tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7155064230526490552024-03-14T08:45:27.190+00:00Our patch of earth<b>Sarah and Adam's exciting adventures on the path towards self-sufficiency.</b>
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Welcome to our allotment blog. We've got a plot, now we just need to figure out what we're doing! So please join us - put the kettle on, sit back, and dream about Living The Good Life...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.comBlogger130125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-61899748554238316192010-08-11T16:31:00.006+01:002010-08-12T08:44:13.019+01:00Green fingers<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">After pinching the growing tips off our tomato plants I now have an idea as to where that phrase came from...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvat2hNvfSKxNQYgpHobNiHOtvernysssUkFenJKmNo2bBb0P_4O13hdh565Kjo8yAwBH3FdWvQsV2HgriOvs76mxVtjaEt4GuQFwfphs9V1RO-EFd4_ZtWv4k4PlErtkr-_BCdwZ0Khv9/s1600/fingers.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvat2hNvfSKxNQYgpHobNiHOtvernysssUkFenJKmNo2bBb0P_4O13hdh565Kjo8yAwBH3FdWvQsV2HgriOvs76mxVtjaEt4GuQFwfphs9V1RO-EFd4_ZtWv4k4PlErtkr-_BCdwZ0Khv9/s320/fingers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504176866465216434" border="0" /></a><br />The tomatoes are just starting to ripen and for once - hurrah! - we seem to have a healthy crop with no signs of The Dreaded Blight. (Touch wood). We've got a veritable field of tomato plants... well, a small field at least, which is good as they're all helping to prop each other up! (Some of our stakes aren't quite big enough!) The yellow cherry tomatoes are ripening first, with the red cherry and red standard ones close behind. The giant beef tomatoes which Frank gave us are getting HUGE but most are still green - a few just showing an orange blush. The smaller ones were red so I've picked 'em.<br /><br />Sorry I haven't got the varieties to hand, maybe I'll let you know what's what next time.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnBkVbXBM2ovYASBck_5rw6GSzseej6EY2yyqetfvtNGWCvjApHItX1xfZYs0w2qeHazOT2lhqMs6SZ1lZm0ktZI-pP0myAkk6ki9RB6kd1ThM1JezXR-Tvvxrst0tUdXUWnj4B0xhmT/s1600/crop.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnBkVbXBM2ovYASBck_5rw6GSzseej6EY2yyqetfvtNGWCvjApHItX1xfZYs0w2qeHazOT2lhqMs6SZ1lZm0ktZI-pP0myAkk6ki9RB6kd1ThM1JezXR-Tvvxrst0tUdXUWnj4B0xhmT/s400/crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504176981706788402" border="0" /></a></span></span><br />The courgettes are also doing pretty well, especially as they've been a bit neglected as we've been away for the last four weekends, so they're surviving on fleeting evening visits from us and whatever rain they get. I'm trying to pick them before they get too large and watery.<br /><br />The sweetcorn is growing well, but we were a bit late with it this year, so I doubt they'll get large enough to pollinate each other and ripen the cobs. Oh well. And the squash and pumpkin plants are also doing well, with a few summer squash on the way.<br /><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-79288975020535913372010-07-27T20:51:00.010+01:002010-07-27T21:22:46.933+01:00Summertime<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpGXQDUs9Lr3L6h0KoAGcSPPorpJpqOmEcox3McXgvG5Dv2xJda6sXQCaNmMut6fADV3tSFSR5LIv2medHazfM3NimAhKb4QtQGGctDNwq5kQD-iy7CyGaRGymfmgeDRuVSQZLSnb9v2_/s1600/DSCF2170.jpg"><br /><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtpGXQDUs9Lr3L6h0KoAGcSPPorpJpqOmEcox3McXgvG5Dv2xJda6sXQCaNmMut6fADV3tSFSR5LIv2medHazfM3NimAhKb4QtQGGctDNwq5kQD-iy7CyGaRGymfmgeDRuVSQZLSnb9v2_/s400/DSCF2170.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498682475724566082" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Quick quick QUICK get some stuff on there about June before July's nearly over...!<br /><br />Have you noticed I don't have the inclination to blog as much as I did? I think it's 'cos the novelty's worn off. The learning curve of having an allotment has levelled out and it's not quite as exciting digging up potatoes the third, fourth and fifth time around as it was the first or second. And my gut feeling is that there are only so many times you guys out there want to read about my potatoes... so it's more of a struggle to turn on the computer and tap away. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">So, apologies, but that's just the way it is right now.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> Plus, it's summer, for goodness sake! No one in their right minds really wants to spend time at a computer when the evenings are long and warm(ish) and there's the possibility of a barbeque and a cool beer in the garden.<br /><br />Ah, the garden. Brings me on to my first piece of June news. The chickens are no more. That's right, we are now chicken-less, but garden-rich. I hadn't realised how much space the chooks took up! Ellie got egg bound, we think, and unfortunately didn't make it. We'd decided that once another chicken died we'd call it a day for now, otherwise we'd just keep ending up with one older and one younger chicken - a never-ending cycle of replacing chickens! So Peggy Sue got adopted by a lovely little old lady in a nearby village, who has three-quarters of an acre, a large veggie plot and about 50 other chickens, all living out their days free-range in the countryside. The good life, eh?<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0DLgINmhzZh5b1vpOeQMnbfZkQDaiOJqGq0JvbciGizdOqRBY1oHZIh5H89KMno7DiNG5xSPiGeLOZCCTiDrzJ76COWSLvm_V_8UOGtgk3s-FBvTKR6A4kmkP49DZ8_NB1cfdFSRSQqt/s1600/DSCF2154.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0DLgINmhzZh5b1vpOeQMnbfZkQDaiOJqGq0JvbciGizdOqRBY1oHZIh5H89KMno7DiNG5xSPiGeLOZCCTiDrzJ76COWSLvm_V_8UOGtgk3s-FBvTKR6A4kmkP49DZ8_NB1cfdFSRSQqt/s200/DSCF2154.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498682056964410706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Now, back to the allotment. June started with a break-in - someone wrenched the hinges off our shed doors and about a dozen others down on the plot. Nothing major was taken - just our camping stove, coffee pot, kettle and radio - but it was a bit of a shock. Not as bad as it could have been, mind you, as a few years ago someone had their shed burnt down to the ground...<br /><br />Veggie-wise, we've had peas, broad beans, potatoes, onions and garlic so far. The tomatoes are just starting to ripen, as well as the cougettes, pumpkins and squash. The damson tree looks good - lots of fruit - so there'll be more damson gin made this autumn! And the big blackberry bush along the side of the plot is also bursting with fruit, just ripening in the sun, so again, it'll be blackberry vodka. Possibly the tastiest flavoured alcohol type concoction I've ever made. (Please note, I'm not actually an alcoholic, it's just that sticking slightly tart fruit into cheap alcohol with a shed-load of sugar is damn tasty. And possibly one of your five-a-day... wishful thinking, eh?)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkmj9RGe7YIvNfX4OHavPCur9ZEpPIdsHUvlN1HOh-irZn_bDL2YQIhfWoTRYnh9Ajd5HUSCIJgU8qtj0Daf8sq6MXMMxuYKJunvCIlaeQ8-4I9E-mZXu7aClVnSBCgJdrMIBqQC5Ai_m/s1600/DSCF2180.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkmj9RGe7YIvNfX4OHavPCur9ZEpPIdsHUvlN1HOh-irZn_bDL2YQIhfWoTRYnh9Ajd5HUSCIJgU8qtj0Daf8sq6MXMMxuYKJunvCIlaeQ8-4I9E-mZXu7aClVnSBCgJdrMIBqQC5Ai_m/s320/DSCF2180.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498681632646912290" border="0" /></a></span></span><br />We tried making elderflower champagne at the start of June, using a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe, but it was a bit of a disappointment. Lots and lots of fizz, but not much taste, so we're having to add some of our elderflower cordial to it for a bit of flavour.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F7pIK4a0rf7HijEuc7sV3ey8FfP8QWdngvxGl1Z6HpJQHWayuaeipVAQ1nSaQW3Cr-fxGu0o7LXBZOfvMyIKKcxrC6IHIpHX8i2EJ1GCakqgSbHEMMczm8rJEfN06PtTX683ITNaEG4r/s1600/DSCF2161.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4F7pIK4a0rf7HijEuc7sV3ey8FfP8QWdngvxGl1Z6HpJQHWayuaeipVAQ1nSaQW3Cr-fxGu0o7LXBZOfvMyIKKcxrC6IHIpHX8i2EJ1GCakqgSbHEMMczm8rJEfN06PtTX683ITNaEG4r/s320/DSCF2161.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498681605768848290" border="0" /></a></span></span></span><br />What else... oh, the raspberry bushes are taking over (eek) and after all my faffing about last year with parsnip seeds on kitchen paper and in warm places and in toilet rolls, this year I just chucked some in the soil and loads have germinated. We've also got beetroot, swede and some crappy carrots. (really can't do carrots - any tips?)<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypf4iubjL81OfZppZP1riueWBzqZjlsvLQCb0TBoiS18VbXyh4TYcuS4Lt3HUGp_7fh0bLqtnUMWQI_QbETrKJEKCGXLmdWxncDD6zF-Ix6Yi8E36aoq9tHWyCOtSZEge99Lb77qkWnR8/s1600/DSCF2175.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypf4iubjL81OfZppZP1riueWBzqZjlsvLQCb0TBoiS18VbXyh4TYcuS4Lt3HUGp_7fh0bLqtnUMWQI_QbETrKJEKCGXLmdWxncDD6zF-Ix6Yi8E36aoq9tHWyCOtSZEge99Lb77qkWnR8/s200/DSCF2175.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498682187573392530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGPZ4P2REp4VH2nVqszMZ2CmDRwxKG_0IuwZlmmzAqVTfmPcS9CGWLxq6JESdOC83Zy5tXB0hYHmWP3uHLzb98afutOlhhjthmFIee10zjIKsmaqbSH08aj3n4jgcsKTFwx7V-DaWytUF/s1600/DSCF2176.