Hope, Love and Computer gardening

Hello sweet reader; how are you? I fear don't ask enough or maybe ever and that has got to change. My wish is that you are all hopped up warm, maybe with a hot beverage and a loved one near by.

I am sitting here in my living room with my little dog and a decaff coffee (just in case you were wondering) and soaking wet hair - I just did the hardest thing - I just had a shower. When you have depression etc doing anything can literally be a battle and my mental health today is bad. And I mean BAD.

HOPE

Look! - Daffodils are starting to emerge, to poke their brave little shoots up into the world and face the harsh realities of the cold and rain and snow. I think the snowdrops are doing the same but the deck of the tea house was slippy so I didn't risk it. ANYWAY - signs of hope are appearing, birds are singing ever so loudly and thoughts are turning away from the darkness and into the joys of planning, planting and pottering. Even with a blackness eating me up inside, I feel hope.

LOVE

Last week Andrew and I celebrated 20 years of togetherness - something I never dared to hope for. He isn't fed up with little old me, he still loves me as I love him and both of us are looking forward to the next 20 years of adventures! (Light and dark by turn but always love.)

He made a book of photos from those last 20 years and it's adorable, I love it so much I can't describe it. We were meant to be Berlin but had to cancel as he was so ill with the cold but instead we had time in our pjs watching movies and napping; yes napping is one of our favourite things! And we stayed in Bullitt Belfast (a lovely hotel) and drank cocktails and had the best dinner ever and it was fab.

Shout out to Mamma G for looking after Toby!

COMPUTER GARDENING
It's still so very chilly and the weather is dreich and not looking up for the days ahead. So instead of being at the allotment (I wonder if I'll be able to find it - it's been so long, too long) we are looking at past photos, getting inspiration on Pinterest, thinking of what needs done, and even (I am embarrassed to say) playing Gardenscapes, hahaha. Gardenscapes is a silly game on Facebook where I am winning daft challenges to earn stars and then swap them for trades done to my huge garden - I'm on level 114 and it's looking fabulous, though no veg patch yet hahahaha.

Soon though we shall venture there to good old 24a with our garlic and our 'can do attitudes'. This my friend, is our 10th year as allotment holders and we plan to make it a good one :)

Love and Hugs
Carrie

July allotment recap (1 of 2)

It's official, July in Northern Ireland sucked, it was the worst since 1993 - the good old BBC News has the story here.

But still we struggle on and heck, it makes you appreciate those sweeter moments of sunshine and the sparkle off the plants....We're due more rain today sadly but at least not as bad as the weekend when the thunder and thick rain (each drop like a bucket of water being chucked down by the angry sky Gods) caused us to abort our time at the allotment and run."Run RUN! grab everything, take the dog!"

For this July allotment recap, my photos seem a bit odd, but obviously I only took ones when it was actually sunny! Most are from the weekend past but here are a few from the 13th when the heat was too much for Toby -  hiding under the potato buckets...

And Andrew lifted the garlic and got it drying on the bench :)

*** Anyway Saturday on the plot ***

Ok, it was our own fault, there's no denying it; the plot was coming down with weeds. However, we were in the mood to destroy and reclaim so things started off well.

This first bed with the legumes in it is giving me a little heartache. The climbing beans are doing well and we've had a good few dinners with them included so far.

The dwarf borlotti are happy enough but the broad beans - oh dear. They are not happy, not even the ones that were directly sown and seemed happier and stronger a few weeks ago. We had to pull some of worst ones out and saw that they hadn't even spread their roots out into the ground; they were barely in the ground. Plus those that were doing OK and had beans have had them eaten by birds or slugs or any one of the damned pests we have in our field. It's not looking good, apart from the one above which is only slightly damaged.

The sweetcorn and squashes are looking great though. I just love taking photos of them, such texture, colours and oh, those twirly tendrils. So much detail to get absorbed in and be in awe off.

Things were going great, I even spent 30 mins at the plot alone! But when Andrew had just got back from the landscaping shop with wood for a new path we were confronted with this! Thunder and downpours galore; we had quickly pack up everything, grab our potato harvest (which was great but I didn't get to photograph it) and to run to the car. Soaked.

