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*

Huh?!!! *rolls eyes*

Okay so no collages as I have had to upgrade my blogger/google account (boo hiss) and it will take 24 hrs for it all to catch up. Apparently I like to write and post lots - is that so wrong?? Well I am £4 down so you better continue to love me or I shall have to demand that money back from Google and they are big and I am wee and I think they'd win. Money doesn't grow on trees, or bushes, or as tubers (believe me we have tried) so.....

Until tomorrow xxx

P.S. Did I mention I am up for an award for my photography blog?? You can help- see the post below xxxx

The lovelies

Please do note the button to the right and please vote for me in the Lovely awards. Oh golly - I'm 2nd in the Best Photography Blog section and I am so excited I could possibly pee my pants!!!
I haven't won anything since I was 6, at Eden Primary School's sports day where I won the potato and spoon race. Oh I still revel in that glorious day and can remember it so well!!!!
So please, all it takes is a click on the button and a click on the 'like' above my banner - you could make me very happy and it wouldn't cost you anything :)

Big angelic smiles xx

An onslaught of photos from A24a :)

 Here she is, our first born A24a, in all her current ummm, glory?What a crappy grey day, week, month it has been eh? The ground is sodden -

It's not necessarily cold but that horrible dampness is in the air that just gets into your bones and sort of makes your nose run and make you feel like you need to pee lots. Sorry to be crude but it's true :)

So everything is budding that should be, the Blueberries, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Cherries, Apples, Pears, Plums etc - but I shan't bore you with photos of endless buds, hahaha. I'm not that evil! Imagine a fruit tree budding and you get the idea. Though that doesn't mean that we are merely taking this for granted, oh no! - each bud had been oohhhh-ed and ahhhhh-ed over and genuine excitement is hard to hide.

But here is a little collage of some of the more interesting things that are going on.... forgive the lighting it was harsh and white.... 

So down the left hand side we have:

 A beautiful lettuce still hanging on, what a gorgeous colour it is!!

Bolting Kale

And Garlic - you need to click on the photo to get the full glory :)

In the middle here is:

A newly cultivated bed all ready to go - yipppee

My favourite Dogwood cut back and ready for a new year

And on the right we have:

Rhubarb being forced - it's so acidy yellow inside and then there is some poking out the side too - this plant just wants to grow and grow and that is okay with me :) I can't wait for my 1st Rhubarb and cream (I hate custard) of the year

And lastly our Purple Sprouting Broccoli is showing signs of survival after the pigeon attack - hoorah.

And this is the view from the other side and I think it looks pretty darn good! Especially when you consider the state of the plot I am standing on to take this photo - it's just all dead like this; sure I'd like to see it full to the brim with lovely budding plants and a shed and beds etc but at the moment, to be honest, I am kind of enjoying that fact that it is making our plot look so good - hahahahaha. I'm not really that evil - you would feel the same, I just tell the truth ;)

More tomorrow - the other plot :) HUGS  xxx

Our Little Hedglings

Here it is guys, that 1st photo of the new, soon to be amazing, pleached beech hedge. (I am dreaming big here!) It is in it's utmost infancy; a little troupe of brave hedglings at their first day at big school. But aren't they doing well? Standing tall? We all have high hopes for these little fellas.......

Enjoy your weekend xxx

Okay Okay.....

Right, we haven't been sitting on our hands (well Andrew hasn't, I sort of have after the tattoo experience - I can't get it dirty or wear gloves at the moment)!!!!

The allotment, has been looked at. I really did fear, it would be a 'I don't think we're in Kanas anymore' situation and that there would be ruby red slippers poking out from under the shed - the wind, oh lordy, the wind has been terrible. But no, our humble plots were not worse for the wear, in fact, nothing had moved. There is a theory in my mind that everything on our plots has sort of given up, allowed itself to become infected by our own lethargy and thus even the elements couldn't shift a thing over there - oh dear!

So, no camera and utterly freezing you will just have to take my word of it when I tell you what work we (and my that I mean Andrew) did last weekend.

1. The plots were given a general tidy and rubbish put in the bin etc.
2. A raised bed was dug over. Another neighbouring one will be done this weekend and they shall be the spud beds - yippppeeee! However there are lots of Leeks in the second neighbouring one so they need dug out with love first - I'll do that (I love harvesting)
3. The Roses were pruned and all dead leaves were lifted as disease still lingers within them my friends - be vigilant!
4. The Garlic was seen to be poking through!!! WHAT! Yes the garlic we thought had given up the ghost and thus we (again I mean Andrew) planted lots more are doing okay - again can I have a collective Hoorah!!? We shall have loads and loads of garlic again this year then - hahaha, take that Vampires!
5. Lastly, the Raspberry canes were tidied up and tied in.
6. The whole place was given a darn good looking at.