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGPZ4P2REp4VH2nVqszMZ2CmDRwxKG_0IuwZlmmzAqVTfmPcS9CGWLxq6JESdOC83Zy5tXB0hYHmWP3uHLzb98afutOlhhjthmFIee10zjIKsmaqbSH08aj3n4jgcsKTFwx7V-DaWytUF/s200/DSCF2176.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498682190047069954" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><p><br />Enjoy the summer everyone... will be back soon...<br /><br /></p></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-1323385011616070222010-06-07T21:55:00.010+01:002010-06-08T09:02:14.043+01:00May... oh my.<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />It's gone, already, hasn't it. We're halfway through the year and I don't even feel like 2010 has really started yet!<br /><br />So here's an update on the month that was May...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0S9lIZRDWiH4GuOdvg0RCriO0iW5px0S7vpYNxf3em6HZ4SJWETDki4uSc7k4EowJR_oUulhpJk0UTVvUVmG1N72uS72FmqBx9otIQoYTP1YdiFhBGmMPTLbKWQQgLGfzLJnkNhxj1VdT/s1600/psb.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0S9lIZRDWiH4GuOdvg0RCriO0iW5px0S7vpYNxf3em6HZ4SJWETDki4uSc7k4EowJR_oUulhpJk0UTVvUVmG1N72uS72FmqBx9otIQoYTP1YdiFhBGmMPTLbKWQQgLGfzLJnkNhxj1VdT/s320/psb.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480140833678013298" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We had purple sprouting broccoli. And Lo! it was goo-o-od.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ8vgOHVXB5oFC5m6kizK6O6PIrsydTdpWpJt63qCc5dgN7SBheVXAIlMBzMMAS-_yePSqbMzdaJR1dJ_G5cjZMZQy7PfKI_YwhHayPYEdrz2RO8vCc5qFMHzT9mj1ryr3V02UaeTNLjr/s1600/strawbs.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTJ8vgOHVXB5oFC5m6kizK6O6PIrsydTdpWpJt63qCc5dgN7SBheVXAIlMBzMMAS-_yePSqbMzdaJR1dJ_G5cjZMZQy7PfKI_YwhHayPYEdrz2RO8vCc5qFMHzT9mj1ryr3V02UaeTNLjr/s320/strawbs.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480140838312629090" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The strawberries started flowering. Pollinate, bees, pollinate!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVNl9YMq2J027R84txQy8f0y9B7f3-tTNhmkdBLUcZE_7_IrqjIIuUDchR5qDWT2RSi8CckmfJMQqcvDNQkxXX7bK8lF0jaFQ-w7d__8RBw7YKpSCM0Fo6qa5cNcmRX7heHWPvzhIEnuL/s1600/rhub.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVNl9YMq2J027R84txQy8f0y9B7f3-tTNhmkdBLUcZE_7_IrqjIIuUDchR5qDWT2RSi8CckmfJMQqcvDNQkxXX7bK8lF0jaFQ-w7d__8RBw7YKpSCM0Fo6qa5cNcmRX7heHWPvzhIEnuL/s320/rhub.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480140836599542098" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">The rhubarb went a bit crazy. We had to give loads away, and then make more rhubarb-and-orange-flavoured vodka. Mmm... ready in a couple of months...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qwvNGBcr7hhu2QN_o4Kylf3eePG8MzjE8ZO_aP2f2VIzWBCcngem4MKhbkdTVJ95aWedbD_DhKRVDh4zHgZ-GZl78uJM1i-0VFQFsJV1eYz7USKhj2GZuiEighfImm4vAbm0W0Ejfx_0/s1600/shed.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qwvNGBcr7hhu2QN_o4Kylf3eePG8MzjE8ZO_aP2f2VIzWBCcngem4MKhbkdTVJ95aWedbD_DhKRVDh4zHgZ-GZl78uJM1i-0VFQFsJV1eYz7USKhj2GZuiEighfImm4vAbm0W0Ejfx_0/s320/shed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480140851900487298" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We got new neighbours over the other side of the crookedy fence. I'll try not to mind that their new shed shades our garlic bed in the afternoon.<br /><br /><div>At the start of the month we sowed a whole load of seeds - sweetcorn, green and yellow courgette, cucumber, butternut squash and a few different varieties of winter squash. Along with the tomato and pepper plants they’re in our tiny plastic greenhouse at home, but will be heading outside onto the plot any day. We’re a bit behind with these - most of the other allotmentholders have already got their tomatoes and squash in the ground. But a nice lady from the next plot along gave us three summer squash plants and another butternut, and Frank The Italian gave us some tomato plants (he'd already planted 300!), so hopefully we’ll have a few things which are in line with everyone else!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our broad beans are flowering, and our peas and French beans are growing steadily. I built a complicated bird-deterrent using netting, canes, string and plastic bags (which I home will flap and rustle in a threatening manner) so hopefully that’ll keep off the pigeons.</div><div><br /></div><div>Onions and garlic also growing away, as well as our potatoes - which got a bit frosted at the start of the month but seem to have recovered well. The 2 elephant garlic look like leeks! God only knows how big the cloves will be!</div><div><br /></div><div>And generally, day to day, we’ve been fighting with the weeds that are continually trying to take over. </div><div><br /></div></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-59629680574915277522010-04-29T21:22:00.005+01:002010-04-29T21:54:49.475+01:00Oh... stuff<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Wow, look, there I go again, getting on with everyday life and forgetting about my poor blog. I seem to have lost enthusiasm for posting right now. Maybe it's work related, maybe it's cos there's not much new going on. But I don't feel like I have much to say. Not that will interest anyone else, anyway. We'll see. Hopefully I'll perk up again soon.<br /><br />But we have been doing stuff down at the allotment, honest... just not for a couple of weeks.<br /><br />Just over a fortnight ago we planted our potatoes - first and second earlies. We also did a lot of weeding and hoeing, but still the dandylions come. We've also sown tomatoes and peppers, and any day now we'll get around to doing squash and courgette as well as some salads to grow in windowboxes at home. Adam pottered off one evening and got some seed trays, pots and compost, so there's nothing stopping us now.<br /><br />And.. urrr...<br /><br />Maybe for the next little while I'll just try posting more pics and less words.<br /><br />Bear with me...<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-75601784568918472492010-04-06T20:10:00.001+01:002010-04-14T21:12:57.640+01:00Family fun<span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCWAXAHzzpt7kP3vp60PptkhBH9zN9nDQEGU2ITd03RqMlWbleTuBLSOLa2PZLWI-ilzffgpT27t2oSMBz00Gu5-KWC-7jC9MQMlQvzmVvpRYylvySYYx0cO3Y8MxkDgzo2jHHffw7oCD/s1600/easter.jpg"><br /><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCWAXAHzzpt7kP3vp60PptkhBH9zN9nDQEGU2ITd03RqMlWbleTuBLSOLa2PZLWI-ilzffgpT27t2oSMBz00Gu5-KWC-7jC9MQMlQvzmVvpRYylvySYYx0cO3Y8MxkDgzo2jHHffw7oCD/s320/easter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460088177335062962" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Our folks came to the allotment on Easter Sunday on what seems to be becoming a bit of a tradition - bacon sandwiches, tea and coffee and an Easter egg hunt for grown ups.<br /><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-54813893124416818072010-04-03T11:29:00.000+01:002010-04-13T21:15:44.439+01:00Instead of an Easter egg...<span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_YQdZDGNPNJJm6rA3BCsMaqCe8NjiZ20Rd-YuhNfKkeLmYl9cmImXTZUtJFshxVRfeTeSEtdR16al8tFHZELRmYITKZr0E6J1dhM4gf0lXZB56F7yxiCYW2yYQCJfMuwAwmvhyphenhyphenDL_ZOG/s1600/tulip3.jpg"><br />... I gets tulips. Yey!<br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB04CYRJAuTe9jiD2yx732xxO5lrzyEgAaeh4BbBWQhMpQt0UByxGgSeIy7_xXGlyu_4Xruy5LY0jZklv70wFPPbJPwPiueAk3T1giAz4u-KA4hpgHKpyOrAP7Uz0Uu6hMxTkutNw6FeT/s1600/tulip2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinB04CYRJAuTe9jiD2yx732xxO5lrzyEgAaeh4BbBWQhMpQt0UByxGgSeIy7_xXGlyu_4Xruy5LY0jZklv70wFPPbJPwPiueAk3T1giAz4u-KA4hpgHKpyOrAP7Uz0Uu6hMxTkutNw6FeT/s320/tulip2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458825368104955954" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7ci0gaMyB9cp_v2W-zga7I15qkuqvfz2lS46JgBcw_I2R46Ifi3fpQLzH_cBUsCf1Go37_8GckDbf_X7kd6eQCRJrM2sGWwy8Upob6IKVixXLWxk15Yk34PMrMhoZCBMCxKjxnI0ABoo/s1600/tulip1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo7ci0gaMyB9cp_v2W-zga7I15qkuqvfz2lS46JgBcw_I2R46Ifi3fpQLzH_cBUsCf1Go37_8GckDbf_X7kd6eQCRJrM2sGWwy8Upob6IKVixXLWxk15Yk34PMrMhoZCBMCxKjxnI0ABoo/s320/tulip1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458825365162343538" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_YQdZDGNPNJJm6rA3BCsMaqCe8NjiZ20Rd-YuhNfKkeLmYl9cmImXTZUtJFshxVRfeTeSEtdR16al8tFHZELRmYITKZr0E6J1dhM4gf0lXZB56F7yxiCYW2yYQCJfMuwAwmvhyphenhyphenDL_ZOG/s1600/tulip3.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_YQdZDGNPNJJm6rA3BCsMaqCe8NjiZ20Rd-YuhNfKkeLmYl9cmImXTZUtJFshxVRfeTeSEtdR16al8tFHZELRmYITKZr0E6J1dhM4gf0lXZB56F7yxiCYW2yYQCJfMuwAwmvhyphenhyphenDL_ZOG/s320/tulip3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458825374528934994" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVr9Gf8aR-1G2XNMJDm4TK6QRpKJZZZkFwQhBjfsZ3SVt6euwMNY0rkEczpiHgJw19cgJqROhohGhoTMwbPb4aG_7q5HYhrty9WKJ-Hw7iZKK1eXzyJjGeBKYP0hTFi34ehWWhOfUExDi/s1600/easter.jpg"><br /></a><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-23547511778747968972010-03-29T20:37:00.005+01:002010-03-29T20:59:37.674+01:00All systems go!