Grow Our Own

The shed that dreams are made of

2012-02-13T18:06:00.002Z

Last night I went to bed much earlier than Andrew and in those intervening hours I slept fitfully, waking often and then entering back into the same dream. The dream was about a shed, a shed of wonder, of majesty, one that engendered awe, joy and comfort in equal measure. This is the shed to end all sheds........

I have always loved the idea of my shed looking something like this from the outside....modest but adequate for my humble allotmentering needs :) In my dream it was very similar to this only a little dirtier but shockingly, pale grey with a grey door, white window complete with window box (red flowers and ivy) and a proper slate roof though without a look out bit at the top. (Well done google images for finding this one)

Inside, naturally there was a slate floor area were one took ones work boots off and dirty clothes and slipped into something more comfortable. From here there was a doorway into the main body of the shed, eh, viola.... Sainte Chapplle.

....only with the carpet from our bedroom which is cosy, red and grey stripes.

Over by the window was the cocktail bar where I was sitting with a notebook and pen writing down my very important thoughts whilst drinking a pink cosmopolitan (the lion was not there but this is the best photo I could find, naturally my bar was more swanky but still brown and cream with much fine smelling leather and candles).

.... Maggie was lounging on her own sofa by the wood burning fire

(excuse the poor substitute for the gorgeous Maggie - this pup is a little odd looking..)

At the back left, there was a door which opened onto a medium sized room (say the size of a ballroom) where in my gardeners where busy tending to the seedlings and sharping up all the tools :)

A pleasant little dream.

*****

Oh and I have to share this for if my imagination had been this good, I would most certainly had dreamt up one of these for the winter days. However, it was eternally spring/summer in my world anyway :)

Happy Valentines' Day for tomorrow - I LOVE YOU XXX

Celebrating Spring whilst eating Summer

2012-02-03T19:57:00.000Z

I wish I could weave you a fabulous tale about how all Irish people buy their spuds and eat homemade Blackcurrant jam on St Bridget's day. It's certainly something that I did and I wish it would catch on...maybe after this post it slowly will... Also it would be lovely if we all sent each other gorgeous bunches of Tulips as I received from my bestest pal Rose - thank you again!!

Ahh, the joy of thinking Spring-y. The flower boxes on the window sill in front of me have little daffodils not only emerging but getting ready to burst open and send their beautiful sunshine yellow glow into the street. It's a waiting game and one I am enjoying. In the back garden we have had sweet little Snowdrops for weeks; I think there is a grand total of 5 single blooms but they are only baby plants and in time I am sure there will be years when it's just a jungle out there :)

Well anyway, back to the wondrous tradition *cough cough* of potato buying and jam eating on St Brigdets' Day.... So as I am sure you are all aware, the 1st Feb is St Bridget's day here in Ireland and thus the 1st day of SPRING. Sing it with me people - Spring!!!!
Side Note -
I'm not religious at all but...St. Brigid represents the Irish aspect of divine femininity in her role as patron of babies; cattle farmers; dairymaids; dairy workers; midwives; milk maids; poultry farmers; poultry raisers and all sorts of people involved in fishing, scholars and poets and the printing press. So she's pretty powerful in the farming community of which us Allotmenteers are pretenders to the throne ;)

So you got your Spuds? We got ours last weekend and they were duly put on the window sill upstairs to start chitting on the 1st :) This year we have remained faithful to Sharpes' Express and are trying a new one to us 'Estima' . We prefer to pick ours by hand; love a good looking at and a squeeze, we do ;) I am absolutely sure that there is nothing wrong with buying them in bags or through the mail but if I can, I love to choose personally.

I LOVED the brown paper bags..

And this is the money shot - the jam. Nothing quite like growing your own blackcurrants, picking them (arrgh the eternal battle with the birds!), washing and freezing them until the horrid winter. Then making jam - so sweet and summery on one's toast; there ain't anything like it. We have lots of Raspberries and more Blackcurrants, so more jam to come :) Yummy.......

Hope to chat again soon, just need the weather to co-operate and then I can get out there and plant seeds and what not :)

oh yea, so there's that other half plot that needs de-shaming!

2012-01-20T16:34:00.000Z

Poo.

You think you're doing really well and in way you are, cause you are working your bum off and getting things into shape on 24a. - "Just don't look over there, don't do it to yourself Carrie...14b belongs to you too!". Oh poo....

So when we started back into the pre-spring clear up I started with my big flower bed in 14b and did a rather good job. I've been over there once or twice since to over see the relocation of my gorgeous Oriental Poppy and a Rose but apart from that I have avoided eye contact, especially after I was needed to help move the cold frames and was tripping all over the place on the rubbish. Oh dear... It's so bad in fact that I'm not even going to show you the whole place, just the before and afters of the wee bit we did manage to fix...a bit.

Andrew was determined he was going to get some good cow manure for the Pumpkin patch and that he did. It took bloomin' forever as which each barrow load he simply had to stop and chat with our mate Bill for about an hour each time (okay slight exaggeration, I'll admit that). The patch did us proud this year but the only photo of our haul is on Andrew's mobile phone sorry. Anyway we thought that we were doing a good thing when we moved them all from Mamma G's house round to ours and stored them in the attic - NO, it turned out that up there was too warm or something and they got all fungus-y at the stem and we had to throw about half out. Please, I can't talk about it any more, the tears are prickling......

I decided enough was enough with the top corner. It was so bad that I even lost count of the number of trug-fulls of weeds I removed and to be honest in the end I was just tearing weeds out and dumping them on the ground to be collected up later.

We now have some currant bushes! and loads of gorgeously healthy Jerusalem Artichokes.

Now I beg you, do not look closely at these photos and don't mention the rest of the plot. We'll get to that all in good time *swoons at the thought* and yes I KNOW we need to get more bark mulch and the number has fallen off the sign.....stop looking at me like that, don't judge me! hahahahaha

Here's Maggie, let's focus of her zen like glory :)

De-Shaming complete :)

2012-01-18T14:15:00.000Z

Hello dear lovely reader :) Hope you are feeling fabulous and starting to notice the nights getting shorter - oh SPRING is on her way!!!

So this weekend I was at the lottie both Saturday and Sunday - I know - shock! I shouldn't have been there on the Sunday as I wasn't well enough but I pushed as I usually do and it present yours truly is just emerging from yet another quite bad nervous meltdown. I couldn't even talk these past days never mind type. Silly girl. I really can't seem to see the signs until it's too late.

Anyhow - Let me show off what we did on Saturday - I was feeling pretty good for a change :)

Andrew worked so hard on gossipping with a new member of the lottie, hahaha. But he did get a lot of work done too *blush* I'll have to get him to tell me again a little about his new friend, he sounded very nice but my brain is a mess and I can't remember much other than he cheerfully joined the search for my misplaced camera at the end of afternoon....I'll tell you that story in a while.

So here is the 'Corner of Shame' now - looking better I think you will agree. We now have the 2 cold frames over from 14b and have the area blocked off. We are going to use this area as a nursery and as the potting up area is just round the corner it all makes better sense of the space. I doubt it will stay carpeted, hahaha and no we aren't getting a couple of chairs and a coffee table! Once the grass underneath is dead we'll probably put down bark mulch or some such thing :)

I concentrated on de-weeding (yes it's a word!) the rest of the asparagus/strawberry bed and uncovered our path under the fruit arch. It's growing really well - I'll have to get Andrew to tie those branches in.

Then I tackled the 'coffin', haha, I still call it that, it looks like a coffin - sorry Andrew. Look Rhubarb :) I forgot to put that forcer on top after weeding the area but I'll do it next week. This whole area hadn't being looked at for a while - eek!

And so I took some before photos and went to take some after photos an hour later and NO camera!!! I searched on my own for half an hour, getting more and more frustrated and upset, then Andrew and his new friend helped for another half hour, no sign of it :( We were everywhere and looking through rubbish and on our hands and knees going through the long grass (the blasted camera was in a GREEN case *rolls eyes*). I was starting to get rather dark and Andrew's friend had to leave and I just felt so sad I started to cry (just a wee bit), Andrew gave me a big hug and said nice things. Thing is he was really hurting my boob hugging me......the camera was in my gillet, way up on top of my boob!!!! The pocket stretches all over inside, you could fit Maggie in there!

So I had been walking around with a rectangular right boob for an hour - it was really noticeable! What sweet gents they were - never once did they look at that area at me say 'is that not it in your top?' Unless Andrew's new friend thinks I have very odd boobs - hahahahaha.

Plot 24a gets a little less shameful :)

2012-01-13T20:05:00.000Z

Last Saturday we attacked the plot for a few hours and miraculously just finished in time for the Heaven's to open, again; that happened last week - the gods are happy with us.

Andrew began de-shaming 'The Corner of Shame' and I started and very nearly completed clearing out the Asparagus and Strawberry bed. Now who would you like to hear about first?? Me! Oh, okay :)

****

It has come as a severe blow to us but the whole Asparagus bed was completely rotted away last Summer. The winter had been so wet and the cow manure that Andrew (in good faith poor love) had put over the top as a mulch, just made the ground soaking, plus everything was attacked by leatherjackers and thus the crowns were simply pulp.

We had invested a lot of time and money into this venture as it is one of our favourite foods and it's bloomin' dear in the shops. We studied the whole thing and got the right crowns for our conditions, made those conditions even better and thought, yum....tasty Asparagus for the next 20 years, fresh from our own plot. Well no. So to ease the pain for Andrew who, we all know, was the one who did all that research, not me..I set about clearing the bed in the late Autumn.

Well since then some pretty substantial weeds had settled in and I had missed one mushy crown too. So everything out! A tough job but I love turfing dead stuff and weeds :) I found 1 sad and lonesome baby worm. Just one.

The strawberries were ancient and not really producing terribly well for us and so need replacing. They were in a silly place too so this year we are getting new ones and putting them in where the Asparagus was and just having them and the raspberries in that big square bed. There shall be a huge fruit cage erected too, which will be one of many - I am not letting all my delicious berries go to the birds again this year *shakes fist at sky*

P.S - look at this - flowers (and berries) on the Raspberries; they are confuddled plants!

Over at the far diagonal corner I got Andrew to start into the most shameful area of our whole plots. My gorgeous Oriental Poppy had to be moved (it's my favourite thing on the plot) and it was found a new home in my big flower bed over on 14b. A poor we half rotted Rose was also moved (I don't really hold out much hope for this little guy) and a very pretty primrose :) The Red Dogwood just won't fit anywhere on the plot or even at home so at the minute it's just been cut back and hopefully I can do a little guerrilla gardening with it. The beautiful red stems to make for good pea sticks etc so I think it will be an asset in the hedgerow ;)The other grasses were just cut back and some self seeded babies potted up as spares for the back garden.

This is what Maggie did. And this is also the other left over carpet that we have had in our house for a year and it will be used to KILL, kill, kill the grass pathways :)

Going back tomorrow :)
I wonder will this guy be there again (sadly I doubt it as we have many birds of prey and, well, he sort of stands out). Thanks to the Hubby for the photo.......

Leeks, Parsnips and The Corner of Shame

2012-01-06T22:51:00.000Z

We tried 2 varieties of Leek this year again ~ our usual trustworthy 'Musselburgh' and the promisingly named Lyon 2 'Prizetaker'. Well 'Musselburgh' has yet again been fabulous and we have been eating away at them with joy. However, boo and hiss to the 'Prizetaker' as they are all straggly and in flower for goodness sake. Very disappointing.

Though please do note, in this photo is my beautiful Red Chard shining away happily in the background and the lavender down there is doing good too; so over all, I am content. :)

We had utterly fantabulous Parsnips on the Christmas dinner table yet again this year. Oh how I love my Hubby's cooking - his honey glazed lottie grown and just freshly dug Parsnips. Yummmmm. I don't remember such a mixture of sizes before but that doesn't put me off and I have gobbled them up like the proverbial Turkey.

This overview photo of the 24a plot is to ease you into the mess that is to come *already I blush*....We are using Mamma G's leftover cut of carpet to try and kill off the grass. Most pleasingly, it is exactly the right width and I swear that grass is going bye bye. I bloody hate it, trying to cut it all with shears is a great tricep/bicep workout but I also end up with a blasted sore back and mouth full of bad words that I am afraid oft spill over. Give it time and the grass will die and we shall cover the whole lot in bark or some such thing. Plus the beds are going to made wider, oh yes, there are changes afoot on the plot - all I hope for the better :)

* The corner of shame

Yes this was once quite pretty, honestly. It was my little area for growing girly flowers and such but now that I have a gorgeous big flower bed on 14b I have decided it is no longer viable. In fact I have decided it is a damnable waste of space. My healthy red Dogwood is, well too healthy and has been trying to take over since it was planted. My ideas for weaving baskets has laughingly been, ummm, set to one side for the good of my sanity.

We have a round a zillion of those bronze grasses and more are self seeding all the time, most likely as I write this. The only things that need saved and loved and cared for are my most gorgeous Oriental Poppy and a Red Rose that are in there. This is one of the only spots on our plots that is prone to flooding and the rose was suffering anyway so it's best all round.

Look at the way Andrew is treating the area away - he never did help me to get it sorted to I think my wonderful idea of handing it over to him as a nursery/potting up area was his evil plan all long. Light bulb moment! I shall duly punch him, hold on.....a little domestic violence is surely acceptable in this case. *Only Joking* he is a way over there at the other end of the sofa and I am too tired to start a fight, it would only end in my demise - he knows my tickily spots!

So that is you basically up to date. We have daffs coming up everywhere - YAY! and Andrew has been shifting cow muck into our purpose built manure center and doing the essential pruning of all the Gooseberries and Blackberries etc.

I'm going back tomorrow :)

cleansing for the new year

2012-01-03T15:09:00.000Z

It's an ancient Irish tradition to clean your home, top to bottom, for the New Year - a way to make room for new memories and to rid the place of old unwanted ones, fears and spirits. Like all little superstitions it may sound a little childish but I like to try and do them...to keep a connection with my family from the past.

The house didn't get cleaned, in fact it's a mess with things still sitting about from Christmas and half finished home improvement projects which (with the best intentions in the world) a week off for Andrew was simply not long enough to complete. Plus, lets face it, who wants to spend their only moments between eating, rushing around visiting people and the all important naps, sorting out what can stay, what can go to the dump and what ought to be kept for that car boot sale you have been planning to do for the past year!

But. The lottie - now that we DID make time for and a good cleansing was done there on New Years' Day. Despite the drizzle and the cold (my bum was frozen!) we worked hard and it felt good. I want it to be known now - I get a kick out of ripping out dead plants, chopping down (excuse me, 'pruning') back others and generally tidying up. I love it almost as much as harvesting crops....no, that's a lie - I love it more, I love constructive destruction! Plus, to top it all off, we were there completely alone :)

Before

2 hours and 5 trug loads of weeds and dead plants (plus loads of blasted Wall Flowers - sadly I have decided I hate them) later.....

After

I know, I know. I doesn't exactly look amazing but I did a thorough job and long dandelion and thistle tap roots were completely removed :) Sadly, and this is really heartbreaking, I didn't see one single worm. Those bloomin' New Zealand Flatworms seem to have got the lot and moved one to some other poor plot! Aarrgh!. There was a healthy dose of spiders and beetles, slugs (aaarrrrghhhh!) and 1 only ladybird. But I am still in mourning for my little wiggly wormy friends.....