The rest tomorrow, my loves
Carrie

Seedlings ahoy plus rhubarb and ginger compote

'Oh the weather outside is frightful...' with a chill in the air and regular rain/hail downpours; it's just plain miserable. But luckily the seedlings in the greenhouse are doing grand and all those little green dreams are coping well. The cold nights have necessitated a little bit of literal thinking and Andrew has deployed extra large tea lights (from Tesco) which burn for 8 hours; it's saved the babies on a few occasions by upping the temperature by a couple of degrees, compared to the shed.

leeks, broccoli, mangetout, purple sprouting broccoli, chard and cosmos

What a delightful sight it is out there with trays upon trays of tasty crops-to-be (more than pictured here). Plus I just adore how leeks germinate bent in half firstly and then growing tall :)

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Due to such terrible weather I have been cleaning the kitchen and cooking! 

We are really trying hard not to waste any food this year and gluts will be tended to more creatively this year. Today I made a rhubarb and ginger compote. It follows the same recipe as my plain rhubarb compote but with a little twist. Making it tangy with a touch of heat :)

* instead of the half cup of orange juice - I added 2 teaspoons of diced ginger (in it's own syrup) and

* instead of the half cup of brown sugar - I reduced it to a quarter.

Rhubarb and Ginger Compote

making delicious rhubarb and ginger compote

Later I shall also be tackling the leek glut by simply cleaning, chopping and bagging them up individually to be frozen. I just learnt today that they do not need to be blanched first :)

Love and hugs
Carrie

Under the weather

Maggie and I are really feeling low, its terribly sad, I know. You want to make us cakes and biscuits and send chocolates? Or that is very kind, thank you :)

Yesterday we were both firmly ensconced on our own sofas, wrapped up in blankies and simply looking at each other and then out the rain splattered windows then sighing..

Forgive us, we aren't going through the terrible heart wrenching floods on TV, we aren't snowed in and really its not been that bad but the rain has been heavy and continuous. The sky all grey and darkness at 11.30am yesterday! I know I feel like the storm has got inside me :(

Today Maggie is brighter but my brain is still addled, I can't get warm, the bad cold is back and ohh I feel so confuddled. Thank goodness for coffee and a friend and a brighter sky or I think I would still be in bed; I look like and feel like poo but that just because it's a bad mental health day.

Desperately I look through gardening magazines, books and cookery websites. I so want a classic trug made of wood which Maggie and I will go and fill with our own cut flowers to celebrate the colour and joy of summer (if it ever comes). Oh simple dreams as we vegetate in this weather and mental fug..... Anyone know where a girl can get one of those trugs without taking out a second mortgage!??

The pictures of Maggie above are from a new little venture we decided to try - we have started an Instagram account. I downloaded it when I got my newest phone but never used it until someone at the Culloden started to take photos of their friends for their account and I thought - 'oohh I can do that too'. The first photo on my account is that dessert from that night :) The rest, well it's all Maggie so far! It'll be fun I think when we are at the plot together to take little photos and videos and we are reaching a whole new audience of dog lovers and outdoorsy types :)

Click here if you would like to follow Maggie in her adventures - photos everyday. You can't have enough Maggie in your life!
(Don't fear I will make a super cute little button for the right hand bar later)




Hugs and love

It did it an I'm okay :)

This is just a quick little note to say that although Andrew being away for the weekend was very hard, I managed. With the suppport of said Hubby through texts and little cards he had left me (he's so romantic!!) and my super duper bestest friend Wendy who kept 'crazy' at bay and was a star.

It will take a while to fully recover and I am exhausted fighting myself but I did it, it's Monday and the weekend is now over. Dare I say there were even parts that were nice, catching up with my best bud.

I'll write more soon, I have photos to share of 24a of course :) Things are well, or at least they have been up til now - we're getting 70mph winds, rain, hail and periods of sunshine (!??).

P.S. Thank you for the messages of support xxxx

Wind, Chitting and Butterflies

The winds are up, oh boys-a-dear and the builders on site are on top, the tippy top of the new apartments they've built, trying to work on the roof. Oh. My. Goodness. It is scary to see them way up there with the wind rattling around and all 4 of them haven't a safety harness amongst them, some have even taken their hard hats off - which I guess is understandable as I heard one of them blown off and crashing to the ground below (the hat, not the builder!!!!) I would take a photo but I'm not willing to jinx them, lots of insulating panels being moved about now and I have a strange feeling that my posting a photo it will equal having to phone for an ambulance. (I get 'feelings' a lot and they usually turn out to become true). So just imagine the horror and nervousness I am experiencing - or rather don't because its too horrible and nerve wrecking and I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable.

