Sunday was one of those days that you just don't want to end. I had the specter of some tough and not very pleasant work to do on the Monday and Tuesday. H and Miss L went off to bed and left me with Dad's TV. I was restless so decided that there was a job I could do in the garden even in the dark. The wooden chairs on the decking, at the the top of the garden, need disposing of as they are falling to bits. I got the bit of The Guardian with the crossword on that I could not complete and used it as kindling to get the chiminea going. I broke up the chair which was dead easy and spent a pleasant hour feeding the chiminea, looking at the stars accompanied by a nice glass of Sherry. I am definitely getting old or is it that I am just easy to please.
Something went "plop" in the dark. I switched on my torch and scanned around the pond. Sure enough there was the beady eyes of a Toad looking back at me from the pond weed. Slowly he sunk beneath the water, "you ain't seen me, right". I scanned the torch round again and counted five Newts. They were all the common type of Newt, both males and female. Despite the prolonged cold of winter the Newts had made it. Seeing the Newts finished off a very nice weekend.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
A Special Allotment Weekend
Pressure has been building up over the weeks. The new lottie area has been taking up my time and the new greenhouse is bring on the seedlings. Soon they will need to be planted out and if I do not do some digging there will be no where for stuff to go. Saturday dawn bright but really cold. Whilst having breakfast it went dark and a shower blew across the garden. I had to collect the muck trailer as it was my turn. I collected the trailer and left it at the lottie. I chickened out and went and did some errands with H instead of getting stuck in. After lunch the weather looked like the showers were going to peeter out. I wrapped up and went to the lottie. I had the place to myself which is always a treat. I set about bed C which is to grow Peas, Beans and other greedy plants such as pumpkins. It needs a lot of manure but it also needs digging over and weeding. I dug half the plot over in about two hours or so. Despite the biting wind I worked up a sweat. Then just barrow twelve barrows of manure to drop on the freshly dug soil. I felt a spot of rain on my neck and before I could get to the car it was belting down rain mixed in with hail. The shower past in a few minutes. Finally I emptied the trailer into the now depleted manure bin and took in back to its home but not before I picked a few Leeks and a handful or two of Purple Sprouting Broccoli for Angie and Chris as a thanks for the muck supply.
Sunday dawned blue sky and wind free. The clocks went forward overnight so I lost an hour. H had her usual breakfast I made myself scrambled egg, some cubed black pudding and a thick slice of local dry cured bacon along with big mug of hot tea, fantastic. Then to the lottie. I continued the Pea bed digging but I got bored after an hour. After all there is only so much weeding one bloke can take. I went to the other end of the plot and cleaned up the Gladioli bed. Yes more weeding but the bed is only 3 by 2 foot so it was a quick fix and being at the front of the plot it made an impact. I pulled out the last of the sprouts and gave them to Steve later in the day. His chickens will enjoy them. I dug over the area and weeded it. It only took twenty minutes.
One of the problems of composting is when to harvest it. I decided today was the day. I have four compost bins which I have been filling for a year. It has been bothering me when I should empty them, where would I put the compost and how much compost would they yield. I pushed over the first bin. The top foot of the bin was dried out weeds but further down it was crumbly, black, sweet smelling compost. Compost aficionados describe good compost as being like chocolate cake. I riddled out the weeds in the top layers but the further down the compost was clean, chocolaty in fact. The first bin gave me eight barrow load which I dropped on the area that had had the sprouts. I spread it out and lightly worked it in. There were plenty of worms in it so they will get busy. The compost lifted the soil level an gave it a great texture. The next bin yielded even most compost. I barrowed that bins worth on to the Pea bed. I still had two bins to go so dug over an are in bed A which will have the beets. The next two bins were just as good as the second bin. In no time the bins were empty I cleaned up the paving. The patio area looks massive now the bins are cleared away. I dressed the Gladioli and Rhubarb beds with the fresh compost as well. I had a brew and admired my handywork. Then I put the square compost bin back together and placed it at the back, against the fence.