The weather being as awful as it is, you must forgive me as I drag this one trip out over a couple of posts. Goodness knows when we will get back, but just to assure you and reassure myself, the place is in rather good condition surprisingly :)

Lots of love and may 2012 be a happy, healthy year for you xxxx

Warm Winter Wishes

2011-12-22T17:45:00.000Z

It's really just been so unlike me. I haven't been able to string a sentence together for ages and my poor blog has been suffering so much. You will have no idea how often I open up this laptop, come to this page and just can't think of anything to say. My depression has reached an all time low this Winter and as today is the Winter Solstice I am fighting back. And would you look at this link - 2012 is going to be a good year! Though in saying that if we believe the Mayans and their calculations this is also going to be the apocalypse, erm, Yay! eek

So another year draws to it's ultimately anticlimactic end. Yes at the moment all the children are super duper excited about their presents and what Santa will bring, us grown ups are slightly nervous about the Christmas family dinner being perfect and everyone liking their gifts and then of course we'll all eat too much and feel fat and then there's New Years' Eve to consider...

I warn you now I am the original Scrooge - bah humbug to the lot of it.

As you know dear, lovely readers, I have been having a most difficult time. Christmas does not help. I am not one for the forced jollity, the socialising, the drinking and I get no sense of religious wonderment either. To me it is just a time to rub noses in the dirt, a time of 'look what we have and what you don't', spoilt children, an over abundance of food (and that gets thrown out), worry about bills, and the memory of loved ones lost. Yes, my depression and anxiety does not realise it the holidays and take itself off for a few weeks to Spain.

Andrew and I will have each other and that is all I care about. Mamma G will be cooking and hopefully not too stressed. We will all eat Lottie grown Parsnips (the bestest in the world) and I shall have a glow in my tummy because they taste so good. Our Carrots were a disaster! and we forgot to plant Sprouts (hahaha - oh dear!)

I was at the Lottie by the way. Well I couldn't actually get to it as we bounced down the crater filled road and had to park in a small lake of what looked like cold tea. Turns out that even though I haven't been well enough to go there alone, I couldn't anyway - I would be on my face, the road is so bad it is dangerous. I'm really a bit angry about it. Then, naturally there are people who refuse to listen and will drive their cars right down to their sheds and so the ground is all ruts and pits, ready to catch me out again.

Did I already say Bah Humbug?? No?! Well BAH bloomin' HUMBUG!

I am not going to end this on a sour note, oh no. I have gathered together all my resolve and I am using it to ignore Winter and focus on Spring. Spring shall once again conquer over this season and I shall be reborn. So from me, from Andrew and from Maggie - Happy Holidays and may 2012 bring with it much joy, hope, health and good growing to you all.

I thank you most humbly and most honestly with all my heart for sharing 2011 with me.

Kisses to everyone xxxx

The hardest post I may ever write

2011-12-07T14:04:00.001Z

Yesterday was the day that was firmly written in my mental dairy as the day I was going to kill myself, I had everything planned.

I have just had a shower and tried to thoroughly scrub that day off my body, as far as is possible (pity life wasn't so simple). So it is now, sitting with my hair wrapped up in a towel that I come before you. I come to apologise for my utter selfishness, my deplorable weakness.

There are a few people out there that need proper thanks for helping me live and I shall contact you individually; terrified that I may leave someone out I shall not mention any names at all bar that of my darling, my reason for being ~ Andrew.

I promised myself at the outset of this blog that I would not shy away from the truth, that mental ill health and the stigma attached should and would be blown up on my little piece of the web. So you signed up to read my thoughts, share in the adventures and as with any relationship, you have seen me have some great days and some days I'd rather not think about. In return I have been honest, I have spoken out loud what some have feared to say. I hope that this post will also act in that way. For anyone who is low (and let's face it Christmas can be the worst of times for many) I urge you to speak out, even if it is to me, my e-mail is over there on the right. Though naturally I would prefer you talk to a professional.

You are loved and I believe in you, I believe in the beauty of people and the strength of the spirit. I have visited hell and survived.
Namasté

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

***

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

***

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

***

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

So...Winter, we meet again......

2011-12-05T06:18:00.001Z

I hate it, I utterly hate it, I was not meant to deal with Winter, like a bird I am supposed to fly away to a warmer climate and forever live in Spring/Summer. Yet here I am, cold, miserable, with the heating on and can you believe it - getting the sniffles again!

The lottie is just too water logged to do anything and there is an icy gale blowing through the field away = I would be dying of pneumonia within seconds and Maggie would never forgive me for taking her out there in the first place. Basically, it's just not worth it.

So I have been making flowers (seeing as I can't get to plant any), and reading lots.

Last night I didn't sleep and turned to my current novel 'The Tiger's Wife' by Téa Obreht; this is an adaption of page 92. It spoke to me so powerfully, not in the way it was intended but I thought I would share my version of what is being talked of here; a Tiger in a zoo trying to cope with the noise and confusion of war, bombs and destruction. It is just like me at the moment, trying to cope somehow with my depression.

A grey sun rises and falls each day in what seems like matter of minutes as I sit within the walls of my own private enclosure; strong steel bars seen only by me, mess everywhere that I just can't seem to get on top of. Alone but not; I have the consistent low mumble of that voice behind me urging to be to give up, give in; a deep rumble creating a kind of awareness of my own death. I can neither dismiss it nor succumb to it - it leaves me fragile and constantly exhausted. I am too weary to move, to make a sound, think clearly or react in anyway. Inside, the real me is always screaming. There is so much noise.
What is it that drives me forward everyday, what is it that says ' get up!...it will be okay.....it will be okay'.

******

On a happier note, I was blessed by the gift of another book to read - 'Minding my Peas and Cucumbers', by Kay Sexton. It was sent to me by the ever beautiful Debbie (Ms J) after she had borrowed it from the oh so adorable Flighty. It was a surprise and a heart warming item to receive and I look forward to reading it. I guess that is one thing about Winter - I get to snuggle up and feel miserable joined with everyone else and drink warm drinks and read about other people's adventures. There is always a better world in a good book or at the very least, I feeling that you are never alone.

And with that I must also thank everyone for their comments and emails xxxxxx

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

2011-11-28T14:21:00.001Z

....though not me.

Things have hit a new low, I'm in a bad way and at the moment I am laying here full of sleepy pills waiting for Andrew to get home and watch over me - the little voice in my head is telling me it's time to say 'goodbye cruel world!'. I may come across as glib but it isn't funny at all and is in fact very frightening.

I still haven't been to the lottie nor do I really give a damn, which when I see it written down like this is a wake up call in itself. I haven't even taken a photograph in almost 3 months. I'm just not right. Though it's not as if I get a hell of a lot of encouragement from my best pal Maggie - she doesn't do rain, hates, the cold and after 20 mins of lottie time without being tickled and fawned over she fakes shivers. Honestly - drama queen!

Oh I can talk the talk if that's what you want. I can tell you that the splendid Mamma G was here last night for dinner and we had a gorgeous meal - all non- lottie stuff though :( However she took one of our huge Jack O'lantern pumpkins home and we're getting pumpkin scones - never had those and I love a good scone, me.

I could tell you how at the market I was praising lotties and growing your own to everyone who looked at a print of mine that had something to do with our plots or produce (of which there are a good few) but it was all an act, frankly I sort of missed the fact that my voice wasn't gone anymore and I am all better from that flu.

*****

I moved the majority of our gardening books into another more easily accessible bookcase on Friday. I love to see all those spines and think of all the wonderful words and pictures, the effort and love that went into producing each book. I adore the older ones with detailed line drawings and some advice that all gardeners would choke over now, just as much as I love the new books, bright with computer aided design and amazing photography. But I haven't picked up a single one; I feel somehow I don't want to be here next spring anyway.

Of course I will be here next Spring, unless I get run over by a bus, struck by lightening or spontaneously combust - I'm just so bloody stubborn I don't know if I could will myself to death at all!

****

Andrew was at the lottie for a while yesterday and I had 3 hours on my own at the market, it was the first time I'd tried it alone and I coped :) He was really pleased to finally get the weather and some time to work on the Broad Bean bed; sowing some directly into the soil and others into modules. Maybe its that special joy of seeing seedlings poke their tiny vibrant green tips through the soil that I am in need of, a bit of hope.

Like this popular photo that makes some people cry

'Hope in his Hand' - taken at the allotment on the day of the first pea sowing last year.

I'll write again, Andrew has plans and you deserve another one of my (even though I say it myself) truly excellent plans of the plots detailing what needs to change.

Hugs xxx

The Hubby Ventures to the Lottie pt2

2011-11-16T15:20:00.001Z

So let us continue with Andrew's interview ;)

Usually at this time of year we would both be working our biceps into big powerful 'guns' by doing the soil preparation. When he was there last weekend the soil was absolutely soaking and utterly unworkable in the areas that needed improvement, plus he was too ill to be getting into the heavy work anyway. But you aren't, right? I hope not anyway! So I suggest you get out there and dig, dig, dig, adding in glorious compost and poo and maybe some seaweed if you can get your hands on it. That is what we would love to be doing right now.

He did however tend to the compost trinity ;) Here are photos to prove it! The most rotted one is great sounding and Andrew turned it and added he own special improver to it (secret recipe), so we have half a big bin full and ready to go once we can get ourselves down to work.

The middle bin is decomposting really well and is already half full too and the third bin was filled up to the brim. Composting makes me happy - who on Earth would ever think I would say that! It's true though, I love compost and manure and seaweed more than the average person walking down the street. It's free and it makes everything on the plots so much happier, plus I don't actually do the turning so I never have to smell it whilst it's rotting only after when it just smells good and earthy, hahaha. I do muck in with the manure and seaweed gathering though - much to my shame I have had to go to Tesco afterwards stinking to high heaven!

Even great compost can't guarantee great crops though. I had to ask the question, 'what didn't do so well this year?' And it hurts but you just can't fight everything. This year in particular we suffered under the Leather Jacket - oh how I HATE them. We lost all our asparagus plants to the blighters and they were our 'special treat' crop, you know, the one you grow because you love it so much but just don't want to pay the extortionate prices for it in the shops?? Really once you get Leather Jackets in your soil, say goodbye to all the little friendly worms and your crops. Grrrrr. That whole bed is going to be ripped apart and started afresh.

We also had carrot failure this year for the first time. That has really made me sad as I love carrots and it has become a fun little ritual to go to the lottie on Christmas Eve and get lots of them and some parsnips etc for the Christmas dinners. I think it was simply the horrible weather this year, we have just had rain dumped on us all summer and autumn and the ground never really has a chance to dry out so they all rotted.

Lastly, we failed our fruit bushes and trees, they fell foul to pests and disease yes but we also didn't do enough to help them. We only tried the nematodes once or twice and didn't even cover them up with netting etc. A lot of out fruit went straight into the mouths of the birds because we simply didn't have the time to get to the plot and collect things. Shame on us, really. I have been punished enough though, not a single blueberry was eaten by me this year and the bushes were so heavy with unripe fruit every time I saw them.....next year!

The hubby ventures forth to the lottie

2011-11-14T13:07:00.001Z

I am still ill, this is week 4 we're into now and the phlegm just keeps on coming, the cough is really irrating and I am blooming exhausted! Saturday was a glorious Autumn day, the sort that really makes you want to be outside skipping; crisp with deep blue skies and sunshine galore. But of course I had to stay inside and fill a bin with used hankies :(

Andrew though ventured forth to the lottie alone for the first time in weeks as he too has been ill. I decided to badger him into taking photos of everything and then interogated him afterwards so I could feel I was involved. Thus the next few wee updates will come from Andrew but through me :)

Andrew went with the purpose of getting the Garlic planted and harvesting some delicious crops for dinner, we were in desperate need for a homegrown, homemade lottie soup to soothe our souls.

Here is the view of 24a when he arrived. I personally don't think it's too bad after so much neglect just a little weedy and that grass - ggrrrr. Look at those lovley leeks and the chard in the background!

Well I saw a photo of Andrew planting the garlic but I have to put my hands up - like an great big idiot I have deleted it. It was a good photo too, but here is one from after the event where Andrew got some prickily branches and placed them over the bed to try and keep the birds away. I guess it's not a huge stretch to the imagination to think there are garlic cloves under there *shy smile*

Here, this will cheer us all up - a glorious harvest (and my belly is full of these ingredients right now as we have just had our second day of amazing allomtent soup!)

1st Parsnips and Jerusalem Artichokes

Borlotti Beans

A beautiful Leek and a Crown Prince Squash :)

And just to make your mouth water even more there was also butter beans, garlic and beef shin - yum!

I shall return with more of the story, more photos, a wee chat about the compost and Andrew's plans and dreams for the lottie :)

hugs

Do you believe in plants?

2011-11-03T15:03:00.001Z

I desperately need someone to tell me that the ionic Phoenix and the idea behind one rising from the ashes of complete annihilation is true. I am in the pits of Hades my dear reader and have been there for a few weeks now. I can't even see a sliver of light at the end of this, the longest darkest tunnel imaginable. I'm just taking each breath as it comes.

My depression has spiralled down, almost out of control. I am sure I need not spell it out to you; I have been in the darkest of places and thinking the worst of thoughts about life and the end of it. I tell you this not because I want to shock or gain your attention and love; I tell you this because I received a beautiful email today from someone I don't know, thanking me for writing honestly about my problems. It may sound odd to you, but that email has made me feel real and something of some small value. I thank that person, wholeheartedly x

I have to be honest, it is my way. No amount of Ecotherapy can help me at present and the world outside is been just a dark, grey place, barren of life's wonder and miracles, barren of love, of hope, of purpose. Today I watch the birds with mild interest but it's only to stop me looking at the state of the house and I have taken up my (imaginary) pen to write, to communicate with the world. I hope there is someone out there. I haven't felt this scared to publish a post before.

I am just like that little cherry tree in the garden, buffeted by the wind and swaying dangerously. If it wasn't for that stake in the ground, that support it would never have lasted this long. There is one blossom on it, one little tiny dirty pink dot of hope. I missed the bigger show, my eyes blinded by my emotional disorder.

I don't know where I am going with this, my mind is very confused these days. I think I just wanted to talk, I think I just needed to write this down, write about how I could see the allotment in hell recently and damn all seeds and soil improvement and even blogs. It all sounds like nonsense, this whole Ecotherapy thing. Maybe that is what you think too, I hope, in time, we both rise from the ashes and see the bigger picture.

Until then...namaste.

An Apology

2011-10-28T12:30:00.001+01:00

Dear Readers,

I am so sorry I have not been writing this past week. I have the ear/throat infection from the depths of Hades and I am miserable. The medication has me in asleep one minute, in a dazed stupor the next and when it is running out I am in a lot of pain and feverish. I ache all over, even my eyes! Woe, dear friends, is me.

The sun has been out yesterday and today and the weekend is just there, waiting, merely hours away and I am too sore to even have a shower and get dressed. Plus I can't go outside anyway, I am meant to be 'enjoying' complete rest and I can't blasted well talk! (I would weep but it would hurt too much *shakes head sadly*)

Hoping you are well and happy. Get out there and enjoy the Autumn sun, it's such a beautiful rich tone - perfect for photography (again I weep) and get started into that soil; digging it over and getting it conditioned. Seaweed if you can get hold of it and lots of lovely horse/cow poo :)

Sending you love (but not hugs or kisses in case you catch this!)
Carrie xxxx

Pumpkin vs Squash

2011-10-21T20:53:00.000+01:00

The issue of Squashes and Pumpkins and which is what causes problems in the otherwise heavenly, perfect marriage of the Gaults. I get it wrong all the time and Andrew is, quite frankly, fed up and worse than that - he is now confused. As we all know Andrew does know his stuff, I am the mere student, so when I annoy him so much that he gets confuddled you know it's bad!

So in an attempt to recreate the harmony in the household I have looked up a few references to discover what the big mystery is..........

What I am so happy to tell you, is I am not alone!! The two are constantly being confused (yay!) due to the fact that 'the two terms have no exact botanical defination' (1). Happy me. Both they and the Gourd are members of the 'Cucurbita' family, the tricky bit comes from the existence of subgroups called pepo, maxima and moschata and differences in the stems.

