Playing Catch Up ~ 1

It's been a while dear friends, can you tell my heart just isn't in it these days?

The allotment is a foreign place to me now even though it is but a moments drive away. Andrew is soldiering on but even he is feeling downhearted about the place, for example last night he had things to do but instead spent an hour mowing paths that the council neglect to do; what a waste of his time.

We've had some serious talks about giving up; about only keeping 24a and stopping 14b; of whether we would care if it all burned down one day.... and the answers, well, we would care. We don't need to put so much mental and psychical effort in but we are keeping it and are going to start reigning back the time and efforts spent therein.

24a - looking good if you ask me ( I can't show you the disappointing bits, too upsetting)

So much time, energy (psychical and mental), money and love has been poured into those little slices of 'Eden' and so little has been received in turn. Plus now the plots are truly in their worst states in the A field at least, many friends have left, there is absolutely no community atmosphere and the barren ground, diseases and weeds are really taking their toll.

Recent produce (plus potatoes) and the garlic lifted

'Be the change you wish to see in the world', has long been a motto of mine, but let me tell you, there is only so much an already mentally ill girl can take and I am saturated.

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So - this blog shall continue to log our allotment efforts and gains but now I shall be talking about Ecotherapy as a whole in my life and not limiting it to Allotmentherapy alone. I/We have 'refound' camping and hiking and life is looking like one of adventure and exploration as only last week showed in glorious (almost blinding) technicolor.

We camped out in a tent for the first time in years last week and I journalled, talked to strangers and took photographs (ones to prove I was camping, hahaa, AND fine art ones), a part of me coming back to life! It was scary, it was noisy but Andrew and Maggie were there and all was well.

Then we also hiked for 8 miles on Friday with amazing friends. Up in the Mourne Mountains, I still can't believe I did it but we have photos to prove it! With my double vision, it was more of challenge than one would imagine, plus I fainted about a quarter of the way in, but my stubbornness pushed me forward and, what?, I walked from the Trassey Trail to Bloody Bridge (Walk 16 in the book The Mournes Walks).

Lunch time :)

I've been asleep ever since and only today am I starting to feel human again but I think I may have caught the bug. This ecotherapy is passive and yes you give A LOT but boy do you receive A LOT in return.

Anyway, my love to you all as always,
We shall still 'Grow Our Own' but now we shall also be just generally 'Growing'
Your
Carrie

Reacquaintance with Field A

Boy it's been a really long time since I took a walk around the plots on our field, though as you know, it's also been a really long time since I have been on the field at all.

Well I went on Saturday and Sunday there and it was, for the most part, okay. I still felt extremely weak and tired from the flu but it was a joy to get back to our plot and see the changes. I will talk of 24a tomorrow and show pictures of our harvests etc but today I thought I'd ease us all back in with some photos of random scenes around Field A (A for awesome, hahaha)

Starting with the plot of shame, our shame, 14b....

Cosmos still going well, apples on the tiny 'family tree', a pumpkin 'Crown Prince', artichoke flower

 Walking over to the opposite side of the plots...

Seriously, if I rolled up in a ball I would be the same size as this pumpkin!; nasturtiums in the compost; amazing display of sweet peas; a pretty darn run down shed :(

 Way over at the opposite side, wow, it had been so long...

cameleon (not native); grapes on the vine; rather abandoned plot but still has beauty; hops :)

The return walk to 24b....

So I hope we all feel more acquainted with the place again and tomorrow I'll focus on our 24a, just don't talk to me about 14b for a while (a few months would be good).

Love and hugs

Carrie

A little nosey around the fields #1 (A and B)

We wanted to take dear little Maggie for a walk but couldn't face the usual routes we take and the tide was in so a trip to the beach wasn't happening - so what better than a dander and a good looking at other people's plots?! It's been ages since I took a walk around Eden Allotment Gardens and saw what was going on, what others were growing and the interesting details about how one puts personality into a plot.

We started off in our own field, field A where I feel most comfortable.

This is the plot right beside us, it used to be a friends but he had to give it up due to work commitments, now it has been carved into 2. This is the part we are next to on two sides (the bottoms of both 24a and 14b are next to this). It's a little bit very annoying with all those weeds but look at the super work a lovely married couple have managed to do to that other half in just a matter of weeks! Wow - well done. Gives us all new hope and a little spurt of energy (have to keep up with the Jones').