Don't believe me??? I shall over do it with the photographs this weekend and then you will be in no doubt. Watch out - next week this blog will just be a load of photos everyday and maybe a word here and there if you're lucky. Oh, apart from tomorrow, that is, when I shall reveal the planted beech hedglings - what??! did I hear you 'eeek!' with joy - I think I did ;)............

When you haven't got the words...

For B.

REMEMBER me when I am gone away,

Gone far away into the silent land;

When you can no more hold me by the hand,

Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.

Remember me when no more day by day

You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

Only remember me; you understand

It will be late to counsel then or pray.

Yet if you should forget me for a while

And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

For if the darkness and corruption leave

A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

Better by far you should forget and smile

Than that you should remember and be sad

 

Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Arm art and cement

Interesting weekend here in the Gault household. First off I got my now quite well known Cherry Blossom Tattoo added to. It now has pretty vine like swirls, leaves and the powerful word 'namaste' written beside it. Here it is in all it's glory. This is my biggest exclamation of self expression...

Then as I can't get it dirty or even wear gloves at the moment I wasn't able to labour intensively in the garden or allotment, in the cold and drizzle - how sad!! hahaha But my darling hubby (tis Valentine's Day after all) did work and he worked hard. Both here in the back garden and at the allotment - I am so proud of him and you shall see why...

Here was the back garden last weekend. Remember? I think we were all mightily impressed.

Well here it is now. Yes, before your eyes lays a raised bed, a bed which is now full to the very brim with the topsoil from trench digging in the garden, loads of the least stinky and therefore well rotted manure and 2 big bags of multipurpose compost. (The photo is from before tne compost addition, now it really is up to the brim) The beech hedgelings are sitting there just aching to get in, spread there roots and grow, grow, grow!! But we are keeping the bed covered for a while as the rain is a pain and the soil is very damp. But it's so fabulous!!!!

Andrew also dug and cemented the foundations of another bed. This one is directly outside the kitchen window and will have the beautiful Winter Flowering Cherry in it. Oh lordy, those buds are a-swelling, big and juicy - I simply cannot wait for the first bloom. They are one of Andrew's and my favourite trees - those blossoms on the bare branches just make me tingle and I find it an extremely potent symbol of new life, new hope, new beginnings (hence the tattoo I have).

We also had a good dander around the local nursery and have further solidified in our minds which plants we love and what shall go where. Even down to the pots and a special secret product that Andrew is working on but which I can't talk about - intrigue, mystery....it's all here :) !!!

Okay, as I haven't really done anything, I'm going to leave the work what was done at the Allotment for another day so you will hopefully come back and share that with me too.

May your day be filled with much love!! Oh and don't forget Maggie and I love you too xx

A little tiny fire in my belly - UPDATED (cause I love you)

Andrew just handed me the current issue of Gardeners' World and an odd thing happened. I felt a little underwhelmed and uninterested but then I did the 1st flick - James was recommending the new plant we bought this weekend - Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Carol, my favourite Sweet Pea ever - 'Cupani' (though I haven't managed to get them this year). There are photographs of new seedlings and the news that Monty is back and the show is once again to be hosted with passion from a real garden. It actually seems like there is talk of a future, a real one, not made up for Friday night entrainment but real!, with bright happy days, good food growing and colour everywhere.

I didn't even want to see this much of today, I was ready to give up to allow myself to shrivel up in some dank and dreary corner but now I am again that seed. The humble little bit of nothing that just needs help, support and love and then wow! try to stop me growing :)
Though damn me if that isn't easier to write than to believe - honestly...I still feel really shitty :( really really shitty.

Nothing was done in the garden or the plots this weekend due to the terrible weather but as I say we bought a  Hamamelis × intermedia 'Diane' and it really does look like a party has happened on bare steams - there are pom-pom flowers galore in a delicious dark orange/red colour but James takes his description further and says his are 'part extravagantly coiffed sea anemone', I didn't see that but maybe that's due to the difference in variety (his is a 'Jelena') or then again I'm not quite as eloquent.....

We also brought some pots around from Mamma G's house so at least it looks a little more plant-y out there :)


I have the newest plan, just for you, cause I love ya. But my camera battery is dead at the moment so I guess you will have to just hang on...hehehe

 Our 'Diane', she is a fabulous mix of both the orange and the darkest red I am in love and quite frankly this plant makes me tingle

THE PLAN!!!!! - click to enlarge my lovelies xxx

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

Developments in the back garden :)

Hoorah for Andrew! Today his bricking laying abilities were praised by the Site Foreman/owner of the company who is building this development - he was even offered a job, hahaha.

Here's the first bed to be built and it has a wee sticky-outy bit too, all will make sense later on ;) I am super proud and even choose to place myself within the new bed to see how it will feel for our bamboos: the verdict was 'very good indeed!'

