flow – you wouldn’t get that in a city,” she laughs. 

“West Wales in particular is a real creative hub where people get together and have great connections.  I am very passionate about the National Botanic Gardens too, it’s a magical place.  All the volunteers are incredible.  I am the least green fingered person ever, whatever the opposite of green-fingered is.  I do try to do my own thing in the garden but it never goes well.  My garden is home to my shells, feathers and stones.  It’s  a very personal space and I love feeding the birds, they are an absolute joy to have around and they deserve their food.  How on earth do they cope in the snow with their tiny little legs?”

Having just returned from an European Tour, Cheryl is now planning her UK tour.  “I’m just confirming dates,”  she explains.  “It’ll be my own music.  I have two new releases, the album Snow Tracks, which was the Welsh Icons Editors Choice Album of 2011 and a track from that album called ‘Humans’ which has been shortlisted  for the Sony Online TV Gr8 Women Award.  I believe the power of song is in sharing it with other people.  I’ll also be performing at a lot of the Festivals this year with ukulele; just ukulele and voice.”

For more details about Cheryl and her work visit http://www.cherylbeer.co.uk/ and to find out what’s on at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales visit http://www.gardenofwales.org.uk/

From Lynne Allbutt's Green scene column for the Western Mail 11th February 2012

BBC Radio 2’s Sally Boazman , or ‘Sally Traffic’ as she’s better known, tells me that she recently felt sorry for the plants out on her balcony of her London flat so brought them all into the living room.  “They just looked so cold and unhappy so I’ve brought them indoors for a bit.  I only have a balcony in London and in the summer I have lots of flowers out there and in winter just little plants.  I have got another house out of London and that’s got a garden though it’s not very big.  I am quite an earthy person and I like to get dirty, but I’m just not very good at gardening.  I had help to design and landscape it to get the best out of it.  I’ve got a lovely pergola with something nice crawling up it.  I like to let things grow and to their thing and then I cut them back and watch them do it all again.

Voted the sexiest voice on radio by Auto Trader and referred to as a National Treasure by Steve Wright, Sally continues,  “I always make sure I have a little herby patch, even on my balcony as I am a great believer in Herbalism.  I think they’re incredibly important and not just for cooking.  I drink loads of peppermint tea so always grow my own and just pick it and pour boiling water over it.  It’s so simple and tastes so much nicer than herbal teabags.”

The popular traffic reporter admits, “Most of my outdoor life revolves around trucks.  I go to all the truck shows and do Truckfest every year and I’ve even learned to drive a truck but I do also have a Fantasy life where I would grow lots of wild flowers and keep chickens and dogs, and grow my own veg.  I’ve never grown my own veggies but I think it’s brilliant.”

Sally is also well known for sharing her health conscious views on the radio. “I have been a vegetarian since I was about 19 years old.  Before I got into radio, I was an actress for a while and worked at Butlin’s in Colwyn Bay. I used to have to wait for the bus to get back to my digs and the bus stop was next to an abattoir. I remember hearing the shouting and yelling and the animals screaming and I have never knowingly eaten meat since.  We sometimes taste different dishes live on air on the Simon Mayo Show but if it’s meat then I won’t even go into the studio.   There is nothing in meat that you cannot get from another source.  My top tip for everyone, vegetarian or not, is to juice.  I’m a great juicer.  I juice carrots, apples, broccoli, green veg and spinach every day.  It goes straight into your system the vitamins and minerals seem more alive somehow.  A lot of people seem unaware of the rubbish they put in their body.  I never drink fizzy drinks though I do drink alcohol now and then!”  She adds with a chuckle. “I’m not perfect and I don’t preach but I think if you can just put good food in your body and keep moving then you’ll be sorted.”

And Sally has more green plans afoot.  Although she currently drives a Vauxhall Astra Convertible, she is also thinking about giving it up.  “there is a little village in the Netherlands, Giethoorn, that has no roads or cars, it’s know as Little Venice of the North.  I just liked the sound of it though I suppose wouldn’t have a job there!”

From Lynne Allbutt's Green Scene column for the Western Mail (Media Wales) 4th February 2012

Hot on the heels of my Barefoot Challenge, Allbutt’s Almanac, Celebrity Pig Brother and recently ‘Going back to my roots’ (for WWF) comes my next ‘challenge’.  Over the next two weeks I’ll be ‘test-running’ the well loved Hot Pants from Zaggora.  http://zaggora.com/  With Hot Pant disciples claiming to have dropped 2 dress sizes in two weeks,  I’m keen to give them a go.  The only pounds I have lost since Christmas have the Queen’s head on, so it’ll be interesting!  ‘Sofa’, so good; but if the sofa is your best friend, then be warned, simply purchasing these natty neoprene pants will result in losing the wrong kind of pounds.   You have to get moving.  And preferably keep moving. 

