tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44140292449664409742024-02-21T05:22:15.084+00:00OurAllotmentRetire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-39941265322622261652023-05-30T06:03:00.001+00:002023-05-30T06:03:56.077+00:00What a difference a year makes.<p> Having an allotment lets you go through a lot of emotions, the advertised wisdom is that a lot if not all are positive and uplifting. But to experience the highs you have to have endured the lows so as to fully appreciate everything. Our lass is on the way to recovery after knocking herself out last year. It meant us having little enthusiasm for the allotment and obstacles to be removed such as sorting greenhouses we did for a while procrastinate. </p><p>My own allotment diary here, went into slumber but now we are both reinvigorated, one thing which really helps this is photographs. Memories skew, but photos show it as it was. You always push yourself to do more than what is probably already needed or happened in the past. Will this bare earth ever become full. Take a look back and let it give you hope.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib_eUEnHOJJfEE9THaez00i3RWK1ybdFyRmxGwRMDRA3-TtJqYPTuWOfurOk-PxTEQyTwLT1PdOFCF4UVkdO-yinHGdfCbSPvB37fvZqLhPAsTpNfX1SjEFzhJXjd-pL11I1HsEVheHFa9KIrCULIDH2F4VjbRI3Dc_5IuLOFQI0HHnMKVJePaxf1o" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib_eUEnHOJJfEE9THaez00i3RWK1ybdFyRmxGwRMDRA3-TtJqYPTuWOfurOk-PxTEQyTwLT1PdOFCF4UVkdO-yinHGdfCbSPvB37fvZqLhPAsTpNfX1SjEFzhJXjd-pL11I1HsEVheHFa9KIrCULIDH2F4VjbRI3Dc_5IuLOFQI0HHnMKVJePaxf1o=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 17th 2022 </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd-UI_iR1TguJl_O9GkKHpCPb6YmYCGaEayIM4AVN2Z3Kvz3vt3-Gv3949L-Hp30dvhvgpB30b5n69Ba63pgOU6jXe48LSETWezCPGb9naN5a1e8wvrLgnourkA20LiKMMdl5LU5SSaooe53FfuSbLWRUAmKluQpDsBH9sIRSUczTDqq50t2d_ah8O" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjd-UI_iR1TguJl_O9GkKHpCPb6YmYCGaEayIM4AVN2Z3Kvz3vt3-Gv3949L-Hp30dvhvgpB30b5n69Ba63pgOU6jXe48LSETWezCPGb9naN5a1e8wvrLgnourkA20LiKMMdl5LU5SSaooe53FfuSbLWRUAmKluQpDsBH9sIRSUczTDqq50t2d_ah8O=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 27th 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCm0brPySQxpLYkDucI_VZE10CHR-4IjF0CU5VFyPtiyOkK5giT6272QfvfLg628xFxErLomEVSL3Xpiugt88vupHVmMa7SvdaIi_aXnRSlsLGiAESHmioIntJ0UAwqzz4UTjP6MPpqTfNuSEuSjjNSLVgXJBimyAyCKzS1NJg4vz4ZejyJsN_v3Kl" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhCm0brPySQxpLYkDucI_VZE10CHR-4IjF0CU5VFyPtiyOkK5giT6272QfvfLg628xFxErLomEVSL3Xpiugt88vupHVmMa7SvdaIi_aXnRSlsLGiAESHmioIntJ0UAwqzz4UTjP6MPpqTfNuSEuSjjNSLVgXJBimyAyCKzS1NJg4vz4ZejyJsN_v3Kl" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 