So, then off on our travels we passed by Davy's wild flower border which is just stunning and onto a fun sight of a scarecrow (in Halloween costume?) looking after a load of potatoes. Then beside that on the same plot, we noticed the presence of  a disease is hitting a lot of peoples' strawberries this year, especially if they are new bought ones. This patch is just gone as one one across the path and it continued around the fields :(

After this I fell, yep, totally wiped out and landed on  my side, mucked up from toe to face in Colin's plot. Lucky for Colin it was only the edge of his plot and straight into some very good quality, dark and composty soil (I was looking at it very closely for a moment, haha). I don't think anyone but Andrew saw and he picked me up sharpish. However the camera was dirty and there are few photos from here as I had to allow the muck to dry off. I do have a very impressive bruise though......

Into Field B and instantly it is bogland, there appears to be no drainage in this field at all and I really do feel so sorry for the plot holders here. Thank goodness we were wearing our wellies, I wonder, can you get small dogs wellies??.....

However there was some very impressive sights such as this ingenius idea. It is a shed or a greenhouse? It's both! Hoorah for inventiveness. Plus look at Ricky's plot, it's like something made up for a movie set.

Upon dandering out again we stopped by Andrew's Uncle's plot and look - I thought it was rather funny. Never seen anything like this before carrots in love - awwww, how sweet.

other people's plots and produce to be jealous about

I love my friends in field A, they are approachable, funny and passionate about the lotties, blah blah, blah. But sometimes I tell you, they grate on my nerves! Just look at some of the great plots and fab produce they are growing. One person even has a pumpkin (the darn plants just WILL NOT fruit for us ~ conspiracy??) and look at Ronnie's onions drying~they are huge and just perfect. (I'm not that jealous about this though as onions and I have a very bad relationship - they make me very ill).

That broccoli head is massive, the photo doesn't really show that.

Overview photos are of Mary, Colin and Bobby's plots (just a few great ones).......

Down at the lotties last night was very disheartening as the wind, the damn wind!, was blowing a gale in our field; battering some plants to actual death on our new plot 14b. It's because we haven't got any wind breaks up yet in that plot and the site as a whole has no shelter, especially after the disastrous hedge 'trim' (read 'massacre') we had recently.

Ah well, I am really happy that my friends are doing so well, honestly. After all it isn't a competition.

However! I do have this ......

and that trumps everything everyone could grow!

Signs

I took myself off for a while on Saturday, as I always try to do ~ spend time out in the field and let chats happen whilst I take photos. I really am trying to be more socialable and fight my anxieties tooth and nail. Sometimes it works and I come back to my plots feeling better and a little proud at my efforts; sometimes it doesn't go well and I come back a nervous wreck and end up going home. Depends on the day.

It went well on Saturday, I did have a terrible panic attack down there, but that happened later in the day. I am rigid with fear when I can't find someone and he's just dandered off for half an hour with out telling me ~ You know who you are!!!

Anyway my trip was inspired by our new nextdoor neighbours sign (A24B). It was so beautiful and unsual that I decided to take a walk and do a personal art tour of other peoples' plot number signs. I think it turned out to quite interesting and said a lot about the people who owned that plot (arty, practical, economical, kids on site...)

Here's our 2 - what it says about me? I like colour, smashing up tiles and have too much time on my hands, hahaha.

This is my first ever attempt at a meme with the aid of Mr. Linky, which friends like VP and May Dreams Gardens use. I would love it if you joined in, bascially and honestly, because I'm dead nosey! I would love to see your plot number/house number sign. Just a close up, no worries about me coming to steal your garden, honestly!!! ;)

Mr Linky has failed me, or maybe I failed it, I didn't want to pay for his services. Everything bar this particular bloggette went missing eeekkk! So if you would like to help me be as nosey as possible and share your number please just leave a link in the comments box. If not, well we live and learn....... (shy smile)

Praise be to the next door neighbours!

You may remember that a while back Andrew and I were desperate to get our be-gloved hands on 24b, the half plot adjoining ours. It was tired and let's be honest, neglected, no one had seen a sign of it's owners since September 2008. However over the past few weeks, Mark and Charlene had given over a majority of this plot to friends, keeping only a bed for themselves. Theses newbies ~ John, Don and Katie have been going mad and the plot looks fabulous now. It's almost unbelievable, especially with the cute shed and mowed grass.