H came down with my lunch and stayed for a while just reading her book. I did not mind at all. It was a lovely day, hot sun but a fairly cool air temperature and a gentle zephyrs. We had a chat about where the new bench was going to be sited and then she was off.
The compost really feels like giving back. Weeds and waste turned into twenty odd barrow loads good soil conditioner. It is also the payoff for a long plan. I firmly believed that putting the dock and other weeds in the black plastic compost bin would cook and kill the weeds within a season. It worked! It is important to realise that I do not put any weeds that are seeding into the bins They are usually youngs and leafy specimens. I chuck in the few spadefuls of horse muck when the fancy takes me. There was no sign of the roots in the compost. The weeds had been converted during the year. The clean leafy vegetable matter and household waste goes into the big bin as well as in the wormery, weeds in the black bins. I actually ran out of things to do and the sun was still high in the sky. When I looked at the clock it was half four. With a good days work under my belt I went home for a shower and a cold beer. Not only had I spent the whole day on the lottie I was able to do just what I fancied andwas like some kind of therapy. I did not think about anything but forks and spades, horse muck and digging, weeds, seeds and listening to the birds, bliss.
Sunday dawned blue sky and wind free. The clocks went forward overnight so I lost an hour. H had her usual breakfast I made myself scrambled egg, some cubed black pudding and a thick slice of local dry cured bacon along with big mug of hot tea, fantastic. Then to the lottie. I continued the Pea bed digging but I got bored after an hour. After all there is only so much weeding one bloke can take. I went to the other end of the plot and cleaned up the Gladioli bed. Yes more weeding but the bed is only 3 by 2 foot so it was a quick fix and being at the front of the plot it made an impact. I pulled out the last of the sprouts and gave them to Steve later in the day. His chickens will enjoy them. I dug over the area and weeded it. It only took twenty minutes.
One of the problems of composting is when to harvest it. I decided today was the day. I have four compost bins which I have been filling for a year. It has been bothering me when I should empty them, where would I put the compost and how much compost would they yield. I pushed over the first bin. The top foot of the bin was dried out weeds but further down it was crumbly, black, sweet smelling compost. Compost aficionados describe good compost as being like chocolate cake. I riddled out the weeds in the top layers but the further down the compost was clean, chocolaty in fact. The first bin gave me eight barrow load which I dropped on the area that had had the sprouts. I spread it out and lightly worked it in. There were plenty of worms in it so they will get busy. The compost lifted the soil level an gave it a great texture. The next bin yielded even most compost. I barrowed that bins worth on to the Pea bed. I still had two bins to go so dug over an are in bed A which will have the beets. The next two bins were just as good as the second bin. In no time the bins were empty I cleaned up the paving. The patio area looks massive now the bins are cleared away. I dressed the Gladioli and Rhubarb beds with the fresh compost as well. I had a brew and admired my handywork. Then I put the square compost bin back together and placed it at the back, against the fence.
H came down with my lunch and stayed for a while just reading her book. I did not mind at all. It was a lovely day, hot sun but a fairly cool air temperature and a gentle zephyrs. We had a chat about where the new bench was going to be sited and then she was off.
The compost really feels like giving back. Weeds and waste turned into twenty odd barrow loads good soil conditioner. It is also the payoff for a long plan. I firmly believed that putting the dock and other weeds in the black plastic compost bin would cook and kill the weeds within a season. It worked! It is important to realise that I do not put any weeds that are seeding into the bins They are usually youngs and leafy specimens. I chuck in the few spadefuls of horse muck when the fancy takes me. There was no sign of the roots in the compost. The weeds had been converted during the year. The clean leafy vegetable matter and household waste goes into the big bin as well as in the wormery, weeds in the black bins. I actually ran out of things to do and the sun was still high in the sky. When I looked at the clock it was half four. With a good days work under my belt I went home for a shower and a cold beer. Not only had I spent the whole day on the lottie I was able to do just what I fancied andwas like some kind of therapy. I did not think about anything but forks and spades, horse muck and digging, weeds, seeds and listening to the birds, bliss.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Trouble with the in-laws
This weekend was Mothering Sunday. H invited both sets of parents over and her sister and husband for a Sunday lunch. I had a few things to do on Saturday morning before my Mum and Dad pitched up. Nothing that involved the allotment or greenhouses.