31st 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUC4RV5HN63Zrdeq4Kvt07ovAKcyLYmWqI7_mWy6apfWiZqE9ClhIZHU9GF2TIRr5fvHPpZ_4b9Iuc3dm-_2eHVsSLcaoPhK3RRCI2OWigl2g82S4K3iI1qqqI92ZhLTuSnIewkc4SbNPML8vioMpU177W0fQ9oPONtS7QPdIGVWzO5vQg9_2eNVN8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUC4RV5HN63Zrdeq4Kvt07ovAKcyLYmWqI7_mWy6apfWiZqE9ClhIZHU9GF2TIRr5fvHPpZ_4b9Iuc3dm-_2eHVsSLcaoPhK3RRCI2OWigl2g82S4K3iI1qqqI92ZhLTuSnIewkc4SbNPML8vioMpU177W0fQ9oPONtS7QPdIGVWzO5vQg9_2eNVN8=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June 15th 2022</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There are photos to come to the point where we have caught up now, but it helps to let you know, you are on track (choo choo)<br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-1084338599032185722022-05-12T09:52:00.005+00:002022-05-12T09:52:37.679+00:00Our Allotment in March 2022<p> March a month when you finally see some flowers, but most importantly a month when we celebrate our lasses birthday and our wedding anniversary.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzByPbeXtu1vQvpyh-CEquy3SuRAUPTBQ6lTETHXKEfFGGiGJ03B5MwUcyBVwDZ6yZmx6vKObcAM8cK4GqT5xUwFYhqUdE2580ZYxd35sJsGhOpdExEOF84Ls-KqkmaXujGA0ZpdvPqKMH4Kc949EEiRypSPRTYyX8c7n65pOGIiK4JmYriGWldIuC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgzByPbeXtu1vQvpyh-CEquy3SuRAUPTBQ6lTETHXKEfFGGiGJ03B5MwUcyBVwDZ6yZmx6vKObcAM8cK4GqT5xUwFYhqUdE2580ZYxd35sJsGhOpdExEOF84Ls-KqkmaXujGA0ZpdvPqKMH4Kc949EEiRypSPRTYyX8c7n65pOGIiK4JmYriGWldIuC=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A birthday picnic to celebrate our lasses birthday</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjHIVmLtnKmwelA41pl86DM9EtHzexMNdpSpgYiehNsp-h_6bQ-fVxhIyxAG0MYAPdUXnnc2eQFw-u0Z-NNTWwqlev8XvCQ1JtmODEBr31dOXZ3WRRUvMkBiIhzzbKUPQ8vUC3-DaB20WbGhNqmcT0o4LotLgXUfMWVJBpcHN4qXWwEW6AHWRwtr14" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjHIVmLtnKmwelA41pl86DM9EtHzexMNdpSpgYiehNsp-h_6bQ-fVxhIyxAG0MYAPdUXnnc2eQFw-u0Z-NNTWwqlev8XvCQ1JtmODEBr31dOXZ3WRRUvMkBiIhzzbKUPQ8vUC3-DaB20WbGhNqmcT0o4LotLgXUfMWVJBpcHN4qXWwEW6AHWRwtr14=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring has sprung the daffs are out</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA2HNIhNRoGALZ26blyuK0bsNODPNuam8lyXevIhbGvY2fdqcZGmbmwXMqBYGqfcptTVVGMeTuRO4YGDNCkC6yvKUkJ-PBwHtg4EdmjuitVQ4AyPmwfYmzcspEAtFkNqNFDPxUAVcWLf6YyJVY8WKAYfjZKn2-DwMjKgVwgqR41EeTVJsEqyFLQ30i" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjA2HNIhNRoGALZ26blyuK0bsNODPNuam8lyXevIhbGvY2fdqcZGmbmwXMqBYGqfcptTVVGMeTuRO4YGDNCkC6yvKUkJ-PBwHtg4EdmjuitVQ4AyPmwfYmzcspEAtFkNqNFDPxUAVcWLf6YyJVY8WKAYfjZKn2-DwMjKgVwgqR41EeTVJsEqyFLQ30i=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocus