St Patrick and Rhubarb

Did that title grab your attention? Did you think that I was going to tell you all about my new an exciting research into the link between St Paddy and rhubarb? Well, I'm not - I don't know if there's a link, I don't care - the whole St Paddy's Day thing grates on me; why does everyone think they are Irish for that one day and then use it as an excuse to get rat a*sed?

Okay, shame on me, *hangs head*,I have neglected you but I didn't mean too; I shall explain. On St Patrick's Day (last Saturday) the sun was a-shining and Andrew and I were pepped up and ready to go (after 2 coffees) and worked hard at the Lottie. Maybe a little too hard, looking back on it, especially when I had a full day at the craft Market on Sunday. So I have been in break down mode since Monday and thus my fingers and brain haven't been communicating very well - hence no blog post until now. I shall make up for it!!

So Saturday, no we did not wear green, sing Danny Boy and paint our faces (though we did have a beer whilst working but we do that sometimes anyway and I am North Irish so I am allowed - don't judge me!!!) No, we did something much more traditional - we planted our Spuds :) Now that is what you really ought to be doing on St Paddy's, now you know.

We're growing Estima and Sharpe's Express this year. Here they are before we took them to the plot - basking in the sunshine, doing their very last bit of chitting before planting time. I do have a thing for potatoes - it's that whole put 1 in the ground and wait a while and then dug out 8 that look just like the one you put in - it's the first potent encounter I ever had with magic and it reminds me of a slightly sepia coloured memory of my Papa and I in his back garden, gathering food for dinner....

Estima

Sharpe's Express

Here they go into the ground. This happened over the period of the afternoon as Andrew went away a few times to get things, such as horse poo and beer and ice lollies - all at different times ;) Here on the right you can see the beverages.

But here is the good sh*t!!! Hahaha - beautiful, non smelly horse poo from a fabulous source for free - hoorah. I love free stuff and it is full of worms, which is something our plots severely lack I am sad to say. You can see some of the poo in the spud trench too, I've just noticed that in the photo. But here's a great big boot load of the stuff to feast your eyes upon.....

I was able to buy some fence paint and new brushes (yay for my pincushions selling! - made me feel good to buy it myself) and got painting the shed. It is looking great already, though I have more to do around the back and a second coat on the door and all the trellis and 3 benches! Eeek, but I do love the finished look. I hope it's really obvious that this is the 'before' photo.








So onto the rhurbarb. I love that word, rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb...I think I may have to get a pet of some sort so I can say it out loud in public with glee. Here is the 14b plant which had pushed the lid off the forcer :) We still have to make some more delicious rhubarb and ginger compote with it (2nd batch), this time Andrew says he may add some of the Raspberries from the freezer to it as well - ummmmm, tasty.

I'm going to leave you now with more photos of rhubarby goodness. I have more lovely photos to sure of around our plots, new life brusting into life all around and it's wonderful. I show you them next time, for now - it's dinner.