Disbelief with generous helping of hayfever

Yesterday, through a haze of disbelief, it seems as though I secured a solo exhibition for my photography AND was featured on the Channel 4/4Homes top Garden blogs list! How did this all happen? Best not to ask really, maybe the bubble will burst :)

Up until Wednesday morning when I saw Eimear (and even Wednesday afternoon and evening) this week I have been living in a kind of dream state; my depression has been so bad, I guess I was opting out. I can't actually remember much but thankfully I took photographs and things that happened do come back to me from seeing them. Sunday was a beach day - that I do remember but after that it's a blur. That's why I haven't written since last Friday.

But yesterday was genuinely great and so today I am more than a little buoyed up and ready to write. But how can one write about the garden or indeed my beloved lotties when I ran out of hayfever medicine and can't get my prescription until later today?! I'll tell you how.....

Just for you, I broke the hermetic seal of my house to take photos of the neighbours garden across the street and the further work on our own, by hanging out the windows holding my breath. (And taking the opportunity to shake my fist at the pollen out there too; why Nature, why?!!)

The lovely C and B across the street have really started into their front garden whilst the back is full of the chaos that comes along with conservatory building, patio laying, greenhouse erecting and planting a hedge. Their style isn't our style but hey that's okay. I do have to point out that I love the choice of tree - an ornamental cherry and the cute, quirky, ironic choice of an old chimney pot as a plant container in a new development devoid of fireplaces :)

Oh yes! (grining with pride at my hubby's work) The back garden here is coming on a pace and the secret area is looking fab; to lie in there on the hammock and look up at the sky is dreamy. This weekend is going to be mental out there with Andrew finishing the rendering and me starting in to the wood staining (there has also been talk of posh gravel and bark chips being bought - eek!) And no, I am not showing you our front garden is it too embarrassing, stop asking!

Also here is a random picture of a gorgeous Cantaloupe melon which I have been thoroughly enjoying. (No, I didn't grow it are you bonkers?) Ummmm, time for some more me thinks.

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.

Shame

Okay, let's get one thing out of the way. I hereby apologise firstly for the stupidity of my fellow countrymen and women with all these pointless and pathetic riots over 'The Twelth'. I trust you believe me when I say I have nothing to do with any of it. In fact I was nowhere near any of the 12th madness at all.....I was at my lottie, bathed in serenity and  dappled sunshine :) [I find serenity is helped by lying on the ground beside the lavender bushes, lol]

But again here I must apologise as my Lottie was a place of shame also; overgrown with weeds, lettuces bolting, berries gone forever to the beaks of opportunistic birds (gggrrr) and grass - goodness so much grass! In fact this shame was so great that I have barely a photo for you, the camera revolted and couldn't bring itself to let the scene before me be seen by you. Though here I was allowed by my camera to take a shameful photo of waste but only if the bag full of good Strawberries was in it too, hahaha.

at the Patio - the honeysuckle has reached the top of the gates = happy plant :)

The Patio area alone triumphantly half filled a wheelbarrow by itself - oh Lordy, you can sense the scene. Andrew got to play with a petrol strimmer - which was loud and a little scary but boy, what a great job it did. Some day soon we will get rid of all the grass on 24a, you mark my words! (14b is already bark mulched).

Oh but I can't help myself - here are some photos (close ups you will notice, haha) of some loveliness on site.

Okay it's mainly flowers so I have put it into a collage for the sake of the beautiful but flower-on-the-lottie-hating Matron ;) xx

Lastly; the June drop, in July - so sad...

Oh I have so much more to share but really, it has to wait for another day as Andrew is still off work and we have relaxing and gardening and coffee drinking and Maggie walking to do in the sunshine ;) Talk soon xxx

P.S. The first Autumn, yes AUTUMN raspberries are out - this one was gorgeous ;)

Summertime and the growing is easy

We haven't managed to get much done (make that nothing done, to be honest) at the lottie over the past days. The weather was bad then it was too good not to go to the beach after dinner and then we where away all weekend at a Wedding in Donegal. So there, excuses out of the way. I did on the other hand do some weeding in the back garden yesterday and gave the patio a good brushing *grins with pride*.

(N.B. a 'seasonal side salad' in one of Donegal's fancy Spa Hotel restaurants was.... Watercress - what!!!????)

But though we haven't been giving a whole lot of love to the lottie, she sure has been sending it our way. I picked 3 and half pounds of Blackcurrants last week, a pound and a half of Raspberries and about a dozen big, fat, perfect Strawberries (most of them had been partially eaten by birds - ggrrrr; it's bad enough that we lost a load to birds but for them to only eat most and not all, well that is just darned annoying!)

Then last night Andrew had a wee harvest for dinner and bought home a bounty of Broad Beans, Peas, Mint, Sorrel, Green Garlic and mixed Lettuce leaves. Oh and a beautiful bouquet of Sweet Williams, Roses and Carnations for his lovely wife (ie. Me, haha).

