Another Onslaught on Gault Allotment Glory ~14b

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*

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

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

An onslaught of photos from A24a :)

 Here she is, our first born A24a, in all her current ummm, glory?What a crappy grey day, week, month it has been eh? The ground is sodden -

It's not necessarily cold but that horrible dampness is in the air that just gets into your bones and sort of makes your nose run and make you feel like you need to pee lots. Sorry to be crude but it's true :)

So everything is budding that should be, the Blueberries, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Cherries, Apples, Pears, Plums etc - but I shan't bore you with photos of endless buds, hahaha. I'm not that evil! Imagine a fruit tree budding and you get the idea. Though that doesn't mean that we are merely taking this for granted, oh no! - each bud had been oohhhh-ed and ahhhhh-ed over and genuine excitement is hard to hide.

But here is a little collage of some of the more interesting things that are going on.... forgive the lighting it was harsh and white.... 

So down the left hand side we have:

 A beautiful lettuce still hanging on, what a gorgeous colour it is!!

Bolting Kale

And Garlic - you need to click on the photo to get the full glory :)

In the middle here is:

A newly cultivated bed all ready to go - yipppee

My favourite Dogwood cut back and ready for a new year

And on the right we have:

Rhubarb being forced - it's so acidy yellow inside and then there is some poking out the side too - this plant just wants to grow and grow and that is okay with me :) I can't wait for my 1st Rhubarb and cream (I hate custard) of the year

And lastly our Purple Sprouting Broccoli is showing signs of survival after the pigeon attack - hoorah.

And this is the view from the other side and I think it looks pretty darn good! Especially when you consider the state of the plot I am standing on to take this photo - it's just all dead like this; sure I'd like to see it full to the brim with lovely budding plants and a shed and beds etc but at the moment, to be honest, I am kind of enjoying that fact that it is making our plot look so good - hahahahaha. I'm not really that evil - you would feel the same, I just tell the truth ;)

More tomorrow - the other plot :) HUGS  xxx

Our Little Hedglings

Here it is guys, that 1st photo of the new, soon to be amazing, pleached beech hedge. (I am dreaming big here!) It is in it's utmost infancy; a little troupe of brave hedglings at their first day at big school. But aren't they doing well? Standing tall? We all have high hopes for these little fellas.......

Enjoy your weekend xxx

Okay Okay.....

Right, we haven't been sitting on our hands (well Andrew hasn't, I sort of have after the tattoo experience - I can't get it dirty or wear gloves at the moment)!!!!

The allotment, has been looked at. I really did fear, it would be a 'I don't think we're in Kanas anymore' situation and that there would be ruby red slippers poking out from under the shed - the wind, oh lordy, the wind has been terrible. But no, our humble plots were not worse for the wear, in fact, nothing had moved. There is a theory in my mind that everything on our plots has sort of given up, allowed itself to become infected by our own lethargy and thus even the elements couldn't shift a thing over there - oh dear!

So, no camera and utterly freezing you will just have to take my word of it when I tell you what work we (and my that I mean Andrew) did last weekend.

1. The plots were given a general tidy and rubbish put in the bin etc.
2. A raised bed was dug over. Another neighbouring one will be done this weekend and they shall be the spud beds - yippppeeee! However there are lots of Leeks in the second neighbouring one so they need dug out with love first - I'll do that (I love harvesting)
3. The Roses were pruned and all dead leaves were lifted as disease still lingers within them my friends - be vigilant!
4. The Garlic was seen to be poking through!!! WHAT! Yes the garlic we thought had given up the ghost and thus we (again I mean Andrew) planted lots more are doing okay - again can I have a collective Hoorah!!? We shall have loads and loads of garlic again this year then - hahaha, take that Vampires!
5. Lastly, the Raspberry canes were tidied up and tied in.
6. The whole place was given a darn good looking at.

Don't believe me??? I shall over do it with the photographs this weekend and then you will be in no doubt. Watch out - next week this blog will just be a load of photos everyday and maybe a word here and there if you're lucky. Oh, apart from tomorrow, that is, when I shall reveal the planted beech hedglings - what??! did I hear you 'eeek!' with joy - I think I did ;)............