Cucurbita Pepo
This my friends is the true Halloween scary Pumpkin. A real 'true' Pumpkin. They have hard orange skin that's great for carving and woody deeply ribbed stems. Confusingly this subgroup also includes some marrows, squashes, gourds and courgettes but lets not complicate things.

Cucurbita Maxima
This species 'also contains varieties that produce pumpkin-like fruit but the skin is usually more yellow than orange and the stems are soft and spongy or corky, without ridges and without an enlargement next to the fruit'. Hahaa - I maybe going mad but there are also known varieties in this group that are listed as Pumpkins but aren't really.

Cucurbita Moschata
Now thankfully these ones are easier to identify as they are generally speaking, oblong in shape and less orangy, more tan coloured, think Butternut Squash. 'The stems are deeply ridged and enlarged next to the fruit' in this case. But can you believe it - in your cans of 'Pumpkin' you will be shocked and feel cheated to learn that you are actually buying a 'moschata'. Oh for shame!!!
(Though if you are buying canned Pumpkin then I think you deserve a lie - grow your own!)

This is cute ~ 'Generally speaking a pumpkin is something you carve, a squash is something you cook and a gourd is something you look at'.

*Most of this info and quotes have come from a fabulous website called Aggie Horticulture - thank you
*The first quote comes from Vegetable Expert

Hugs - I'm off to look at Pinterest for interesting Pumpkin carvings - you can check out what I find here

Apples and things to do with them :)

2011-10-18T20:27:00.001+01:00

All these gorgeous photographs and recipe ideas can be found on my Pinterest mood board 'Allotment food and drink'. http://pinterest.com/carrie_gault/allotment-food-and-drink/ They are not my own, I really must stress but belong to other blogs.

To find out more about any of them you just click on the photograph, the link embedded within it will lead you to the source page! But for now, just enjoy and imagine what you can do with your apple harvest. Yum

Source: vittlesandbits.blogspot.com via Carrie ~ Cherry Blossom Tattoo on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Carrie ~ Cherry Blossom Tattoo on Pinterest

Source: hatunotblog.com via Carrie ~ Cherry Blossom Tattoo on Pinterest

Source: eggsonsunday.wordpress.com via Carrie ~ Cherry Blossom Tattoo on Pinterest

Not much happening on the lottie these days - so sorry. The weather is just awful, so miserable! But we are still eating gorgeous squashes so that cheers the soul. Next time I'll show you some inspirational squash recipes (I do like the sound of the one above - squash and apple, looks gorgeous!)

Hugs

Hey, only me :)

2011-10-12T15:10:00.000+01:00

I feel bad, I haven't been writing much these last days, but then again I haven't had much to say, so...

Happy (belated) World Mental Health Day! (it was on Monday). I hope you are all well and are with me in fighting the stigma of having a mental health illness - there is NOTHING to be ashamed about and we ought to talk about it as openly as say a broken arm. 1 in 4 of us will experience some poor mental health in our lives, it doesn't discriminate, oh no, it cares not what age you are, your social status, your intelligence or believes. Please, if you are experiencing problems or know someone who is - talk about it!

Rant over :)

And incidentally that is why I haven't been blogging - I had a nervous breakdown last week and I still haven't recovered. I am a bloody stubborn girl though and am fighting my way back to some semblance of 'normality', but not with out a lot of support and understanding from my loved ones.

The weather here has been a reflection of my inner turmoil ~ dull, grey, heavy and raining lots. So nothing has been achieved at the plots at all and quite frankly it's all a bit miserable. But on Sunday Andrew did go over and collected all this goodness!! He made a damn fine soup out of it all and it was healing and restorative, not least because we had that wonderful glow inside us that we grew all this!! Isn't it fabulous - garlic, rainbow chard, potato, celeriac, kale of various types, leek, borlotti beans and some of an utterly delicious, sweet pumpkin (Crown Prince). I can genuinely say there was no anti-bacterial cleaner in it though!! Sometimes photos do lie, hahah.

I have heard that it is also National Egg Week and National Chocolate Week - so if ever you needed an excuse, I think we all ought to be eating lots of chocolate sponge cake - you know, to support the cause ;)

This last photo just goes to show how close I have managed to get to any gardening since my breakdown. You have to laugh! This is a pincushion for wearing around the wrist and was made by your truly, especially for one of my bestest friends. Please do contact me if you would like one, hahaha!

Hopefully I shall speak soon xxxxx

Squished and Squashes

2011-10-06T19:44:00.000+01:00

Tuesday night - you are so glad you weren't in my house, I had a breakdown. Uncontrollable crying for around an hour and desperate bashing of the noggin with my fist. It could not have been a pretty sight.

Wednesday - managed to get up and onto the sofa. Spent the day unable to speak or walk, think or type, read or listen. I was trapped, squished if you will, inside a body I couldn't work with and a mind that kept telling me it was time to go. I guess you could say I was in a pretty bad way.

Today - slowly, I managed to get up, feed myself and do some housework :) Then I had a shower and did more housework :) My fingers were able to type the words that my mouth is still struggling so hard to say but at least I can express myself, plus I did more housework :) I feel better than yesterday and this migraine is a walk in the park :) Plus the house is cleaner - yay go me!! Housewife of the week award.

Knock me down 7 times and watch me as I get up 8 times!

Look what is outside my patio doors - isn't that a happy sight? This morning it made me smile inside, my face was frozen so you wouldn't have noticed but I was happy. Then this afternoon after all that rain it still made me smile - this time my mouth moved and I am feeling much more human :) Plus in that bed my dearest hubby has planted bulbs - those harbingers of hope!!!

We have snowdrops, crocuses and new to me - Summer Snowdrops!

"What!" you say.

"I know!" says I in return, "snowdrops in summer - yay!"

Pumpkins! (what a wonderful word, I may start using it as a curse word, I use those a lot these days) - okay 1 was stolen but look at all these babies and there are about 3 or 4 more :) I wish I had of drawn on at least one earlier in the year as a commenter mentioned 2 posts ago - genius. Just think, there could be a pumpkin out there smiling back at me, or sticking it's tongue out at me; I LOVE that idea - remind me next year!

Oh and seeds in the post from a lovely friend, Ann. She is very artistic and drew these beautiful floral packages herself! I am seriously impressed. Floral carpet seed bombing shall happen my friends - I will make this place glorious (we live just outside the limits of Eden Village- but we shall have many a bloom!)

Have you seen this dog??

2011-10-05T21:41:00.002+01:00

***Responds to the name MAGGIE (the wonder dog)

*** Last seen sleeping on her very own 2 seater sofa on her cosy blankie, quite like the photo above but with out the jumper on

***Cheeky little scamp who uses those big eyes to get what she whats (from everyone but me, I am savvy to her ways)

*** Has a love for biscuits, sausages, bran flakes, pretzels, cheese and fine red wine

***Loves to go for a toot toot, trip to the beach or to see her granny

***Apologises to no one for giving in to her need for loving and tickles (but then no one should)

*** Loves to make herself smell interesting by rolling in, well, crap :)

*** Desperately friendly - will cry at other dogs until they relent and let her sniff their bum

*** Hair is a little messy at the moment as she needs a good clipping though legs have been trimmed = looks fat but isn't!

*** NOT LOST - MERELY FABULOUS!!

One Day Like This

2011-09-30T15:26:00.000+01:00

It was supposed to be a wonderful surprise. I was going to shock you all and truth be told, shock myself. Today was the day I was going to go to Allotment alone and work for a while. Today, the last day of the month, it was a little private goal. This is my 600th post.

Well I went. I walked up to those gates and I walked down to my shed. I opened the door (for the first time as a person there on my own) and I stepped inside. The heavens opened. I sat down; Maggie was with me of course but the rain was blowing inwards so she got my coat. It was a little cold, there were lots of people in the first field I had had to walk past and to be honest I felt trapped. But I had my headphones on and Elbow was playing; the album was 'The Seldom Seen Kid', I had thought it very appropriate for my visit in terms of the name of course but also because that album never fails to calm and uplift me at the same time.

There were 2 heavy quick downpours and the place was soaked, good for the plants I guess but not so much for me and big surprise. After the second one I picked Maggie up, grabbed my little camera and took some evidential photos; we made it home just before the real rain truly set in.

I had a shower (there was slight panic = cold sweats) and now I am sitting here, in my room strangely feeling like a... winner. I know, you thought I was going to say failure, so did I, hahaha. But honestly; I did it, I went up there and I sat on my plot for 15 mins, I said hello to 2 people (in passing) and I got home again without calling anyone for help (though I really wanted to). I didn't totally suck today! And if I have one day like this every now and then, when I can open the door and step out without shame of being seen, without fear of bumping into someone, without shaking and stuttering, without that gagging reflex kicking in, well...

I will not say 'I have seen the light' but I have given myself a little pat on the back. I tried and isn't that what life is really all about?

It is very self indulgent to write this post and to actually publish it too but I want, no I need to be able to look back on this one day, this one day, when Carrie won. Okay, it isn't over yet but I did something, which to me was huge and at the time I didn't feel scared. It makes me cry (you know, shocked not-able-to-breathe type tears) to even write that now, but it's true, I wasn't afraid of being me.

P.S. Elbow's One day Like This...
http://youtu.be/0NFV8dHrZYM official video or
http://youtu.be/hk2xaeXnxlMwith the BBC Concert Orchestra and choir Chantage

P.P.S - It's half 3 now, I've been home for 2 hours and I feel like crap again. Isn't it just a well I wrote this down when I felt good? Life is a little cruel, eh.
xxxx

Taming nature and pilfering on the plots!

2011-09-29T07:59:00.000+01:00

Okay so I waxed lyrical about the joys of wild flowers in my last post and how beautiful and useful they are. Yes at the sides of the road a thistle, dandelion and long grasses make me happy but in my lottie, well they are nought but weeds. Mr Titchmarsh sort of agrees with me, he once said that 'a weed is a plant in the wrong place' and boy did we have a lot of weeds to contend with on our return from France. I swear we could have lost Maggie in there!

There aren't any before and after photos but this one below. It's only a tiny part of 24a but it's all you are getting. Yes, shame was all encompassing when we saw our dear lottie plots for the 1st time, I couldn't even bring myself to take a photo, no, it was just too terrible. So think of this, but EVERYWHERE and you will get an idea of the horror, the horror.....

Only 'after' photos will be shared here and let's us forget about the 'before' ~ we are past winners of the 'Best Kept Allotment Award' for goodness sake!

We were methodical in our attack, almost military, a 2 pronged attack, a pincher movement.... Andrew took on the right hand side, I the left, grass was cut and beds weeded like there was no tomorrow. We started on Thursday night and on Friday night we did the next 2 beds and here is the joyous aftermath - some path and 4 beds, one with very healthy celeriac, one with very healthy leeks and 2 clear ones. Thank you very much; *I hear applause in the distance as the plots themselves weep with joy*

However on our return to the Allotments on Saturday we discovered that our shears had been pilfered - shame on you, whoever you are!!! By mistake we had forgotten to put them in the shed overnight and someone took advantage yet again. I say again, as we also noted that very first night that one of our biggest and best Squashes had been taken whilst we were on holiday. Argh, the duality of allotmenteering ~ the community aspect of many people and conversely, the people, all sorts of people.

Saturday saw all the sweetcorn harvested (a mixed bag in the end) and the squash plants below them lifted; sadly no edible fruits there. Then onto the cut and come again beds where all those bolted herbs and lettuces were turfed on the compost heap. Plus Andrew bought these, my new favourite things in the world - new shears!! They are so sharp and have a cushion-y bit and make a quick whooshing sound when they cut through the grass = happy Carrie.

All we have now up that end in the long beds is Scallions, some Rainbow Chard, Sorrel and these beauties (Pak Choi). I am hoping to get the rest of the plot finished today! Andrew has already moved over to 14b and worked hard but I haven't seen it, I've been focusing on 24a.

New plans for the space are afoot and I shall post those (with one of my fabulous drawings) and the finished plot taming story/photos next time, probably tomorrow night. x

*****

Thank you for all the comments on Wild Flowers; so happy that many people have wild flower borders in their area and like the idea (and practice) of seed bombing :)

On wild flowers

2011-09-27T19:24:00.002+01:00

I've had a migraine today all day and boy does it hurt. However lying in the dark with an eye mask can only be endured for so long and thus as it is twilighting outside and the blinds and curtains are closed, the lights not switched on and my laptop screen darkened I feel I must write something or explode. The latter would be very messy and hard for the police to explain, devastating for Andrew and just too tempting for Maggie to eat (boke!), so here I am teeth gritted, plodding onwards.

Lying here today I was thinking about roundabouts and public space gardening to keep myself sane(ish) so here I shall share....

French roundabouts make me happy. That sounds very sad but it is true. The vast majority are simply beautiful, and what is so great about it is the fun and community spirit that goes into it.Many of them have art done my school kids in them or really huge fun sculptures from wood. I only have a couple of photos here - one of wild flowers which are everywhere along the sides of the roads and intersections (fabulous idea!) and one of beautiful grasses etc but there were so many more (it's just a little hard to take photos out the window of the car whilst going round the roundabout and trying to be a good navigator). Some of them even had bee hives in them - bee hives! Genius.

I adore wild flowers and did do some guerrilla gardening last year when we moved into this new house. I quickly had an accomplice on line who was doing the same thing in a different country :) I was Ms W, she Ms J and she knows who she is *wink wink*. She even helped me when I ran out of seeds! But sadly and this is really very sad indeed... the area I chose to scatter my hopes of happiness also turned out to be the area which the water and gas people dug up (more than once) and thus not one of my seeds came to anything. I have more though for this year coming! I just thought whilst laying here, that it would be such a joy to guerrilla garden roadsides and make them stunning little points of beauty for people's long travels ummmm, these photos have cemented that idea.

I have only seen 3 bees this past summer, a good few wasps and about 5 ladybirds (Andrew saw his first of the year yesterday!) and 2 varieties of butterfly, one of which was the cabbage white (ggrrr, no broccoli for us this year). I think local indigenous wild flowers - planted on that bit of ugly waste land you have near your house, could well be a good idea, not just for the beauty and pleasure but also for the insects. eh? Enough with the sculptures and loads of money spent on silly bedding plants by our councils - wild is the future! Just a though from an addled and pain filled brain....
x

Shear Maddness

2011-09-23T07:25:00.000+01:00

A new day literally is dawning, it's 6.30am and for some strange reason I am up and breakfasted and thinking of the allotment. Yes, it would appear I am obsessed, just a little, at the moment. I would love to asleep and tucked up in my warm cosy bed but no, here I am in the living room listening to the early morning lorries and the rain and writing to you. Mad I know.

Wednesday evening and most of yesterday was a horrendous time for me - I have suffered yet another 'episode' were life seems pointless, were I hear that voice in my head telling me I really ought to 'go', that I have outstayed my welcome at the party and that I shall never be happy again. It has been devastating and incredibly difficult, especially the periods were I just cannot speak or move and am simply rigid and elsewhere in my mind, lost. My own company has not been good for me and even now I am a little uncomfortable being up alone.

I am so fortunate that Andrew's job requires him to be out and about so he was passing the house yesterday and was able to answer my distressed phone call. Then after a meeting I was put in the car and taken with him whilst he visited a very old church site. He collected unopened ripe conkers for me; I love to prise that coat off them. We had a quick dinner on the way home and then went straight to the allotment together.

