The allotment without me

This is a super huge catch up post and boy does it make me feel all the feels. I'm embarrassed and ashamed as Andrew has done everything himself, I'm proud of him, I'm sad that it doesn't interest me and actually being there causes panic, and I'm amazed that the plots around us are in such a wild state that it feels so pointless to even try - is this all a waste of time?!

plot just before ours - ggrrrr

So Andrew and I were coming home from a trip to Belfast on Sunday and he needed to go in to the plots to get some food for us. Ahh, sneaky - that got me there off guard for the first time in months. I could have stayed in the car but I walked down, just with my phone and had a wee look. Here, this is proof that I was in fact, literally there -

24a
OK so this is the first born plot, the original and the best. The one that once won 'Best Allotment Garden' and which this blog was all about for a long time. It still feels like the important one; there sits the shed, the benches, the compost bins, the soil there has my blood, sweat, tears and adrenaline in it from those first exciting months of allotmenteering.

what you can see here: (with thanks to Andrew typing these lists!)
* left side - courgettes, sweetcorn, broad beans, french beans, mangetout
* right side - kale, kohlrabi, purple sprouting broccoli, garlic, beetroot, parsnips, carrots, spring onions, turnips.

standing at the entrance to 24a

14b
Okay, so it's ours too; in fact is was gotten under my name. However, the blackberry, rhubarb, poppies and roses are the only things I ever feel a connection with. Andrew has worked so damn hard over there but the asparagus has failed (I saw one frond) and I have been too ill to use the rhubarb this year or look after any flowers.

Good new is the woodland area trees are looking good and there is a nice wee under planting of herbs. I forgot to take a photo but hey, these are all terrible phone photos anyway :)

back half of 14b

a tidy up and this would show some nice flowers and many to come

We have thought often about giving this half plot up but when you think of the money pit it has been and the hours of work to get it to this stage were food is growing it breaks your heart. Plus 3 sides of it are coming down with weeds up to my thigh height with mostly grasses, nettles, dandelions and other unwanted seeds constantly floating over - arrghhhh.

I only managed about 5 mins there this first time and then I had a panic attack and had to run to the safety of the car. Thank goodness I have been taking my hayfever medication though, it could have been deadly!

* So far this year we have been eating *

rhubarb

mangetout

broad beans

spring onions
lettuce

potatoes (grown in big pots)

courgettes

mini carrots

gooseberries

With much love and hopes for more blog posts (and much better photography) to come,
Your Carrie xx

back garden/ bamboo ninja

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.

Photos galore from a happy weekend

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

An late night trip to the lottie

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

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

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*

A seedless gripe

Boo hiss! Damn it all to heck! And other such stronger rants - you get the idea, I'm sure ;) Andy and I are STILL sitting here with this blasted flu, I was even delirious earlier singing songs - what was all that about?

Not a seed packet to be seen, the catalogues aren't even in the house, no broad beans sown as is usual, we haven't even thought about it all. Oh this isn't good. What do we want to grow this year? I don't know! What new varieties are we thinking of trying? You tell me. Is our plot a haven of freshly prepared soil, manure and the usual seaweed all ridged up and tidy? Blushing I must quietly say 'no'.

The old is still to be removed, the soil loved and fed, the gardening implements oiled, sharpened and the shed tidied. Dare I even confess....I don't know where the lottie stuff is and though Andrew DID work out the new rotation, I haven't a clue. These few photos were taken as 'before snaps' of parts of the plots a few weeks ago. I think we are both blessed that the camera battery died (of shame??) and I only got these.

A 24a

 A 14b

Blasted Pigeons have eaten our Purple Sprouting Broccoli - I'm too upset to talk about it

 We do have purple Kale

Well, it's still like that, umm, it's probably worse. *hangs head*

But Andy has started in the back garden of this, our brand new house. Lucky we have a plan - it has been there for about a year now, slowly evolving and then going back to the original :) But it has been started - hoorah! As it is a brand new house, the garden area is mainly stones, hardcore, a very light frosting of muck (I wouldn't even call it soil) and quite a lot of wood, plastic and weeds. Lovely. But as we are going for raised beds we have seen this as somewhat of a silver lining - Andrew didn't have to dig much before he was at a good solid floor for some concrete and here are the photos to prove it.

I shan't tell you too much about the plans as I really would love you to share in the journey with us but I will say this - I have a super clever hubby who is building me a retreat, a veritable extra bit of Eden to call my own.

Leaving you with love in the form of this..our freckled ally

And this....allotmenteers' porn :)

But still....not a seed in sight - oh dear!