My Hot Pants arrived last Wednesday.  The postman flagged me down in our narrow lane with a look of what can only be described as ‘glee’ on his face.  “Your Hot Pants have arrived” he grinned. “I’ve left them in the porch.  You’ll need them in this weather – too cold for penguins!”  And he drove off.

Yes, your Hot Pants will arrive in style.  In a yellow bag with Hot Pants stamped over it.  Worth remembering if you are planning to drop a dress size in secret!  I have to admit I was quite excited about the whole thing and I wasn’t disappointed.  They looked as though they meant business.  I have the ‘flares’ (full length but not flared) and the original Hot pants, so I can compare them. 

So, after taking a call from David Essex, (which has absolutely no relevance to this blog other than it would have been a shame not to tell you), I couldn’t wait to get my trousers off .... and get my Hot pant flares on.  There was a tricky moment when I thought they weren’t going to fit but I managed to get them on and once they were where they are supposed to be, they were extremely comfortable.  The fact that they are largely neoprene means they are like putting a wet suit on, not the easiest task but strangely comforting when it’s all done.  As it was too icy outside to go for a (safe) run,  I decided the gym was the next obvious option.  I wore my jeans over the flares to the gym with no problem at al.  I am however, used to wearing thermal long johns and have ‘fat jeans’ for this very purpose.  It was these fat jeans I wore over my Hot Pant flares. 

Once in the gym, ‘sans jeans’, they simply look like ordinary work out leggings although I sort of wanted someone to notice that they weren’t.  The gym I use is not what you could describe as a ‘greenhouse gym’ and I have been known to train there in a hat and gloves but one of the things I noticed after 10 minutes on the treadmill was the heat in the lower part of my body.  “Perhaps they simply melt the fat”, I thought!   Now, the next realisation is a bit strange; I ran for 15 minutes longer than I would normally and I’m still not sure whether it was because I was preoccupied with my Hot Pants or the fact that my legs actually felt very supported and less fatigued.  Either way it’s a bonus!

A word of warning here: if you don’t like sweating, Hot Pants are probably not for you but then if you don’t like sweating that could also be why you are looking for ways to lose weight.  My advice, contrary to ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’, is sweat, sweat, sweat.

On the way out of the gym I recorded my weight, height, BMI and will check it every couple of days What?  You want to know how heavy I am ..?  I’ll tell you when there’s a something to compare!

I kept the Hot Pants on and put my fat jeans back over the top to drive home and I must admit to taking them off as soon as I got in, to jump in the shower.  I could have put them back on after the shower but they still seemed a bit cold and clammy so I opted for the thermal long johns instead.  Where’s Gok Wan when you need him???

Thursday,  I wore my new best friends to work.  I am, among other things, a landscape gardener and Thursday,  I was cutting back a lot of shrubs, ivy and brambles to clear an overgrown flowerbed in a garden on top of a mountain.   It was actually -2 degrees for most of the morning and I must admit my Hot Pant flares lived up to their name.   They were so toasty. 

I did wonder at one stage if the fact that I had my Hot Pants on, and a pair of ‘fat jeans’ and a pair of waterproofs would mean that I ended up with legs the size of the little robin’s who were working with me all day.  I decided to take the risk.  After 8 hours in my Hot Pants (and most of the rest of my wardrobe) my legs felt quite tired (may have been something to do with work of course) and I was quite glad to take them off when I got home.  I also wear  Sealskin waterproof socks in this cold weather and I had to smile as, undressing for the bath, I realised that my lower half resembled Jacque Cousteau (not in every way obviously) – from the waist down I was clad in neoprene.  I wondered what a Paramedic would have made of it (God forbid it ever happens) – would they think it was some sort of fetish gear rather than simply an arsenal against the cold.

After my bath my legs definitely felt ‘smoother’, as claimed by other Hot Pants wearers.  I opted for the thermal long john ensemble for evening wear and to be honest started to devise my Hot Pants plan for Friday. I think I am finding them addictive – but then that could just be my personality!

Day Three, Friday, and once again it’s on with the Hot Pant flares first thing in the morning.  I contemplated trying the shorter Hot Pants but as it was -2 degrees outside, I opted for the long version again.  They kept me lovely and warm for a trip to a garden centre collecting plants and also for a brisk two mile walk in the snow with Yogi, my Westie in the afternoon. (I call it ‘thinking time’).  Although I was lovely and warm walking, I definitely had to work harder and once I got back to the truck, actually felt quite tired again ... and very sweaty!  The only slight downside is that you do cool down very quickly – but I guess they are not going to be worn in minus conditions for much longer! (Hopefully)

I did plan to muck out and feed the animals as soon as I got back, making even more use of my fat burners but I couldn’t, I was too cold.  So once again they were swapped for the thermal long johns.