Although it was 7pm and the light was fading fast, it was the best place for me. Funny, it was cold and dull, the plots overwhelmingly overgrown and messy, but I felt more alive there than I'd done in days. I got out the hand shears and went bonkers - hacking and tearing at the long grass until I had a good sweat going (sorry ~ make that a lady-like glow of perspiration!). Large trugs of grass and weeds were removed and paths re-appeared :) Then I got down on my knees and weeded an old potato bed. This is great therapy for me - each weed removed makes me feel like a worry or a problem is being destroyed and thrown in the rubbish. It reminds me of Mary Poppins cleaning the childrens' room and settling in to her new abode, I love to really tidy up a big old mess. (Though to be honest I would rather be that gloriously eccentric man with the cannon on his roof, if I were to be any character in the film).

Admiral Boom

45 mins of good hard work and 2 paths were revealed, the bed cleaned and tidy, perimeter grass tackled and apples plucked. We have plans my friends, plans that involve us getting most of the fruit, not the birds and better use of the space we have; plans that mean I am going to push that little harder to go up alone; plans - plans make me happy.

So from frighteningly suicidal to being up at 6am thinking about those plans and wanting to go work in the dark and rain - what a difference a day makes :)

France's never ending growing season

2011-09-21T11:09:00.000+01:00

Something that Lawerence, the owner of our Gite in the North of Brittany, told us somewhat surprised me. He said that they don't really have a winter where they are and he cuts the grass every 2 weeks all year round! Many years there are just a few weeks were the frost comes and then it's the eternal growing season again. So that made sense of the fact that everywhere you look in Brittany there are artichokes and maize and cabbage etc in large fields, all at different stages of growth.

I fell in love with the artichoke flowers that were for sale in the florists and were often to be found in abundance in large vases outside resturants. (Far better this than eating them - yuck, personally I HATE them).

It's also no wonder that most private gardens have their own vegetable area and everything looks fabulous even though up here at home, they would be over by now. Even caravans on holiday resorts have there own tomato plants growing outside - it's inspirational.

Of course there was no getting away from the fact that it was September and thus it was apple season and cidre making time. All along the sides of roads were apples of all varieties and the supermarkets were no different. Such pride in the apple was lovely and every apple I ate was a delight (even the ones we stole!) Yep, Andrew went scrumping as it was just a shame to see so many apples potentially going to waste, especially when we were pretty sure they were Royal Gala.

Usually on holidays we love going into the local markets to see all the vegetable and fruit varieties and this time was no exception, though to be fair, the supermarkets are amazing as well in their variety and freshness. Here are a couple of gorgous displays from Quimper town market, that is one thing you will always see when it is a personal stall - attention to detail and everything lovingly displayed...it was also the cool place to hang out if you were a student!

Don't want to bore you so I shall write another French piece later in the week, hugs for now xx

1st visit back to the lottie

2011-09-20T21:29:00.001+01:00

We went after dinner and attacked the place for about 40 mins until it literally got too dark to see ~ already I am not coping with these darker nights! What on earth am I going to be like when it's getting dark at 3pm???

Anyway after our intense weeding and grass cutting we re-found the celeriac and leeks and boy they look fabulous :) There were 4 wheelbarrows of stuff to be composted! Plus I came across 3 of the biggest slugs in the world and I didn't even faint, haha.

Sorry but I accidentally forgot to take the camera. However, weather permitting we shall be back tomorrow and I shall take a pic before we get stuck in.

Plus I have most of my first post about France written... with a few photos for you.

And on top of that - can you believe this - I spent about half an hour out in the back garden weeding by myself! And this is with the knowledge that two new families have moved in over looking our house. Just a wee boast there for you ;)

I'm back :)

2011-09-19T12:29:00.000+01:00

Hello! and warm affectionate hugs to you all. Did you miss me? did you? I missed you.

I arrived home from lovely France yesterday and sitting here in front of my much missed laptop I can tell you...I am cold!! It wasn't exactly roasting in Brittany but I was shivering whilst inside, that's for sure; I don't think I was supposed to be a Northern Irish girl at all, ahha.

As I am sure you can all appreicate, I am exhausted! 16 hours on a Ferry (rough crossing home - I was sliding up and down my berth which was funny but meant I was awake a good bit) and 4 and half hours driving up through Ireland home = sleepy me. And on top of that, when I'm sleepy, my double vision plays up even more so I can't really see that well today. What I am getting at is I will share my photos and stories later if you don't mind too much and just dose here on my comfy sofa this afternoon before any migraine would decide to set in!

One thing though - I now utterly despise Mosquitos, bloody HATE the beasts. I have a left forearm that is all deformed with huge bites that are so frickin' itchy I could punch something. Plus one on my leg and one on my face, on my face people!!! Arrghhhh.

Anyhow I shall be in touch soon, with photos and tales of yummy food, inspiring gardens and public spaces and scrumping for delicious red apples. Plus this evening we are going to the lottie and I have been warning that it is a mess - I ain't too proud that I won't share the shame, hahahaa.

Anyway, nice to be back xx

Bonjour

2011-09-04T15:35:00.000+01:00

hello everyone, I am in Benodet in France this week. Boy these non querty keyboards are impossible. Andrew and I are finally on our holidays and once again we shall miss the sweetcorn harvest. Maggie is with Mamma G and shall be spoilt rotten so don't worry about her; though there are dogs here on the same fancy campsite as us and the mini boy Maggie I see everywhere is making me feel very guilty, so don't tell her dogs are welcome.

I shall go as my double vision is going wild, I learnt to touch type a long time ago to save me from this keyboard confusion and I can't even find the exclaimation mark to show my distress.

!!! Andrew found it !

Speak soon xxx

Missing in Action

2011-08-26T11:15:00.002+01:00

Well the title is a little bit of a lie to start with, sorry. I've been Missing in Inaction. I haven't been doing too well at all and that even includes having a lovely birthday and a lovely garden party and getting some commission photography work. I go for life like a sprint when I feel ok, everything done at once and then, because it is meant to be a marathon or lets be more realistic, a nice enjoyable walk, I end up exhausted and out of the journey for days.

Here are some super lovely photos of my Birthday and the birthday party/welcome to our (very nearly) finished garden party.

At the pond with Eimear for a lovely Birthday walk - look enough wishes for everyone and the swans have recovered after the male was killed a couple of years ago :)

I put the candle in myself, no one else was here!

out for dinner at Wagamamma :)

the party -

Courgette and lemon cake and balloons with bunting - hurrah :)

Hanging lanterns and a fire pit to keep us warm - plus some of my favourite people *blush*

But things at the allotment have been ignored, apart from Andrew going up and collecting dinner. I have only seen it once since I last wrote and the experience was a little upsetting as there are weeds everywhere and plants that have gone over and some lovely berries have been eaten by insects and birds. I got a little upset and then angry with myself and we had to leave.

I do have this - my 1st apple from the James Grieve tree... I shall consume it later :)

For most of this week I was going through a nervous breakdown and on Tuesday I felt suicidal. I'm only telling you this because I want to share the fact that a Suicide Prevention website (I don't know which one, I was in a pretty bad state) recommended (amongst other things) getting out into Nature. Ecotherapy saves the day yet again. I pulled some clothes on, grabbed Maggie and went out, luckily I had already spoken to Andrew on the phone and thus remembered to take my keys and take a Valium.

I don't remember much about it apart from the route I took and the panic I felt, the bag I flung over my shoulder had a camera in it (as always) and I managed to take this walking back home -
It made me smile and I think I'll make it my flavicon.

Okay, so the walk didn't exactly make the world seem like a better place and suddenly I wasn't depressed but I did feel a little stronger and a lot more tired = I fought the voice in my head, snuggled up on the sofa in fresh cosy clothes (not soaking with panic sweat) and give myself the grace I needed. I slept until Andrew came home. It was not the finest day of my life but I made it through.

This Saturday (and if the bloody rain would stop for 5mins, tonight as well) we shall go to the lottie for a while and really try to get it into some shape. The bag of berries Andrew bought home for me at the start of the week give me a wake up call - a spider in a raspberry I was just about to eat, a caterpillar on another and a maggot, oh dear god, a maggot in a blackberry!!!!! = my lottie needs me and I shall answer her call.

***Today I shall hopefully finish the Turkish Delight company's promo photos and then once the owner sees the files I can share with you a little of what I was up to these past days when I was well enough. I swear this stuff looks and smells gorgeous but I do not like it. It's that jelly texture, so at least I haven't been found in a corner rocking and in sweats with a massive sugar overdose and a lifetimes worth of shame. I have eaten a quarter of one piece out of hundreds. Now if a chocolate shop was to ask me to do promo pics, well, I may really have to go AWOL, hahaha.***

Love and hugs to you all, don't listen to those people who say the summer is over - they lie! ;)
And a hearty THANK YOU for all the comments on the previous post, they really helped me feel connected to the world through this latest bad spell xxx

Hey there, just needed a chat...

2011-08-16T14:24:00.000+01:00

It's a bad day, a pretty darn awful one actually. I never really understood Churchill's description of depression being the 'black dog', mine is a black fog (maybe he had terrible handwriting and his f looked like a d ?) I am surrounded by this fog today; too dense to see any future, to dense to really see the present or the past and damn it, it's heavy, oppressive. I'm being mentally buffeted about ~ a little fishing boat being rolled from side to side, up and down, I literally feel seasick and my double vision isn't helping one bit. My fog horn goes unheard, the winds are howling and it's dark, so very dark and cold.

So this ought to be post about the back garden and work we both did over the weekend to try and get it ready for this weekend - my birthday party is planned to be in the garden, but we'll have to see what the weatherman says I guess. It was all pretty boring stuff, I don't think either of us touched a single plant! It was all gravel and wood, and paint but it's really coming to a climax now. Of course it will look much better with balloons and bunting and a glass of wine in hand ;)

The wood here was reclaimed out of a skip, with permission. It fits perfectly and Andrew didn't even cut it :) We're leaving it unstained and letting it weather.

Super clever as he is, this was all in the plans from the start; a wee hidden area where all the bins go and the storage for the patio furniture etc. It will look tidier than this at some point, forgive us, but we are creative types and therefore messy.

Of course Maggie wanted in on the action..

I'm hoping to get to my poor neglected lottie tonight but I have a very lovely man coming over after dinner to drop off loads of Turkish Delight. Odd I know, but I said I would try to do promo photos for him - keep your fingers crossed for me (and David's business). Lucky I don't enjoy Turkish Delight, could you imagine! ha, I'd be taking photos of sticky icing sugar covered fingers and a hamster face of shame.

I must finish this now, the weight on my head and shoulders is too much to bare, I just need sleep but of course I have the builders outside. Do you think I could just tell them all to take a half day and leave me alone? No, I didn't think so...

Thank you to everyone who wrote comments on the last blog and 'Welcome' to some new faces. Flighty and Mo - you are both too kind with your praises xxx

Grow Our Own's 3rd Birthday Party

2011-08-12T19:56:00.003+01:00

On the 10th of August 2008 I started a little online journal about our relatively, gloriously new Eden Allotment Gardens. We had just had an Allotment Open Day to celebrate and share our joyful first harvest and I wanted to have somewhere to put the photos and my ramblings. I did have a paper scrapbook in which I had tried to write and put newspaper clippings but it was too fiddly. So then I thought (*bing*) I'll try a blog.

Entering into the blog world was hard and lonely, (I didn't know a single person who had a blog) but I was planning to do this only for me, to chronicle the development of our 'little piece of Eden'. When it came to the privacy settings I thought it wouldn't matter if I made it public - who would look at it anyway?

3 years on and much has happened, the allotments are 4 times the size they were for a start! I am still enjoying myself every day that I am well enough to write about my now 2 half plots and my garden. The journey is really on it's way now but I have no wish to arrive at any destination, I am truly enjoying the ride.

So today to celebrate all things Ecotherapy (or as I like to call it Allotmentherapy), to revel in the wonder that is the Blog and the catharsis of writing, to rejoice in the beauty of Nature and her gift of life and to thank my friends and followers, I am having a little party, with gifts xxx

The Inaugural Inspirational Blog Awards

by Carrie

Many people have helped, encouraged and enthused about our journey and I thank them all, you know who you are dear friends of the non-blogging world, of the non-gardening world! xxx

But here are some of the blogs I turn to for inspiration and fun - I hope this little button award will be accepted and placed with pride on their blog pages (it took me bloody forever to make it!) In no particular order......

Carrots and Kids
Canadian Garden Joy (or GardenJoy4Me as I know it)
A Small Holding
Down on the Allotment
Elephant's Eye
Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments
Two Chances Veg Plot
Flighty's Plot
Allot Of Veg

Here is your award....... tell me it's lovely ;)

{Please copy and paste the html I'll send to you if you want to accept it, put into your sidebar html place - hahaha, so technical aren't I.}

Ah, now the music is starting up and the show is almost over. I love you all! It's MY party and I'll cry if I want too. Cheers and here's to more seed planting and good eating and most of all sharing the ups and downs x

P.S. I just ate the best Runner Beans with dinner ;)

Almost there :)

2011-08-10T20:11:00.003+01:00

The back garden is almost coming to its climax; it is very exciting indeed. Unfortunately the rain has called off play today and I can't get out there with paint brushes in hand to get that wood stained and those walls all whitened, ggrrr. I am all ready to go (in my mind) and wish I had more arms. We are got a delivery of gravel today and that will really make it look special.

These photos are from Saturday - the weed suppressing membrane going down and look, that bad weather was already coming in. A little to the left it was dark ominous grey, a little more to the right of the photo was totally blue!

I have literally been asleep since Monday, I mean 24 hrs a day Monday and Tuesday, being woken up only to eat and go to the toilet. I took up the offer of a permanent stall at St George's Market Belfast on Sundays to sell my photography. So the good weather that was supposedly delightful yesterday passed me by....

But this is today and I am so excited to share these photos with you -

A little nook for the bins and the storage unit which has the patio furniture and hammock and lawn mower in it.

Andrew getting that gravel down - he was so excited :)

The inside of the cube is stained but I need, need to do the outside so badly I am almost in pain, haha. It's rather stupid though to paint in the rain. So instead here is a close up of some stunning purple Valentia slate and an old quern stone which we have as our stepping stones, marking the transition from the outer garden to the inner garden in the traditional Japanese tea garden style :)

Another catch up, this time, it's 14b

2011-08-05T15:46:00.003+01:00

I have tried to write this post a few times now and the words just haven't been flowing. I know I'm not well yet again today but there is also a funny block when it comes to writing about this plot and I have only just realised that. It's so stupid, but then again so much about having mental health problems can feel stupid, so it's also very real. Plot 14b is still new to me (though we acquired it in May 2009), it's more open and I feel exposed, naked and a bit uncomfortable over there even though it's where my beautiful flower bed is. There isn't a proper wind break border between us and our neighbours or anywhere to hide, like under the pergola, in the shed or under the fruit arch as there is on 24a.

14b is right by good old 24a at a diagonal - here is a fabulous drawing by me to help you visualise. I drew this with my tongue sticking out so you know it's good, lol. Oh look, a ruler, now why didn't I use that and do it all to scale? Answer: I'm a free form artist, Andrew is the scientific one in this house.

Click to enlarge. I feel it is now wonderfully clear, hahahaha

Anyway here's a little update as to what is going on. I didn't spend much time there for reasons I have explained but boy, it is productive and quite beautiful, if I may say so myself :)

These are our Purple Podded Peas send so kindly by Celia of..Purple Podded Peas :)

We haven't really got stuck in to them yet as the other peas are finishing up now and we don't want to waste anything but I reckon this weekend will be a PPP festival in the mouth :) Aren't the flowers that they have utterly gorgeous?? They remind me of the Sweet pea, 'Cupanii' that's my favourite but we forgot to plant this year.