Everything was going fine until this happened...... Imperial storm troopers!
What's the chances of that happening?
I knew Moira was off the beated track but not that far far away.
Everything was going fine until this happened...... Imperial storm troopers!
What's the chances of that happening?
I knew Moira was off the beated track but not that far far away.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Day off
I had Friday off which was just all well as it turned out. I had great plans to spend the whole day at the lottie. The things I would get done. H car is up for renewal so we went to the dealer last Sunday. We found a replacement but a hundred phones calls later from the dealer ended with the need to visit to the dealer in Burton to sign the paper work. First I had to take Miss L to have her brace sorted, then to the dealer. An hour and a half later we get out of there with promises to set a date for the collection of the new car. I picked up some glass for Mo's greenhouse and then finally set off home. Whilst still in Burton the car sputtered then the charging light came on. I stopped and had a look under the bonnet. Sure enough the alternator was not spinning since the drive belt had disappeared, snapped probably. That was bad enough but the belt also drove the water pump which had been rattling occasionally. I managed to get the car back to the dealer with the water light showing red. Fortunately I did not damage the engine by overheating. The mechanic came out to inspect the problem, yep the belt was missing and the water pump was knackered. He was in utter disbelief that the water had given up. "I have never seen that before" he said, "well you have now" said I. More people came out to see the broken pump; more disbelief. I broke the party up with a request do something about it. We were offered more tea. No sooner than the tea was provided a salesman was detailed to run us home. The car is ready until Monday and hopefully will be fixed under warranty.
It was ready for lunch when I got home. Whilst H did the honours I, very carefully, fitted the glass to Mo's greenhouse. I have broken the replacement pane once before! After lunch Miss L had to run out to her beau's house. Since we only had one car I had to take H shopping. The good thing was a got the makings for Bloody Mary. I could not bring myself to go to the lottie with what was left of the day so made a start to clean up the hedge trimmings in the back garden.
I finished about the same time I would normally have finished work. I organised myself a Bloody Mary. Ouch too much Tabasco but it was quite refreshing. I will try again tomorrow. H and I were able to have a sit down together with no telly or laptops and just have a chat...which was nice.
It was ready for lunch when I got home. Whilst H did the honours I, very carefully, fitted the glass to Mo's greenhouse. I have broken the replacement pane once before! After lunch Miss L had to run out to her beau's house. Since we only had one car I had to take H shopping. The good thing was a got the makings for Bloody Mary. I could not bring myself to go to the lottie with what was left of the day so made a start to clean up the hedge trimmings in the back garden.
I finished about the same time I would normally have finished work. I organised myself a Bloody Mary. Ouch too much Tabasco but it was quite refreshing. I will try again tomorrow. H and I were able to have a sit down together with no telly or laptops and just have a chat...which was nice.
WASGIJ
I have not come across WASGIJ before. It is a mad idea. We are all used to the idea of a jigsaw; picture on the box represents the picture on the finished jigsaw puzzle. Wasgij turns the idea on it's head. The picture on the box usually has a character and it picture on the jigsaw is the characters view of the scene, so picture on the box does not represent the picture on the puzzle. Google for Wasgij. There are lots of puzzles.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Take out
One of the innovtive things they have at the Cooper's is take out beer. No, not in bottles. That is not innovative. You can have a take out of any of the beers in one or two litre Tetrapaks just like the milk cartons.
I am going to try one next time. I fancy taking home a Trashy Blonde now and again.
I am going to try one next time. I fancy taking home a Trashy Blonde now and again.