<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I know, I know, rubbish, rubbish me. Where does the time go? All I have in my defence for being a useless blogger during the month of March is a crazy departmental restructure at work, meaning more work for me and even less inclination to sit in front of a computer screen for any more hours than I'm paid to.<br /><br />So sorry, blog, you got neglected there. Again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz1tcs9TDYl-R9_RA4O5PyeUr-ld26PP5Mrp_uh2aGM8GLKMdTD6K2gNqgcNe6FTPF24f2FkFwzehqudCIY-08BeHkxL5S7eH6V2lwlN7VJP34icEoGZ7E86_qMjckPcgBJCREehHhB4H/s1600/March.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUz1tcs9TDYl-R9_RA4O5PyeUr-ld26PP5Mrp_uh2aGM8GLKMdTD6K2gNqgcNe6FTPF24f2FkFwzehqudCIY-08BeHkxL5S7eH6V2lwlN7VJP34icEoGZ7E86_qMjckPcgBJCREehHhB4H/s320/March.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454146260034338418" border="0" /></a><br />We spent a couple of hours on Saturday and more than a couple of hours on Sunday at the allotment. Did a whole lot of weeding (where do they all suddenly come from?!?) and sowing, and planting, which was nice.<br /><br />So we now have....<br /><br />A bed of white and a bed of red onion sets.<br />A big bed of broad beans, which we're going to try and pick when they're small this time, so they're not as tough-skinned as last year. Yuk.<br />A small salad bed with a row of little gem lettuce and a row of radish - beetroot seeds are ready and waiting to be sown next week.<br />A big row of chard and 2 rows of spinach.A whole load of slightly rotten-in-the-middle cauliflowers. Grr.<br />4 garlic beds with about a million different varieties, all growing well - although only one of the two elephant garlic cloves has so far emerged.<br />Raspberry canes and a gooseberry bush both just showing new shoots.<br />16 transplanted strawberry plants so now the overgrown middle of the plot can be properly dug over... finally.<br />2 artichoke plants. Spiky.<br />Lots of red cabbage, getting there slowly.<br />Leeks of various sizes. Give it another month and a couple of them may finally be edible.<br />Purple sprouting broccoli which is not yet sprouting. We don't seem to have that much luck with brassicas.<br />And three trays of potatoes, chitting under the dining room window.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEccmIEa7YrVfCChWEH2sglK1gjHxWLYkYAqozs66zhf_KXE_i4AsIjD9_tgGUgy61pe9IXPx7ZuCnkEjmY8nVARG4247B2PwOWYLImLEOJ5-hQxyCPrAx-Ouxbbp2Tm2TceZeOi9Y7H5/s1600/chitting.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEccmIEa7YrVfCChWEH2sglK1gjHxWLYkYAqozs66zhf_KXE_i4AsIjD9_tgGUgy61pe9IXPx7ZuCnkEjmY8nVARG4247B2PwOWYLImLEOJ5-hQxyCPrAx-Ouxbbp2Tm2TceZeOi9Y7H5/s400/chitting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454146707708968690" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span><br />And the damson tree's just about to blossom. No late frosts, please!<br /><br /><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-14845521623730887872010-03-03T17:40:00.001+00:002010-03-07T07:44:15.801+00:00Crusty<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I bought Adam the River Cottage 'Bread' book for Christmas.<br /><br />Best. Gift. Ever.<br /><br />Now he keeps making things like this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5NyLxkgOXJP87vL-hkqli2GaeySMAeqOVaCfRZdvI4RTbIPwXqOgVIO1VH7qpoWeb1McqiJulQ03bZwiRAawWCdHwzaLaBPmKGYu3g9gDDDAWtvUinkO2eoSe0vEe05GLj7nHivJ0mGy/s1600-h/allot+042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb5NyLxkgOXJP87vL-hkqli2GaeySMAeqOVaCfRZdvI4RTbIPwXqOgVIO1VH7qpoWeb1McqiJulQ03bZwiRAawWCdHwzaLaBPmKGYu3g9gDDDAWtvUinkO2eoSe0vEe05GLj7nHivJ0mGy/s320/allot+042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445793638272056178" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Fresh bread with Mum's scrumptious greengage jam.<br /><br />Deeee-lish...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-33465198210720125902010-02-28T15:49:00.000+00:002010-03-05T16:04:22.142+00:00Hurry up spring<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It keeps raining at weekends, that's the trouble.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF8NU4ksl2n2JwjCj6NIzOLZxFmpax3W2tghSPkJgDtLxQdCaTJukXXCRxKwMwsYqI_ftE0UfJQAbV2VJKX80lVc2IZpBz8PUsDOWZQUAC2UabvNxb_N6lW8sSBQWBj6VtSfbKsfalKYI/s1600-h/allot+025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF8NU4ksl2n2JwjCj6NIzOLZxFmpax3W2tghSPkJgDtLxQdCaTJukXXCRxKwMwsYqI_ftE0UfJQAbV2VJKX80lVc2IZpBz8PUsDOWZQUAC2UabvNxb_N6lW8sSBQWBj6VtSfbKsfalKYI/s400/allot+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445179138726393762" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Then when it clears up for a while the allotment seems like too much hassle, muddy as it is.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK1nbBzgFGyzRXPkVz5INxvG5D90JUU8GS7YM_HDu70IMrtcbmWh9neret25_ogo8kN1geJNGIkovefAGnWB8WKtt4xceZPWoXtiCwCmVvNmwUet3YOEeuGqalb2GWh2VXQ7rF3swEopr/s1600-h/allot+028.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSK1nbBzgFGyzRXPkVz5INxvG5D90JUU8GS7YM_HDu70IMrtcbmWh9neret25_ogo8kN1geJNGIkovefAGnWB8WKtt4xceZPWoXtiCwCmVvNmwUet3YOEeuGqalb2GWh2VXQ7rF3swEopr/s200/allot+028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445180998204196930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Last weekend Adam went for a visit and a bit of a dig.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T8zqazsgrfi7zqfsFp6xokHslCBNeBl92z7m177tJtOPPOHjwx7u-OzFB-ZVXoUFmOj995_aA1vsapAgANjoqO8B4okCO6Z_fDQ3whOLTCURvCQ9e_UnZOUISK01Oz9LyWYYMmIU7edk/s1600-h/allot+034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4T8zqazsgrfi7zqfsFp6xokHslCBNeBl92z7m177tJtOPPOHjwx7u-OzFB-ZVXoUFmOj995_aA1vsapAgANjoqO8B4okCO6Z_fDQ3whOLTCURvCQ9e_UnZOUISK01Oz9LyWYYMmIU7edk/s400/allot+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445179128284952402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />And took the camera so I could see what's going on down there</span><span style="font-size:85%;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblO76XhOecXf4YcnIZznU6Y4TOL9eXIiHwhwOEqiFfIhbV6NdhHohlwETVQXqyrRV1VcSwl9jLiA5Rsg7zNmsocguzDRrGHgX3hl-ltqmVYRhk-_FP_LyM3hu7kpMlphydU_CsG5W3Bm1/s1600-h/allot+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhblO76XhOecXf4YcnIZznU6Y4TOL9eXIiHwhwOEqiFfIhbV6NdhHohlwETVQXqyrRV1VcSwl9jLiA5Rsg7zNmsocguzDRrGHgX3hl-ltqmVYRhk-_FP_LyM3hu7kpMlphydU_CsG5W3Bm1/s200/allot+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445180444661505730" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDzc38ZBOcEkX2lZlpelf3-24DllGpu6_EfinBYnH9TYRSGBXI3qxoEed5SAG0dOHWKFGKKMo2JspedTSfdyNQR5Z3VR2OuIW6kZt5lDcSISbG2oXw9LEjUblX7u1AfbKOPPflHtEueCu/s1600-h/allot+018.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDzc38ZBOcEkX2lZlpelf3-24DllGpu6_EfinBYnH9TYRSGBXI3qxoEed5SAG0dOHWKFGKKMo2JspedTSfdyNQR5Z3VR2OuIW6kZt5lDcSISbG2oXw9LEjUblX7u1AfbKOPPflHtEueCu/s200/allot+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445180449168048978" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I've been neglectful, really. Even if neglectful isn't a real word.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10ko8DJq59Gr5ZlvdZBu8IngAS2lAAo_8MVLboP14A9nYqmJPi7gKlBRxX6G4X1oWgdP8ee-f0UP3Ia9H9LiwPk-35wtigFVFPyhI7lei0Vv9PKshVhM3ZpKXK2JnAZ7yP-e8PT0WjCeW/s1600-h/allot+020.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10ko8DJq59Gr5ZlvdZBu8IngAS2lAAo_8MVLboP14A9nYqmJPi7gKlBRxX6G4X1oWgdP8ee-f0UP3Ia9H9LiwPk-35wtigFVFPyhI7lei0Vv9PKshVhM3ZpKXK2JnAZ7yP-e8PT0WjCeW/s400/allot+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445179121101957490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I keep thinking it's spring, and then it's not, again.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ3RuQYBhlEOOc29UOYFazpan2lwzjGe-ZW_2TNMEGjVpYnctHlHHsMSp-Yk2Xy8pTrImXj2cGG0GzIPqBOd0Jlv_FDC96lfZdGSMVKaFsfzMPDdnF192mnZuk9EbFNYoWLQ67xvrmi8o/s1600-h/allot+012.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ3RuQYBhlEOOc29UOYFazpan2lwzjGe-ZW_2TNMEGjVpYnctHlHHsMSp-Yk2Xy8pTrImXj2cGG0GzIPqBOd0Jlv_FDC96lfZdGSMVKaFsfzMPDdnF192mnZuk9EbFNYoWLQ67xvrmi8o/s200/allot+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445180440214368658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95EpiHPxfYb-MTl4eKNC1OPzSOfXAOknketVYtSciq3iOQ69cKs1ZOAqOe4rivf7D8XdLmmV2bM2oEcsDQkw7OgYdYC7Cgj3ciZ8M8arkSZLJo3yfnT1dNisxUCUhRavM_J6rIX1Ptjb4/s1600-h/allot+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95EpiHPxfYb-MTl4eKNC1OPzSOfXAOknketVYtSciq3iOQ69cKs1ZOAqOe4rivf7D8XdLmmV2bM2oEcsDQkw7OgYdYC7Cgj3ciZ8M8arkSZLJo3yfnT1dNisxUCUhRavM_J6rIX1Ptjb4/s200/allot+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445180429078047458" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">There's a bit of garlic, and rhubarb... but, hurry up spring.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-56490456245929529242010-02-07T08:29:00.004+00:002010-02-07T08:42:48.786+00:00Considering cabbages.