We sat outside and podded the beans and peas and then ate a Gault classic - beans and peas on toast (with pancetta, mint, lemon juice and sorrel), it was fabulous all washed down with non-alcoholic beer in the sunshine; happy times. It is nights like that and super fresh meals like that which make the soil improvement in the rain and bitter winds of winter all worth while :)

 

Hope your gardens and lotties are flourishing! xxx

Our Back Garden :)

I have not been well and thus have found it very difficult to come here and write anything. Believe me, I have tried and I have failed on a number of occasions to do a little post. My depression and anxiety has been terrible and I am sorry to say that this time, no amount of Ecotherapy has been able to fight against it. Yes I have kept up my photo blog but it wasn't easy; I have even found it hard to read other blogs I love. Sorry if you feel I have neglected you dear reader.

So..

The Back Garden has come along a pace with Andrew being off for a a few days and the weather holding out. I painted the back wall one fine day when the builders saw fit to paint the new townhouses behind us. I shall not be out done :)

Andrew has been rendering. Naturally he reads about it, gets the materials and is an instant success. Really I have yet to find a DIY project that has stumped him! I love a man that can turn their hand to anything ~ reminds me of my Papa. Plus all the plants are settling in and growing well :)

 

So indeed, revel in the glory of the back garden now. It's been a while since you came over to visit :)

 

The rendering was the bit that Andrew was most worried about getting right but it's perfect and I am very proud. We got the materials needed to do the work from Mamma G for our wedding anniversary. And today Andrew took his birthday money (his birthday was on the 24th)  and bought 3 lovely large black glazed pots in a sale - yay! LOVE that!

 

Lottie news. We're eating lots of -

new potatoes

green garlic

blackcurrants

lettuces of lots of varieties

broad beans

Blackcurrant bonzana!

We walked to our lottie last night and on the way down the drive to our plot we noticed that the council-planted blackcurrant bushes were cleverly being covered by some opportunistic plot fellows to safe the berries from the many birds :)

This made me think about our own plants and whether we had many. All the cherries are gone AGAIN this year - so not fair and we didn't look after the strawberry plants at all and I haven't even bothered to look at them *slaps wrist*. Ronnie walked past us later in our visit with a big washing up bowl over flowing with the best looking strawberries I have ever seen (he's cheeky and didn't even offer one - I love Ronnie, so competitive).

Anyway we have a lot of blackcurrants it turned out, each of the 6 or 7 plants had beautiful clusters on them and there are more ripening away. I picked around a pound and was very happy getting my fingers all reddened :) Here's what we did with them, added sugar and ...... made a thick luxurious jam come almost sorbet  - yummmmmmy

It's amazing and no, hands off, it's all ours, hahahaha.

Whilst I was picking away I came across two of the saddest looking gooseberry bushes ever. Nematode attack number 1 has failed utterly and totally. These little buggers are from one plant alone, I bagged them up and put them in the bin; I accidentally squished one and almost vomited, it's not a nice feeling. I HATE sawfly caterpillars with a passion that requires a lie down and some soothing music.....



DIE DIE DIE!!! (sorry about that)

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And today is Andrew and my 6th Wedding Anniversary - we're going out for a special dinner and everything!! I love my hubby :)

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Love amongst the brassicas

Well I made it, I was at my lottie on Saturday. She had waited for me and she needed me just as I needed her. I felt better for the knowledge that I was going to help her back into order, cutting the grass, weeding around our precious food and basking in the glorious bird song and vibrant shades of green. It had been raining, hard, but we went as soon as it stopped and staid until a huge new rain cloud arrived. It was nice.

My illnesses have been putting a stress on home life; I am glad to say that both Andrew and I are human and therefore susceptible to the odd argument and feelings of distance. But Saturday morning greeted us both with a stronger energy and a dual desire to be happier - it's good for your health. ;) We wanted this past weekend to be all about spending time together and riding with the ups and downs with a little more grace.

Soppy I know, but I don't care. We have been having a rough time, me with the deep low in my depression and a blasted infection and him with work stresses and trying to care for me at the same time. Both our heads have been in melt down and the weather has done us no favours. Honestly I am really sorry to hear that so many people are experiencing drought but I guess the opposite - dark days and rain all the time over last week is just as depressing.

Anyway that's it, just a short post and here my lovelies - the lottie sends her love to you too in thanks for being so kind and supportive xxx

Andrew's solo lottie sojourn with a camera

Well as you know I haven't been the best (thank you everyone for your lovely comments - I have the most bestest followers ever!) so Andrew took the camera at my request when he went to check up on the lottie on night. Here is the joy he brought back.....it was great to feel up to date with pictures, not only a brief summary.

Firstly Andrew visited our 14b plot  :)

looks productive and quite tidy!



beautiful sweet williams








 

climbing brolitti beans and runner beans

broad beans grown well



Then over to 24a :)

the salad bar and a sneaky blueberry pot



the 2 sister approach to sweetcorn and squash growning





 

the main crop spuds



 autumn raspberries and the friut tree sromping away :)



 

Then he crossed over to the other side of the field were a small gathering of men were cooking their amazing catch of mackrel, plucked from the sea at Whitehead. Well done boys! With a master butcher on hand they were gutted with precision and smoked  - Andrew had a little and said it was good, this little pup would no doubt agree :)

To me this is exactly what allotment commaraderie is all about - forging friendships, hanging out together and eating good fresh food you have grown and as in this occasion caught yourself. What a great little party.