Right, talk some sense woman!

On the other side of the house on a very safe and unwindy windowsill are our spuds! Hoorah. We have chosen the delightful Maris Piper again this year as our main crop and are being adventurous with our 1st earlies, Sharp's Express. I have no idea what they are going to be like but I shall eat them no matter what, with the joy that only comes with growing one's own :) Generally I am not the biggest potato fan out there but I do so love, love, love the treasure hunt feel of harvesting them. Plus we are going to a Spud Festival in 2 weeks time and I know I'll become obessed (in a good, healthy way) with everything spud related after that :)

Here they are merrily chitting away in the spare room/everything-still-in-boxes-from-moving-house room. Tis a happy sight, I think you will agree.

You know we were at the Lottie all morning/afternoon on Sunday last. I took my camera, got one wobbly 'before' photo and then it died. Sad really I think it was just because it was so cold - in the house the battery read as two thirds charged. So, no evidence of what we did - sorry. But I swear we both worked hard and got beds cleared, dug over and mulched etc. I personally filled 2 whole wheelbarrows and a bucket, full of weeds, got a sore back, bruised knee and broke a nail -success!

And joy upon joy - tulips and daffodils were poking their sweet hope filled heads above ground. Spring IS around that corner, I got a glimpse :)

And so onto Butterflies. I have a  photo to enliven your day, through it isn't of a real butterfly but one I made. Let me explain, or rather please look at this link to explain

http://twodressesstudio.blogspot.com/2010/08/butterfly-effect-open-is-calling-you.html

I did put up the picture and told you about this project back here:

http://growourown.blogspot.com/2011/01/butterfly-effect.html

but I am going to also put the button on the right hand side of this blog so hopefully you'll take a moment some day soon and check it out :)

Here is my humble effort which I need to now wrap up carefully and post to the 'Two Dresses' lady herself:

The main coloured paper bit is a photograph of mine called 'Fireworks' and was chosen as a representation of those little lives and the short lived joy and sparkle they had brought into the world.
The turquoise paper behind has the word 'butterfly' written on it around the edges in many different languages; those of the people who would have perished and of those who helped to save them.
The woolen (and now also beaded) tassel as the body was cut off my own cherished baby blanket and the ribbon flutters delicately just as a butterfly should.

I have tried to make this as personal and as fitting a tribute as I can but let's be honest how could you ever encapsulate the memory of even one single child's death in such a way?? Hopefully when there are thousands of them from all over the world all together, the art will speak......

Anyway I wish you a peaceful and happy weekend - hugs xxx

My olibigatory 'It's been snowing!' blogette

Yes, it snowed, make that snew (a better word I think), last night and all morning today -hurrah sort of. I mean it's darned pretty you can't deny that, anything that covers over all the dirt and makes things clean and sparkly always goes down well with me but I don't have that same kiddie feeling of, oh let's have a snowball fight or try to sledge, no I am old now :(.  Now I think, crap how much gas am I going to use up heating this house today?, is Andrew okay on those roads?, what about Mamma G?? In general, I adore snow ~ in pictures, from a plane (I have seen Everest from above!!!) on Christmas cards etc but put it outside my door and I get a bit peeved. I have trouble enough walking about with the old double vision without contending with slippery surfaces and everything looking the same - sheesh!

But what does make me super happy is Maggie + the snow. Everytime it falls, it's like the first time she has ever seen it - here she is going out for a quick pee. Runs over and pees then runs back but stops, does a circle, stares at ground, turns round, stares up at me and then the rest of the photos are a total blur as she went crazy running back and forth. Oh I love her - she cracks me up.

I also adore the shape of snowflakes -

here is one I made last week

and here is my favourite ever, sent from Canada by the ever adorable Joy as part of our moving in/Christmas pressie (hugs to you Joy!) How it sparkles! I adore it! This was taken this morning but now, by candle light it is even nicer :)

So no Lottie news as usual, haven't been in ages now, what with the weather and my feeling mentally ill lots. But look what we're eating tonight - one of our own pumpkins :) I can't wait and ooops, in fact it's time..best go.