<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">You know, all you're going to see from our plot for the next month or so are pictures of brassica leaves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZpV__X9kFsLChlFsQ4Bx5hICKs5LoYfvSCGR9TNSaGEu9MZUn4aVPHevpEtl3MEdNzJCQ1LEGDaH5o1SHtwV1tGvgbJ0YC8zMmSIx4meR8nAvP7ptQjhUpHNVbgUl_5EfI17hz5-7L9y/s1600-h/leaf2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXZpV__X9kFsLChlFsQ4Bx5hICKs5LoYfvSCGR9TNSaGEu9MZUn4aVPHevpEtl3MEdNzJCQ1LEGDaH5o1SHtwV1tGvgbJ0YC8zMmSIx4meR8nAvP7ptQjhUpHNVbgUl_5EfI17hz5-7L9y/s400/leaf2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435417104573694098" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />They're the only things of any interest at the moment, and I'm strangely fascinated by them.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLIvfdBCj0iYiHcjcwCo0n5TyLeSUaeOrfXvjfGaqv4GWDIbMRMCOaw_45q_32chNB0NzkZ2hmDq5g6YoJeVxCJEBbtL0V0eyg8SfClm4NV68ahQ3qL5-Gr7EFj8_qqb2Awot_6MOm93b/s1600-h/leaf1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 264px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLIvfdBCj0iYiHcjcwCo0n5TyLeSUaeOrfXvjfGaqv4GWDIbMRMCOaw_45q_32chNB0NzkZ2hmDq5g6YoJeVxCJEBbtL0V0eyg8SfClm4NV68ahQ3qL5-Gr7EFj8_qqb2Awot_6MOm93b/s400/leaf1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435417094542512338" border="0" /></a><br />They've got pink bits on, for goodness sake! Pink bits!<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfx3FjsUNO3DFDQgAjf2caOf5Ve926VYwAWSfKg4f8BmDORv9RQaoJmvzuCs-VmIIJeeklNEtOq-Dfm86Cw90g2a7oZ56X2M_hQ8djZ0Pv9XgFYReNoqBdSantQw0MZGjoqTuYJZRLKKv/s1600-h/leaf3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJfx3FjsUNO3DFDQgAjf2caOf5Ve926VYwAWSfKg4f8BmDORv9RQaoJmvzuCs-VmIIJeeklNEtOq-Dfm86Cw90g2a7oZ56X2M_hQ8djZ0Pv9XgFYReNoqBdSantQw0MZGjoqTuYJZRLKKv/s400/leaf3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435419053491204818" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">How lovely.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Some of the garlic that Adam planted last Autumn is starting to shoot, but really, that's about it. We haven't yet chosen any seeds, bought potatoes to chit or decided what we do and don't want to do this year.<br /><br />2010 has caught us on the hop. I'm. Just. Not. Ready!<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-10036852494770992922010-02-06T07:54:00.001+00:002010-02-07T08:28:56.601+00:00Snapshot<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Wow.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mangocheeks</span> at <a href="http://allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com/">Allotment 2 Kitchen</a> has tagged me for a Favourite Photo Meme. That's lovely. But also REALLY difficult to do! Thinking about which photo to select has made me realise how lucky I am - from having Adam and my friends and family, to enjoying open spaces, fresh air, fresh food, and great holidays, even keeping chickens - they all represent different aspects of a wonderful whole. Which is great, as 2010 hasn't been that brilliant so far. So thanks for making me think, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mangocheeks</span>!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ok</span>, so an hour later, after scrolling through many more photos than I thought I had, here's my favourite picture (of the moment):<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwdx-x5RwQBNhIBGCp5LkJjnE77ajT8pnwfiPgMaxUAYojiV1QS7JAcJHh2xLkTZJLBsFzzG682PTAXXrthCqN9iK7jY9gaLtESnmLGRGIc3L6TRRU_bSktoJGInFMpY1LoQ85sxlrtMw/s1600-h/meme2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFwdx-x5RwQBNhIBGCp5LkJjnE77ajT8pnwfiPgMaxUAYojiV1QS7JAcJHh2xLkTZJLBsFzzG682PTAXXrthCqN9iK7jY9gaLtESnmLGRGIc3L6TRRU_bSktoJGInFMpY1LoQ85sxlrtMw/s320/meme2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435412898696728626" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We went away to stay at a yurt in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Cotswolds</span> last May, to celebrate us being together for ten years. The yurt was in its own little forest, in the middle of farmland, and was totally secluded. At night, the only light was from candles, the shower was a watering can hanging on the branch of a tree, and the toilet was a hole in the ground behind a willow screen. It was all pretty basic. At the time this photo was taken we'd been there all of ten minutes, but a campsite's not complete without a good campfire! I've never seen Adam more content than when roaming around 'our' forest with his axe, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">looking</span> for suitable burning materials! The fact we had to start a fire and wait 15 minutes for the iron kettle to boil for any cup of tea forced us to slow down and take it easy. And you know what - it was a fantastic escape from real life. Which we all need now and again.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />I'd love to go back.<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-4430477975150974652010-01-11T16:09:00.000+00:002010-01-17T09:15:25.438+00:00Chill<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Wow, it's still cold. Though the snow's starting to melt a bit. The red cabbage doesn't seem to want to let go of that last bit of ice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDmqZ2SlgZk3przM3IYMG6wddrcQvtJwjC8CgR_8d0MbA0t5edkV4cR9ki8EDq4Zwy-NfObOn-IbXQm_EAY1VlTngLXuZkT_KT4ZI0jp5Tov2JMh315_D27_Q3mu-zXpMqOHD03-h5ue6/s1600-h/ice+cabbage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNDmqZ2SlgZk3przM3IYMG6wddrcQvtJwjC8CgR_8d0MbA0t5edkV4cR9ki8EDq4Zwy-NfObOn-IbXQm_EAY1VlTngLXuZkT_KT4ZI0jp5Tov2JMh315_D27_Q3mu-zXpMqOHD03-h5ue6/s320/ice+cabbage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427633941445478722" border="0" /></a>Not a lot going on at the plot at the moment. But we've had some seed catalogues through the post so I guess it's that time of year again for looking back at what worked and what didn't, what tasted great, and what didn't, and planning and dreaming for the future.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VJ3998i_OXGKzWTzU9gggExiSrT7QaowaLwYakuDXsHBJ6gK_TpDvF4QiA9NCwMx3_J_U0FlgowJmA7314mdgcmvNl-67oaorGYt_4U0onMo1ZUV4tfVCcjPhLYO6O8h1vBmJ8xcq-Ja/s1600-h/grat+014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 262px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8VJ3998i_OXGKzWTzU9gggExiSrT7QaowaLwYakuDXsHBJ6gK_TpDvF4QiA9NCwMx3_J_U0FlgowJmA7314mdgcmvNl-67oaorGYt_4U0onMo1ZUV4tfVCcjPhLYO6O8h1vBmJ8xcq-Ja/s320/grat+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427633945470328018" border="0" /></a><br />brr.<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-27002423939975562712010-01-06T16:11:00.006+00:002010-01-06T16:35:00.508+00:00Pictures galore!<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />As promised, dear readers, here are some pictures from Christmas...<br /><br />Here's the garlic, under its thin blanket of snow:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4z6Q1fWwuD39AA2hTmXbX3IL1tWyfiqIMyVB4B1mhP6f6DcaioPSmdkT5HCTXHaWY1GPGExgYr-3Pa5tNM5Bs1EGdQc3RPjiFW_I0vFLXKAejaaahtBM-Gh7kmJ04DsIDP1vTHdq7mKE/s1600-h/garlic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4z6Q1fWwuD39AA2hTmXbX3IL1tWyfiqIMyVB4B1mhP6f6DcaioPSmdkT5HCTXHaWY1GPGExgYr-3Pa5tNM5Bs1EGdQc3RPjiFW_I0vFLXKAejaaahtBM-Gh7kmJ04DsIDP1vTHdq7mKE/s320/garlic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423663139852413506" border="0" /></a><br />And Oh! What's this hiding away?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3VGaP6WangdoUWyzuV2ZMGzFCUP9qMdrKnb0mboh2E4tyZU3xa-X7NiSvSQcCbNP3GPVGgy-YGi3xQp_WNQWWqQl1WEuiFZKrs4NTmrxG8Rkbg11W4-YZtmev4VKluZ1bamz3dT_CYLs/s1600-h/parsnip1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3VGaP6WangdoUWyzuV2ZMGzFCUP9qMdrKnb0mboh2E4tyZU3xa-X7NiSvSQcCbNP3GPVGgy-YGi3xQp_WNQWWqQl1WEuiFZKrs4NTmrxG8Rkbg11W4-YZtmev4VKluZ1bamz3dT_CYLs/s320/parsnip1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423662983798423698" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Could it be...?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5BpWTVNYRvYo2z5Ol-48LG2a4QmHHX9bYYWERm0EB67onOwv8qulkrBn4_sgIGC9drYljeisXt4o8avN4GWdNtlCT5BuvBfJLgsTDDWGjihv0f8qqRuQAEzGcQQUqlRrOYwuX1pbYUii/s1600-h/parsnip2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5BpWTVNYRvYo2z5Ol-48LG2a4QmHHX9bYYWERm0EB67onOwv8qulkrBn4_sgIGC9drYljeisXt4o8avN4GWdNtlCT5BuvBfJLgsTDDWGjihv0f8qqRuQAEzGcQQUqlRrOYwuX1pbYUii/s320/parsnip2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423662989213999026" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />It is! A parsnip! Small, but perfectly(ish) formed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S7xx7XUqzybCkcxDScepzYzo1u0OZpbs8TB0Hw4LRWqXZ8U-3DTn7KSC2kJC3OIlPG36BdjaKiKyCpg3l01gKpJ929xxAuF92H2cm59Q4qPsdZjMrx4E9YMw59_Hqmrq78orxzb51e9-/s1600-h/parsnip3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-S7xx7XUqzybCkcxDScepzYzo1u0OZpbs8TB0Hw4LRWqXZ8U-3DTn7KSC2kJC3OIlPG36BdjaKiKyCpg3l01gKpJ929xxAuF92H2cm59Q4qPsdZjMrx4E9YMw59_Hqmrq78orxzb51e9-/s320/parsnip3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423662993251130002" border="0" /></a><br />But wait! There's more!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPK7a8rrGEdyPxNv99uk9dQtoOiAYxBjcwCrD_gIcrevbvhZCWSBv56pXIy7BgYLXyKczKiF-6MHwRrrk5TCAtBtFuRI1ofqNI2wjbjzWJ19ENVtK_j7MlR9-CVDg6dMF9TBXeRw6u3Me/s1600-h/parsnip4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPK7a8rrGEdyPxNv99uk9dQtoOiAYxBjcwCrD_gIcrevbvhZCWSBv56pXIy7BgYLXyKczKiF-6MHwRrrk5TCAtBtFuRI1ofqNI2wjbjzWJ19ENVtK_j7MlR9-CVDg6dMF9TBXeRw6u3Me/s320/parsnip4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423663001397876786" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Parsnip number two!!!