The Coopers
The Kiwis last night in the UK was Tuesday. They were due to fly out to Paris on the Wednesday morning. In Mike and Susie's travels they are always looking for tastes of the place they visit, the unusual or quirky. Since they were off to Paris I ask my Parisian friend for a list of quirky places to visit in gay Paris. She duly came up with a list of twenty things. I figured instead of staying in on Tuesday evening why not give the Cooper's Tavern in Burton upon Trent a shot, I think it is quirky.
The Cooper's was built as a public house in 1823 and has been a licenced premises ever since. There is a roll call of the licensees on a lovely plaque on the wall. Recently the Cooper has a name for excellent guest beers brewed in the traditional manner. I was introduced to the Cooper's several years ago and it always a treat to go. It is a bit of a bugger because I usually have to drive. The beers can be quite potent. There are no gas canisters behind the bar at the Cooper's. The kegs either sit on the back of the bar or are hand pumped. The colours of the brew range from Black to palest Yellow. It surprising how many colours and tastes you can get from grain, water and hops. There is a strange juxtaposition at the Cooper's, The Coopers' is all tradition and across the road from the front door and I mean across the road, is the metal fence and behind that the massive vats of the Coors brewery.
There is an unofficial club that meets on a Tuesday evening at he Cooper's. Assorted musicians turn up to jam. Penny whistles of all sizes, guitar, banjo, mandolin, squeeze boxes of one sort or another and a few singers. They do it for themselves and have a pint. Some of the stuff is a bit obscure but enjoyable nonetheless. We tried a few brews but settled on Trashy Blonde. Mike got on very well with the Trashy Blonde in Burton. We chatted, listened to the music. It is not precious music at the Cooper's, you can talk to your mates. The music is for the muso's and if you like it so be it and if you don't off you go. Conversely you don't have to sit there in reverence to the music. You can join in the singing if you like and we did on the chorus of Chicken on a raft.
H, as H does, had a chat with one of the muso's. He thought that once they got going we would be off. H put him right that we had indeed come for the music as much as for the beers. I think it is a compliment not to have the appearance of a traditional musician. We had a fab night but it was all over too soon. Home by eleven. a brew or two some more chatting and then to bed. I had to be the Bournemouth, which is on the south coast, for a meeting bit arranged it so that I could leave at reasonable hour. I said my goodbyes to Mike and Susie and left. I do hope to see them again.
The Cooper's was built as a public house in 1823 and has been a licenced premises ever since. There is a roll call of the licensees on a lovely plaque on the wall. Recently the Cooper has a name for excellent guest beers brewed in the traditional manner. I was introduced to the Cooper's several years ago and it always a treat to go. It is a bit of a bugger because I usually have to drive. The beers can be quite potent. There are no gas canisters behind the bar at the Cooper's. The kegs either sit on the back of the bar or are hand pumped. The colours of the brew range from Black to palest Yellow. It surprising how many colours and tastes you can get from grain, water and hops. There is a strange juxtaposition at the Cooper's, The Coopers' is all tradition and across the road from the front door and I mean across the road, is the metal fence and behind that the massive vats of the Coors brewery.
There is an unofficial club that meets on a Tuesday evening at he Cooper's. Assorted musicians turn up to jam. Penny whistles of all sizes, guitar, banjo, mandolin, squeeze boxes of one sort or another and a few singers. They do it for themselves and have a pint. Some of the stuff is a bit obscure but enjoyable nonetheless. We tried a few brews but settled on Trashy Blonde. Mike got on very well with the Trashy Blonde in Burton. We chatted, listened to the music. It is not precious music at the Cooper's, you can talk to your mates. The music is for the muso's and if you like it so be it and if you don't off you go. Conversely you don't have to sit there in reverence to the music. You can join in the singing if you like and we did on the chorus of Chicken on a raft.
H, as H does, had a chat with one of the muso's. He thought that once they got going we would be off. H put him right that we had indeed come for the music as much as for the beers. I think it is a compliment not to have the appearance of a traditional musician. We had a fab night but it was all over too soon. Home by eleven. a brew or two some more chatting and then to bed. I had to be the Bournemouth, which is on the south coast, for a meeting bit arranged it so that I could leave at reasonable hour. I said my goodbyes to Mike and Susie and left. I do hope to see them again.