out , out front</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMu7Z1oNTTwwI6R6q6dZqXuY6uIBeGJ1FqyFNX2FLygZNeHlyBFmaSF6SoWOHgxUGIKzloVKM-2QHmUraiDG-sgEurJpGIg07o96jQRBFzMH0ciWjxMjYDZO9_47tlZbNeXCLFqnmnwMGRrHFG6m0XhbQ2hYXZqYfewyWDwxbQTUHXfNPA---diVfU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMu7Z1oNTTwwI6R6q6dZqXuY6uIBeGJ1FqyFNX2FLygZNeHlyBFmaSF6SoWOHgxUGIKzloVKM-2QHmUraiDG-sgEurJpGIg07o96jQRBFzMH0ciWjxMjYDZO9_47tlZbNeXCLFqnmnwMGRrHFG6m0XhbQ2hYXZqYfewyWDwxbQTUHXfNPA---diVfU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first outing for the sun brolly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD5EfFv0Z1fZp3Hs4cUsWpmPHy3Jvn1afvmh1nouOqDvKdXepVdG_FyVflksoPgYYVr6WzZ6HOI-8bbM69RGPYmQ4G5MT4tUxWNTfIEhJZVzOt9N6ekFiLZSg0DTf3I0QszHVP7eGrFYJQRE6YTNyE7yox2oUW566-7AYcVCMfR0_XP5OfyYFdfPv4" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD5EfFv0Z1fZp3Hs4cUsWpmPHy3Jvn1afvmh1nouOqDvKdXepVdG_FyVflksoPgYYVr6WzZ6HOI-8bbM69RGPYmQ4G5MT4tUxWNTfIEhJZVzOt9N6ekFiLZSg0DTf3I0QszHVP7eGrFYJQRE6YTNyE7yox2oUW566-7AYcVCMfR0_XP5OfyYFdfPv4" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass puts the final touches to the fence<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqGyfNqnpZoNo5o4lpif4kWPulB9rhwlVYO95dGsv7SfRZaV_sjVDY7hiY0JI1FvmGMGbxYdaTgCkma_8NmV-n5iIgkatvtwSlm4GCMA8G4spkLij8qWmd5UkjoLUcL_9eAE9ORTSj3nQFsKlA8UMzJZRQY1EzFWTfwnMHUtZr3TUFkqfXCsMFsUhe" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqGyfNqnpZoNo5o4lpif4kWPulB9rhwlVYO95dGsv7SfRZaV_sjVDY7hiY0JI1FvmGMGbxYdaTgCkma_8NmV-n5iIgkatvtwSlm4GCMA8G4spkLij8qWmd5UkjoLUcL_9eAE9ORTSj3nQFsKlA8UMzJZRQY1EzFWTfwnMHUtZr3TUFkqfXCsMFsUhe=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It seemed a good idea at the time, not so when I had taken all the glass out.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwjtxeWoP4zDSf75_2RlKwNwGRMYgMuQ7Cg9SgmHolfMATAu12H2J3sGt7ru2jUj_0W7NOsbDTWp9AtUN3K_lTzWsb-VhyUKghEFVVCBBqpGrCd3AoAY1hpglP_1Qp1UIW3tn_trrOfRSgF_d4lyjG9QhFRg7o0Y_Cz36jlAd322Q7K4hC_zGExUqE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwjtxeWoP4zDSf75_2RlKwNwGRMYgMuQ7Cg9SgmHolfMATAu12H2J3sGt7ru2jUj_0W7NOsbDTWp9AtUN3K_lTzWsb-VhyUKghEFVVCBBqpGrCd3AoAY1hpglP_1Qp1UIW3tn_trrOfRSgF_d4lyjG9QhFRg7o0Y_Cz36jlAd322Q7K4hC_zGExUqE=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moved the grape outside, now lets pray it survives.