So much news

First may I say to you all...

Happy National Allotments Week!

http://www.nsalg.org.uk/news-events-campaigns/national-allotments-week/

The society only covers England and Wales but I am not about to let that stop me from celebrating my Plots! Okay so there are lots of events lined up for those who do live in those countries but it doesn't mean we can't all love our little patch even more and maybe allow ourselves a bit of cake so something ;)

***************

In fact, though it was in hindsight a really daft thing to do, I visited my plots this very morning. I got a great haul of broad beans and some flowers for posies in the house. Was it worth the horrendous panic and now the exhaustion?? The jury is out. But in Maggie's case Yes, yes it was worth it, so much to sniff :)

***************

It's this very blog's 6th anniversary on Friday and I am hosting my very own giveaway. My giveaway isn't too fancy, I'm really not great a approaching companies for freebies. So this is a much more personal affair. I shall be giving a lovely book 'How to Grow Food - A wartime guide' with a personal book plate to glue into it, also a few of my own little greetings cards (from my online shop).

 The entry for it starts today and the winner will be announced on Thursday. The competition is open to  all - simply leave a comment and an address of some sort to help me contact you should you be victorious.

***************

This humble blog has also been nominated for blog award alongside some fabulous people. I am not one who goes all into for these things but just once in a while it feels nice to feel you're good at something. Everyone chosen is good in their own right and no matter who wins I shall be happy that easysheds.co.uk has done this for us.

If you do feel the love however... Here is where you can vote for my work.



*blush*

Love and hugs
Carrie xx

The worst, yet I get an award?!

I have been the worst blogger known to humankind of late. I do apologise, I really haven't been well. I know I told you a little about it last time but things are truly very bad and now I am in between two different zones of mental health teams and both are asking to work with me; I am still not sure what the do-lally is going on and as a result I am slowly (ironically) getting much more ill due to the upheaval.

So I have been finding it hard to talk, walk, read and write. I have tried to take a photo every now and then but to be honest even looking outside makes me nervous never mind going out there!

Here are a few little pics of some fabulous harvests we have had though -

Yummy beetroots, runner beans, parsnips and celeriac

The last of the tomatoes ('Gardener's Delight' ~ a truly apt name)

Our only big pumpkin - now ripe and the same size as Maggie :) This shall not be carved so don't tempt me, it's the only one we have and I swear everything shall be eaten, even the seeds shall be roasted and memory of it lingered over all winter. Oh, last year we had an attic full of Pumpkins - they got quite sickening in the end :(

Apart from that the rain has scuppered any plans for work at the lotties - they are a swamp.

But! I did receive an award from my lovely friend Annuk (a jeweller and blogger). I am to link back to her at Annuk Creations and tell you 7 things about myself....ummmmm.....

1. I am allergic to peanuts, intolerant to onions and just plan rude to mushrooms.
2. I stood on a snail last night - yuck, it makes such a gross crunching sound and you slide on your sole at the same time.
3. I adore roses but hate, hate, hate the smell of them (there, good to get that off my chest)
4. I love anything to do with cute (not realistic) drawings of Unicorns :) I believe!!! haha
5. I have size 3 feet.
6. I am an excellent baker but I don't bake anymore because I am so good - I eat it all.
7. I will not answer the phone unless I know who is calling - weird I know but true all the same. Phone me on my mobile and all is well, I can see the number...

There you go, terribly interesting I'm sure. Again I am sorry for the lack of blogging content this week, times are hard and my head is not a nice place to be.

Hoping you are all well and looking forward to sowing seeds, planting those bulbs, taking cuttings for next year. Yuck and *big raspberries* to Winter xxxx

Just quickly - I know I'll forget

Another award, I blush. But this time it isn't all about me, me, me. Thank goodness I'm sure you could do without hearing more 'interesting' stuff about my life. No this award, passed on by Maureen and Gary (many thanks xx) gaves me a chance to big up 15 blogs I've come across recently and encourage you to give them a wee lookin' at.

The rules are super simple - post the award on your blog, (Done) along with the name of the person who gave it to you and a link to their blog (Done).

Pick your 15 newly discovered blogs you like and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they are winners! (Ummm....)

As usual I hate to pick out favourites; I have a blog roll for that. If you are reading this post and are on that roll over there to the right feel free to take this award in your hands and give a little acceptance speech. I tear would be good but try not to go overbroad (ie Hallie Berry at the Oscars). Much hugs and love. I'm off to weep quietly in a dark corner with this migraine.