Love as always, stay warm xxx

Bloomin' Monday plus Onions everywhere - update!

The mini monsoon that hit us here yesterday (ie. 30 hours of sheet rain and gales) has finally stopped. The silence is deafening and all I can see out my velux window onto the world is a white sky which blends well with the white ceiling in this attic. Oh it sounded rough all night and being in the attic was a little like a rain storm when you're camping - loud but re-enforces that feeling of 'thank goodness I'm not out there'.

I took this photo at the weekend, or maybe it was one night during last week, I can't remember but it isn't important - all these darling blooms will be strewn all over the plot by now :( Hey, at least I always have a camera with me and can capture the glory moments when they do come. Feast your eyes on this load of happy colour :)

oh go on have 2

Look BLUE sky!!

***********

Oh and the onion comp. Well I didn't get to go. "Why not", you ask. "I was looking forward to all the pics and the gossip!". Yes, yes, so was I but before we went we decided to have a Chinese meal, of course Andrew ordered no onions in mine but....it would appear they just cooked it all and then poked them out at the end = food poisoning for Carrie - hooray! I can't eat onions, how many times does this need to be said!

Saturday night was thus a horrid puke fest for me and I spent most of my time in the bathroom. The irony was not lost though, even through the sea of vomit - I couldn't go to the onion comp because an onion had tried to kill me!!

evil onion

Wow, it's not like we were going to win anyway, so why the conspiracy?? Who at the lotties has taken up a part-time Saturday job at the local Chinese. No one is owning up......

So sorry about that. I will try to catch all the gossip the next time I'm there at the plots and who knows maybe someone has photos I can use. Hugs xxx

UPDATE - Tuesday morning
Going from a cafe to the car this morning I was shocked to find a very random and shifty looking red onion in the car park, the next space to us! I'm starting to fear imminent mass attack and have gone into hiding... ;)

Bloomin' Monday (on a tuesday, I know) and poor weather

The weather out there on the other side of the window is echoing my mood; I look up at it, listen to it and feel like I am staring into an odd sort of mirror. It's miserable out. It's dull and cloudy, light rain has started and the cold wind  is blowing a minor gale. Even the thoughts of volcano ash mixed with the clouds out there make me think of my fuggy head, the frustration that could explode from me any mintue and the utterly burnt out body I'm living in (I know I should see a Dr but I can't face it.)Weather has such an amazing effect on us I think we all must suffer, at least a little, from SAD, I know I do, though often a bright sunny day can be like the world laughing at me.

I got my voice back today, I had a bit of a flu over the weekend. I'm tired from it but diffentatlely feeling less bunged up thank goodness. Anyone who has shares in kleenex hankies - you have me to thank for the bonus, haha.

So then, I guess you know what I'm going to say...I haven't been to the lottie apart from half an hour on Saturday. Andrew has though of course and it seems everything is doing well bar the sweetcorn (Swift F1 ) of which there is no sign of any germination. He bought 'F1 Sundance' today and is going to be planting it here beside me in front of the tv any minute now.

We just had a late dinner, our own PSB (yes, again!) and Spinach included - oh how wonderful is that? We realised at the weekend that we haven't had a week yet this past year when we haven't eaten something from our own plot - that's kind of amazing and really, congratulations to Andrew for all the effort and planning he puts in!

The photo is of the row of gorgeous yellow tulips we planted in amongst the wall flowers that Bill grew. They are stunnning and such a happy colour. Plenty more were that came from, I just need to get my bum into gear and upload the photos I have and take more.

That's all for now my friends, just wanted a little chat and you know I can see blue sky peeking through now, so thanks for listening xxx

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside

Whitehead beach - lovely

Today at the allotment was AWFUL!! But being the good wife I am, I went. Standing there in the shed shivering with Maggie shivering in my arms and the hail stones falling down I can tell you I cursed the very existence of plots in the first place. It was just silly, the ground was frozen and unworkable and the bloody gas canister for the coffee to brew on was barely working it was so cold. It took a while but then Andrew admitted defeat and I got to go home!! So much for the 1st day of the New Year on the plots.

However, a few days ago we all went to Whitehead and gathered seaweed. There has, as we all know, been bad weather which brings up a load of seaweed onto the shores. We drove our car down a boat ramp and filled up our big bags 3 times over.