This is my flower bed - I am rather proud of this and it has supplied me with beautiful fragrant flowers in the house AND the bees and butterflies love them especially these -yellow Elecampane. This plant came up from Co. Kerry from my best friend Rosie - look at it now Rosie! (indulge me these photos Matron)

Of course along with the flowers there are many other edible food stuffs. But ah haa - this allows me to throw in another flowery photo; the runner beans and climbing beans are there in the background scrambling up the home made wig-wams. The Runner Beans are lovely, not too long but oh so sweet and tender at the moment, the climbing beans are a little lackadaisical. PLEASE ignore the weeds in this other bed, oh lord, the weeds are taking over in that plot . Here are our gorgeous Beetroot and Sorrel, we've been enjoying these so much, plus the Carrots and Parsnips which won't be ready for a while yet. This last photo is the Jerusalem Artichokes at the back of the plot - these make me happy as I love them and they are growing like crazy beside 'The Trinty' of compost bins :)

Catching up with 24a :)

2011-08-02T17:11:00.002+01:00

Okay, okay, so it's been a while since I did a full post on one of our half plots. I guess to be honest, it's been a while since we spent the day at the allotments as the back garden is just too exciting and all we need do at the allotments is keep on top of the grass and millions, zillions of weeds everywhere (a very thankless task, eh?)

So here we go, you ready?..... First off look at our garlic drying! Oh my lordy lord above, is that not a glorious sight to behold? They are firm and I know they're really tasty because we have been eating some 'in the green' until now. They were 'Solent Wight' but I guess by now with 3 years of careful selection of the best ones each season to replant, they are Gaults :) 'Gaults' Wight', hahaha. I remember hearing somewhere that after a while the garlic in your plot will adapt to the conditions of your soil and the climate etc and through natural selection (well gardener selection) the best ones go on to reproduce and effectively they are your own strain. Is that fabulous, or is that fabulous?! I love learning things like that. So 'Gaults' Wight' are now available for say... £1thousand per bulb ;p

Then beside the bench is the 'area of shame' which I am not showing you. It shall be dealt with in the Autumn but suffice to say it is embarrassing as the day is long. Let us move on.

Ah, the celeriac and the leeks - looking good if I may say so myself. Andrew was watering them with what I like to term 'stinky juice', which is our own organic fertiliser. Yep, this stuff totally burns the nostril hairs and makes one want to vomit but hey, the plants love it. All it is is nettles and man pee left in a big container to ferment and mature. If you try this at home comfry is also excellent, as is seaweed but be warned - it isn't called 'stinky juice' for nothing, get it on your clothes or skin and you will smell BAD for days.

This is one of my favourite things to do - hunt for treasure. I was accepted at University to do Archaeology but unlike Andrew I just haven't the patience. This is as close as I am allowed to get to the noble work of digging stuff up. It is just like finding treasure though, isn't it? And of course, as with every year, it reminds me of that really joyous memory I have of my Papa and I doing this in his back garden - I was so young and mystified by the whole thing.

I won't show you are 'family' apple tree as pride comes before a fall and I am so proud of the tree this year! The blackcurrant plant on 24a finally gave up her goodies but we have seen so many blackcurrants that to force another bumper crop photo on you would be tantamount to torture. So on to the fruit arch; oh how it has grown, all those tiny saplings are now up to the very top of the arch and even crossing over. I could not be happier. Only a few fruit on each of the trees (2 pears, 2 plums and 2 apples) but the plants are doing good and that is great :)

Lastly, 2 more Autumn Raspberries - I hope I get them before Andrew again, hahaha. Or those pesky birds!

Writing this has cheered me up - I have had the worst couple of days, barely able to talk or think straight, so thanks for being there to talk to xxx

Disbelief with generous helping of hayfever

2011-07-29T11:04:00.001+01:00

Yesterday, through a haze of disbelief, it seems as though I secured a solo exhibition for my photography AND was featured on the Channel 4/4Homes top Garden blogs list! How did this all happen? Best not to ask really, maybe the bubble will burst :)

Up until Wednesday morning when I saw Eimear (and even Wednesday afternoon and evening) this week I have been living in a kind of dream state; my depression has been so bad, I guess I was opting out. I can't actually remember much but thankfully I took photographs and things that happened do come back to me from seeing them. Sunday was a beach day - that I do remember but after that it's a blur. That's why I haven't written since last Friday.

But yesterday was genuinely great and so today I am more than a little buoyed up and ready to write. But how can one write about the garden or indeed my beloved lotties when I ran out of hayfever medicine and can't get my prescription until later today?! I'll tell you how.....

Just for you, I broke the hermetic seal of my house to take photos of the neighbours garden across the street and the further work on our own, by hanging out the windows holding my breath. (And taking the opportunity to shake my fist at the pollen out there too; why Nature, why?!!)

The lovely C and B across the street have really started into their front garden whilst the back is full of the chaos that comes along with conservatory building, patio laying, greenhouse erecting and planting a hedge. Their style isn't our style but hey that's okay. I do have to point out that I love the choice of tree - an ornamental cherry and the cute, quirky, ironic choice of an old chimney pot as a plant container in a new development devoid of fireplaces :)

Oh yes! (grining with pride at my hubby's work) The back garden here is coming on a pace and the secret area is looking fab; to lie in there on the hammock and look up at the sky is dreamy. This weekend is going to be mental out there with Andrew finishing the rendering and me starting in to the wood staining (there has also been talk of posh gravel and bark chips being bought - eek!) And no, I am not showing you our front garden is it too embarrassing, stop asking!

Also here is a random picture of a gorgeous Cantaloupe melon which I have been thoroughly enjoying. (No, I didn't grow it are you bonkers?) Ummmm, time for some more me thinks.

back garden/ bamboo ninja

2011-07-22T21:21:00.001+01:00

Oh dear sweet wonderful readers, you thought I had abandoned you didn't you? No I have been thinking of you often, just haven't gotten around to actually telling you. I know, so selfish *shakes head in shame*.

We have been working on the back garden some more (and of course when I say 'we', I really mean Andrew, I am merely a helper in times of need) and it's looking pretty darned cool.

Though this time last weekend Andrew was attacked, viciously and without due cause by one of our Bamboo plants. Yes!! Who knew gardening could be such a dangerous hobby, sometimes ending in a trip to A&E! Whilst re-potting one of of our oldest and most loved bamboos (re-potting with tender loving care of course) Andrew was jabbed in the eye by a bamboo stem - oh the travesty - like a ninja it damaged his cornea and he had to go to the hospital. Luckily he is now okay and the good nurses at A&E gave him some good medicine and inflated his head by telling him that he had the best eyesight they had seen in a long time even; with his affliction he's 20:20.

< Which can be clearly seen by this photo, lol

Apart from that little bit of drama, all has been rather mundane at the lottie. Weeding until the sun sets her weary head, only to be back hard at it again the next visit! Where the blasted heck do they all come from? I'll tell you........ the unoccupied plots all round the place - ggrrrrr!

Back to the garden and a nice deep breath. We have a mini version of Harland and Wolff's cranes out there now, look - I only realised just how alike they were today when I took the photo. We ought to paint them yellow, hahha. But no, this is the basis for our pergola and look at that hammock :) There shall be rafters on it in no time and a beautiful climber and a little decking underneath for yoga-ing on :) Eeek! It shall be divine.

Shame

2011-07-13T13:20:00.000+01:00

Okay, let's get one thing out of the way. I hereby apologise firstly for the stupidity of my fellow countrymen and women with all these pointless and pathetic riots over 'The Twelth'. I trust you believe me when I say I have nothing to do with any of it. In fact I was nowhere near any of the 12th madness at all.....I was at my lottie, bathed in serenity and dappled sunshine :) [I find serenity is helped by lying on the ground beside the lavender bushes, lol]

But again here I must apologise as my Lottie was a place of shame also; overgrown with weeds, lettuces bolting, berries gone forever to the beaks of opportunistic birds (gggrrr) and grass - goodness so much grass! In fact this shame was so great that I have barely a photo for you, the camera revolted and couldn't bring itself to let the scene before me be seen by you. Though here I was allowed by my camera to take a shameful photo of waste but only if the bag full of good Strawberries was in it too, hahaha.

at the Patio - the honeysuckle has reached the top of the gates = happy plant :)

The Patio area alone triumphantly half filled a wheelbarrow by itself - oh Lordy, you can sense the scene. Andrew got to play with a petrol strimmer - which was loud and a little scary but boy, what a great job it did. Some day soon we will get rid of all the grass on 24a, you mark my words! (14b is already bark mulched).

Oh but I can't help myself - here are some photos (close ups you will notice, haha) of some loveliness on site.

Okay it's mainly flowers so I have put it into a collage for the sake of the beautiful but flower-on-the-lottie-hating Matron ;) xx

Lastly; the June drop, in July - so sad...

Oh I have so much more to share but really, it has to wait for another day as Andrew is still off work and we have relaxing and gardening and coffee drinking and Maggie walking to do in the sunshine ;) Talk soon xxx

P.S. The first Autumn, yes AUTUMN raspberries are out - this one was gorgeous ;)

Summertime and the growing is easy

2011-07-06T15:15:00.000+01:00

We haven't managed to get much done (make that nothing done, to be honest) at the lottie over the past days. The weather was bad then it was too good not to go to the beach after dinner and then we where away all weekend at a Wedding in Donegal. So there, excuses out of the way. I did on the other hand do some weeding in the back garden yesterday and gave the patio a good brushing *grins with pride*.

(N.B. a 'seasonal side salad' in one of Donegal's fancy Spa Hotel restaurants was.... Watercress - what!!!????)

But though we haven't been giving a whole lot of love to the lottie, she sure has been sending it our way. I picked 3 and half pounds of Blackcurrants last week, a pound and a half of Raspberries and about a dozen big, fat, perfect Strawberries (most of them had been partially eaten by birds - ggrrrr; it's bad enough that we lost a load to birds but for them to only eat most and not all, well that is just darned annoying!)

Then last night Andrew had a wee harvest for dinner and bought home a bounty of Broad Beans, Peas, Mint, Sorrel, Green Garlic and mixed Lettuce leaves. Oh and a beautiful bouquet of Sweet Williams, Roses and Carnations for his lovely wife (ie. Me, haha).

We sat outside and podded the beans and peas and then ate a Gault classic - beans and peas on toast (with pancetta, mint, lemon juice and sorrel), it was fabulous all washed down with non-alcoholic beer in the sunshine; happy times. It is nights like that and super fresh meals like that which make the soil improvement in the rain and bitter winds of winter all worth while :)

Hope your gardens and lotties are flourishing! xxx

Our Back Garden :)

2011-06-26T21:12:00.001+01:00

I have not been well and thus have found it very difficult to come here and write anything. Believe me, I have tried and I have failed on a number of occasions to do a little post. My depression and anxiety has been terrible and I am sorry to say that this time, no amount of Ecotherapy has been able to fight against it. Yes I have kept up my photo blog but it wasn't easy; I have even found it hard to read other blogs I love. Sorry if you feel I have neglected you dear reader.

So..

The Back Garden has come along a pace with Andrew being off for a a few days and the weather holding out. I painted the back wall one fine day when the builders saw fit to paint the new townhouses behind us. I shall not be out done :)

Andrew has been rendering. Naturally he reads about it, gets the materials and is an instant success. Really I have yet to find a DIY project that has stumped him! I love a man that can turn their hand to anything ~ reminds me of my Papa. Plus all the plants are settling in and growing well :)

So indeed, revel in the glory of the back garden now. It's been a while since you came over to visit :)

The rendering was the bit that Andrew was most worried about getting right but it's perfect and I am very proud. We got the materials needed to do the work from Mamma G for our wedding anniversary. And today Andrew took his birthday money (his birthday was on the 24th) and bought 3 lovely large black glazed pots in a sale - yay! LOVE that!

Lottie news. We're eating lots of -

new potatoes

green garlic

blackcurrants

lettuces of lots of varieties

broad beans

Blackcurrant bonzana!

2011-06-17T15:47:00.000+01:00

We walked to our lottie last night and on the way down the drive to our plot we noticed that the council-planted blackcurrant bushes were cleverly being covered by some opportunistic plot fellows to safe the berries from the many birds :)

This made me think about our own plants and whether we had many. All the cherries are gone AGAIN this year - so not fair and we didn't look after the strawberry plants at all and I haven't even bothered to look at them *slaps wrist*. Ronnie walked past us later in our visit with a big washing up bowl over flowing with the best looking strawberries I have ever seen (he's cheeky and didn't even offer one - I love Ronnie, so competitive).

Anyway we have a lot of blackcurrants it turned out, each of the 6 or 7 plants had beautiful clusters on them and there are more ripening away. I picked around a pound and was very happy getting my fingers all reddened :) Here's what we did with them, added sugar and ...... made a thick luxurious jam come almost sorbet - yummmmmmy

It's amazing and no, hands off, it's all ours, hahahaha.

Whilst I was picking away I came across two of the saddest looking gooseberry bushes ever. Nematode attack number 1 has failed utterly and totally. These little buggers are from one plant alone, I bagged them up and put them in the bin; I accidentally squished one and almost vomited, it's not a nice feeling. I HATE sawfly caterpillars with a passion that requires a lie down and some soothing music.....

DIE DIE DIE!!! (sorry about that)

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

And today is Andrew and my 6th Wedding Anniversary - we're going out for a special dinner and everything!! I love my hubby :)

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

Love amongst the brassicas

2011-06-14T12:49:00.000+01:00

Well I made it, I was at my lottie on Saturday. She had waited for me and she needed me just as I needed her. I felt better for the knowledge that I was going to help her back into order, cutting the grass, weeding around our precious food and basking in the glorious bird song and vibrant shades of green. It had been raining, hard, but we went as soon as it stopped and staid until a huge new rain cloud arrived. It was nice.

My illnesses have been putting a stress on home life; I am glad to say that both Andrew and I are human and therefore susceptible to the odd argument and feelings of distance. But Saturday morning greeted us both with a stronger energy and a dual desire to be happier - it's good for your health. ;) We wanted this past weekend to be all about spending time together and riding with the ups and downs with a little more grace.

Soppy I know, but I don't care. We have been having a rough time, me with the deep low in my depression and a blasted infection and him with work stresses and trying to care for me at the same time. Both our heads have been in melt down and the weather has done us no favours. Honestly I am really sorry to hear that so many people are experiencing drought but I guess the opposite - dark days and rain all the time over last week is just as depressing.

Anyway that's it, just a short post and here my lovelies - the lottie sends her love to you too in thanks for being so kind and supportive xxx

Andrew's solo lottie sojourn with a camera

2011-06-12T18:49:00.005+01:00

Well as you know I haven't been the best (thank you everyone for your lovely comments - I have the most bestest followers ever!) so Andrew took the camera at my request when he went to check up on the lottie on night. Here is the joy he brought back.....it was great to feel up to date with pictures, not only a brief summary.

Firstly Andrew visited our 14b plot :)

looks productive and quite tidy!

beautiful sweet williams

climbing brolitti beans and runner beans

broad beans grown well

Then over to 24a :)

the salad bar and a sneaky blueberry pot

the 2 sister approach to sweetcorn and squash growning

the main crop spuds

autumn raspberries and the friut tree sromping away :)

Then he crossed over to the other side of the field were a small gathering of men were cooking their amazing catch of mackrel, plucked from the sea at Whitehead. Well done boys! With a master butcher on hand they were gutted with precision and smoked - Andrew had a little and said it was good, this little pup would no doubt agree :)

To me this is exactly what allotment commaraderie is all about - forging friendships, hanging out together and eating good fresh food you have grown and as in this occasion caught yourself. What a great little party.

The Contemplative Gardener

2011-06-08T14:30:00.000+01:00

On Monday I wrote a piece for my other blog on photography about how I needed to stop being so bloody hard on myself, to realise that I have limits that need respecting and to stop pushing myself to the limit and beyond. In that post I wrote this sentence, it was even highlighted like this -

'I write because I can not speak the words I wish to; I garden to be close to nature and feel Her nourish me; I take photographs as a form of mediation.'