On top of that, Austin, on the other side of us (A13) has attacked his overgrown problem with a much more dramatic solution ~ FIRE. Yes, he has burnt the ground where last year he had grown tomatoes (which unfortunately got terrible blight). And, again, last night, with no camera, another strip had been done as well! I hope he is going to get back into it again soon, it's so much nicer to be surrounded by plots that are bulging full of produce, than empty sad looking ones. It's great to see something being done with these patches of land, they have so much to offer up if the time was just put into them.

Lastly for today, we had new Allotmenteers turn up on Saturday and take over one of the scariest plots in Field A, number 22 (in between Gary and James). It took them all day to strim and cut back the thick weeds (which were up to my chest height) in this full plot area . The sun was baking and they must have been utterly exhausted. Under it all there are 4 or so good sized raised beds and I was told last night they have put down weedkiller everywhere but in a few of these beds. I don't blame them, I'm surprised they didn't cover it all in petrol, set fire to it, put said fire out and cover it over with black plastic until next year. But NO, last night (I hadn't my camera) they had planted cabbages and strawberries out - they're brave hardy people (or fools, maybe, hehehe, only joking). I really must find out their names, I didn't go over on Saturday because I wasn't feeling well, but I hope to see them again soon.

If you get 5 minutes.... / venture further a field

When Andrew got home from work last night, it was case of everyone in the car and away; we had a quick picnic dinner at the Lottie. Andrew needed to get into the prep of our new half plot. Luckily Bill was there and lent him his petrol strimmer - I left him to it, he seemed to be enjoying himself, hehe.

At the meeting the night before, Myrtle (our Chairwoman) asked me to give out some leaflets; I find it hard to say "no" to people (don't take advantage of that information!) and so I ended up with 20 odd to hand out. (alanromans.com has discounted seeds for us on his on-line shop - cool!) It was a colder evening and I was freezing so the walk would do me good anyway and I couldn't really help Andrew with the strimming; I doubt I could lift the contraption even if he had let me.

Firstly I visited friends that hadn't been able to make it to the meeting. Davy and his son were having a wee tea in their shed after picking Cow Slips for Davy's wife. How cute are they?! Then over to Rab who has just swapped plots, now he's on the other side of Ronnie on a piece of land that isn't water logged all the time. He has achieved more in a couple of days on this plot than he did in a year on his first. The enthusiasm is back and it's looking great already - Well done Rab (and David).

On up at the top of Field A I met Mary for the first time. Ridiculous I know, we've both been at the Lotties since they started and I often admired her Dahlias last summer but never spoke to her. My Goodness I was missing out on someone special there ~ she is lovely, make that LOVELY. We had a good old chat and I'll be back there again for a coffee and natter, that's for sure.

The only people in Field B were committee members, (Maxine and John) I didn't realise who they were until I was right up beside them. That was somewhat of a wasted journey, of course they had the leaflets I was handing out!

Field D had a good few people on it as usual. The new plot holders have so much energy and drive, I love it. I even bumped into brothers who are hoping to get a plot and were checking the project out. You know I spoke to 5 or 6 people in that field and was so nervous by then that I couldn't even tell you one name, I don't even think I introduced myself! I really do think the Allotments have grown too quickly for me, I can't begin to keep up with all the plot holders, I was just getting used to my group of friends in Field A!

Lastly (to complete my loop back to my shed) I went through Field C. I first met another Davy and very nice he was too. My Papa (grandfather) always said you can tell a lot about someone by their hand shake - well his was lovely, firm and friendly - I instantly warmed to him. Then there were friendly 2 families (one of which sat behind Andrew and I at the meeting, but of course I don't know their names - I'm so bad) and then 2 nice blokes working hard. At the very end I bumped into dear Donald as well.

Andrew and Maggie had by now started their own little search party for me! Andrew had finished his work and wanted me to see the plot cut back and pegged out. It is great and the soil under that black plastic is good but I am still holding out for the plot adjoining ours, I just need to get in contact with Mark & Charlene and see if they will swap with us.