I highly recommend seaweed as a mulch, I have said it before but I do kind of like to emphasise these things - it's free and good for the crops! Just make sure you aren't near a sewer outlet and remove any plastic that may be in amongst the harvest and you are good to go. Ours doesn't even smell; it's very well rotted and shredded to small bits by the storms - perfection. 

the asparagus bed all snug under the seaweed

Hugs, I'm off to have a coffee and a snooze under my blanket x

Snowy blanket

Up very early again, the insomina sedated only or a few hours due to a busy, panic fuelled day. We saw friends in the evening too and though very enjoyable indeed, I does make me tired to socialise. So here I am again up at 5.30am to have my comforting porridge and honey. Of course it is still very dark in the kitchen but this morning there is an eerie yellow glow through the back door window panes. It is snowing. It has been since we went to bed, it was just starting then, now there is a good thick blanket over the world, my world that I can see from my safe home in my dressing gown. I open the door and all is so hushed, the snowflakes fall in utter silence and lay themselves on those already settled. The wind is up a little and the air is frosty; Maggie awakens in her bed and after an icy blow through the open door she makes a gruff noise and nuzzles further into her blankets.

With snow outside my window falling steadily and getting thicker I am reminded of the tog system of duvets. Over the hours that tog raises to extra thick, if only it were fluffy and warm. The street looks prettier and I feel safer, how can there be pain and suffering in a place so cottony and muted?

I am reminded of an old favourite:

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though,
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the wood and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

Sleep tight everyone x

Starting that fight against the winter

Last weekend, wow it seems so long ago, Andrew and I did our bit to help our minds focus on the spring. To focus on new life, brighter mornings and evenings and the memory of being out in the evening at the allotment.

It was bloomin' freezing down there, I had 4 layers on and still I was shivering, the wind more than anything cuts through you on our plots. Being a gentleman Andrew give me the shed to work in, he stayed outside and worked on the bench. What a man.

So we had 2 projects on the go.

1 - Andrew and his blubs in pots.

We have had loads of free-ish (we paid p&p) spring bulbs from a magazine sitting in our shed for a month or more now and it was decided we better bloody get some in soil or we'll never will. We had just been up to nursery and bought a lovely couple of pots so even though it was raining, blowing an arctic gale and quite dark (at 3 pm) we braved the lottie. I saw 2 other people down there, that just proves how hardy we Carrick folk are, haha.

Andrew did the layering technique in the big pot. Beautiful, closely packed bulbs on the bottom (it will be a surprise for me what comes up, I wasn't watching closely) and gorgeous cyclamen on top. Joy for now and some for later on, I love that in pots.

2 - Me and broad beans.

You see whilst Andrew was doing that I was planting broad beans (and turning round every now and then to first see if he had frozen to death and to take photos of what he was up to). I LOVE the sound and the feel of broad bean seeds. Lovely, that's the reason it took me so long to plant about 8 of them, I was in sensory heaven. I urge you to just spend time with your seeds, feel them in your hand, listen to them, give them a good looking at - they are astonishing things.

We choose 'Aquadluce Claudia' again for the third year running - they are prefect for our soil and taste so good. We always start some off in the cold frame at this time time of year so that when the season changes we can plant them out right away whilst plonking some other seeds in which will be a few weeks behind.

Nesting

This is a little embarrassing but as I have no shame I'm going to share it with you all anyway.
I am nesting. Yes the shed is being turned into a home from home. I have already laid a new floor (vinyl - easy to clean) from offcuts my niece gave me, painted the inside walls the same colour as my bedroom (cosy) and highlighted areas in white (to make it feel brighter). I'm going to make new curtains and get boxes in which to put things in (shoe boxes wrapped up in gift paper). Then I'm bringing in the outdoor storage bench, painting it and putting some old cushions and a cosy blanket on top.

Call me daft but I really need a comforting place to retreat to down there when the weather is too bad, I'm feeling panicky or I just need a wee moment to myself; politics on the plots is really getting me down these past few months - nothing but complaints, it isn't good for me to listen to such negativity all the time! Between us, Andrew and I have made a pact that we aren't going to moan anymore, it gets us nowhere but down. Plus I now excuse myself from all negative conversations down there - the lotties are meant to be my refuge and sanctuary, I have enough mental nastiness in my head already.

