Booze, Bloody Battles, Beans, a BBQ and Bugs

I'm not coping very well with reality at the moment (though a nice Merlot is helping). Today has been one big sleep, with some awake breaks for water and phone calls. Yes, as Andrew says I am better than I was when we came back from Italy but I am taking a lot of medication and pushing myself so hard everyday that I'm exhausted and as a side effect am too tried to think. When I have a minute alone it has to be filled with something and apart from reading incessantly that is generally sleep.

But now Andrew is home and we're just in front of the TV (after checking on the Lottie but the weather, oh god, do not mention the weather - horrendous!), he's watching some historic-drama thing and I can't be bothered so I have turned to my blog, which I feel has been neglected rather and am going to tell you about our (quite impressive) progress from last week/weekend.

First though ~ RHS Chelsea!!!! Other Bloggers will be covering it wonderfully so I'll leave to them, however a quick note - It's so Fabulous! I am in awe of all those 'proper' gardeners and that guy from Top Gear (with the flowing locks) and his Plasticine garden piece. I'd love to visit one day, though the crowds are daunting looking, I'd need a wee behind the scenes tour before opening time. Maybe in the delightful company of Joe Swift or Mr Titchmarsh, now that would be nice. Darn it, all those amazing RHS shows are in England and Wales, what about us poor Northern Irish folk?!

Goodness this TV show is bloody and gruesome, going to have Andy to turn it down a little!

The sky is uninterrupted blue and the wind seems to gone, it's lovely; Mother Nature can be a b*tch sometimes. Why now, why have good weather now when the Lottie day is over? We've been suffering from poor weather for weeks now and our plants look rather sorry for themselves. The French Beans in particular are sulking, I don't blame them, I certainly wouldn't enjoy having my feet buried in cold wet soil and being blown about all over the show. I hope they cope, can plants have nervous breakdowns?!

So to the work we've been up to, there are a couple of stories that will make wee bloggettes in the next few days, but here's some bits and bobs...

A Barbecue!!!

We had a lovely evening on the 12th May (Okay so Mother Nature isn't that nasty); a super wee BBQ on the plot. Sausages and baps and a mixed bean salad. YUM! Other's around us were jealous, which (admit it yourself) made it all the more enjoyable, hehe. We did offer some around but luckily everyone had had dinner already, shame. Oh and we had a beer with it; living the dream alright!

I suppose it was only fair after my cheek, that we found the redcurrant was infested with greenfly. Horrible, gross little beings. Andrew got in there with his fingers and squished them, I prefer the soapy water spray technique myself. But on the up side another insect turned up that was lovely, some sort of fab Beetle. I like to think it's a goody, anyway Andrew deemed it fit to live. Plus, not our fault, but the shed has 3 dead cabbage white butterflies inside it by the window. If it's any consolation to you animal lovers out there I was eaten by lots of midges so in a way nature got her own back. I'm still itchy all over my scalp and now that I've thought about it, I'm scratching away, damn it.

I think I'll leave it there for tonight, I could go on and write a book the way my mind has become engaged in this but I don't think you'd be interested, I've probably lost you already, ha.

I shall leave you with this lovely pic of a rhubarb leaf, I think the colour is amazing, too good to cut and eat! Plus ~ tomorrow WILL be better x

Frosty Wind made Moan (a lot)

Oh my goodness! It was blowing a gale this weekend, never mind the nasty coldness and the downpours ~ not a good weekend to be an Allotmenteer. Though I have to say we did get some jobs done and saw quite a few others down at the plots over the period - we hardy perennials!

The wind was the worst however and things were all over the place when we visited, especially on Sunday. Apologies to: Myrtle as this is a photo of her shed on it's side and your cloches are in the hedge; the people at 15b in field C as this is their shed blown off its foundations; everyone at the Eden Allotment Gardens (in total) as this is our little port-a-loo, and to all those who have yet to find their compost bins - they're all over the place.

My sympathies to the man in Field A No. 12 ~ you're shed, as yet not fully erected and stabilised, is in a heap on the ground - too upsetting to put a photo of it here - there may be children reading this.

We (the Hubby and I) were very lucky, only our middle compost bin, from 'the Trinity', escaped. It left not only our plot but Field A altogether, past Field C and the Car park area and ended up as the furthest away bin in the whole place (up by the changing rooms!). We were fortunate to get it back! Andrew has it well and truly bolted to the ground now with canes and big rocks.

Maggie missed the carnage, as we left her at home on her blanket all cosy and sleepy. I don't think 'dog kites' would go down very well with the animal cruelty people! (note: cartoon pic not photo!)

Sunnybank and the cold

The 1st Saturday of a new month a very cold and frosty day - December, wick.

We decided to visit the Sunnybank Nursery on our way to the Lottie. We have many ideas my friends and wanted to check out what was about. I took some photos while Andrew dandered (he knew what we were looking for better than I did). It was kind of Christmas-tree-buying weekend, I'm allergic so we weren't tempted. The arguments that could be heard from families trying to pick the 'best one' were funny though.

On our way out we were stopped by one of the staff who had recognised Andrew and wanted to give a response to an e-mail he had recently written to them. How friendly are they???! It seems we'd be better off getting our asparagus mail order, especially with us wanting about 10 crowns, but they are trying to get in bare root, maiden fruit trees; we just need to wait a little longer until they get info back from their suppliers. It is lovely having a small, very local nursery right by the Allotments. Hoorah for Sunnybank.

When we got to the car park of the Lottie, it was wonderful to see a brand new shed, right up at that end of Field C. Check out the map - I think it was 22(b). And the little Apple trees that were planted by the Council (and volunteers) 2 weeks ago; they're old traditional varieties from Northern Ireland too. So that was a nice sight to welcome us. Though (here I go moaning again) the path did somewhat take the look off the place and Maggie had to be carried down, not that she minded I'm sure.

On our little plot we instantly got ourselves set up with the kettle on and a makeshift bean bag for Maggie to sit on. She got a chill last week from sitting on the ground - not this time! I got the bag of paper shreddings and her blanket and viola! a lovely lounging chair. She seemed to like it, though when I took this pic, she was a little unsure of her footing.

There was hardly a soul around, okay it was literally freezing but the sky was so blue and there is work to be done people.We heard later that day, that the first robbery had happened on the site. Very upsetting, especially when it seems the person was caught out and it was one of our own. I truly feel upset, this was so unexpected. I have hopes that our Committee will deal with this in a strict, no nonsense way - it cannot be tolerated.

Update on path - already!

I wrote an e-mail directly to the head of the Parks & Countryside Development sector of our Local Borough Council, after uploading my latest blog-ette on the Path issue. And lo and behold I got a personal e-mail back within 20 mins of sending my own. I was/am impressed.

Power to the people! my friends - both the official Committee letter on this problem and mine (eek) are going to be presented at a council meeting on the 5th December. The budget for the Allotments has totally run out but we will have to keep our fingers crossed that there is some Christmas spirit in that meeting and we will be granted our wish of better access.

I'll keep you posted.

The Lottie Path (take 2)

This wee video is just 1 min long - check it out.....Okay this isn't great - no Stephen Spielberg am I. But at least you'll get the idea. It was taken on Saturday before the really nasty weather hit - goodness knows what it's like now! Eek. I didn't even go on Sunday morning because I was a little too nervous.

There'll be another (better) video later in the week - of our plot. Bet you can't wait.