It's been bothering me ever since and I shall tell you why.

I haven't been to the allotment for quite a few days now, I haven't even wanted to go and I most certainly have not repeated that glorious lone walk there and back which I was so proud of. No, I have been ill with an infection for which I am now on my 2nd course of antibiotics and though the infection is bad, the side effects are worse. I was having migraines and nausea with the first lot which was bad enough, this batch is giving me headaches, nausea, blurry vision and dizziness - hoorah, what fun!!

Thing is, when I am physically sick it seems legitimate to be at home, to be maudlin and lethargic, to not do much. But I don't allow myself the same grace when it comes to the fact that I have a permanent mental illness and permanent double vision - oh no, that's completely different. So the past week as I have sat here feeling 'really' ill, the pressure to be at the allotment and work hard (too hard as usual) hasn't been as strong and you know what? The world hasn't stopped revolving, plants continue to grow without me worrying; the lottie will be there when I am ready to go back to her.

I need to give myself a break and not just for now; a fundamental change is needed in how I think about life, about myself. '...I garden to be close to nature and feel Her nourish me...' How can she help me as she so desperately wants to if I refuse to listen? How can see hold me in her arms if I am frantically trying to do so many things? How can she nourish me if all I do is worry and panic until I am sick in the stomach?

I am reminded of a little saying that was prominent in my upbringing but never struck the right chord until today and maybe it will strike a chord with you too -

'Don't worry, don't hurry, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers'

all from my lottie - what gifts she provides.

Namaste xx

He who dares wins

2011-06-01T20:45:00.000+01:00

They have marched into the fray, 'gone over the top' of the watering can, all teeth furiously bared and battle has indeed commenced!! 'Arrrgghhh' is the guttural war cry that is too microscopic to hear but I know it's happening. Leather jackets, sawfly beware we have sent in the troops; no longer shall we bare witness to your terrible attack on justice, on the right for our plants to grow and thrive and be consequently eaten by us, not you, you good-for-nothing scoundrels!!!

Oh I know you can feel the fury of righteousness in your bellies, your pulse is quickening too isn't it??? Though, like me, many of you are pacifists you know, deep down, that sometimes violence is the only answer!!

I'm talking NEMATODES!! Well, it would appear I am yelling about them with some gusto and an scary anger that obviously is repressed (I should maybe seek help for that.....)

We went into operation 'Kill the Cads' on Tuesday 24th at approximately 19:46 hrs. A quarter of the pack did 5 beds and early indications show that the enemy is still thriving - darn and blast it all. Though I did find ONE dead leather jacket in amongst the broad beans, so maybe it was but the first of many fatalities. Time will tell....

I just thought you'd like to know :)

say NO to leather jackets

You are going to be so proud of me :)

2011-05-27T11:23:00.037+01:00

I WENT TO THE LOTTIE ON MY OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!

More to come after I have a much needed shower and a warm drink and a think about what I have just done! Eeekk - this is so huge. So look out for part 2 were there will be photos to prove it ;) and have a drink on me tonight everyone xxxxx

LATER...

So you want proof? Course you do, no one believes anything these days and I need to have a record of this myself to save forever. The nerves have really kicked in now and I can't quite believe I am writing this post either. I just seemed to do it, without thinking. I still had the t-shirt on that I had worn to bed, threw on my jeans, old trainers that were in the kitchen and my fleece and plonked my headphones on. Maybe I owe a debt of gratitude to Adele and her album 21 - seems she got me there and back.

Let's upload those few photos I remembered to take....

I remember stopping here where I do in my dreams - I never get further than this in my dreams - and thinking 'sod it' and walking on, my legs shaking and making me meander a good bit (god people may have thought me drunk *blush*). There were people dear goodness, there were people, a whole family right there at the first plot, Adele kindly sang away to me and I just concentrated on the pot holed road, trying to stay balanced. I guess that means I looked drunk and very anti-social *double blushes*

It took an age to get to my shed and then the camera came out again....

In my bag I had a Mason jar and a pair of scissors and I cut one of the stems of my dusky pink/peach rose - a trophy.

Then took a few photos, quickly mind you..... First Oriental Poppy, first Purple Poppy opening and ohhhh some lovely Ranunculus.

Then home, my legs like jelly, as my stomach is now. I had done it and didn't get run over either on that crazy Beltoy Road where people just go mad and stomp the foot down on the accelerator.

I think I'm honestly in shock at the moment - but I know I am happy too :) I've definitely taken a massive nose dive and feel so depressed I could cry and so panicky I could, well, I could, I can't finish this sentence properly - THAT panicky.

oh yes, this is my lottie :)

2011-05-25T22:03:00.001+01:00

Can you handle the wonderfulness of 24a??
Well, I've only shown you a little bit cause I don't think you could - hahaha

The glorious sight as you walk into the plot via the Fruit Arch (I'm not showing you the Asparagus patch that it in the fore front) Strawberries and our Autumn Rapberries in the back.
.....And I can't trust anyone who doesn't revel in the beauty and usefulness of marigolds.

A friend didn't want this wheelbarrow - he said it was rusty - hahahaha. Compared to our last one this one is so shiny and new :)

We had some of these first early Sharpe's Express Spuds tonight - yummmy and the Cherries are looking fab, I swear Ronnie and I have estimated there are at least 100 on it - I just hope I get them all, hehehe.

Our extremely beautiful Honeysuckle in full bloom and then the excitement is building over my Oriental Poppies, I'll just show this tiny portion of the plant - it's huge and there are a zillion buds ;)

Our beautiful Climbing Rose, you'll remember all that time ago when it was a baby and couldn't reach the support of the bottom gate. Now it's up at the top one :)

Alan guarding the Blackcurrants (terrible saw fly problem with the leaves obviously, he's limited in his abilites, but he tries)

Our lovely little hanging basket, well, part of it :)

It did it an I'm okay :)

2011-05-23T16:45:00.001+01:00

This is just a quick little note to say that although Andrew being away for the weekend was very hard, I managed. With the suppport of said Hubby through texts and little cards he had left me (he's so romantic!!) and my super duper bestest friend Wendy who kept 'crazy' at bay and was a star.

It will take a while to fully recover and I am exhausted fighting myself but I did it, it's Monday and the weekend is now over. Dare I say there were even parts that were nice, catching up with my best bud.

I'll write more soon, I have photos to share of 24a of course :) Things are well, or at least they have been up til now - we're getting 70mph winds, rain, hail and periods of sunshine (!??).

P.S. Thank you for the messages of support xxxx

Oh it's beautiful!!

2011-05-21T12:34:00.000+01:00

Yesterday Andrew had the day off - yipppee. We had to visit my psychiatrist - boo hisss but after that (which to be fair was very helpful this time) we were somewhat free. Andrew is on a stag do (oh. dear. god! I hear you cry, but don't worry they are all good guys) and so we needed to get him last minute things to take and food for me for the weekend.

It's all really stressful already and he's only gone from dinner time yesterday; I'm not used to being on my own and fighting the depression and anxiety and bad thoughts by myself and Mamma G is on holiday too. My best friend is busy all day but she's coming here this evening and will be with me tomorrow.

Anyway, enough about that, I have a timetable written out for myself to keep me busy and calm (hahahahahaha, calm!!!?) and this is blog writing time - yay! So in preparation I went to the lottie yesterday and took lots of photos. It was lovely, no one else was there and the bird song - oh, it was delightful - are birds ever sad? I like to think all their songs are about love and peace and happiness - wow I'm a total hippie :)

At the very top of 14b these are delicious Jerusalem Artichokes all growing and getting fat and juicy ready for me to eat later in the year, yumm - good start to the visit. Then inside the plot we are at the nursery section where I must say (whilst touching the wooden coffee table with my foot) everything looks fabulous! The carpet is a sophisticated touch don't you think? And look at the strip behind the cold frames - these are our chives in flower and I may blow your mind away with the following news...... Andrew has been using the petals scattered in amongst the carrot seedlings. Carrot fly hate the smell of onion (so do I) so we're hoping this will help - I'll keep you updated ;) Cool huh?

So then there are gooseberries that have survived the sawfly attack - I have hope we'll still get a nice wee amount, there's 5 plants so there is a good chance, right?? Stay hopeful. I'll not put up a photo though, it looks a little on the pathetic side.

This is my special flower bed and I am so happy with how it's been going - daffs, tulips and now perisan buttercups, roses and guems :) Plus loads of other in bud - eek!

The whole point of this bed was of course to bring in the happy friendly bugs like the bees and the ladybirds but also to make little old me happy, having beautiful fresh flowers in the house. Thing is I haven't been cutting them - hahahaha. They look so pretty. I really need to toughen up :)

Lastly for today (I'll show you a24a tomorrow - tease aren't I?) Is an overview of the lettuces, carrots, beets, parsnips and glorious beans and peas. Nothing quite as exciting as the tippee going up is there?

Hugs and best wishes for a lovely weekend xxxxx
Thanks for all the comments on the last post - you're the nicest followers ever - mwaugh!

I can't think of a title for this

2011-05-18T17:19:00.000+01:00

I'm really confused, I have been for a good while now, words aren't coming easily, it takes ages to form a sentence and whilst I am doing that I am filled with frustration and anger at myself. I haven't been to the lottie, well yesterday I got as far as the car park and just had to sit there. I'm working from one sedative to the next and am desperately hoping that my psychiatrist will have some answers on Friday. I am freaking out right now - what I thought was a sudden burst of energy wasn't, it was a panic attack (I should know better), at least the en suite got a good cleaning..

So to be honest I don't know what is going on a the lottie. I haven't been reading blogs much. I know the asparagus is going to have to be lifted in the Autumn and we'll have to start again. I guess this should have been our own food we had for dinner a couple of nights ago - but at least it was British, in season and it was GOOD.

I know there was a heck of a lot of blossom everywhere and super tiny baby cherries, apples and pears etc are appearing. I have been told the cold frames are full to bursting. I watched with joy as these beautiful climbing beans germinated and got bigger everyday on the kitchen table and these lovely Sweetcorn seedlings are the most lovely green :) That grey blurry background is Maggie giving them a sniff before they left.

It's extremely windy and I did take a photo of the Queen of the Night Tulips but it doesn't do them justice, we need to get that wall painted and now Andrew has them all cut down anyway. We have loads of Rhubarb in the fridge (yay - Andrew is going to make more compote) and I had a couple of very sweet Ranunculus in the hall. Oh and the Nematodes are on their way it WAR my friends :)

I hope you are all well, I'll try to catch up with you soon. Hugs xx

pink flamingos

2011-05-10T14:26:00.004+01:00

I live with the perpetual sense that I am just not good enough, ever. I fight it every single hour of every single day. But the 'me' who is fighting to just be okay with myself never wins. I never win. And now this......

The allotment has gooseberry sawfly, aphids, slugs (and millions of slug eggs), snails, mildew, big red moth pupae, cabbage white caterpillars, wireworms, flippin' pigeons and the bast*rding leatherjackets (and there's probably other stuff too, like flatworms - we had them last year). Plus hayfever has returned. What?! the whole world of sentient beings have turned their evil hatred against me now - is that how the game is being played??

f-ing leatherjeacket that destroyed one of our asparagus crowns

Andrew is not a happy gardener - he talks in terms of EVERYTHING is crap and what's the point. The wind is so bloody annoying and the weather is just unpredictable and unhelpful. So there - today I just want to blasted well concrete over everything and put down plastic turf, fake flowers, a tramopline and some deck chairs, pink flamingos and some very stylish gnomes.

pink flamingos — aug 23, a photo by theogeo on Flickr.

Deep breath - I shall resume normal lottie based blogging next time and not be such a grump xx

The seductiveness of those two lips...

2011-05-06T13:09:00.000+01:00

I couldn't resist, tingling, I was drawn in by the mere mention of them. The sun was shining, my arms bare, the heat making me drowsy and the light wind blowing sensuously in my hair like the whispers of a lover; I was undone. How could I not let myself be swept away....

The Glenarm Castle Tulip Festival was on last weekend and we just had to go and see it. At only £6 in Andrew and I had a great full afternoon walking around the walled gardens taking in the tulips, the pleached hedges, the perfect un-slug touched hostas, the last of the daffodils and all the apple and pear trees in full bloom. Plus there was cake, I am a sucker for good home made cake with a little cream on the side :)

Shall I just bombard you with photos? I think I shall...... oh and sorry about the tulip/two lip confusion ;)

The gardens are doing well and really starting to mature. Everything we saw looked to be in great health and the pleached trees made me excited at the prospect of our own pleached hedge in the back garden. Which I must add are now in leaf and looking more settled.

There were other people there, which is always disappointing, hahahha. I love to visit grand gardens and pretend I am a private visitor, the whole place to myself. But no. We dandered all around of course but my favourite place was laying under the wall staring up at the apple trees and watching the bees at work. The rill was just in front of us and the gentle trickle of the water could well have sent me off to slept had the Mount not been close by too, with kids running up and down it's spiral walkway and pretending to be knights :) (you can see the Mount in the collage)

We had to go over and check out the new sculpture - an obelisk on a plinth all carved out of the one piece of wood. We hummmmed and aahhhhhhedd and decided (along with another lovely visitor) that we hated it. We're quite black and white when it comes to our decisions; I mean in a way I can appreciate it and the work gone into its creation but ultimately it did nothing for me or the setting, oh and it was wobbly. Here is Andrew trying his hardest to love it in one aspect at least - the smell - but no, it was stinky with whatever preserving coat was on it. All in all - I say take it down!

I also smelt the flower of the Meddler tree for the first time.... oh yes it is undeniably pretty to look at but OH MY GOODNESS, it smells like an old, uncleaned Victorian era public toilet! And that is no word of a lie - foul, heinous - why, why was I not warned. I gave it a darn good full sniff and thought I was going to die!

Twas a lovely afternoon though - thoroughly enjoyed being surrounded by my favourite bulbs all in bloom - constantly saying 'this is my favourite... or no, maybe this one, or this one?'........

I'll tell you one thing though - this was my least favourite (you know, just in case you were thinking of sending me a big bunch)...

A little May Day gift

2011-05-01T17:01:00.000+01:00

I have been touched by so many lovely comments recently and I will get back to you and promise I will catch up on your blogs too - I love you all big time xxx

Yesterday we went to the Annual Glenarm Castle Tulip Festival so you know I have photos for you ;) Today we're at the lottie and tomorrow we're hoping to go off to Rowallane Gardens - lovely relaxed times in beautiful surroundings :)

But my gift to you is a vase of my very own lottie grown Red Tulips. Well a photo of them anyway. Stunning eh? Enjoy the rest of your day - hope you have sunshine galore like us - I'm off back to the lottie! xx

Photos galore from a happy weekend

2011-04-29T22:15:00.001+01:00

I was happy last weekend on my plots and so if you will indulge me, I should like very much to bombard you with photographs. This is my diary, I want, no I need to remember that there are times when I can feel good; full of vigour and a desire to work hard, my hands in the soil, the sun on my back and the ~~sweat~~ slight persperation (I am a lady after all) running down my skin.

Okay thinking back it wasn't perfect as I did have a terrible panic attack on Sunday and couldn't talk to a soul. I had music blaring in my ears and it all ended in tears but, BUT, I am glad, oh so glad that I was there, that worked so hard and with my Love, we changed those previously terrifying areas into managable places, nice places, productive places ..... :)

Saturday

The scary area on 14b that HAD to be tackled whether we were ready or not - luckily we were ready :) !!

Okay, the difference between boys and girls...