<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIepvJDmw7OvTrbP21uvyAi7NAMO8yz95E6YcOEV8ZzoLCYhwyz6_Ltl_d6BRq3ByOXMFvVE0UNTeEuH2icakXu__rVOARrorynLr7fOPH-8zs486ph1Q-Eayprh3cMmuNhI1yPLdonpD/s1600-h/parsnip5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIepvJDmw7OvTrbP21uvyAi7NAMO8yz95E6YcOEV8ZzoLCYhwyz6_Ltl_d6BRq3ByOXMFvVE0UNTeEuH2icakXu__rVOARrorynLr7fOPH-8zs486ph1Q-Eayprh3cMmuNhI1yPLdonpD/s320/parsnip5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423663004776818306" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I was most pleased.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnvZ54ya_2ZrQiL76A7UOAkfN_zDr4_jH6mUxM9JgunTKcmQ9q96P6V-RsSAxm0RMBM9DYUWg_DIGref7AcfiZuKb_xDovWQZWeLNDW-czp3NbfFypebzj3hpqx5z-2aLivB_PufNphfg/s1600-h/parsnip7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVnvZ54ya_2ZrQiL76A7UOAkfN_zDr4_jH6mUxM9JgunTKcmQ9q96P6V-RsSAxm0RMBM9DYUWg_DIGref7AcfiZuKb_xDovWQZWeLNDW-czp3NbfFypebzj3hpqx5z-2aLivB_PufNphfg/s320/parsnip7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423663079170997282" border="0" /></a><br />And on another note, this is why chickens are called 'chicken'...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jxhX-qgxnpHnfz74lXK_YNLpY8umsfLZzcCfVPRwOrw-8ykwBbc_Z9d2N6EVLHB2OGwvsLR4HxGsPmFE28Dt8kCTLov4NL-PTCxXKFPs39-AYg-4nvTw8-M_XPrUgp0U5FylN7l2ttxc/s1600-h/chickensnow1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jxhX-qgxnpHnfz74lXK_YNLpY8umsfLZzcCfVPRwOrw-8ykwBbc_Z9d2N6EVLHB2OGwvsLR4HxGsPmFE28Dt8kCTLov4NL-PTCxXKFPs39-AYg-4nvTw8-M_XPrUgp0U5FylN7l2ttxc/s200/chickensnow1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423665608178562994" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI60eRvF5GE_R5Qg1iHegbd-3ju7ykXmrU5P1oo2rqYMQoxJo-ZVLXe3woyKsIgMtH5UBNo45j2jRpb1GjF0jNHH3EXe6c_EyqLjE8ySn2aqqTR8yI4RkY4KslmFMn9oi2uxjm3sY6FHZ4/s1600-h/chickensnow2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI60eRvF5GE_R5Qg1iHegbd-3ju7ykXmrU5P1oo2rqYMQoxJo-ZVLXe3woyKsIgMtH5UBNo45j2jRpb1GjF0jNHH3EXe6c_EyqLjE8ySn2aqqTR8yI4RkY4KslmFMn9oi2uxjm3sY6FHZ4/s200/chickensnow2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423665618395087618" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"What on earth...?!?!? No, I don't think so thank you. It looks far too cold."<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-10968440770062422442010-01-05T13:42:00.006+00:002010-01-05T14:20:12.081+00:00Happy 2010!<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Oh look, we seem to have vanished for a while there. Been busy-busy over Christmas, what with family, friends, birthdays and weekends at the seaside to fit in, but a belated Merry Christmas to you all, and best wishes for 2010!<br /><br />There. Done the important bit.<br /><br />So, we went down to the plot on Christmas morning to gather carrots and parsnips for lunch. And the parsnips were GREAT! The surviving two from my epic battle last spring to get the darn things to germinate were big enough, slightly gnarly, covered in mud, and truly delicious.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />But! The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">brussels</span> sprouts were rubbish. ("I'm not angry, just disappointed".) They're still only about 6 inches high, or 8 at a push, with the teeniest sprouts ever. Maybe we'll have some to eat in June...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />What else... well, the garlic is still tucked up, hopefully not rotting in the soil and not killed outright by the days of snow. The red cabbage, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli are also still growing away nicely, and not nibbled by pigeons.<br /><br />I'll put some more pics on here later, I promise.<br /><br />For now, you'll just have to enjoy a shot of our slightly bedraggled chickens after enjoying a 'dust' bath in the mud.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0NDruurN9ii0RoH5Ayp0DXmSbweJPZr16n37bGJrYnsI6ssvmC1b3JaNon8IrdhdxkndHCadw7FvrM3VrlYvQJbZW8lyOLYN8ZOVYjzddH_OwlAx21PV2XKkJypL6uGcY4OtVM_pQKV5/s1600-h/chooks.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0NDruurN9ii0RoH5Ayp0DXmSbweJPZr16n37bGJrYnsI6ssvmC1b3JaNon8IrdhdxkndHCadw7FvrM3VrlYvQJbZW8lyOLYN8ZOVYjzddH_OwlAx21PV2XKkJypL6uGcY4OtVM_pQKV5/s320/chooks.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423252676122251218" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Eleanor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Rigby</span> ('Ellie') on the left, and Peggy Sue ('Pegs') shaking her comb on the right.<br /><br /></span></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-30771415842665275972009-12-14T18:49:00.001+00:002009-12-15T10:04:41.992+00:00Festive<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Foraged, picked, bottled and stored in the summer...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj-GeO3juqQl4UBY3_hK8TXrg8rclnsu2nsSXa4bFb38cgAZuGgcjC_JzMJV-b55DSPyUpQJ9Z6PPymaEnYEdpLwsEoYLVa1cx0CZpbyLUq3eiVJTS1Q75zbR4XfV6_eewk7ulhGg3-OC/s1600-h/gin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPj-GeO3juqQl4UBY3_hK8TXrg8rclnsu2nsSXa4bFb38cgAZuGgcjC_JzMJV-b55DSPyUpQJ9Z6PPymaEnYEdpLwsEoYLVa1cx0CZpbyLUq3eiVJTS1Q75zbR4XfV6_eewk7ulhGg3-OC/s320/gin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414785609515415458" border="0" /></a><br />...now decanted and ready for Christmas. The blackberry vodka is par-TICK-ularly tasty :)<br /><br />I'm starting to feel festive.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-17070503405759717222009-12-13T17:16:00.014+00:002009-12-13T17:46:14.575+00:00Catching up<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Well, we're back from two weeks in the Indian sun. Now surrounded at home by a few heaps of washing, half-empty suitcases and a selection of hastily-organised Christmas gifts. (Note to self - if returning from holiday on a Sunday evening, consider booking the Monday off work too. Otherwise a week of exhaustion follows.)<br /><br />Popped down to the allotment this afternoon, the first chance we've had since getting back from Goa. And everything seemed fine! The chilly weather has meant that the weeds haven't taken over as feared, though some of the grass is sneakily encroaching on the edges of the beds.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Last week my Garlic Lovers' Pack arrived (yey!)<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRKoj_Qi96WylLNIIqd0HW6N9TSqHSUwJhwCL4cSCKlbbF22Ic2dXs29vylH9vLjbWxmz9W93_xLY6LJJ6G-pTqvHCBJSFxex1pEYc8dq-oJVNmIuo79LUPjcx1eeCGsQSIljxc5uXK1M/s1600-h/garlic+kit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRKoj_Qi96WylLNIIqd0HW6N9TSqHSUwJhwCL4cSCKlbbF22Ic2dXs29vylH9vLjbWxmz9W93_xLY6LJJ6G-pTqvHCBJSFxex1pEYc8dq-oJVNmIuo79LUPjcx1eeCGsQSIljxc5uXK1M/s320/garlic+kit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414775120447084098" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">So today we planted out about 100 individual cloves - nine different garlic varieties. Actually, ten, if you also count the garden-centre-bought garlic which Adam planted before we went away.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />So we have ...<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Elephant Garlic - two MASSIVE cloves!</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Solent Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Aquila Wight</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghkxEmIDDnRzQLB9UXySrFMJiCjCEGAAbfmYWQ8Oo_0xn9EpjScvcskmR1vC2nthalDVEam3kpXJqYNETIKg9dEJBjxWacXYrP2NVhdI-rrkZpA24K4OtpZxJpKF7e2Gc_O2v8czmkdjy/s1600-h/elephant+garlic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhghkxEmIDDnRzQLB9UXySrFMJiCjCEGAAbfmYWQ8Oo_0xn9EpjScvcskmR1vC2nthalDVEam3kpXJqYNETIKg9dEJBjxWacXYrP2NVhdI-rrkZpA24K4OtpZxJpKF7e2Gc_O2v8czmkdjy/s200/elephant+garlic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414775438969631970" border="0" /></a></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Early Large Purple Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Lautrec Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Iberian Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Provence Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Chesnok Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Albigensian Wight</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">and a random white variety from the garden centre. Can't find the label...</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mdyvMY175pjRvRQVIBUqVJL9d2KXfmWqnoBEMjDChbfqqWcyDgXCNh91OYgMRblvakdTZQLslVxjETCWcMvuMITVk1GNGr_XpdHW1YeNVnFk2ZJ4AKLtBAJA2qE7A60k9gKEE8_jcuHb/s1600-h/preparing+beds.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0mdyvMY175pjRvRQVIBUqVJL9d2KXfmWqnoBEMjDChbfqqWcyDgXCNh91OYgMRblvakdTZQLslVxjETCWcMvuMITVk1GNGr_XpdHW1YeNVnFk2ZJ4AKLtBAJA2qE7A60k9gKEE8_jcuHb/s200/preparing+beds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414775883584507794" border="0" /></a>Here's Adam preparing four beds down at the bottom of the plot. And all four now have garlic in... That's going to be a lot of garlic!