When you haven't got the words...

For B.

REMEMBER me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad

 

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Arm art and cement

Interesting weekend here in the Gault household. First off I got my now quite well known Cherry Blossom Tattoo added to. It now has pretty vine like swirls, leaves and the powerful word 'namaste' written beside it. Here it is in all it's glory. This is my biggest exclamation of self expression...

Then as I can't get it dirty or even wear gloves at the moment I wasn't able to labour intensively in the garden or allotment, in the cold and drizzle - how sad!! hahaha But my darling hubby (tis Valentine's Day after all) did work and he worked hard. Both here in the back garden and at the allotment - I am so proud of him and you shall see why...

Here was the back garden last weekend. Remember? I think we were all mightily impressed.

Well here it is now. Yes, before your eyes lays a raised bed, a bed which is now full to the very brim with the topsoil from trench digging in the garden, loads of the least stinky and therefore well rotted manure and 2 big bags of multipurpose compost. (The photo is from before tne compost addition, now it really is up to the brim) The beech hedgelings are sitting there just aching to get in, spread there roots and grow, grow, grow!! But we are keeping the bed covered for a while as the rain is a pain and the soil is very damp. But it's so fabulous!!!!

Andrew also dug and cemented the foundations of another bed. This one is directly outside the kitchen window and will have the beautiful Winter Flowering Cherry in it. Oh lordy, those buds are a-swelling, big and juicy - I simply cannot wait for the first bloom. They are one of Andrew's and my favourite trees - those blossoms on the bare branches just make me tingle and I find it an extremely potent symbol of new life, new hope, new beginnings (hence the tattoo I have).

We also had a good dander around the local nursery and have further solidified in our minds which plants we love and what shall go where. Even down to the pots and a special secret product that Andrew is working on but which I can't talk about - intrigue, mystery....it's all here :) !!!

Okay, as I haven't really done anything, I'm going to leave the work what was done at the Allotment for another day so you will hopefully come back and share that with me too.

May your day be filled with much love!! Oh and don't forget Maggie and I love you too xx

A little tiny fire in my belly - UPDATED (cause I love you)

Andrew just handed me the current issue of Gardeners' World and an odd thing happened. I felt a little underwhelmed and uninterested but then I did the 1st flick - James was recommending the new plant we bought this weekend - Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Carol, my favourite Sweet Pea ever - 'Cupani' (though I haven't managed to get them this year). There are photographs of new seedlings and the news that Monty is back and the show is once again to be hosted with passion from a real garden. It actually seems like there is talk of a future, a real one, not made up for Friday night entrainment but real!, with bright happy days, good food growing and colour everywhere.

I didn't even want to see this much of today, I was ready to give up to allow myself to shrivel up in some dank and dreary corner but now I am again that seed. The humble little bit of nothing that just needs help, support and love and then wow! try to stop me growing :)
Though damn me if that isn't easier to write than to believe - honestly...I still feel really shitty :( really really shitty.

Nothing was done in the garden or the plots this weekend due to the terrible weather but as I say we bought a  Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane' and it really does look like a party has happened on bare steams - there are pom-pom flowers galore in a delicious dark orange/red colour but James takes his description further and says his are 'part extravagantly coiffed sea anemone', I didn't see that but maybe that's due to the difference in variety (his is a 'Jelena') or then again I'm not quite as eloquent.....

We also brought some pots around from Mamma G's house so at least it looks a little more plant-y out there :)


I have the newest plan, just for you, cause I love ya. But my camera battery is dead at the moment so I guess you will have to just hang on...hehehe

 Our 'Diane', she is a fabulous mix of both the orange and the darkest red I am in love and quite frankly this plant makes me tingle

THE PLAN!!!!! - click to enlarge my lovelies xxx

Wind, Chitting and Butterflies

The winds are up, oh boys-a-dear and the builders on site are on top, the tippy top of the new apartments they've built, trying to work on the roof. Oh. My. Goodness. It is scary to see them way up there with the wind rattling around and all 4 of them haven't a safety harness amongst them, some have even taken their hard hats off - which I guess is understandable as I heard one of them blown off and crashing to the ground below (the hat, not the builder!!!!) I would take a photo but I'm not willing to jinx them, lots of insulating panels being moved about now and I have a strange feeling that my posting a photo it will equal having to phone for an ambulance. (I get 'feelings' a lot and they usually turn out to become true). So just imagine the horror and nervousness I am experiencing - or rather don't because its too horrible and nerve wrecking and I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable.