We're getting more builders' blocks delivered today so Andrew shall be no doubt chomping at the bit to get the next areas started. We already have a list of plants to go into these non-existent beds and it's all getting a bit exciting. I reckon we'll soon be bringing round all our pots from Mamma G's house to make it more green out there and soon, my darlings we are going to have the makings of a lovely back garden. It the moment there isn't anything for me to do so I resorted to buying this at the nursery to make me feel better - I am such a big child ;)

Please do notice that we (I by that I really mean Andrew as my head is usually in the clouds to be honest) are always thinking of the birdies and have nuts, seeds, fat balls and water out there! Now we have 2 Great tits, 2 Blue tits, 2 Magpies, lots of Wrens and a Robin - happy days :)

P.S. I promise I will catch up on all your blogs - honest xxxx

Make Our Own (then scoff the lot) part 2

Can you darn well blasted believe it!??? After the last number of weeks with the flu I was finally getting back on my feet. First there was the tree surprise (that was truly wonderful) and then yesterday I surprised my hubby again by making gingerbread for the first time in this new house - the first time I had really used the kitchen in a creative flurry : ) Those of you who have been with me a while shall know the terrible shame that I am not the cook in this house - my hubby is. But boy I can bake! :)

Anywho before I show you the joy that was gingerbread making I must inform you that I have been struck down again. Blasted, accursed, bloody, confounded, damnable, despicable, detestable, doggone, execrable,  infernal, loathsome,  lousy reprobate of a this flu (NO 3 little letters is not enough to describe this beast)  Influenza has attacked once more without fair warning.  I am merely an unarmed pacifist!  Have pity on me dear reader - I feel like a beached whale (odd comparison but true)...  

Okay, the gingerbread..... :)

I have a secret ingredient but no amount of tickling will ever get it out of me and don't come looking for my recipe book - like a cheeky monkey I haven't written it down either, hahahahahahahahhahahahaha *cough*

tilling the soul part 2

Okay after a couple of sedatives a scone and a good cry I felt better. Many thanks to Lynda, Mo and Andrea for their comments too - it did help to let it all out.

My support worker came today to take me out and I did two things that have made me feel more positive, I know it won't last long and that isn't me being a pessimist; I can already feel the exhaustion kicking in and the anger at the mess of the house now I have returned. But I must write now - I have to share these ok moments too. It's strange really when you think about it, it can take just one small action (an e-mail from an angel who shares her story and gives you strength, Maggie sneezing, a text from Andrew..) that changes your lookout just long enough to plant a seed of hope and let you know, deep down, that you will make it to this evening, that you aren't going to fall into that bottomless pit of despair, that you shall live.

Number One - Eimear and I went into Carrick and I put another £10 of lose change into the bank - that's another tenner closer to France in September and something tangible that I can look forward too as I see the little pot of holiday money grow fatter :)

Number Two - I bought Andrew the winter flowering Cherry tree he has wanted from the local nursery and got a big ribbon put on it as a surprise. Here it is:

 

Maybe not the best tree you've ever seen in all your puff but under Andrew's care and tutelage it will be a stunner in a couple of years time. I sneaked a peak at his Black Moleskine to make sure I knew the right name and got Roberta (the owner) to help me - it's fun buying someone you love a gift you know they want. I really hope he likes it.

See, look at his plans for the garden >

I hope I've done good :)

A cheeky Number Three - washed the kitchen floor and put the clothes washing on :) It's the little things - off to sleep now xxxx Can't post this until Andrew gets home or he may see it and it would ruin the surprise!

He was pleased - yipppeeee

tilling the soul

'Think of your breed; for brutish ignorance

Your mettle was not made; you were made men,

To follow after knowledge and excellence'

- Dante 'The Divine Comedy'

I am in turmoil; immemorial days pass me by, so long in their passing and so quickly forgotten as they hold little or no value. Each day follows the next and as I try to grapple for some meaning some way to make it seem worth while I instead become more lost and exhausted. I am an intelligent being but my own mind is slowly poisoning me and I fear that no resolution is to be found. The future, the past, everything is grey and the 'here and now' is only bearable as it lasts for but a moment at a time. Surely this pain in my soul cannot last forever? Surely there must be a time when there is a Spring in my life, sunshine pouring down on little old me, beauty that lasts in my memory and fills my heart, not just my portfolio of photographs.

A friend last night told me I needed to talk, to not hold in these feelings, I don't know what good it will do as I have been told that talking therapy is not right for me; trying to find the answers is futile. In fact I now try to live with the mind set that I seek not to understand, but Man is not made like that is He? We are made to search for knowledge and meaning - to strive for excellence. Well my reader - I am failing, I am failing in the most glorious way - a major fireworks display of inadequacy for all to see.

