This morning out of the corner of my eye I saw something moving in the grow house. I grabbed a point and press camera and stood still and sure enough she came back. I have to say her behaviour is completely bonkers, she was removing chunks of compost with out a care for the plants. I'm assuming its crazed nest building but it really is the sort of help that I could do without.
You can see Mrs Blackbird can't you?
Where do I begin, I'm not even strictly talking about the gardening me, overall I fear that I have lost my mojo at the moment. I blame it on election stalemate, cold weather and general irritations. Shockingly it means that I feel little like gardening or photography. Feel free to give me a little kick up the backside!
Something is not quite right I bought a 'women's' magazine (the first in about a year) it is still in the wrapper. What is going on!
I have a strong itch to make or create something but that means I have to leave the sofa in the evenings so I'm always thinking I'll do it tomorrow. I'll just plan it in my head for now.
Do you have any recipes for motivation?
I need to do some photography editing as I want to put a panel of images together for a club competition. All flower still life shots like above if I don't get a move on I'll miss the boat. Help!
At the moment I am really enjoying watching the edible garden, Alys has a thrifty and loose style to what she does that is just so infectious. Each week I wish my urban garden was as beautiful and productive as hers has been in the show. Tonight she made a plea for planting more flowers in the garden and not just edible flowers. I think that next year I might have to plan some loose planting areas in my garden. This year I am still contemplating trying to put in some raised beds, but the expense is putting me off. For now I have planted my salad leaves in a wooden wine box in the style of Alys Fowler. The box has been lovingly coated with danish oil and planted up with some of my dig in seeds. Now lets see how long this cut and come again salad will feed me. My second wooden box will be sown with rocket when I get around to it, I might just chuck in a couple of nasturtiums for beauty.
At a time when every one is cracking on with activity down at the allotment I have found myself very short of time. I have snatched very quick visits to the patch and just some little jobs have been completed. The weeds are overtaking springing from no where. I might be completely over run by the weedy enemy soon. You would need a very careful and keen eye to see the subtle changes I have made to the patch.
Hence I think I know what will becoming next, I'm just waiting for one of those little letters.
Just look closely when you do the inspections you judges of cultivation, notice that I have put the spuds in this week and risked planting out some of the beans. Think back to what my plot looked like last year, it is better this year, but will you be able to see it?
The chance to strim the paths and burn the bonfire, would make such a difference fingers crossed I will get to do it soon.
Wish I was as leggy as some of my plants, I'd be over six foot tall.
This is the trouble with planting seeds too early and neglecting them slightly as they gallop away on the window sill. These squash plants should have been potted on before we went away for a few days, I returned to some very droopy and unhappy plants. Still I moved them on into bigger pots and out into the grow house. I planted them deeper into the soil hoping that like tomato plants they will develop more supportive roots from the base of the stems. They will need more support because they are so leggy. Hope they don't snap in the wind.
In the picture is my new found potting tray I didn't think it was going to be as useful as it is, I use it often on the table indoors it reduces the mess and means I can get on with things whenever I need to. A portable potting table.
Last week I was a lucky winner. After making a comment on purple podded peas, my name was chosen by a living version of ERNIE - a chicken. No ordinary chicken but one of Celia's under gardeners who perform many tasks in the garden as well as the selection of winners. You can see the selection process here.
It was so exciting when the package arrived. It contained some beautiful cards with pictures of heritage vegetables, some hen hanging decorations with bells, a 'flower loomed' flower on a gift card and some seeds.
The seeds include some purple podded peas. I will be sowing them straight away.
I'm thinking of hanging a hen over my desk at work, it will be a motivator to not linger too long at work but leave on time and get out into the garden. I'm also about to look at e-bay for a flower loom as I want to transport myself back to my eight year old creative self, as I had so forgotten this until Celia's recent post.
Celia is so kind, as there wasn't just this bundle of goodies but a little note which gave the location of where Celia and Cliff often spot lots of hares when on their walks. I'll be planning a trip over in that direction soon I think.
Thank you.
You can see Mrs Blackbird can't you?
This is the trouble with planting seeds too early and neglecting them slightly as they gallop away on the window sill. These squash plants should have been potted on before we went away for a few days, I returned to some very droopy and unhappy plants. Still I moved them on into bigger pots and out into the grow house. I planted them deeper into the soil hoping that like tomato plants they will develop more supportive roots from the base of the stems. They will need more support because they are so leggy. Hope they don't snap in the wind.
I visit St Fagans many times through out the year when I pop back home to Wales. There are lots of things to see there, so each visit can be different. I never feel the need to spend all day there to get my monies worth as it is free, just need to pay about £3 for parking. That is value for money.