Honest Scrap Award

Last week my new dear friend Flighty was awarded this Honest Scrap Award and in turn he passed it on to all his 'lawn loungers' of which I am super proud to be one of. I love Flighty and his answers were fab so I suggest you dander over there and take a little peek. Oh, and the person who awarded him is also mentioned there and her blog, well, it is tasteful indeed!!

There are rules to this meme:

1 ~ Brag about the award - well, I am truly honoured to have received it and feel I am joining in with a happy crowd of wondrous bloggers around the world. To feel myself worthy of this is hard, (maybe I got in there by mistake!) but I take it and run with it - you aren't getting it back! Look at it, who wouldn't want that tin sign on there blog I ask you!? It is gloriousness incarnate.

2 ~ Give the name and link back to the blog of the blogger who gave it to you.

Click here to visit Flighty's Plot You'll like it.

3 ~ Choose a minimum of 7 blogs you find brilliant in content or design. (Only 7??!)

4 ~ Show their names and links and leave a comment telling them they too have won the award.

5 ~ List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

****

Humm, first off it says you can break the rules if you dare, Flighty broke them but I'm a bit scared. What will happen if you break them? Flighty hasn't written a bloggette since this, has he been kidnapped? Do you get your Internet connection cut off for being bad? I'm worried, so I shall play along oh mighty award gods.

Blogs I love? Well they're written down the side and I have about 3 more still to add. I find new ones all the time. Oh you know what, it says a minimum of 7 so I choose everyone on my list, I can't hurt any feelings and I do love them, they're all brill. Some have even received this award already.

So ten honest things about me:

1 I dye my hair - yes I've been greying since I was 18 and I don't like it!

2 I got my Swine Flu Jab today and it didn't hurt a bit. Brave girl that I am. The next few days are meant to worse though, eek!

3 I celebrated Halloween this year for the 1st time and I liked it! Apart from the concussion bit...

4 The four button on my laptop is very temperamental and you really have to whack it.

5 I do not like champagne, it seems to close my throat up and I can't swallow. The 'Champagne 'at my wedding was.... White Grape Shloer! Andrew still hasn't forgiven me for that.

6 My 1st dog was a Beddlington terrier called Scrap, honestly, he was Kennel club registered as that when we got him!My 2nd was a Cairn/Yorkie mix called Charlie and now we have the best dog/bitch in the world!.....Maggie the Mini Schnauzer!!!!

7 I love books, couldn't cope without them. Find Holocaust survival stories to be inspiring and they give me strength, I have many books on that subject. Though my favourite book is 'Rebecca' by Daphne De Maurier. At the minute I'm reading 'Catch 22' - fab.

8 I adore hand made things. Artisans' shops are wonderful places, potters, jewellers etc. Such talent. Oxfam is great for stuff like that too and it's Fairtrade.

9 I bought my Christmas Cards 2 weeks ago and almost starting writing them today, not because I love Christmas-time but the opposite, I can't wait for it to be over. Such hype!!

10 Like Flighty, I never wear a watch, wear glasses and haven't any tonsils (or adenoids).

11 (One for luck) I've never had a tooth out and I'm terrified of the dentists so I dread the day!

CVNI are at it again!!!

The utterly fabulous people of A1 are in the final of the 'People's Millions' competition! Golly give that group a contest and they go for it in a big way. Remember they've already won the Green Heros Award this year! The mind boggles. Personally I have the kitchen and all those dishes awaiting me and I really can't say I'll be champ at the end of the afternoon!

So what is the 'People's Millions' then, I hear you ask. Well..... Auntie Carrie is here to tell you all, via the lovely Maria, who explained it all to her earlier today.

'The People's Millions is a competition between community projects were projects go head to head to try to win a £50, 000 lottery award. It's run in partnership with The Big Lottery Fund and UTV [Ulster Television].' The Conservation Volunteers in Eden Allotment Gardens have a project called 'Growing Communities in Carrickfergus' with the aims of teaching and encouraging fruit and veg growing in the community with a demonstration garden and an on-site horticultural training room. This would increase particiapants' knowledge of healthy eating, horticultural and environmental skills, reducing stress and improving mental health (Ecotherapy Rocks!!) all within a comfortable friendly community setting.

Its a super idea they've put forward and it's going to be on TV, eek! Wednesday 6pm on UTV on the 25th November, so you have to watch, maybe our whole lottie garden will be on tv, who knows!!! Anyway, the really important thing is the fact that this is a competition and in order for anything to come to fruition the project needs our help. This is done by simply voting for our A1 mates on the big night by phone.

I'll remind you all closer to the time and then on the day too, it's 8 days away!