The boys have a good chat about everything, us girls, get on with it, hahaha. Whilst Andrew catch up on the gossip - we had the Gardener's Questiontime Radio show in Carrick last week. But I had work to do and currant plants to save from the weeds ;) I have no idea the number of trugs it took me - but my arms are feeling toned!

The plastic was breaking down so A. was taking the greenhouse apart - I thought this would be a good place to keep him, keep him out of mischief, ahaha

A frog! yay, I love frogs. I have left lots of long grass by the compost bins for them to stay nestled in and stuffed lots of grass cuttings under the shed again - got to try and look after our allies in the gardening world.

Left over carpet from Mamma G's house being put to good use covering over a weedy patch and also giving us a nice clear place to work and for Andrew to nap. Like our crossed forks? - that was an accident but hey - that could be part of our coat of arms - eh?? (I'm all Royal Wedding fevered today, hahaha)

Look at that - compared to the first photo - this is simply heavenly. The messy bit will be tackled soon, that's our pumpkin patch :)

Sunday

Again, trying to look after my buggy friends..

Concrentrating on the silly and fun details now - pretty-ing up the shed with flowers

pretty :)

Green and blossoms and Maggie = happiness

slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails

2011-04-27T17:01:00.000+01:00

I have an issue. I am writing about it here in the hopes that I shall learn that I am not a freak and that in fact other sane people feel the same way about this..

I hate slugs. I mean I HATE BLASTED SLUGS!!! They are evil and should only eat stuff I don't like and then die a happy death with food in their mouths as a beautiful little birdie swallows them whole. There glad we got that out in the open.

When I see a slug on my rounds (patrols) of the lottie I get a little touch maddened and tend to pick him up and fling him as far as I can way into the hedgerow (or to be perfectly honest, sometimes into someone else's plot - yes shame on me, but the anger takes over and I just lose it).

Here is a particularly nasty fellow - even looking at this photo makes me want to chuck something.....

Now snails also come under the banner of 'the enemy', for what is a snail but a slug with a house. But here is where the issue lies....I can't hate a snail as much as I hate a slug.

Is it precisely because of the house on their backs that I like them a little more - am I elitist?? Do I see the snail as more worthy of being left alone merely because it has a shell??? Somewhere deep down do I see the snail as more advanced than the slug and worry for it's ability to pay those mortgage direct debits??? I fear I do. Oh, lordy I never thought of myself as a snob but when I see a snail I think - 'oh you shouldn't be here eating my food; I think I'll just move you carefully over here anyway from my plot' and I carry the damned thing to the hedgerow. What is all that about?? I mean look at it - it's hardy gorgeous under that shell!

Does anyone out there the same? or the question should probably be: Is anyone out there willing to admit they feel the same?

Oh yeah, and puppy dog's tails was just because of the nursery rhyme - here's Maggie's tail though...

Tomorrow we shall do a major catch up (with photos) on the miracles we have worked on our plots :) I have the text started and the photos uploaded at least!

Hugs

Gone AWOL - Arduously Working On (the) Lotties

2011-04-25T11:33:00.001+01:00

Saturday saw the arrival of a little package filled with lottie based happiness. It was the conformation that our next year of rent had been received and we got the now traditional little gifts from the council to go with the 'paid with compliments' note. This year we got Cauliflowers (some seeds have already been planted!) , Courgettes (yuck!), Salsify, Sweetcorn and 2 keys Eden Allotment key rings :) Thoughtful of them to send us 2 as we've joint lottie holders. Though I do wish I could open mine up and put a picture of Maggie in on one side - she owns the plots too and she's darned cute to boot. We were super happy.

So since then we have been at the plots whipping them into shape. There wasn't any St George's Market for Cherry Blossom Tattoo this Sunday so we have had 2 full days at it and boy, I must say I ache all over but am very proud of the work we have done. 6 large trugs full of weeds and grass cuttings yesterday afternoon alone!

The 2 plots have been completely hand weeded for the most part, all grass cut round the edges of every bed by hand (my hands that is), a fence lifted and moved, beds edged in slate, new pretty flowers for some colourful fun planted, and loads of seeds planted both in situ and in modules!!! Oh and one large portion of 14b carpeted :)

Photos have naturally been taken and will be posted later. Just a wee update for now - enjoy the holiday xx

From the heart

2011-04-21T17:40:00.000+01:00

I've been thinking about writing this post all day. And now I've got here and the words won't come. Oh I could talk a load of nonsense and spin a great yarn - I'm from Ireland for goodness sake. But I don't want to do that, I have to write from the heart, like I always do.

So what's the problem? Well, I've been excited about telling you all about last night because last night I felt good and I was at the allotment and that made me feel even better. So = what this blog is all about, right?! Yeah, but today is a different story, I thought I was doing okay, I'd only had one panic attack and it was 4pm but then as I was getting out of the shower and coming here to write to you, I took another one, to be honest I am in it right now.

I am scared, my nose is itchy with those tears that want to come, I am biting my lip, I can't breathe well, I daren't be seen by anyone as I am ashamed and I want to cry and scream but by god I will not let myself cause I am going to write my way out of this (with meds).

So let's get comfy, open that chest and remember that this is going to pass. How are you feeling right now? Okay I hope, breathing deeply........... I need a minute. Sorry, a flurry of activity from the builders packing up for the day, I couldn't bare the noise, last straw

Last night then and I am calmer now.

I picked an area, I got stuck in and I kept my head down. I worked hard, felt muscles working that had been on holiday for a while and got a cold bum; my jeans were low, the t-shirt riding up as I was working on my hunkers. Yes two boys were watching my bum in all it's glory - let's get the shame out there and disperse it. Here is my corner of the plot before and after ~

Yep, the hayfever season is certainly starting and though I haven't taken any tablets yet I really should have because I am sitting here sneezy and with little hives on my arm, and itchy face oh and that horrible itchy roof of the month thing too. Plus is it just me or have the slugs in your area being taken steroids or something - they're HUGE! Lucky I was in a good mood and just flung them as hard as I could over to the hedgerow, I can not bare to squish a slug.

My super duper tiny alpines are coming out look - wow what a scary giant man! :)

The air was lovely there last night, the plots got quieter once the kids (and their parents!) went home and I saw a lottie friend for the first time in ages - so it was all good. I didn't panic once even when 2 new people arrived and were talking to Andrew; even when Andrew dandered off to see someone's fruit cage (the talk of the field) and I was left alone. I was okay :) I even would go as far as to say, I was feeling GOOD :)

So many seedlings, blossoms, new growth and freshly weeded beds. The smell of water on the soil as new seeds were planted and hope was born - best wishes little Parsnip seeds 'Gladiator', little Celeriac seeds 'Prague Giant' (again) and Purple Sprouting Broccoli (I hope we get to eat you next year, the few paltry pieces we shared this year after the pigeons did their work has made me want you even more!!!)

So over all, it's looking like a plot again, all those other 8 lavenders died that where in the bed-end planting pockets; it was the frost. The other plot is a little behind but by gum we'll get there! (I never actually say 'by gum' but I do write it, odd...)

Anyway that is enough for one or maybe even two days. I'm not going tonight, I've already decided I just can't afford to rock the boat. Last night and the big hugs and twirls and falling on the grass in Andrew's arms (because he was so proud of me), are moments I want to savour in my heart and I feel if I went tonight it wouldn't end so well. So yoga for me in the house - kicking Andrew out to plant more delicious food :)

And just to rub it in I have been having the breakfast of Champions the past 2 days ~ unsweetened Swiss Style Muesli with home made Rhubarb and Stem Ginger Compote!!!

Hugs + thanks for helping through the panic xx

A moments silence... ;)

2011-04-20T21:27:00.000+01:00

It is a sad and terrible thing when one loses a plant but to lose a whole tray of healthy baby Celeriac - well that's just plain carelessness... (with apologies to Mr Wilde).

On Monday evening we took down a lovely and I mean beautiful tray of celeriac seedlings to put them in the cold frame. They had been on a lovely sunny window sill in the spare room/dump room and were looking fab. Mr Gault here thought it was time for them to be hardened off.

Last night I learnt they had ALL died. It had been too warm and they all fried. A painful way to go I should imagine. I wonder what their past thoughts were...I like to think it was 'WHY?? daddy Andrew, WHY???' croak. *looking at the hubby with one of 'those' looks* hahaha.

Even more painfully I didn't manage to get a photo of them, or at least I thought I had but I can't find it. Oh dear, it seems we are both rather bad parents, tisk tisk. Off to drown my sorrows in a good old fashioned wake for the seedlings - any excuse for a wee glass of red wine - yummmmmmmy. Ooops, sorry, I'm meant to be sad *clears throat*.

By the way I was at the lottie tonight and it was nice and I took photos and what not and felt better - good old Ecotherapy. I shall write tomorrow xx

Blossoms and panic

2011-04-19T13:51:00.001+01:00

Andrew and I had a fabulous few days in Co Kerry there, down on Valentia Island. Okay the 6.5 hrs in the car was a little much but the island and meeting up with my lovely friend Rosemary made up for it all. I can honestly say that I felt well there for a whole day and a morning, smiling, laughing, taking photos once again, eating amazing food and just being me with people I love.

As usual though with every high there is a low and now I am going through one of thoser periods. Much is to do with tiredness but then lots is to do with being mentally ill (which I often over look and deny).

We went to the alllotment last night after dinner, yes people have indeed commented on how our usually neat and tidy plot looks a little like a small bomb has hit it. Give us a break, please!! We have a lot on these days with the house, garden, the Market on Sundays [have you checked out Cherry Blossom Tattoo?? - I am cheeky]. We took down some very happy celeriac seedlings that had grown up strong in no time and put them in the cold frame and got to work cutting the grass and weeding like mad people ( just manically fast not foaming at the mouth or anything, lol).

Well here are some photos that ought to cheer the most low of us all - new life, new hope......

and Maggie :)

Lavendar to help calm me down

I had a big panic attack whilst there, which breaks my heart. It took me a few mintues to get out of the car in the first place and then as soon as I saw a couple of other people coming to water plants etc I just freaked out. I don't know what is worse, the panic attack itself or the feeling of embarassment and stupidity one feels at the same time. Anyhow, I ended up hiding in the shed and then we had to go home. At least this card by Edward Monkton always makes me smile through the tears....

Ah well the ups and downs. At least I have photos of gorgeous tulips, happy Sweet Williams and the spuds starting to peek through and say 'hello'.

Hope all is well with your little seedlings and your fruit trees are heavy with beautiful flowers too x

The back garden - an oasis of calm?

2011-04-12T18:06:00.000+01:00

Oh lordy I think these builders are really trying to drive me mad and I'll tell you a secret, it's working! I just what to go out there, turn off all their generators and if possible find their own personal volume dials and make them all QUIETEN DOWN!! Arrrghhhhhhhh.

It is a glorious day, a t-shirt day and when you get those in April in N. Ireland it is usually time for a celebration let me tell you! But no, here I am inside trying desperately to hide from the noise and the choking dust (they are doing lots of drilling today and the sky is full of cement/concrete/plaster dust) oh and all the blasted white vans - I swear I think ALL the white vans in the country have descended on to our little road, most of them triple parked outside my front door!

So enough ranting, thank you for letting me get that off my chest.

The last bed was filled with soil on Saturday and the bestest horse manure in the land. Andrew knows a lady from school/work now too, whose family owns stables not too far from here! Oh joy upon joys, we went up and they said we could take as much horse poo as we liked = happiness! (Okay I have to point out I am NOT scatological, well not anymore scatological than any other gardener, hahaha) The heap was huge, taller than me by a good margin and not only warm but positively hot and steamy (oh lord this does sound like a porn post about poo - so wrong on so many levels).

So the bed was filled with the displaced 'soil' from in and around it, poo and lots of multi-purpose compost and lots of ericaceous compost for the planting pockets. Thank goodness for big name budget supermarkets - we got all that compost for a great price ;) We have all the main plants ready to go in AND Andrew just walked in through the door with a lovely looking azalea, the last piece of the puzzle. I have asked him to draw a wee picture for you of what is going where but I have a sneaking suspicion that he might be out there planting them instead, haha.
He is!! Couldn't hold himself back and who can blame him?

So what have we got. Well, the Paper or Canoe Bark Birch 'Betula Papyrifera' went in first. It's only fair as it's been waiting there on the patio in a pot for the longest time. This is one of our favourite variety of tree the bark, for which it is known, is stunning and I look forward to the tree settling in and growing up so we can enjoy it. Maybe one day Andrew will make a canoe from it (as the Native American Indians do) and we can sale away :)

Then the gorgeous Witch Hazel 'Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane' (red/orange flowers), a 'Blood of China' red Camelia (in bud) and lastly our newest arrival, a rosy/red Azalea 'Nico' (also in bud). I am so excited ~ this really is looking like a real garden!!

The Camelia was a real find, I personally really wanted one as I love the foliage, so glossy and dark throughout the seasons but everywhere we looked they were ridiculously overpriced. That is until Andrew was browsing the internet and saw that the very same big name budget supermarket had a load coming in last Thursday - well he was at the door before they opened to get the best one - hahahaha. I love him and his thrifty ways - it really pays to look around! This specimen was actually on the short list and it's bigger and stronger than any of the ones we saw in the nurseries = SCORE!

And just to finish off this post....most of the builders have all packed up and left - one generator is still going but that's ok, for now. Ahhhhhh and now it has stopped; time for a nap Maggie? I think so too...

An late night trip to the lottie

2011-04-09T17:06:00.001+01:00

Just for you guys (cause I love you) I made A and Maggie come with me for a walk up to the Lottie on Wednesday night to see what was going on. Why have I waited until Saturday afternoon to write about it?? Well on Wednesday evening just after we got home Mamma G fell and hurt her ankle and we spent the whole night in A & E, the whole night people, 7 hrs to get an x-ray!!! But at least she is okay - just a very bad sprain.

So my sleeping pattern (bad at the most normal of times) was really messed up and coherent blog writing has seemed too hard. But here I am, better late than never, all fulled up with coffee, sugar, Maggie licks and the sweet smell of horse manure wafting in through the patio windows :)

It literally takes 10 mins house door to shed door and this was the utterly glorious sight that greeted us at our plot - you now all know about my lust for Tulips so as you can imagine this was a happy sight. And even these little baby ones - aren't they adorable??

Look at the Rhubarb plants; they've gone nuts and need to be eaten NOW, not that I am complaining. (But A PLEASE make more compote, I feel that if I write it here maybe you will, your selective hearing in 'real' life seems to filter out my requests, hahahaha.) We had to remove the flower spikes that had formed so as the plant would keep on putting energy into these big bad boy stocks - yummm; but whilst I knew they had to go I really would like to see what a rhubarb flower looks like.

Oh dear look at the weeds! This is my flower bed on 14b (which at the minute says 4o on the sign as lots of the mosaic fell off with the frost, ahaha). After I took the photo A started to weed away, hahaha - his pride got to him but I'm showing the photo anyway, it's all honesty here! And those these look like weeds they are actually our lettuce seedlings - yippeeeee and here are the broad beans - hoorah!!! Finally it feels like Mother Nature is caressing the earth and giving of herself through sunshine, warming the soil, little showers instead of downpours and quiet whisperings to the world to wake up.

The fruit arch is doing so well, I must remember to take a photo of how the trees are starting to meet eachother at the apex. They must be happy; so much growth and lovely fresh green leaves and look at these beautiful pear blossoms and the apple blossoms on the family tree in another part of the plot. (See it was getting dark but I wanted to take photos just for you).

I'll write soon - the garden is looking fab and A is working away on it right now :)

I have a secret :D

2011-04-04T19:21:00.001+01:00

from the allotments

Happy times in the back garden are to be seen everywhere, apart from the horrendous wind (and the blasted builders and all their noisy activities and beeping machinery) I would have been out there today soaking it in. My little hideout is coming together I can see it and after so many months of plans and redrawn plans on graph paper it finally starting to come to life - eeekkkk!