<br /><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3dz7A6orYCB_Zp9bDDY_t_A4Ciw63ahBoefHtql05L1KA6VPjk_-8_kH_tOj-PcjcCW9EQxbnviroVB1zMPG0HuYG8-AKpAQxCsD-ORCbMYjjRYCbQ2u_W-XbEPCb0nOMmtHobPuUp-C/s1600-h/red+cabbage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT3dz7A6orYCB_Zp9bDDY_t_A4Ciw63ahBoefHtql05L1KA6VPjk_-8_kH_tOj-PcjcCW9EQxbnviroVB1zMPG0HuYG8-AKpAQxCsD-ORCbMYjjRYCbQ2u_W-XbEPCb0nOMmtHobPuUp-C/s200/red+cabbage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414776213103894450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">And in other non-garlic-related news, the brassicas are doing well - the red cabbage especially is looking great. The brussels sprouts, however, are tiny! I'm not sure what's gone wrong this year but I doubt we'll have any to eat for Christmas. The plants are about 6 inches high and - although they're healthy-looking, the sprouts are about the size of a pea!</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-13804474018712108292009-11-18T09:23:00.011+00:002009-11-19T22:05:56.061+00:00Ooogosh again!*<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />*Or, Slightly overwhelmed by all the excitement!<br /><br />Excitement? I hear you ask... What excitement?<br /><br />Well, there's a much-looked-forward-to holiday fast approaching, with all the sorting, organising, planning and packing that involves when heading off to somewhere that's 32 degrees and has palm trees. And if that wasn't exciting enough, I took a look at Our Patch Of Earth to find...<br /><br />...an award!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPVJTMoKJoMahcEcKBVTdyUc8KOEYquNBN3iibHIm9XiNWfxD0t3w5rUPGfVUyMsc6Z3oqo2WHSdg5lls2BWSjXJSyCVwg3YNr83sxBecR3yKrH3YjK3GJYbPulIF85tBGg0n_Ac28k-P/s1600/bestblog-award.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 91px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipPVJTMoKJoMahcEcKBVTdyUc8KOEYquNBN3iibHIm9XiNWfxD0t3w5rUPGfVUyMsc6Z3oqo2WHSdg5lls2BWSjXJSyCVwg3YNr83sxBecR3yKrH3YjK3GJYbPulIF85tBGg0n_Ac28k-P/s320/bestblog-award.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405929721051818002" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Woo!<br /><br />Thanks very much to Gary at <a href="http://readsallotmentretreat.blogspot.com/">Reads Allotment Retreat</a>, it's very much appreciated! And also slightly strange to think there are People Out There reading and, I assume, returning time and time again to an insignificant blog that little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ol</span>' me wrote about chickens and vegetables! Funny old world...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />And, here are the rules:<br /><i>Post the award on your blog (including the above picture) along with the name of the person who passed it on to you and link to their blog. Choose 15 blogs which you have recently discovered and you think are great and pass it on to them. Don't forget to leave a comment on their blog to let them know they have been chosen for this award.</i><br /><br />Now, at the risk of being a party-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pooper</span>, I'm gonna have to do my own set of nominations when I'm back from sunnier climes in a couple of weeks. I think it deserves a little more thought and attention than I have to spare right now this minute.<br /><br />And in other news.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LkjGmyE0xaqoiB8o9z1Z-7BzDcyoPjSyDe6zRAM28PCfeiTd4CBMDQkxfZ_RUAz36u6MgWlPfaaEHCzQgK5Ef2WpF4Jw1j6MWSRdFfZLdVuocR6k5BNeV8ldNCDwr1uT9ZPJoSb8QHF3/s1600/garlic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4LkjGmyE0xaqoiB8o9z1Z-7BzDcyoPjSyDe6zRAM28PCfeiTd4CBMDQkxfZ_RUAz36u6MgWlPfaaEHCzQgK5Ef2WpF4Jw1j6MWSRdFfZLdVuocR6k5BNeV8ldNCDwr1uT9ZPJoSb8QHF3/s200/garlic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405939167002712242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I often visit a great site at <a href="http://fennelandfern.co.uk/">Fennel and Fern</a> and, on a whim, I recently entered a Garlic Giveaway - a competition to win a Garlic Lover's Growing Pack from the <a href="http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/">Isle of Wight Garlic Farm</a>, with nine (count them!) different types of garlic - that's enough cloves to make about 100 new plants.<br /><br />And I WON!!! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Yey</span>!<br /><br />So I think it's only fair to say a MASSIVE <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">thankyou</span> to Isabel at Fennel and Fern for running the competition, and to Darren at the Garlic Farm, who was kind enough to call me this morning to discuss the merits of garlic, top tips on growing conditions and when to deliver my prize (my Prize! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Eeee</span>!). I look forward to it!<br /><br />And so to pack... Anon, chums...<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-46651310691567567122009-11-09T22:35:00.004+00:002009-11-09T22:39:03.959+00:00Ooogosh!<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIG48BnjyMf-zGlF6iRrdFIT-Hv6VZ4UreVRlusjCppH2GpCJqD4qmiPcGkxMTqa79yAVwxITQ-_42GDLIefC7BDEJuhymNIj9KvJGu4OAv0_fLwHqRtoym1fHwqu4HQQCo1HCIdVWKxDA/s1600-h/drops1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIG48BnjyMf-zGlF6iRrdFIT-Hv6VZ4UreVRlusjCppH2GpCJqD4qmiPcGkxMTqa79yAVwxITQ-_42GDLIefC7BDEJuhymNIj9KvJGu4OAv0_fLwHqRtoym1fHwqu4HQQCo1HCIdVWKxDA/s400/drops1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402236327027734034" border="0" /></a><br />I just wanted to share the wonder of raindrops on brassica leaves...<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxX3r3Mxhhn_lw4OGSOYQTeh0Y_buIn1JBMHGohR7orfVOiN5QD756CaAN0d_5ax5YCuewgeUcNzCyYgux8EsNAgd6lCdNXvwerSRs2jqY3X2vsm1RL29KllXvGRpZ6X8DPrq5g5_bQx6f/s1600-h/drop2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxX3r3Mxhhn_lw4OGSOYQTeh0Y_buIn1JBMHGohR7orfVOiN5QD756CaAN0d_5ax5YCuewgeUcNzCyYgux8EsNAgd6lCdNXvwerSRs2jqY3X2vsm1RL29KllXvGRpZ6X8DPrq5g5_bQx6f/s400/drop2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402236323693034050" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">I won't take them for granted any more.<br /><br />PS: I love my camera.<br /><br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-47970498504795087752009-10-29T22:10:00.004+00:002009-10-29T22:23:14.821+00:00Disheartened<span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I have been remiss. Updates are not appearing on here as thick and fast as they should probably be. But there, look, I only posted once last October, so this is a vast improvement. And anyway, not much has been going on this month. Or at least, not much has been going on that I've been tempted to blog about.<br /><br />We're onto chicken no. 5. A couple of weekends ago Lola had a cough on the Saturday, wheezed on the Sunday, and was dead on the Monday morning. Even as we were discussing the possibility of finding a chicken-certified local vet. And Lola! Good ol' faithful, had-since-the-beginning Lola! There were tears, as I wrapped her in newspaper...<br /><br />I've put off blogging about it this long because our apparent lack of ability to keep chickens alive had me feeling somewhat ashamed, embarrassed, guilty, sad, angry... they were never supposed to be pets, exactly, but then they're not supposed to blimmin' well die so fast either. What are we doing wrong?!! Ah well. We discussed getting rid of Peggy Sue and becoming chickenless again (after all, where the run had been would make a fantastic veggie patch - all that poo!), but then a Saturday impulse led to us getting as-yet-unnamed-but-possibly-called-Alice.<br /><br />I know. Don't say anything. I'm still not entirely convinced it was the right thing to do. At least they have a fairly pampered life with us while they plot their numerous escapes and pop out eggs every day before their untimely demise.<br /><br />And I can keep working my way through the cupcake recipe book my sister got me for my birthday...<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-51340204334107891362009-10-18T13:58:00.007+01:002009-10-18T22:05:27.478+01:00Harvest<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUO8h-ezthTkEKJSCnpwSeegFMqvDtGEzACvOwjMTr5CLSzPxh03rtIxbCjHw2d3zC0u39dUqTdjZLEX3wqWdOBLKibol21OLxerg6iVm__6HeQAo-AKdmLzGWDGp7UDuXFgC-QSG24uz/s1600-h/barrow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUO8h-ezthTkEKJSCnpwSeegFMqvDtGEzACvOwjMTr5CLSzPxh03rtIxbCjHw2d3zC0u39dUqTdjZLEX3wqWdOBLKibol21OLxerg6iVm__6HeQAo-AKdmLzGWDGp7UDuXFgC-QSG24uz/s200/barrow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394046917971206962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">We needed a wheelbarrow to take our tatties home today. Ok, not a massive wheelbarrow, but still, not bad for a couple of hours' work in the sunshine, and it feels like we've got all this food for free!<br /><br />As Adam re-insulated the composte heaps with lots of dry grass, I picked the last of the tomatoes and the squash. Then we spent an hour or so digging up the last potato bed, and we ended up with half a barrowfull of Cara potatoes, as well as nearly a dozen winter and butternut squash, a bag of tomatoes and another big handful of dried borlotti beans.