I paid the allotment association fees today. Whilst I was in the hut I asked a question that I had not fully expected to come tipping out of my mouth. How easy is it to down size to a half plot? As I heard the words I was already asking myself - why are you saying this.
Much to my surprise they said it could be done but then spent most of the time talking me out of the idea. These are the guys that watch my efforts at the plot and when they do their inspections, they send me untidy allotment letters. Their tune was so much more supportive than I expected.
I admit as I reflect now writing this post, I did manage to go most of the growing season without a letter. So that is an improvement on last year.
Inevitably that means I have drawn up another to do list and top of that list is to sort out the strawberry runners, I hope to do it in an evening this week ever ambitious me! I hope that means my mojo is back.
One hour, really it is not enough time. If you are me, you do just have to catch what you can, when you can and when you are in the mood and just be glad of it. That is how I can still love my allotment and stop it from ever feeling like a burden. That's how I can forgive it for limited harvests or infestations. It is because it sort of survives with a large helping of benign neglect.
I had a great hour at the patch today, weeding and clearing. Soaking up the warmth of the sun and thinking about what the patch could be like next year. My fennel is looking great and should be big enough to harvest soon before any frost arrives as I imagine the frost will kill it.
However in life not everything goes so well with such levels of neglect and a blog in one of those things that needs a little bit of regular attention. I have been to the patch a bit recently and have plenty to tell you all. So what has got in the way of posting? Well I have lost a little bit of my mojo. I'm also trying to get on top of my photography plans, it has been back to school for Owen in last couple of weeks, then with sorting a 2yr olds birthday needs, as always work has been very busy. Consequently I am just so worn out in the evenings, so to master the computer problems that have emerged since my lap top died has been as much as I could manage. Still it is upwards and onwards and blog posts should become more frequent.
I have had a second horticulturally focused hour today, at the garden centre. This hour which boosted my enthusiasm five fold. It included the purchase of lots of 50p seeds from the bargain bucket. There is nothing like cheap seeds and the promise that it brings! We arrived just in the nick of time and got the last lot of free bulbs for children. The bulbs are for a competition, Its one where we plant the three little red riding hood tulips and we keep a photo diary (right up Owen's street I think) lets hope that we can manage to do this and hand it in, in May next year!