Saturday and it was below freezing again.  I meet my brother at 7.30 am to cut and haul firewood.  I had my long hot pants on under my chainsaw trousers and was smug in the knowledge that I would also be warm hauling the wood, not just burning it next winter.  Oh boy, warning number 2: do NOT wear your Hot Pant flares under chainsaw trousers.  I nearly melted; my legs felt like putty and it was hard work.  Chainsaw trousers are incredibly well insulated for safety reasons and do not work well with Hot Pants.  Forgive me, but I couldn’t wait to get them off.  Thankfully we were snowed off site after a couple of hours, so I could get back relieve my poor legs.  I was soaking and very tired.  Don’t let this little episode put you off, I promised to ‘test’ these pants in all aspects of my normal (?) working life and am confident that most people will not be attempting the Hot Pant/ chainsaw trousers combo!  I washed them in cold water and dried them on a warm radiator before putting them back on to go down to the gym in the afternoon.  Another mini-miracle – I ran for 3 miles on the treadmill – a whole mile further than I had intended.  I am sure they support your legs; I don’t think it’s psychological – but even if it is I don’t care, I am officially in love with my Hot Pants.  I was so impressed I forgot to do the weigh in.

Saturday evening I went to meet Howard Marks after his ‘Audience with Mr Nice’ at Monmouth and I must admit I wore my shorter Hot Pants under my tight black skinny jeans.  And very comfortable they were too.  And warm.  But not too warm.  And I would prefer it if you didn’t tell anyone!

Sunday and day 5; I donned my long Hot Pants flares first thing.  We had 2 inches of snow and I wore them all day, doing the animals, walking Yogi and chopping more wood (minus chainsaw trousers) and also whilst doing a little bit of housework.  I had been advised to wear them as often as possible and I was.  Summing up, they are comfortable, warm and very cosy but do be prepared to sweat.  My skin definitely feels smoother but as for dropping a dress (or jean) size we'll have to 'weight' and see ......

So this is Part 1 of Week 1; I’ll update you on Thursday – after a weekly weigh in. Watch this space.

With ‘War Horse’ at cinemas at the moment, much deserved recognition is being given to animals in TV and film.  Animal trainer Martin Winfield owns and runs Rockwood Dog Training Centre in Caerphilly and has also supplied animals for TV and films for over 25 years.   He explains, “I have always been connected to animals.  I was brought up in Spain in a little village with loads of stray dogs around.  Everyone else hated them but I used my pocket money to buy food for them.” 

“Later I learned to train my own German Sheppard to do tricks.  I loved showing off and doing demonstrations with him.  I trained him to walk on a tightrope, pick up fire dumbbells and we did little Shows together.  Then we went onto  ‘That’s Life’ with Esther Rantzen and all of a sudden everyone wanted me and I got an agent.  People kept asking how could they train their dogs so I started a Dog Training Club and a Dog Display Team and now have 16 people working with me and a 12 and a half tonne lorry all kitted out to take the dogs to Shows and TV sets.  

“I have worked with Peter O Toole, Anthony Hopkins and Rhys Ifans and provided animals for lots of TV programmes and films.  I provide the ‘Party Poodle’, a black and white standard poodle, for S4C’s Children’s series Ha Ha Hairies and have provided dogs that have caused pile ups on motorways for Casualty, pigeons for Casualty (one escaped in a hospital),insects and rats for Torchwood and Dr Who and horses for Merlin.”

Martin continues, “I would never have thought for a minute that my life would have gone this way. I’m not an academic and I think you need a bit of luck in life.  I’ve been given some great opportunities. People have put their faith in me.” 

“I am a very spiritual person and believe that we all have instincts that we don’t use and appreciate any more. We have lost that important connection with nature and animals.”

The affable animal lover recalls, “My childhood was idyllic, the biggest decision I had to make was to go to the beach or the mountain.  Every day I was outside exposed to nature, it was fabulous.  People today don’t even understand growing their own food, they don’t want to get dirty.  Schools shouldn’t just have playing fields they should have growing fields.”

Rockwood is now a family run business and it comes as no surprise when Martin confesses, “Animals have priority on our garden and it is designed to accommodate them.  We have got flower boxes and little topiary bay trees but the dogs have got plenty of room to run around.  When we came here first we did spent time on the garden but the dogs just cocked their legs on everything.  My wife Ellen, keeps on about having an allotment and we have the scope to grow our own at home but just no time.  We are filming every day these days and have dog training classes every evening.  I never know what I’m going to be asked when the phone rings, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  You can read Martin’s fascinating memoirs at http://www.rockwood-dog-training.com/ where there are also details of his TV animals and dog training classes.

From Lynne Allbutt's Green Scene column for the Western Mail (Media Wales) 28th January 2012

10.16 pm in the Celebrity Pig Brother House and it's the Pig finale - Frankie trots off as runner up.

Therefore Big Brother crowns Denise as the Pig Winner of 2012; (no porkies!)

10.28 in the Celebrity Pig Brother House and "Romeo Romeo, where for art thou Romeo?" Oh, he's been given the chop!

Big Brother thinks that isn't a balcony either!  More Shakes-pig anyone?