Right, talk some sense woman!

On the other side of the house on a very safe and unwindy windowsill are our spuds! Hoorah. We have chosen the delightful Maris Piper again this year as our main crop and are being adventurous with our 1st earlies, Sharp's Express. I have no idea what they are going to be like but I shall eat them no matter what, with the joy that only comes with growing one's own :) Generally I am not the biggest potato fan out there but I do so love, love, love the treasure hunt feel of harvesting them. Plus we are going to a Spud Festival in 2 weeks time and I know I'll become obessed (in a good, healthy way) with everything spud related after that :)

Here they are merrily chitting away in the spare room/everything-still-in-boxes-from-moving-house room. Tis a happy sight, I think you will agree.

You know we were at the Lottie all morning/afternoon on Sunday last. I took my camera, got one wobbly 'before' photo and then it died. Sad really I think it was just because it was so cold - in the house the battery read as two thirds charged. So, no evidence of what we did - sorry. But I swear we both worked hard and got beds cleared, dug over and mulched etc. I personally filled 2 whole wheelbarrows and a bucket, full of weeds, got a sore back, bruised knee and broke a nail -success!

And joy upon joy - tulips and daffodils were poking their sweet hope filled heads above ground. Spring IS around that corner, I got a glimpse :)

And so onto Butterflies. I have a  photo to enliven your day, through it isn't of a real butterfly but one I made. Let me explain, or rather please look at this link to explain

http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/butterfly-effect-open-is-calling-you.html

I did put up the picture and told you about this project back here:

http://growourown.blogspot.com/2011/01/butterfly-effect.html

but I am going to also put the button on the right hand side of this blog so hopefully you'll take a moment some day soon and check it out :)

Here is my humble effort which I need to now wrap up carefully and post to the 'Two Dresses' lady herself:

The main coloured paper bit is a photograph of mine called 'Fireworks' and was chosen as a representation of those little lives and the short lived joy and sparkle they had brought into the world.
The turquoise paper behind has the word 'butterfly' written on it around the edges in many different languages; those of the people who would have perished and of those who helped to save them.
The woolen (and now also beaded) tassel as the body was cut off my own cherished baby blanket and the ribbon flutters delicately just as a butterfly should.

I have tried to make this as personal and as fitting a tribute as I can but let's be honest how could you ever encapsulate the memory of even one single child's death in such a way?? Hopefully when there are thousands of them from all over the world all together, the art will speak......

Anyway I wish you a peaceful and happy weekend - hugs xxx

Developments in the back garden :)

Hoorah for Andrew! Today his bricking laying abilities were praised by the Site Foreman/owner of the company who is building this development - he was even offered a job, hahaha.

Here's the first bed to be built and it has a wee sticky-outy bit too, all will make sense later on ;) I am super proud and even choose to place myself within the new bed to see how it will feel for our bamboos: the verdict was 'very good indeed!'

We're getting more builders' blocks delivered today so Andrew shall be no doubt chomping at the bit to get the next areas started. We already have a list of plants to go into these non-existent beds and it's all getting a bit exciting. I reckon we'll soon be bringing round all our pots from Mamma G's house to make it more green out there and soon, my darlings we are going to have the makings of a lovely back garden. It the moment there isn't anything for me to do so I resorted to buying this at the nursery to make me feel better - I am such a big child ;)

Please do notice that we (I by that I really mean Andrew as my head is usually in the clouds to be honest) are always thinking of the birdies and have nuts, seeds, fat balls and water out there! Now we have 2 Great tits, 2 Blue tits, 2 Magpies, lots of Wrens and a Robin - happy days :)

P.S. I promise I will catch up on all your blogs - honest xxxx