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!

A not quite bird's eye view of the whole Allotments

They join on to each other quite well though of course it really is hard to get a clear photo of it all. Maybe I should hire a microlite. How cool would that be!!!

The one below has our wee shed highlighted with a red circle - open it up x

Field D

There has been a good deal of action all over the Allotments but the most visible change from afar is that of Field D. Only released a couple of months ago, these troopers are making strides, well a few are. As always you'll find some people with a heck of a lot of enthusiasm and then those plots were it's all grass still or it's been ploughed but that was months ago and now it's a Lottie of weeds. (Actually, let's be honest today - those people with NO interest or indeed no time should do the decent thing and give up their plot to someone who needs/desperately wants it).

I have a couple of photos I think may be of interest to those in Field D. Two of the Allotmenteers are in them!!! Always good to see yourself in print, eh?

This is Ivan and to be honest it is astonishing the work he has managed to do in so little time. I wish him all the best and I really will have to get better photos of his plot. Love his modern art touch to the fence though! and he's planted willow right around the compost area to screen it and copious it for his own needs. But there is so much more to this plot.



I am a bit miffed to say, I don't know the name of the man pictured here painting his shed. But he does have a cute little Jack Russel bitch called.....Maggie! Good choice of name, eh? The first time the 2 girls (my Maggie and his) met it was a bit rowdy but last time they were running around chasing each other - so cool to see, nothing better than a happy dog, or indeed, pair of dogs.

I'll have to do more dandering about and meeting people - I'm just a bit too nervous and self conscious at the present.

Of mouse and men and a pony

This jumps all over the place like a small puppy; inelegant but with a purpose - yesterday has me exhausted and concentration is poor, ummm, what??. Exactly.

Well, I was painting - "really?" you say, yes just a little bit more!! And Andrew left me alone so he could go to our house and pick up those extra plants we had, you know, for the snail and frog planters. During this time I met Aaron and his friend Jason who were having a dander around Field A. Aaron is Donald's son (I've called him Douglas/Donald since I met him - of course these guys knew that and were making fun of me! So cruel ;), the youth of today!)

Anyway, I chatted to them for quite a while, BIG news for me, as I have already mentioned, it's hard for me to socialise at the best of times.

Later, I re-paid the visit as Aaron mentioned his Dad's Hotel and Spa for wildlife was doing well. Donald was rather excited to tell me that (apart from bugs) he had a resident mouse and most recently, a frog, who didn't stay long but may come back with friends - there is hope. In the late dusk, he also has a Pheasant come over; Ricky has seen him many times (he's always last to leave the lotties) sitting proudly on his log bench. So Donald's plot seems to be the place to be! He also does burgers and bacon butties with the help of his chimena - so it's very popular indeed!!!


Donald, Aaron and Jason

I noticed some other people working hard in 'B' - this couple were putting up a new greenhouse as their old one had glass in it and that's not allowed. They seemed to be doing really well I didn't hear any shouting or arguments, so high praise for them indeed. I didn't annoy them long though for obvious reason and hence, don't even know their names.


The weekend before (I forgot about this !) I visited the newly opened Field 'D'. Unfortunately there was only 1 Allotmenteer there at the time, fortunately it was Ivan, another of those men it is a joy to meet. His plot was already coming on a pace, with loads of double digging, the man is like a machine! And I briefly noticed on Sunday on the way home, that he has a shed up now too. The first in the whole field - I salute you Ivan, for your efforts so far!




The beginning of Sunday : Field C - joy to see little pony and trap, everyone digging and loads of sheds.
And the end of Sunday : us wrecked and splattered with paint (and cow poo too).

Field trip to Field D

So, I made it to the Lottie on Saturday for a wee while (about half and hour, before I had to go home) I'm sure you'll be glad to hear.

I headed off to see the new field ~ 'D', see if anything had started there. Remember I told you it was soon to be released and was going to be totally organic? Well here is how it looks now, this was where Maggie just to go for a run and chase and where I would lie down in the Summer and watch the clouds roll by. No one else ever seemed to go into it, I'll miss it when it all gets turned into Allotments. But one must not be selfish ~ think of the joy that will be in that field, the new adventures, the lovely food and flowers and the quirky individuality of new people's sheds and plots. Photo fodder if you will.

The only thing I noticed was a shuck had been dug around the bottom edge of the field (between it and Field B. And another, by the way, had been dug down the side of Field B, by the hedge, between that field and ours. I desperately hope that the drainage situation will get sorted out soon. It's such a squidgy mess there.

I suppose one good thing is that a large official sign has been erected in the car park, urging people not to use the paths with their cars between October and April. I hope that is just for now and in the future we will get proper roads laid down ~ only for the fact that, at times people will have to take their cars to their plots, to off-load large, heavy items, or indeed get a shed delivered. But patience is a virtue ~ we'll get there in the end.