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCiKG-Vj1lWglHjQrJStEfZRn6V0m3ymndBTsg0TPjx91b8qxyDJHVZlRKK3s_e8-SuYZYrG5c09Kb1DvBH2GOh0MbJ9FwzJehoIhbTpsU4J1dJlZMXsR9sgCTmGHjeDDtHvMV9Jd4PIFsBxsWrpMHJCSoY7XJNyUD8Ei7dN4iTalGzqvRdexpT8S5" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCiKG-Vj1lWglHjQrJStEfZRn6V0m3ymndBTsg0TPjx91b8qxyDJHVZlRKK3s_e8-SuYZYrG5c09Kb1DvBH2GOh0MbJ9FwzJehoIhbTpsU4J1dJlZMXsR9sgCTmGHjeDDtHvMV9Jd4PIFsBxsWrpMHJCSoY7XJNyUD8Ei7dN4iTalGzqvRdexpT8S5=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our lasses greatest finds for free from last year, this time around it gets a service new wooden side panels and our lass freshly varnished all the cold frame.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS6e1UJzQx2qBDWX_9Jbke60cjHF2qgSTgnjLUcVToQVScyeSzebabJRHjcWJu_tWjafDX8p4BxgFzf8FkmIxzedl3HIReePpBn4PZgk1knjVespIEywPVLXMt2M1gfJvS_UIMf1TXfF-TpFoopcBsmBT2K9WaRSKF703uMoDlrwi9qVdoAo5cx4Ek" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1638" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiS6e1UJzQx2qBDWX_9Jbke60cjHF2qgSTgnjLUcVToQVScyeSzebabJRHjcWJu_tWjafDX8p4BxgFzf8FkmIxzedl3HIReePpBn4PZgk1knjVespIEywPVLXMt2M1gfJvS_UIMf1TXfF-TpFoopcBsmBT2K9WaRSKF703uMoDlrwi9qVdoAo5cx4Ek=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div>Most of the glass back in the greenhouse and all the boxes set out ready for the coming growing year<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-45921111554729531222022-05-12T09:37:00.004+00:002022-05-12T09:37:17.275+00:00Our Allotment in Feb 2022<p> Our lass has a lot more faith in me than I do in myself. We completed the fencing which had taken a while but it was a bit at a time job, do a couple of posts connect the pallets carry on. But we finished it. YAY!!!</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfTAfkFUNK3tx2t9SZClwB_gcCWaYWuez4bHvnH90FMPFUrtwdCN2J-L1OqI0CSh-BUwET5uuB5HRezIXMiMs1mvZkNbzekewZMJiwjybLDJmq7LXOsfaKjrHA0_NZgNTtvHKXERtl2HNjirGWpwj30EaL15hVjf-jQjk9yCaJQP5nWHtuHzKUbJy6" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfTAfkFUNK3tx2t9SZClwB_gcCWaYWuez4bHvnH90FMPFUrtwdCN2J-L1OqI0CSh-BUwET5uuB5HRezIXMiMs1mvZkNbzekewZMJiwjybLDJmq7LXOsfaKjrHA0_NZgNTtvHKXERtl2HNjirGWpwj30EaL15hVjf-jQjk9yCaJQP5nWHtuHzKUbJy6=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But first a view from the shed. a forever job of replenishing the wood chip.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcjZNwDmWRzK2-MSWs4bFXBJedHo63Ol6FMtpUQSU9WQBoTYvKcHn-XzhlSUMdQtqwbHWIEjQRpLO98befnIc-HClvecRZTzEykDrxpm14BmyYY81ND6P9LC3rL28AuZWArnK_0fe9YWNNaQ8gKhbRR9scKuKgeRFj8g-6Q-M1Gi59aA3twkFUDZdt" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcjZNwDmWRzK2-MSWs4bFXBJedHo63Ol6FMtpUQSU9WQBoTYvKcHn-XzhlSUMdQtqwbHWIEjQRpLO98befnIc-HClvecRZTzEykDrxpm14BmyYY81ND6P9LC3rL28AuZWArnK_0fe9YWNNaQ8gKhbRR9scKuKgeRFj8g-6Q-M1Gi59aA3twkFUDZdt=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTHk1a5hK1F4YBwq_-R2irrJsfvQkO2S01pQuvT4UUT3DHu2N7foqy35uihtSXGEduS-0LZEcrKipgYjsxjlNXxIxTtLcypgZmy4ZeBHQMDLKmuk_5wQ2jwzAoKyf9v_FbYDA0aQs4mEX2ixq3Of8aHReG20rOLQ4S-_z1_QpAF2V60pYCJbAmfTCv" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTHk1a5hK1F4YBwq_-R2irrJsfvQkO2S01pQuvT4UUT3DHu2N7foqy35uihtSXGEduS-0LZEcrKipgYjsxjlNXxIxTtLcypgZmy4ZeBHQMDLKmuk_5wQ2jwzAoKyf9v_FbYDA0aQs4mEX2ixq3Of8aHReG20rOLQ4S-_z1_QpAF2V60pYCJbAmfTCv=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A job which consumed the month but was very satisfying when done.