I write this not for pity, but for catharsis... no one need comment - I just want need to be real, not hide behind the fact that none of you can see me on a daily basis - that the Carrie you 'know' is the Carrie that is a fighter and how wants to connect with her fellow man, but not face to face - I couldn't bare to have you look at me.

Strength is elusive, I can only hope that it will come with the daffodils, that the warmth of the Sun and the longer nights will trigger something deep in my primordial psyche and I shall raise like a Phoenix, if but for a season. I wish I could believe that. For now I leave you and simply look about me in this new study that Andrew and I have created for me to feel safe.

I have photos of his work on the garden to share. I shall return later and we can all forget about this post, but for now, if you have 'listened' - thank you. I needed to cry but I can't, so instead I write.

Reality

Maybe I made a mistake in trying to watch a programme on TV about the meaning of reality. Physics my friends is a odd world and when it is based on the language of maths (which is all Greek to me) it really becomes a whole load of very intelligent sounding nonsense. Away - one theory about the idea is that we live in multiple realities - many different dimensions. In this one here I am writing to you, but there are other Carries in other dimensions, cutting hair, driving a car, making dinner, dancing, sleeping - the list is endless..
The only thought I had (other than why on earth do we torture ourselves with these questions? - we always need to know the answers don't we?) was in each of these dimensions there better be FLOWERS! darn it all to heck.

I do not need some fancy pants PhD professor-of-all things to tell me about reality. To be honest, completely honest, is not reality merely what we choose to see, hear, believe. My reality is most certainly different to yours and all I know (and care about) there are things in the world that make us sad and things that make us happy - in MY version of reality I bloody well want more happy.

I beg you to plant more seeds this year than you had intended, to grow more varieties, share seedlings, guerrilla garden ;) Gather more hedgerow fruit, to go for more walks in the countryside, take more photos, be more spontaneous, grow flowers on your plots to make the bees happy and dance. Yes I said dance. Be a part of reality, don't watch from the outside and wonder what does it all mean - make it mean something to you everyday - make it mean a chance to be happy to share love, to tend to your earth, your soul.

* The Magic Hen *

No longer can I gripe, oh no! First off those rice krispie buns were the best ever and looking at the photos again reminds me how much fun we had - more simple baking will follow from this :) But also, my original gripe was all about a lack of seeds in my life and that is the case no longer - yipppeeee!!

Look what I received with a thud on the floor - a glorious packet containing more packages within, which each contained pure joy......seeds have arrived in the Gault household! This is all thanks to the most lovely, the beautiful, the terribly talented and gripe-removing Celia of Purple Podded Peas. God I think I love her, hahaha. I know I have been a fan of her blog for a long time and her artwork - wow! She is the Magic Hen and has provided us with a golden egg. (Very tenuous and clumsy link there to her shop: - Magic Cochin Emporium).

So what do we have here? well let's go clockwise from the top..

• Climbing Bean 'Lazy Housewife'
• Runner Bean 'Salford Black'
• Achocha
• Broad Bean 'Crimson Flowered'
• Coriander
• (and in the middle) Purple Podded Peas

The beautiful card is one of Celia's own designs and within it is a list of what to do with these seeds and when and how big they get :) It's a fab collection as we adore our beans and peas in this house (even Maggie has a thing for them) and we didn't save a single seed from our Coriander plants last season - eejits that we are. Then we come to Achocha, which I really do think has got to go in the 'my favorite words pot'; I have never heard of this before in all my puff so it should be interesting - hope you come along for the ride.

These were my favourites - Salford Black, I let them run through my fingers over and over, they felt so lovely.

You will also be proud to know that we planted up some tulip bulbs we found from last summer - spurred on by our gift. These are one of my all time favourites 'Queen of the Night ', I know they should have been planted in November but at least we did something with them, fingers crossed, haha. They ought to look like this and have done so for us before on the lottie and in our last garden....

Plus I bought myself these beauties and they are given such joy, right opposite me on the bookcase. Nothing quite like a fresh bunch of flowers to cheer you up (eh VP??)

Make Our Own (then scoff it all)

As you know we haven't exactly been the bestest allotmenteers recently. But then again you have been unbelieveablely sweet about it all and confessed in many cases to not having got up to speed yet either ;) Tomorrow we firmly intend to work on some aspect of either our little garden or the lottie - or indeed both, dare I say it! Let's whisper it so the flu can't hear us....

Anyway I have happy joious news to share to do with the glorious Celia of Purple Podded Peas who has throughily put paid to my seedless gripe. But I shall do that later, for now I want to share the childish giggles we have just had in the kitchen Making Our Own.....

 melting the 70% chocolate with a little honey

 mixing the krispies in and adding chocolate buttons (well why not?!)

finishing up and putting it in the fridge - the cake stand awaits

posh dark chocolate rice krispie buns

yum

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!