Freecycle
Freecycle is one of those things I have know about but never really got on with. The idea is that goods are offered free of charge to anyone in the group can use it. Re-use it instead of sending it to landfill. It is amazing what people no longer want and just what excellent condition most of the offerings are in. I had a go at it several years ago but could not get on with it. I now have a new way of dealing with all the emails which makes the job much easier.
You join a local group, the idea being you reduce the travelling as well, and as people post wanted adds and offer ads emails are squirted to everyone on the group. You reply to the email and organise to hand over or collect the goods. No money must change hands. It is about the re-use bit the the green movements "recycle, reuse" mantra.
It is really good. I have had a almost brand new fridge for the shed, an angle poise lamp with magnifying glass, something I have been promising to get for modelling and just off tonight to pick up a juicer and toasty maker, things Miss L has been asking for. If it does not work out then they will be back on Freecycle.
Click HERE for the link to Freecycle UK.
You join a local group, the idea being you reduce the travelling as well, and as people post wanted adds and offer ads emails are squirted to everyone on the group. You reply to the email and organise to hand over or collect the goods. No money must change hands. It is about the re-use bit the the green movements "recycle, reuse" mantra.
It is really good. I have had a almost brand new fridge for the shed, an angle poise lamp with magnifying glass, something I have been promising to get for modelling and just off tonight to pick up a juicer and toasty maker, things Miss L has been asking for. If it does not work out then they will be back on Freecycle.
Click HERE for the link to Freecycle UK.
Sunday
For some reason we were a little slow on Sunday morning but not dying. H and I were up, the Kiwis slept on. They has been in a round of parties and packing up house for the last couple of weeks and I think the chance to rest was appreciated. I had appointments at noon, one with the muck trailer and other with a JCB driver both at the lottie. I bagged Mike and we went for the trailer. H and Susie met us at the lottie. I gave them the tour. In all the time we had known them and they were our neighbours for a few years they had never seen the lottie. Mike comes from farming stock so I do not know what he made of my little vegetable patch. The lottie is at its worst at this time of year too. Susie and Mike to go off to collect there little one and continue the round of visits and farewells. I did my trailer thing. I also connected up the water supply for the trough. It is off all winter. I gave the bottom of the tank a clean out before I put the water on. Then trailer back to Overseal and us back to Moira. After a brew we decided to tackle the front garden.
It has taken an age to figure out what we are to do with the front garden. I have dug it, manured it twice, dug it again, raked it over and over. Only now do I think we have a plan. We have a little stand of conifers near the house to give height and shield us from the car headlights playing on the front windows as they come up the hill and round the bend. On the house side of the conifers we have planted lots of spring bulbs for early colour. Last year summer I put in some bedding plants on the street side of the conifers and it look really well. People complimented me on the display. Odd really since the seeds were fag ends of seed packets, sown and poorly looked after by me. They deserved their few months in the sun. We decided that a border was needed to define the space. H and pondered over what hedge to have. Privet, greedy and huge if not controlled, Beech long lead time to make a hedge and only winter green, Yew too slow, Laurel too big. Should the hedge be variegated, light green and dark green, evergreen or deciduous? In the end we plumped for Box. We have gone for miniature Box on the front edge by the street and standard Box along the border with the neighbours. Mini Box only gets to about a foot high in five years and is clipped to make a low hedge. Standard Box gets to about two foot. Between the two types we had fifty pots to plant. I set out a string to keep the hedge line straight and then it was a case of dig a small hole, small handful of BFB, de-pot the plant and pop it in the hole and firm in. I went round afterwards and watered the plants in. Even though the plants are separate it has defined the space and has lifted the garden.
The empty pots from the Box plants were an ideal size for the Garlic. Thirty minutes after cleaning up the front garden the fifty pot were replanted with the Garlic cloves bought on Saturday. I took those over to Mo's as well. Mo's is filling up nicely.