I am not the best at coping with winter, I'd definitely have SAD if I didn't have depression already, I need my Vitamin D!!! Though funnily Andrew and I were talking about our Autumn/ Winter veg and how we kind of prefer this time of year, more about that tomorrow maybe.

I leave you with a funny, naughty parsnip - Matron will probably like this. Every man's dream?

ooopps, the above pic is of a white carrot, silly me!

Potatoes, Beans and Peas

Oh last night was utterly stinking on the lotties - the weather has just been rotten and we're on the final countdown to the outdoor Family Fun Day; it's on Saturday! Eeek. Things have to clear up or else we need to find a 4-field sized marque. At least the roads have improved look at this >

So although working for a rather short, damp time, I managed to tie in all the billowing Raspberry canes and harvest lots of runner beans. The runners are going very well again this year despite the weather. We love these 'Enorma' ones, they live up to the name and they taste excellent. We're going to have a glut soon as this year they are all pretty much at the same growing point and the yield is high on this variety. I cut a good few which we'll eat tonight, the one on the far right is 38cm long, and that isn't the longest we've had.

Although the weather has been bad we have done well so far, bar the fact that the wind has knocked down a good few of my precious sunflowers (no photos of that, just to upsetting, it may even give you nightmares!). I've finished lifting the peas ('Greenhusrt longshaft?', 'Longshaft Greenhurst?' or something completely different; we grew 2 types and head-like-a-sieve-girl here can't remember) now and just have the remaining bagful in the fridge. We have mangetout coming now and boy are they sweet and tasty and more broad bean seedlings and borlotti beans coming along. That's just the start of it! There's also French Dwarf beans and green beans; legumes rule!

We've had some fabulous dinners too. Simple food but done right. The 'Maris Piper' bed had to lifted due to blight starting to get into the tubers, so we'd had lots of lovely spuds. Plus we've also been slowly chomping at the 'Maris Peers' and have some 'Duke of York' for tonight. I took this potato/tomato picture last week, growing on one of the Maris Peer plants. Of course I knew these things existed but I'd never seen it before - nature is marvelous.

So here's a little taster of what we've been eating. A simple dinner, yes but as I said, done right. These are little individual layered pies with our own courgettes (doing very well this year, growing in an old chicken manure pellet bucket!) sliced and seasoned with herbs and white wine vinegar on the bottom, and mixture of thoroughly roughed up boiled potatoes and peas (our own again) and a little cheese sprinkled on top before a light grilling. So good! On my goodness. Andrew (as usual) finished before me and then proceeded to stare at my bowl until I'd finished. Like Maggie I think he was hoping for a little leftovers ~ no such luck!

A 'harvest hat' for a change, I forgot my basket

So, yes, once the raspberry canes were dealt with and the runner beans harvested and photos taken I had to run back to the car. Taking my Strawberry and Mango fruit tea with me. I sat there whilst Andrew had some committee stuff to attend to. It was cold and raining and blowy - this is August. Look at it!! And it just got worse!

Moving on...for now

I am literally sitting here with the words 'mutton dressed as lamb' and scary images of clowns wearing all that ghastly make-up whorlling through my head. Why? Because of my new background. Oh, really I can change it back or start all over again. (I roll my eyes heavenward and ask 'why?, why tamper with something that wasn't broken').

But I must move on and I really couldn't wait (before I went on a design madness trip) to tell you about last night's little jaunt to the Lotties. Andrew had some more leaflets about the family fun day and our association stall to hand out/pin on sheds. We're just hoping the good folk of the lotties will donate a little something to the Association stall to sell to our visitors on the big day. It's next Saturday by the way (8th August) and you'll all welcome; if you're coming from afar I'll put you up in my wee house, as long as you spend money at the day and bring your own sleeping bag!!!

Anywho, the reason I wanted to write about it was because I was so happy with the responses we got. Everyone is now getting more interested in the fact that we're having visitors and a BBQ, stalls, a brass band and a petting zoo etc. They want their plots to look good and some have even been thinking of fun ideas themselves. It's a great little community spirit - the only thing that could dampen it would be the weather and that, unfortunately, may be the case. For instance I am sitting here in my living room with a long sleeved top on, jogging bottoms and a blanket over me, and a coffee in my hand tucked up tight against my chest (my glasses are steaming up intermittently but it's a price I'm willing to pay ~ it has been pouring for hours and the wind is fierce and it's making me feel cold. Maggie refuses to go outside, even though I'm pretty sure she must need a pee by now. She doesn't do bad weather, hahaha, a dog that lived on the streets, I've turned her into a softy.