Yesterday saw one of the most fun bits (for me) in the garden ~ planting bulbs. I LOVE bulbs. They hide under the soil waiting, just patiently waiting for the time when you feel you can't take this desolate winter, barren and sad, any longer and then they slowly emerge. They are organic, living anti-depressants. I defy anyone not to be cheered my the 'host of golden daffodils', the sweet and terribly shy Snowdrop, the bright and cheery Crocus and these....the Tulips.

I LOVE TULIPS. I lust after them and can not wait for the Glenarm Tulip Festival to open again (must check website!!) I am a silly flustered girl around them, all sorts, it matters not. For some reason the tulip gives me goosebumps - there I have said it, the cat is out of the bag - I Carrie am a secret Tulip - aholic.

These are Queen of the Night - ummmmmm. Dark, rich sumptuous purple. There leaves are even heavenly with tinges of red, oh I love them and look - lots of them in my garden in little clumps of 3. *big happy sigh* And planted with them in the cherry tree bed (oh look at the beautiful greenery opening up on this darling of a tree!!! again my knees go weak) are Alliums 'Purple Sensation'.

We've had some lovely weather :)

2011-03-31T16:54:00.000+01:00

Oh the sun has come out to play over the past week and boy am I happy to say 'Hello' to it. We have even had breakfast in the back garden one morning - yes! it was warm enough - crazy I know!! Even Maggie kept running into the house, grabbing a mouth full of her favourite Bran Flakes, spitting them out on the patio and then eating merrily with us (Maggie LOVES her food and eats with great gusto)

The birds were brave and ate right beside us on our super multi feeder. Blue Tits, cheeky little Sparrows, our friendly Robin and recently 2 collared Doves :) I have also seen a Chaffinch but A. hasn't yet and it's a sore point, hehe. Remember to feed the birds, my lovelies - fat balls and peanuts are going down a treat here. I'm just waiting for the day when one of the Pheasants comes bounding in - that would be a sight, or the Falcons that live on top of the power station chimney; actually they might take Maggie off for lunch :O

So with the cherry blossom still looking lovely we have also had visits from bees and butterflies and it's a veritable Disney paradise out there (if you ignore all the building debris and rubbish). Yet another bed has been built and now is waiting patiently to be filled with soil. We have some of our pots round from Mamma G's house (one of them had an evil snail on the bottom and we didn't realise until the next day and those tell tale sparkly trails - grrrrr I HATE slugs with a passion).

I know, they need watered, I'll do that in a minute!

We still have to plant our tulips in the cherry tree bed but they are looking very healthy and can wait another day. And apart from that, the celeriac seedlings are happy and the broad beans (crimson flowered - thank you Celia) are planted and of course being stared at every 15 mins to see if they've germinated yet - yes I am that sad. :)

We haven't forgotten about the Lottie, honest. I'll do a post from there after the weekend. It's just we've been doing housey stuff and WHY am I defending myself??? !

Namaste xx

Seeds and seed swapping :)

2011-03-28T02:30:00.000+01:00

Oh dearie me we through out a heck of a lot of out of date seeds last week. Here is the carnage...oh goodness blogger won't let me post the photo - even it's ashamed!

Some were from 2009 - oh for shame! But compared to the number of seed we do have and the variety this was okay, through next year I reckon we'll be buying a lot more as the use by date on many of the ones for this year won't be viable for another season.

But this is where a cool new UK based seed swap website comes into play. Set up only very recently Seed Swappers is a cool new site where you can do exactly what it says in the title - swap seeds! Such a cool idea when you want to try as many different varities as you can without spending a load of money - just buy a few packets and share the seed with others and they can give you those seeds you have wanted to try and it's all just the cost of a stamp AND you aren't wasting lots of perfectly good seeds (like we did - see photo again *blush*).

Give it a wee looking at and there is a blog to go with it too, where the lady who set it up 'Splodger' will be talking about what to plant when. Plus, there is a Facebook page (where I am an admin) were you can keep up to date as well. I personally think it's a great idea and encourage you to take a look xxx

Wonderous news from the back garden

2011-03-24T07:50:00.000Z

Andrew had a few days off and went mental in the back garden one of those days - he was so happy and now just look at it!! Joy, happy, happy joy, joy!!

So let's look over here first.

This is the very first bed that was made and now it has the beech hedglings in and a fabulous pleaching support erected around and above them. GROW you wee buggers!
In front of them we already had a Christmas Box planted and were all set up to get more gradually as they can be a wee bit expensive. But lo, Andrew walks into a large DIY shop and there these are all reduced and when Andrew took them to the till, hehehe, he got all 6 for £10. Good job.

Then over to the Cherry Blossom Tree and my isn't she adorable all in bloom :) Under planting this beauty is a load of Carex 'Comans Bronze' which all came from division of one plant in the allotment = free plants - yipppee. These are (hopefully) going to grow into little hillocks and have bulbs planted in between them. We already have some very healthy Tulips 'Queen of the Night' ready to be planted :)

You will also note that we have one of our bamboo's planted at the back of this bed. We've had this little fella for years and although he may look sorry for himself, having been in a pot and somewhat neglected throughout the whole moving house saga, I have a good feeling about him. With all the goodness in that soil (remember the worms and everything) I think, give him a little while to settle and he'll be super happy. This is a clump forming type called 'Fargesia' by the way.

Then tantalisingly over at the far corner is the new bed's foundations (eeeek!! so exciting, ) and just infront of Maggie, a strange big bucket full of cement (hummmmm?) but that's all I am going to say about that for now.

Okay, it's been a while but we've been busy :)

2011-03-22T19:23:00.000Z

First off the SPUDS ARE IN! Hoorah. As tradition dictates the spuds are to be planted on St Patrick's Day and so that is where we were on the day, up to our eyes in good old lottie muck :)

We (and of course by that I really mean Andrew) chitted and planted these beauties this year:
early - 'Sharpes Express'
main - 'Maris Piper'

We went for a V shaped trough this year (on my recommendation so let's hope it goes well - eek!) and planted them out a good 30-40cm apart chitting shoots up of course. I love this method; so much easier to do than digging individual holes or using the black membrane stuff. You can see clearly where everything is and then just push the soil back over the top like a zipper. Done.

I cut a heck of a lot of grass from around the beds (about 5 buckets full; Andrew needed to sharpen my shearers half way through!) and we used this as a protective cover over the newly planted potatoes. In time this will of course become hay and keep the heat in like a big cosy eco friendly duvet.

It was a happy sight to see so many caterpillars and worms and a ladybird but lordy bless us all why oh why could St Paddy not have gotten rid of the darned slugs at the same time as the snakes!! I hate them so much and sorry to my plot neighbours but at one stage I got really peeved and threw them all over the place as hard as I could and they are probably in your soil now *blush*. Though Dougie you escaped as I wasn't up that far :)

It was cold and rainy but we had the whole place to ourselves which was a great way for me to get back into the feel of the place. As I do this more for the Ecotherapy (by that I mean it does feel like therapy and makes you mentally tired just like a talking therapy session) aspect than the pure joy, it is hard for me but I'm glad I did it. Next time will be easier too.

There was also a little bit of the old seed sowing done :

mixed lettuce (which is under a mini sun tunnel)
peas 'kelvedon wonder'
beetroot 'blotardy'
and leeks 'lyon 2 prizetaker' and 'musselburgh'

Andrew fixed the dodgy downpipe into the water butt - hooorah! I love gaffer tape (never thought I would write that! hahaha)

And here is a photo of one of our guerrilla daffodils planted last year ;)

Happy Days :)

I'm okay again :) so let's catch up

2011-03-11T18:35:00.000Z

When I think of what has happened in Japan and the surrounding area I feel foolish and selfish for being so depressed, so overwhelmed by life and anxious. I know I have an illness, I fight everyday but god do I feel stupid today. This post is a distraction from those feelings, a bit of 'normality' in the media world just to help me see that life goes on regardless. My thoughts are of course with any and all sufferers in this world but for me, well, today ironically has been good so far and dare I say it?...I kind of feel ok. And I am not going to feel guilty for that.

So catch up time from the lottie and the back garden and life in general.

It was last Saturday that we ventured to the plots, it was a failed attempt at getting some work done. Both of us were thinking about our back garden the whole time and how it was more important to us at the minute than the allotment which we don't see all the time. We dandered round talking about how we ought to do this and that and then I took a couple of photos and Andrew got the wheelbarrow. Who were we trying to kid??! We know eachother so well that both of us knew what the other was thinking so....we attacked the manure heap, filled two big bags and hoicked them into the car and left. Sorry lottie.

prettiness in my flower bed

Definitely not looking good PSB

worms - hello friends :)

We drove straight to the nursery and bought grit and compost and then went home, feeling happier and funnily full of more energy as we were now going to do something we really wanted to do.

I worked super hard - wow!!

Here is our little back garden now - we're going well, it's very clay-y and heavy soil to move but boy it is worth it and now the gorgeous cherry tree is in place, well, a garden is emerging. Maggie had no interest what so ever and slept the whole day on the sofa, she still shuns the 'garden' as she doesn't really do muck, haha.

Oh and did I show you the jar of rhubarb and ginger compote Andrew made?? :) It was so good and there is loads more in the fridge and in the ground waiting to be given the same treatment - hooorah and yummmyyy!

This weekend we really do have to go to the allotments and get cracking - the spuds need to be planted on St Paddy's day!!! Plus we now have our dining area sorted out and the seed potting up can begin in earnest now. Oh lordy - I manage to get rid of loads of house moving clutter and now the whole place is going to be a greenhouse substitute! I just have to laugh..

And here's that wee tete-a-tete out in the front garden, makes a delightful change from the cement and dust and builders everywhere -

Enjoy your Friday and may the weekend bring a smile to your lovely little face xxxxxx

cherry blossoms in the garden :)

2011-03-09T21:44:00.000Z

Just for you (especially Diana) - the cherry blossoms are opening in the garden = smiles xxx

The barren soul

2011-03-08T20:12:00.000Z

My heart is gripped in a vice; my mind is confused, addled and disjointed, thoughts come and go again like the ebb of the tide. I am not well.
The back garden is going on at a steady pace; the allotment lies there untended but with promise; there are stunningly beautiful, delicate blossoms on the cherry tree, now planted in her own raised, walled bed. There is a random little tete-a-tete that has survived the housing development and is showing her bowed, shy, yet joyously bright tiny head in the midst of the trampled grass and dust of our equally tiny front garden.
But I can't even work out how to get myself from this spot to the cameras, from there to the leads and do the uploading, to show you these things that ought to be making me happy. But which are not.
I have hit a wall, fallen down a well, had a smack to the face with a large shovel. This morning I felt ok, good even but at 12.25pm I crashed and I can barely cope.
I don't know what to do. But I needed to talk, to cry out for love from this vast world so full of people yet so filled with loneliness. I guess I just want you to know I am here.

Another Onslaught on Gault Allotment Glory ~14b

2011-02-28T22:45:00.000Z

This time it's A14b and to be honest there is very little glory but if I was honest in all my titles would you really ever read them? ha - I know you too well.

So here is the reality of our second baby - there is a lot to do but I am not one to bulk at hard work (or at the very least, not scared of photographing other people doing said hard work). Well here we go....

The weeds aren't ours, honest I am taking this from the neighbouring plot :) Oh so much to do, turnips have been left to go massive and everything else just needs chucked in the compost and given a darn good digging over.

See, here is Andrew doing just that; though I started off all the work in that bed - you know, in the same vane as loosening the top of the jar ;) The other large bed was once the joy filled squash bed - it will be again and those cold frames and the mini greenhouse will so be full with babies!!! It will, I must keep telling myself.

Look, see loads of garlic - doing super well, though if you remember the garlic we thought had died, didn't so, ummmm....not so sure where we'll plant all this - lucky we like the stuff! And here is the unforced rhubarb looking gorgeous and getting to be a good size. We ate the forced stuff last night cooked down with some stem ginger and whipped up with cold cream - delicious!!!

Lastly, here is the last chilli that got away from us - but to be honest I thought it was so beautiful with all those shades of orange and red into black that I wasn't upset to see it at all. I may even give this photo a wee tweek and see if it's nice enough for my shop.....

I have some more photos of other peoples' plots but I'm not feeling so good these days so forgive me if it takes a wee while for them to be posted.

PLUS - another wall has been built in the back garden and a new plant was brought home today and put in place - it's a wee be green and cherry blossom-y out there = *big grins*

Huh?!!! rolls eyes

2011-02-24T22:01:00.000Z

Okay so no collages as I have had to upgrade my blogger/google account (boo hiss) and it will take 24 hrs for it all to catch up. Apparently I like to write and post lots - is that so wrong?? Well I am £4 down so you better continue to love me or I shall have to demand that money back from Google and they are big and I am wee and I think they'd win. Money doesn't grow on trees, or bushes, or as tubers (believe me we have tried) so.....

Until tomorrow xxx

P.S. Did I mention I am up for an award for my photography blog?? You can help- see the post below xxxx

The lovelies

2011-02-23T23:45:00.001Z

Please do note the button to the right and please vote for me in the Lovely awards. Oh golly - I'm 2nd in the Best Photography Blog section and I am so excited I could possibly pee my pants!!!
I haven't won anything since I was 6, at Eden Primary School's sports day where I won the potato and spoon race. Oh I still revel in that glorious day and can remember it so well!!!!
So please, all it takes is a click on the button and a click on the 'like' above my banner - you could make me very happy and it wouldn't cost you anything :)

Big angelic smiles xx

Grow Our Own

The shed that dreams are made of

Celebrating Spring whilst eating Summer

oh yea, so there's that other half plot that needs de-shaming!

De-Shaming complete :)

Plot 24a gets a little less shameful :)

Leeks, Parsnips and The Corner of Shame

cleansing for the new year

Warm Winter Wishes

The hardest post I may ever write

So...Winter, we meet again......

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

The Hubby Ventures to the Lottie pt2

The hubby ventures forth to the lottie

Do you believe in plants?

An Apology

Pumpkin vs Squash

Apples and things to do with them :)

Hey, only me :)

Squished and Squashes

Have you seen this dog??

One Day Like This

Taming nature and pilfering on the plots!

On wild flowers

Shear Maddness

France's never ending growing season

1st visit back to the lottie

I'm back :)

Bonjour

Missing in Action

Hey there, just needed a chat...

Grow Our Own's 3rd Birthday Party

Almost there :)

Another catch up, this time, it's 14b

Catching up with 24a :)

Disbelief with generous helping of hayfever

back garden/ bamboo ninja

Shame

Summertime and the growing is easy

Our Back Garden :)

Blackcurrant bonzana!

Love amongst the brassicas

Andrew's solo lottie sojourn with a camera

The Contemplative Gardener

He who dares wins

You are going to be so proud of me :)

oh yes, this is my lottie :)

It did it an I'm okay :)

Oh it's beautiful!!

I can't think of a title for this

pink flamingos

The seductiveness of those two lips...

A little May Day gift

Photos galore from a happy weekend

slugs and snails and puppy dogs tails

Gone AWOL - Arduously Working On (the) Lotties

From the heart

A moments silence... ;)

Blossoms and panic

The back garden - an oasis of calm?

An late night trip to the lottie

I have a secret :D

We've had some lovely weather :)

Seeds and seed swapping :)

Wonderous news from the back garden

Okay, it's been a while but we've been busy :)

I'm okay again :) so let's catch up

cherry blossoms in the garden :)

The barren soul

Another Onslaught on Gault Allotment Glory ~14b

Huh?!!! *rolls eyes*

The lovelies

Huh?!!! rolls eyes