The conifers in the front garden, one is about five foot [1.4m] high the other thee foot [1m] tall. we bought a ball type conifer called Grandmother's Curls to go with the tall conifers. It is only a foot high [300mm] but is quite yellow. It adds a bit of interest in the height change and unremitting green-ness of the conifers. I have resolved to try a little harder with the front garden and make it have some kind of flow. We will see!
It has taken an age to figure out what we are to do with the front garden. I have dug it, manured it twice, dug it again, raked it over and over. Only now do I think we have a plan. We have a little stand of conifers near the house to give height and shield us from the car headlights playing on the front windows as they come up the hill and round the bend. On the house side of the conifers we have planted lots of spring bulbs for early colour. Last year summer I put in some bedding plants on the street side of the conifers and it look really well. People complimented me on the display. Odd really since the seeds were fag ends of seed packets, sown and poorly looked after by me. They deserved their few months in the sun. We decided that a border was needed to define the space. H and pondered over what hedge to have. Privet, greedy and huge if not controlled, Beech long lead time to make a hedge and only winter green, Yew too slow, Laurel too big. Should the hedge be variegated, light green and dark green, evergreen or deciduous? In the end we plumped for Box. We have gone for miniature Box on the front edge by the street and standard Box along the border with the neighbours. Mini Box only gets to about a foot high in five years and is clipped to make a low hedge. Standard Box gets to about two foot. Between the two types we had fifty pots to plant. I set out a string to keep the hedge line straight and then it was a case of dig a small hole, small handful of BFB, de-pot the plant and pop it in the hole and firm in. I went round afterwards and watered the plants in. Even though the plants are separate it has defined the space and has lifted the garden.
The empty pots from the Box plants were an ideal size for the Garlic. Thirty minutes after cleaning up the front garden the fifty pot were replanted with the Garlic cloves bought on Saturday. I took those over to Mo's as well. Mo's is filling up nicely.
The conifers in the front garden, one is about five foot [1.4m] high the other thee foot [1m] tall. we bought a ball type conifer called Grandmother's Curls to go with the tall conifers. It is only a foot high [300mm] but is quite yellow. It adds a bit of interest in the height change and unremitting green-ness of the conifers. I have resolved to try a little harder with the front garden and make it have some kind of flow. We will see!
Last week to Saturday
The next few blog entries are going to catch up the past ten days or so since I was in Manchester playing with bikes. Last weekend was something of a blur. Some of it induced by homemade wine and some of it just the weight of things to do. The Tuesday after the Bike weekend was a home Fencing match which we won but it was tight. I had a bunch of stuff to prep for the Allotment Society meeting. I also had to deal with an allotment non-payer which took up more time than it deserved but is now sorted. On a happier note my case of wine turned up unexpectedly. It was unexpected because I forgot I had ordered it.
On Friday I had to pick up a fridge from Freecycle. More about that in another blog.
Big day on Saturday Mike, Suzie and Ashlee were to arrive but almost as exciting was idea that the seed potatoes were ready as was the order of Box hedging. H like going to the Newhall Allotment shop. I saw Pete and picked up my order together with onion sets, BFB fertiliser [blood, fish and bone], potting compost and grow bags. The seeds potatoes are really cheap but the compost is much the same cost as anywhere else but I like to support them. H likes the atmosphere and being the only lady around the older Gentlemen suits her. I am just the young fella from Moira when I go there. We had to drop in at a chain garden centre to get red onion sets and some Garlic. We then went onto Stanton Nurseries to pick up the Box hedging. More about the hedge later.
We got home by ten. I unpacked the car. The seed spuds went into the shed to chit in trays. Potting compost in my Greenhouse and the growbags in Mo's greenhouse. H had made a brew and Suzie called to say they were on their way from Lincoln. That gave me time to sow seeds. I sowed fourteen trays with a selection of Broad Beans, Peas, Lettuce, Cabbage, and Caulis which I then took over to Mo's. I planted four types of Tomatoes. They went into a special propagator I got from Mo's and it lives in the Hall by the window. I am hoping for big things in the Tomato department this year.