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA_MOVbmrqt2-p26NY50Jw2w0xEVwRbYcTLfxcDEbBVZHz5slH2oi_PIHc-0bFdn8WABpw1IBCazLfGRFLAxjRF8IfW2fHEuIeikYRDy3TB330Jjvf4ZSB4Cm-xxVT-dbpHSq5181pIC-/s1600-h/pumpkins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsA_MOVbmrqt2-p26NY50Jw2w0xEVwRbYcTLfxcDEbBVZHz5slH2oi_PIHc-0bFdn8WABpw1IBCazLfGRFLAxjRF8IfW2fHEuIeikYRDy3TB330Jjvf4ZSB4Cm-xxVT-dbpHSq5181pIC-/s400/pumpkins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393924937091448498" border="0" /></a><br />I'm looking forward to eating these. They're not massive, but perfect for a meal for two, which is great as, well, we are two, and we eat meals. They should keep pretty well - especially if we can cure them a bit more in the sunshine - but that iddy biddy one on top isn't going to see the inside of a cupboard, as it's going to be roasted along with potatoes (ours), carrots, swedes and parsnips (all not ours, sadly) and a pheasant from the local market for our lunch. With lots of garlic and lemon. Yum.<br /><br />And I wonder if I'll be able to resist making a Halloween lantern out of that orange one...<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Update </span>- ickle squash tasted goooood.<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-1609452648634581232009-10-11T14:22:00.004+01:002009-11-12T10:40:14.966+00:00All autumnal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf05txIY9PSFIvPMKLWXA28urCUvHjrs4kIejdb_kl44pZiT0qrz3UaoxhEJYQDgpEqTtzDF87Jxa0jjZSNF7YFiWU6dVuTP0K9a5HO3zL3oUBwoai-3QqsZZySlZHocaCcUmiE4-y2ET/s1600-h/DSCF0019.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQf05txIY9PSFIvPMKLWXA28urCUvHjrs4kIejdb_kl44pZiT0qrz3UaoxhEJYQDgpEqTtzDF87Jxa0jjZSNF7YFiWU6dVuTP0K9a5HO3zL3oUBwoai-3QqsZZySlZHocaCcUmiE4-y2ET/s400/DSCF0019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391341223049766386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">How time flies when you're having fun! Since my last post we've had more tomatoes, more beans, and more potatoes. Also my birthday, and, oh yes, a new camera. Woo! But the weather's definitely turning, the courgette and tomato plants are looking sorry for themselves and the sunflowers in the garden are getting a little bedraggled. But still beautiful, especially if you look close up.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">One of the first real signs that autumn is well and truly here - the borlotti beans are drying nicely on the plant. We've got a couple of handfuls of the dried beans now which we can store and use in something hearty in midwinter. They're sitting in a kilner jar in the kitchen, look nice and rustic.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhwbGu8ZLa5gsOffC3YAAxm-glxhiTiVNsUPg4HYW77s1HuaUl_X91PFT3gMZR7Du9i5-nAoBrC4YFO5GAisBrS0YdkqCeFZPfR_qQmyXck7VBSTqZrK2uDg1Y572_BckltIdqXu7dzF/s1600-h/borlotti.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOqhwbGu8ZLa5gsOffC3YAAxm-glxhiTiVNsUPg4HYW77s1HuaUl_X91PFT3gMZR7Du9i5-nAoBrC4YFO5GAisBrS0YdkqCeFZPfR_qQmyXck7VBSTqZrK2uDg1Y572_BckltIdqXu7dzF/s320/borlotti.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391335257432013058" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The winter squash are also ripening nicely. We'll just give them another week or so to get a bit more sun. We've also got three small butternut squash, which is very exciting stuff indeed as I love butternut squash.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDIgZPmcycDhg_ev0Y9UVQLDZilNKU21OZEtRk_MJV9gS6PXopGRKidGeg9E8TH0zOhcv0RqctGOdBhER0ERRlaktBzmdrH-BnQvKkbg4w4Pg2RaixuGFgb-7EqslMuS-DtVWN0DNsTCN/s1600-h/pk+right.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDIgZPmcycDhg_ev0Y9UVQLDZilNKU21OZEtRk_MJV9gS6PXopGRKidGeg9E8TH0zOhcv0RqctGOdBhER0ERRlaktBzmdrH-BnQvKkbg4w4Pg2RaixuGFgb-7EqslMuS-DtVWN0DNsTCN/s200/pk+right.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391335567388655106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPPwdbzBD31OGvuUwKGkQScLDvCL8vLkvz3F8D7YHNTWp6-54ZIP2OPJnUhCsbUWXMKS72TzDUE9_ViOCT4P-yF5gS74EhlWztPsLF492tSKTp6G_8eS9gjgW68wbP1ql-a4y7nI_IiP0/s1600-h/pk+left.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPPwdbzBD31OGvuUwKGkQScLDvCL8vLkvz3F8D7YHNTWp6-54ZIP2OPJnUhCsbUWXMKS72TzDUE9_ViOCT4P-yF5gS74EhlWztPsLF492tSKTp6G_8eS9gjgW68wbP1ql-a4y7nI_IiP0/s200/pk+left.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391335558458852530" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br />No real success with the sweetcorn this year. We've had three, maybe four decent sized cobs and a couple of tiny ones. But boy, were they tasty! The cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, red cabbage and purple sprouting brocolli are all doing fine. The netting seems to have kept the pigeons off so far!<br /><br />The allotment as a whole seems to be going from strength to strength. Apparently the council-owned allotments are full and they've started sending people our way. All the suitable plots are now let, so the ones near us which are mainly overgrown with brambles and grass are going to be professionally rotavated, so we should have some neighbours which will help keep the path clear and the weeds under control But they're going to leave the big giant blackberry bush untouched, so we'll keep a little privacy. And get the blackberries!<br /><br />We helped to clear some of the long grass on one of the adjacent plots and found this little fellow hiding under a rotting piece of plywood...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0K0ldPaKGsTpftvbYG5HeYnYM6rIUbmbL919xEAO2PuNYmiqv9FsQa3y9nRVBPwNEC7k8sgm6hWMV0ct9MF9qRiXFtCcY6L8j8E6IPPwTO6VoC2C2WR29574G05TGBJT9p4Bq23yLTLE/s1600-h/vole.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0K0ldPaKGsTpftvbYG5HeYnYM6rIUbmbL919xEAO2PuNYmiqv9FsQa3y9nRVBPwNEC7k8sgm6hWMV0ct9MF9qRiXFtCcY6L8j8E6IPPwTO6VoC2C2WR29574G05TGBJT9p4Bq23yLTLE/s320/vole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391335254181638578" border="0" /></a><br />Bless!<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-88733558911355791872009-09-23T11:22:00.007+01:002009-09-23T12:08:40.074+01:00Cooking stuff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP6AAfhDVxKIS9mcCQ_GXvskgjhHTM5ccsa775d1w12CMG2QaJ5tXcTYE6mMmWf1_A3C_TrrGoNK1RdWudFdhmSV6g_Z1-BxOP4EgGdQjqpSwwPao_2_UG4etex1XvXaLnkDDJB29C3cC/s1600-h/DSCF2715.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLP6AAfhDVxKIS9mcCQ_GXvskgjhHTM5ccsa775d1w12CMG2QaJ5tXcTYE6mMmWf1_A3C_TrrGoNK1RdWudFdhmSV6g_Z1-BxOP4EgGdQjqpSwwPao_2_UG4etex1XvXaLnkDDJB29C3cC/s200/DSCF2715.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384615354823353202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Yep, I know I said I was going to make tomato and onion chutney, but hey, it just didn't happen. Instead, I made a couple of pots of simple yellow tomato sauce (see pic - it's just loads of chopped toms, onion, salt and pepper and oregano, all cooked until it reduces into a big yellow mush) which we've frozen, and then a whole load of really, really, REALLY tasty spiced onion and apple chutney. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mmm</span>.<br /><br />My mum gave us a bag of apples from her tree, and though they weren't technically cooking apples, I thought I'd give them a go in chutney. Along with the big bag of onions from the local shop for one pound something, it was all a bit of a bargain.<br /><br />I did a quick search online for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Nigella's</span> Spiced Apple Chutney - which my good friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Sian</span> made and gave me a jar of at Christmas (and my, it is GOOD, more please!) but couldn't find the recipe, so I just got a bit of inspiration and then made some chutney with whatever I had in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">kitchen</span> cupboard. Couldn't be bothered to go out and search our local shops in the vague change they might possibly have a mouldering bottle of white wine vinegar tucked at the back next to the tins of ghee and henna, or a packet of golden caster sugar hidden behind the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">garam</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">masala</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">methi</span> leaves</span><span style="font-size:85%;">; so normal vinegar and normal sugar it is.<br /><br />So for all you recipe fans (!) here's my <span style="font-weight: bold;">Spiced Onion & Apple Chutney</span> one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ingredients:</span> - MAKES ENOUGH TO FILL 6 REGULAR JAM JARS.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">(NB I have a habit of making things by just chucking in a bit of this and a handful of that, which makes it very hard to translate into actual measurements - this is my best guess...)