Anyway, a great big virtual hug to all my fellow allotmenteers and fingers crossed we'll have a good day.

Plus if you don't like the new blog background blame Elle May's Mum, she started it. I love the look of her blog and wanted to be like her.

Wimbledon Shimbledon

Ah, the comfort of one's own home, the cool fresh air of Northern Ireland (currently NOT having a heatwave), toilet breaks without queues or disturbing people and strawberries and cream galore, all for free!!!! Hahahahaha! Plus I get to see close up action, hear great commentary and don't have someone sitting in front of me with a big head, oh, and I don't get tennis-watching-neck at home. Who needs to travel all the way to Wimbledon to have a good tennis day?

Our strawberries have been joyous this year, just loads of them and oh so tasty. I would show you a photo of the bag we have in the fridge but I fear you would only come to hate me. Hehe. I just had a bowl of them with my low-fat cream and sprinkles and it was so good. We didn't get any last year, but this year has been great and only a fraction have succumbed to the darn pigeons. How annoying are they?!! They take a single large peck out of them and move on to the next one, aaaarrrggghhhh, it's so infuriating. Now that I've mentioned them, the rest of the berries will be gone won't they? Pride before a fall....

Anyway, back to the tennis. No worries about watering everything. Sometimes rain is fabulous.

Sun is shining, the weather is sweet...

Makes you wanna cry cause you got HAY FEVER!
(sorry Mr Marley)

Why, oh why does she do it to me, what did I do in another life to annoy Mother Nature so very much? Yesterday was foul, it rained constantly and there was a tension in the air that only thunder could of cleared but it never happened. Then today, it is glorious but I have awful Hay fever, a throat so sore I can barely talk (so frustrating!!!!) and the yucky head cold that my darling Hubby thought would be nice to share (only mine is worse). Oh, she must be a bi-polar depressive, the ups and downs are wildly far apart.

Anyway, I shall fight on through the haze of snot and blurred, watery eyes so I can tell you about our great day on Sunday at 14b ~ our newborn plot. We've done so much talking and planning about this area that now there is no stopping us (well apart from your woman in the sky who is playing havoc with our weather!) and we've cracked on a pace. It's not that we want to have it all completed and finished as soon as possible, merely, we couldn't bare to see it empty and unproductive. Actually I think we'll slow down a little now and enjoy what we have, there's plenty to get sown and loads to look after as it is.

So here is the baby a few weeks ago. Ah, remember how proud we were to have adopted her? And this is her as of the Weekend, quite impressive, no? Please say it is my back is killing me with all the work I've done and Andrew and I both are exhausted and covered in little cuts and scratches. Thank goodness for First Aid kits, haha.

So the 2 types of Spud are poking there little green heads through, I particularly like the 'Maris Peer's' tinge of purple in the leaves. We have Squashes planted under a white fleece, nothing as of yet planted in the middle bed and my glorious flower bed is now all edged and planted up with a good few favourites, though I reckon this time next year it will be full to the gills (rather like my sinuses!) with plants and bulbs.

So in there (tip to the back) I have an Elecampane at the front for the butterflies, 2 Something else (I can't remember and can't ring Andrew cause I have NO voice, arrggghh) , 3 Geum 'Cooky', an obelisk for some more Sweet Pea 'Cupani' a ribbon of Anemone corms just planted, 5 Sunflowers ' ' my favourite Dahlia 'Bishop of Llandaff' (I want 'Bishops' Children' as well - uummmm isn't he supposed to be celibate?!) and then a hotch potch of Sunflower 'Velvet Queen' at the back. There are other things I'll cut and divide from our back garden too. I swear it will be packed! But this is almost it for now, apart from a load of Poppies that Mary gave me, nice!!!

Oh my nose is driving me mad; I'm off before I kill someone! (Which would be hard as it's only me in the house and I'm a fervent Pacifist as well - can you begin to understand my frustration??! Who has Hay fever and a bad cold at the same time??!!! I'd scream a little, if I had my voice.

Oh, and it's been very sunny, sunny, hail stoning and now good solid raining all in the period I wrote this!

Update , after 5 mins - it's hailing again, hard