Susie and Mike arrived before I was quite finished but that did not matter. It was great to see them. We caught up over a brew and sandwiches. The day flittered away to diner. H made a special diner. We even had the good crockery out. We sat, ate, chatted, told stories, drank wine. Then Susie piped up that she would like some of my "famous" homemade wine. H and I looked at each other. I hope she has her European Hospital card near to hand. I sent Lucy for the small wine glasses and I went to the Shed to make a selection from the "cellar". I selected the classic allotment holders tipple Pea Pod, the hardcore hedgerow foragers Nettle wine [even after two years it is hard to drink], then the fragrant Elderflower and the fruity Damson. In case a night cap was needed I brought in the Sloe Gin and the even smaller glasses. We tried all the wines but I was careful to give only quarter of a glass. I have been on the receiving end of monster hangovers drinking this stuff. I think they liked it. It was certainly different to the regular Grape wine made by proper vintners. The stories flowed as did the wine. Sensing the evening was coming to a close we had a nip of the Sloe. I could not gauge what they thought of the Sloe but I was aware that Mike and I were left by the ladies to discuss the greater difficulties of the world with the assistance of the Sloe Gin. Even we became a little "tired" and so to bed. I think I must have left the cap off the Sloe Gin as the 500ml bottle was almost empty in the morning. It must have evaporated over night.....that will be the reason...
On Friday I had to pick up a fridge from Freecycle. More about that in another blog.
Big day on Saturday Mike, Suzie and Ashlee were to arrive but almost as exciting was idea that the seed potatoes were ready as was the order of Box hedging. H like going to the Newhall Allotment shop. I saw Pete and picked up my order together with onion sets, BFB fertiliser [blood, fish and bone], potting compost and grow bags. The seeds potatoes are really cheap but the compost is much the same cost as anywhere else but I like to support them. H likes the atmosphere and being the only lady around the older Gentlemen suits her. I am just the young fella from Moira when I go there. We had to drop in at a chain garden centre to get red onion sets and some Garlic. We then went onto Stanton Nurseries to pick up the Box hedging. More about the hedge later.
We got home by ten. I unpacked the car. The seed spuds went into the shed to chit in trays. Potting compost in my Greenhouse and the growbags in Mo's greenhouse. H had made a brew and Suzie called to say they were on their way from Lincoln. That gave me time to sow seeds. I sowed fourteen trays with a selection of Broad Beans, Peas, Lettuce, Cabbage, and Caulis which I then took over to Mo's. I planted four types of Tomatoes. They went into a special propagator I got from Mo's and it lives in the Hall by the window. I am hoping for big things in the Tomato department this year.
Susie and Mike arrived before I was quite finished but that did not matter. It was great to see them. We caught up over a brew and sandwiches. The day flittered away to diner. H made a special diner. We even had the good crockery out. We sat, ate, chatted, told stories, drank wine. Then Susie piped up that she would like some of my "famous" homemade wine. H and I looked at each other. I hope she has her European Hospital card near to hand. I sent Lucy for the small wine glasses and I went to the Shed to make a selection from the "cellar". I selected the classic allotment holders tipple Pea Pod, the hardcore hedgerow foragers Nettle wine [even after two years it is hard to drink], then the fragrant Elderflower and the fruity Damson. In case a night cap was needed I brought in the Sloe Gin and the even smaller glasses. We tried all the wines but I was careful to give only quarter of a glass. I have been on the receiving end of monster hangovers drinking this stuff. I think they liked it. It was certainly different to the regular Grape wine made by proper vintners. The stories flowed as did the wine. Sensing the evening was coming to a close we had a nip of the Sloe. I could not gauge what they thought of the Sloe but I was aware that Mike and I were left by the ladies to discuss the greater difficulties of the world with the assistance of the Sloe Gin. Even we became a little "tired" and so to bed. I think I must have left the cap off the Sloe Gin as the 500ml bottle was almost empty in the morning. It must have evaporated over night.....that will be the reason...
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