</span><br /><br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;">good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">glug</span> of olive oil<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">approx 20 small onions, peeled & chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">15 apples, peeled, cored & chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">5 cloves garlic, finely chopped</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">250g raisins</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">half tsp smoked paprika</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">half tsp <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">turmeric</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1tsp ground cinnamon<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">1tbsp oregano</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">generous sprinkling of salt & freshly ground pepper</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">3 bay leaves</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">600g sugar</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">4 tbsp <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">balsamic</span> vinegar</span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">100ml malt vinegar</span></li></ul><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Method:</span><br /><br />Put olive oil in a BIG pan. Chuck in onions, apple, garlic and give them a good stir 'til they're well mingled and just warmed through. Chuck in everything else and stir and stir. You won't see much liquid at first but a lot comes out of the apples when they start to cook. I cooked mine on a low simmer for a couple of hours until it had reduced down a bit and was brown and glossy and sort of caramelised. It's spiced, but not <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">spicy</span>, but I guess just put in less paprika if you want to avoid any kind of warming tang.<br /><br />Now it's in the cupboard for a few months to mature or, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">urr</span>, do whatever it is that chutneys do when you're told to leave them for a few months.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKd_tyALH8bLihrkoNcwUX0-NTVu4xys9VIASRQFjp2BuDMELeHCfk1zdoAOVK4XeXiH_VzveJo4PwgRrZVoqxUm7t1GV289QtttjhYYnKlLe9n_tNGrVz5WCJkB-XGQ64_BLDavJQ_cZD/s1600-h/DSCF2728.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKd_tyALH8bLihrkoNcwUX0-NTVu4xys9VIASRQFjp2BuDMELeHCfk1zdoAOVK4XeXiH_VzveJo4PwgRrZVoqxUm7t1GV289QtttjhYYnKlLe9n_tNGrVz5WCJkB-XGQ64_BLDavJQ_cZD/s320/DSCF2728.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384614633111646018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />It's the paler chutney at the front, by the way, the really dark stuff in the taller pale-blue-lidded jar, and the one to the right is good <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ol</span>' onion chutney, made in February. (February! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Gah</span>! Better get eating!).<br /><br />And yeah, I know, the pic isn't great - but have you ever tried taking pictures of jam jars in a dark store cupboard when you can't see what it is you're taking a picture of? But never fear, blog-readers! I'm getting a new camera for my birthday in, ooh, about a week! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Woop</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">woop</span>!<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-78745434353755500872009-09-20T16:08:00.001+01:002009-09-23T12:39:02.221+01:00Gardening guilt<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">I have a confession. We've cheated a bit. Ok, maybe not <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span>, but I feel like we have.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />We went to a garden centre yesterday morning, and I got distracted by the little trays of veg. Now, I've been thinking for a while that we should have sown our winter and spring veg back in May, or June, or July, but we just never got around to it. And while it's not like we'll starve without our own home-grown winter greens, it'd still be nice to have some that we'd grown ourselves.<br /><br />We did sow some leeks a few months ago, alongside the swedes and carrots, but haven't ended up with half as many as we really wanted. So into our basket went a tray of little leeks. And as for red cabbage, well, that's a Christmas essential, so we obviously needed a tray of those too. And we had some purple sprouting broccoli last spring, but haven't sown any this year either, so a tray of those as well please... And what's this? A sign saying 4 for £10? Then we definitely needed to get a tray of cauliflower too, even though they weren't very successful last year, with all but one mouldering away on the plant. This year, they'll be fine, I can feel it.<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />So, £10 later and we were the proud owners of many, many baby leeks, 12 red cabbage, 14 PSBs and 12 cauliflower plants. Yey!<br /><br />Down at the allotment in the afternoon Adam discovered that one of our compost heaps has produced some rather fine compost, (never thought compost would be so exciting, but it just kindof appears from nowhere!) so he hauled out a few bucketfuls while I attempted to transplant the little leeks into the seed bed for a bit of fattening up alongside their slightly larger brothers and sisters. Then Adam dug over a couple of empty beds which I'd - coincidentally, and handily - weeded last week (see - it must be fate!) and in all the brassicas went, with a good dollop of compost underneath. We also netted the tops of the beds so that the pigeons </span><span style="font-size:85%;">can't eat them and maybe it'll stop some snails too.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> I also relocated the little brussels sprouts plants to the same bed as the caulis, as they were in danger of being swamped by the artichokes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxIAANSA6eoq4CAQ7oIHCqRGcqPXTlN6Uz-4ko8ENChhHmBHsssL1lqCI2I4WNEhuQyES57QIxTMVEdF5Mabr-z2ze2OR2VMX5IwKThiTN03iGS7S8k7UiXFEuPYzUEis6JSxjKlfzIY3/s1600-h/DSCF2696.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxIAANSA6eoq4CAQ7oIHCqRGcqPXTlN6Uz-4ko8ENChhHmBHsssL1lqCI2I4WNEhuQyES57QIxTMVEdF5Mabr-z2ze2OR2VMX5IwKThiTN03iGS7S8k7UiXFEuPYzUEis6JSxjKlfzIY3/s320/DSCF2696.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384621201770606994" border="0" /></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">We picked a courgette, more beans, dug up some more potatoes and have another big bag of yellow tomatoes. I'll definitely have to make something this weekend or they're in danger of going to waste. Maybe pasta sauce... Yum!<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-38364554999032243782009-09-13T14:52:00.002+01:002009-09-13T15:04:34.362+01:00Toms!<span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7h7Hxf9WaB1Rh5OiuH0cp_5rDyR1LS_WP0M-mt4K553P5AnTa-QOVQtP5JEUalgy9rBRfVqjsD5fyLgNw61OT-NMiAjyP2sJ9gZxXmr1toIDuAuIrzxqyq8luzptrobbb5XNdsURUeuB/s1600-h/DSCF2693.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7h7Hxf9WaB1Rh5OiuH0cp_5rDyR1LS_WP0M-mt4K553P5AnTa-QOVQtP5JEUalgy9rBRfVqjsD5fyLgNw61OT-NMiAjyP2sJ9gZxXmr1toIDuAuIrzxqyq8luzptrobbb5XNdsURUeuB/s320/DSCF2693.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380950216514184402" border="0" /></a><br />The yellow tomatoes are ripening - I picked a big mixing bowl full yesterday, along with a few red ones and a few cherry tomatoes from our grow bags in the garden. Yum. Now I have to decide what to do with them. I'm thinking about making some tomato sauces to freeze and maybe some chutneys too - the local shop is selling sacks of onions at a ridiculously low price (I'm not so bothered about our lack of onion success this year now, seeing as how they're so cheap to buy down the road!) so some tomato and onion chutney could be just the thing. And it'd be nicely matured by Christmas.<br /><br />Did lots of weeding yesterday, tackled the four worst beds which had the biggest weeds on. What's the phrase? 'One year's weeds, seven year's seeds'? In that case, we're doomed... we're going to be weeding forever.<br /><br />Adam's away this week so I took it nice and easy, had the radio on, and stopped for an egg mayo sandwich and a cuppa for lunch in the sunshine.<br /><br />Peggy Sue's managed to find a way of escaping the chicken coop. We saw her jump up onto the top of the cage door, so we put some bamboo canes across the top to stop her begin able to flap and flutter up there, but she's still found a way to get out into the garden. Hmm, I'll have to keep an eye on her...<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-715506423052649055.post-74810692739674749962009-09-07T09:40:00.000+01:002009-09-09T09:45:29.785+01:00It's a double!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZsM7aJuQ0b6Yyiafp4J5rcV5Sr41vx_tjCKaqT_I2rSdAy3WKbmHhY-kGH3PL2v6hGYd2ABleKscO3KVkm7Ucghvnh_CDDgI61jfKY-_7ptdKYAwIRDcJlmvwy6cMDxcod5DL6CXHZND/s1600-h/DSCF2687.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXZsM7aJuQ0b6Yyiafp4J5rcV5Sr41vx_tjCKaqT_I2rSdAy3WKbmHhY-kGH3PL2v6hGYd2ABleKscO3KVkm7Ucghvnh_CDDgI61jfKY-_7ptdKYAwIRDcJlmvwy6cMDxcod5DL6CXHZND/s200/DSCF2687.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379385290758435794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Peggy Sue's first egg - her very first - yes, that exact same one as in the post below - was a double yolker. FAB!</span> <span style="font-size:85%;">Contributed very nicely towards a tasty omelette. Thanks, chickens...<br /><br />Since then her eggs have been smaller, no more doubles.<br /><br /></span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12359077677646274763noreply@blogger.com0