Anyway, it was really great having a reason to force myself out there into the wider Eden Lottie world and chat to people. It's pretty obvious we all need to socialise with each other more, it has become quite segregated into different Fields and I don't like that. It's also obvious that communication is terrible on site and people are hearing either nothing or all sorts of rumours from people - Chinese whispers. I look forward to the AGM and the Fun Day - hopefully we can all become more of the community I hoped we would be.

So after talking to so many people I was a wreck, wine and meds both were needed for me to get any sleep and I was up at 6 this morning panicking badly again. I love to meet people but it makes me so acutely anxious. I'm on a self-imposed strike today ~ doing nothing but reading and maybe yoga!

Wow, that's got to be the longest post ever!

Happy Birthday A24a

It's been a year since that inconspicuous letter full of happiness was pushed through the letter box and landed on my hall carpet. Yes, my friends, THE letter; the one sent my the council to say we had the rights to plot A24a for a year!!!! God, I remember how excited we were, but I can't believe it's been 1 whole year.

This is what our field looked like then and now.

This is what our plot looked like!

We were so happy, I took photos of OUR grass, OUR soil and OUR weeds, how sad is that?!

I have lots of photos to look through today and just remind myself how far we've come, the friends we've made and the delicious food we've grown ourselves.

I have said it before and but will keep on saying it til I die. This little piece of Eden was saved my life and continues to do so. Ecotherapy, 'getting-back-to-nature', call it what you will, but when all is said and done the Lottie (along with Medication) has made more in roads in my mental health problems that any other type of therapy I've done (and that's a lot).

Here's to another year!

Chocolate straight after Breakfast!!

Easter Monday ~ sitting in my dressing gown beside my equally clad hubby, enjoying the sun and watching a kids movie on the TV. Maggie has successfully 'killed' her favourite toy and is now sleeping off the battle on the rug. All is well.

I think it's time I wrote a little about the other Eden Lottie Folk. Boy, have I noticed a big surge in activity, not just in those who are new to the project and therefore have lots of enthusiasm and ideas bursting out of their heads (i.e. those in Field C and D) but also in Field B and my favourite (I'm biased I know) ~ Field A.

I have lots of photos to show you, mainly from the Plots of those close to me but also from Donald's plot way over at the farthest side from us at A24a.

1stly, here is dear Ronnie.

He kind of has a full plot, it's 2 halves with a proper road in between them! A half each of 2 separate plots. He works seemingly all the time, I wouldn't be surprised if he was found down there in the middle of the night with a miner's hat on working away. You will not believe what he made yesterday with the help of his son-in-law. A Greenhouse, from scratch! We're all very impressed but secretly really rather jealous. It's roasty toasty in it.

Inspiring plot/s, no?

2ndly, here is Davy.

Like us he has a half plot and has had a major double espresso style surge of energy. I LOVE his Chiminea which is uses to make his dinner on and he has decided to grow cauliflowers in huge pots this year which I think will look fantastic and I'm looking forward to watching them develop; veggies are just as pretty as flowers a lot of the time. From his place of work he manages to get a lot of scrap (but perfectly good) wood and a lovely fence is slowly going up surrounding his little piece of Eden. I really haven't taken enough photos of his plot...

Then there's Wilma and John and Wilma's Brother Robert. They share the full plot next to us. Until recently it was covered with black plastic to keep down the weeds. When lifted weeks ago, they discovered a large family of mice living comfortably under there. Glad I wasn't there for the screams!! They have lots of potatoes planted and a good selection of other things already - Brussel Sprouts, Onions, Potatoes, Cabbage and celery, for instance.

Lastly, for this Bloggette....I was visited by Donald and his lovely wife yesterday. They asked me to take a few photos of their plot so family way up in Bushmills (yes, where they make the wonderful Whiskey) could see with their own eyes the great work they are doing. It's very impressive indeed and I hope the family is proud! ;) Andrew and I are particularly taken with the small but perfectly formed lean-to greenhouse, but we haven't room ourselves. *

Just as a wee extra - this is Ricky's shed near to Donald's , I think it's my favourite shed, just so cute and hand built by the man himself. Check out the wine glass too, my kind of Allotmenteering!

*I've more photos I'll try to get to you.

Finished this bloggette at Mamma G's house - big thanks to her for the lend of the mobile broadband thingy and for visiting us at the Lottie yesterday. To my friends that I didn't write about 'sorry' I'll get round to it xx