The Contemplative Gardener

On Monday I wrote a piece for my other blog on photography about how I needed to stop being so bloody hard on myself, to realise that I have limits that need respecting and to stop pushing myself to the limit and beyond. In that post I wrote this sentence, it was even highlighted like this -

'I write because I can not speak the words I wish to; I garden to be close to nature and feel Her nourish me; I take photographs as a form of mediation.'

It's been bothering me ever since and I shall tell you why.

I haven't been to the allotment for quite a few days now, I haven't even wanted to go and I most certainly have not repeated that glorious lone walk there and back which I was so proud of. No, I have been ill with an infection for which I am now on my 2nd course of antibiotics and though the infection is bad, the side effects are worse. I was having migraines and nausea with the first lot which was bad enough, this batch is giving me headaches, nausea, blurry vision and dizziness - hoorah, what fun!!

Thing is, when I am physically sick it seems legitimate to be at home, to be maudlin and lethargic, to not do much. But I don't allow myself the same grace when it comes to the fact that I have a permanent mental illness and permanent double vision - oh no, that's completely different. So the past week as I have sat here feeling 'really' ill, the pressure to be at the allotment and work hard (too hard as usual) hasn't been as strong and you know what? The world hasn't stopped revolving, plants continue to grow without me worrying; the lottie will be there when I am ready to go back to her.

I need to give myself a break and not just for now; a fundamental change is needed in how I think about life, about myself. '...I garden to be close to nature and feel Her nourish me...' How can she help me as she so desperately wants to if I refuse to listen? How can see hold me in her arms if I am frantically trying to do so many things? How can she nourish me if all I do is worry and panic until I am sick in the stomach?

I am reminded of a little saying that was prominent in my upbringing but never struck the right chord until today and maybe it will strike a chord with you too -

'Don't worry, don't hurry, don't forget to stop and smell the flowers'

all from my lottie - what gifts she provides.

Namaste xx

He who dares wins

They have marched into the fray, 'gone over the top' of the watering can, all teeth furiously bared and battle has indeed commenced!! 'Arrrgghhh' is the guttural war cry that is too microscopic to hear but I know it's happening. Leather jackets, sawfly beware we have sent in the troops; no longer shall we bare witness to your terrible attack on justice, on the right for our plants to grow and thrive and be consequently eaten by us, not you, you good-for-nothing scoundrels!!!

Oh I know you can feel the fury of righteousness in your bellies, your pulse is quickening too isn't it??? Though, like me, many of you are pacifists you know, deep down, that sometimes violence is the only answer!!

I'm talking NEMATODES!! Well, it would appear I am yelling about them with some gusto and an scary anger that obviously is repressed (I should maybe seek help for that.....)

We went into operation 'Kill the Cads' on Tuesday 24th at approximately 19:46 hrs. A quarter of the pack did 5 beds and early indications show that the enemy is still thriving - darn and blast it all. Though I did find ONE dead leather jacket in amongst the broad beans, so maybe it was but the first of many fatalities.  Time will tell....

I just thought you'd like to know :)

say NO to leather jackets

You are going to be so proud of me :)

I WENT TO THE LOTTIE ON MY OWN FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!

More to come after I have a much needed shower and a warm drink and a think about what I have just done! Eeekk - this is so huge. So look out for part 2 were there will be photos to prove it ;) and have a drink on me tonight everyone xxxxx

LATER...

So you want proof? Course you do, no one believes anything these days and I need to have a record of this myself to save forever. The nerves have really kicked in now and I can't quite believe I am writing this post either. I just seemed to do it, without thinking. I still had the t-shirt on that I had worn to bed, threw on my jeans, old trainers that were in the kitchen and my fleece and plonked my headphones on. Maybe I owe a debt of gratitude to Adele and her album 21 - seems she got me there and back.

Let's upload those few photos I remembered to take....

I remember stopping here where I do in my dreams - I never get further than this in my dreams - and thinking 'sod it' and walking on, my legs shaking and making me meander a good bit (god people may have thought me drunk *blush*).  There were people dear goodness, there were people, a whole family right there at the first plot, Adele kindly sang away to me and I just concentrated on the pot holed road, trying to stay balanced. I guess that means I looked drunk and very anti-social *double blushes*
 
It took an age to get to my shed and then the camera came out again....

In my bag I had a Mason jar and a pair of scissors and I cut one of the stems of my dusky pink/peach rose - a trophy.

Then took a few photos, quickly mind you..... First Oriental Poppy, first Purple Poppy opening and ohhhh some lovely Ranunculus.

Then home, my legs like jelly, as my stomach is now. I had done it and didn't get run over either on that crazy Beltoy Road where people just go mad and stomp the foot down on the accelerator.
 
I think I'm honestly in shock at the moment - but I know I am happy too :) I've definitely taken a massive nose dive and feel so depressed I could cry and so panicky I could, well, I could, I can't finish this sentence properly - THAT panicky.