Guilty!!

I've been feeling rather guilty of late because I cant think of anything original to blog about!! I've been busy, but not been busy about anything original! Decorating... working... harvesting....so sorry if this isn't particulary inspiring, but today we had a very brief spell of sunshine that drew me out into the garden. While I was there I.....

was well impressed with the size of my lone courgette,

dead excited at finding loads of potatoes as a result of my potato tub experiment....

more than happy with the progress of my lemon grass grown from seed this year

enthusiastic about the prospect of lots of lovely ripe tomatoes....

thrilled by the sudden surge in my carrots...........

eager to find lovely recipes that needs Jalapenos.................

and ripe tomatoes.........

and chillis'

puzzled as to what can be eating my strawberries......

annoyed at the bloody caterpillars that have left me with no lettuce..............
and finally... reminded at how lucky we are to be able to grow anything at all........

All quiet on the blog front

I have been desperately trying to think of something to blog about... but ..no can do. Its not that I lead a boring life, far from it... But what with the rain, kids on school holiday and decorating there seems to be little time to do what I enjoy most.... my allotment. I get down there briefly, occasionally, weather and son allowing, so have managed to harvest bits and pieces as required, and thats about it. So nothing really to write about.
It was our wedding anniversary on Sunday, I congratulated hubby on his lovely choice of card.....only to be told that it was the only in the shop!!! Not really what I wanted to hear... mind you it is a huge improvement on previous offerings. I remember one Valentines day, he presented me with a lovely card... on the front it stated that all his life he had searched high and low for the perfect girl, then he found me.........Ahhh thats nice I hear you say... inside where the words.... INSTEAD!!! His excuse was that he read the front and thought that'll do, so he didnt bother looking inside. Yeh... right!

Comfrey magic

Popped down to plot 44 this morning for an hour. I think I really need to plan my visits so that I can make good use of my time. I tend to go down without really thinking about what needs doing, then, I just go with the flow, if you like. Although I seem to always find lots to do, I am sure that I could do more, within the time frame. I think I should employ a time and motion consultant!. I could spend all day down there, and still come home thinking "I should have done this," or " Damn I didn't do........." Anyway, today I ....... dug up another row of potatoes, these are Maris Piper, they make a lovely roast potato. fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside....Mmmmmm.....

Then I dug up the rest of the carrots that were under the fleece which has eventually surrendered to the elements. Mind you, I was very pleased with the results. Lots of lovely looking carrots and not a carrot fly in sight. I definately will be growing them under fleece again. I decided to dig up the whole lot, because I didnt want to leave them to their fate.

I then made up a comfrey "brew", apparantley Comfrey is a marvellous plant to have on your plot. If you pick the leaves and put them in a bucket filled with water, leave them for a month or so, you will end up with a vile smelling brew that is the most wonderful liquid feed. You can also cut the leaves and place in a trench under your potatoes, they will quickly rot down and provide nutrition to the crop, some even say that this will improve the flavour too.Check out this link, http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php

Roy was kind enough to give me an armful of his Gladioli, they are now gracing my kitchen window, thankyou Roy

Back at home in the greenhouse, the Jalapeno chillies are really excelling themselves, Any recipes requiring Jalapenos gratefully recieved...

I do believe that our "sunmmer" is now drawing to an end.... at the beginning of August... I think all the seasons have merged into one rather ill defined season. What has happened to the long hot summer days we had when I was a kid on the six week summner holidays. I certainly dont recall being stuck indoors for days on end, our mother would have gone mad, two sets of twins and no games consoles !..... every day was beautiful and we were able to go out playing and making "camps" on the common that surrounded our estate with all our friends. Or am I looking through rose tinted spectacles? Do you remember the term "heatwave"? Times are a changing.. I wouldn't feel at all happy letting my 10 year old dissappear off over the common unless he had his mobile with him,and half a dozen friends, even then there is danger. Or is it just the media making us more aware of the dangers that are lurking just outside our front doors therefore turning this generation into soft, sofa hugging gaming experts.