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-52188494040147598362022-05-12T09:27:00.008+00:002022-05-12T09:27:57.132+00:00Our Allotment in January 2022<p> They sing about don't fence me in and wanting land lots of land. There are times though when you want to know your borders. January was fence repair and replacement time</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoSqJoAKCWpqv6tqPCBAOdH5fGvVcpFun3lN68KxtUdIYCSPV9KwBIWcTzR0EsTnWARUJ6fBZb8ncVnf7wmf2oEv9t9Cs7RfhjM2l9zIT7S9aEnfzjuCN0WF9YfcxyA8E_uCSHKWj_ogmMrXKPThks1gIAT9Nf8GcZxPmu4BGBM0ACJ2V2oWe8_MB5" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoSqJoAKCWpqv6tqPCBAOdH5fGvVcpFun3lN68KxtUdIYCSPV9KwBIWcTzR0EsTnWARUJ6fBZb8ncVnf7wmf2oEv9t9Cs7RfhjM2l9zIT7S9aEnfzjuCN0WF9YfcxyA8E_uCSHKWj_ogmMrXKPThks1gIAT9Nf8GcZxPmu4BGBM0ACJ2V2oWe8_MB5=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lovely layer of manure and new posts with curbing in place to retain the soil our lass did a grand job more photos to come of completed project</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJHC7uMyA1qoMPW-sXBMKptl8j8r9XN1DefNFxKABqYyHynCKEvoyb3ddDv36diaPffjA1NGZH6Sg-RTYfdBKevTuO5Ni_X0NMcJp3dgTI1gQXuyGY23kXW_ckTzGBp7AdfLbQ3FZYj-SshFkKxDmg-whMiswNLRepdMLyrsoskBmid3HJmxOGf80E" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJHC7uMyA1qoMPW-sXBMKptl8j8r9XN1DefNFxKABqYyHynCKEvoyb3ddDv36diaPffjA1NGZH6Sg-RTYfdBKevTuO5Ni_X0NMcJp3dgTI1gQXuyGY23kXW_ckTzGBp7AdfLbQ3FZYj-SshFkKxDmg-whMiswNLRepdMLyrsoskBmid3HJmxOGf80E=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On t'other side the start of the great barrier allotment</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHatfdSFgga7Wc--hVLxKQXYjVjB6_qY6wptdb4aYbAJrUHDOap0e7zEKeRMBXjviNQhH7XWRWK2yyfGZfuJd1Fro7Lc4YzpIfMf9kj-NzuExqe0ZSzQi85ullo0K8zpodyl1923CYLEUDuffHsGa3lkVleey3qmR5_S1Auotf6jKMqjYjY_H2HaCr" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHatfdSFgga7Wc--hVLxKQXYjVjB6_qY6wptdb4aYbAJrUHDOap0e7zEKeRMBXjviNQhH7XWRWK2yyfGZfuJd1Fro7Lc4YzpIfMf9kj-NzuExqe0ZSzQi85ullo0K8zpodyl1923CYLEUDuffHsGa3lkVleey3qmR5_S1Auotf6jKMqjYjY_H2HaCr" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And it grows</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2ssS3rvembaGahHgGYqiPjfzj7OqB4fjyXVuBNAW-jxt3GpNi4F5UXFF1XiFlKx5yIuhMGZQ_1amK8U_W0mjbDG8ZXqJt9mLF1IIW1pyx7XE_ombc3Yho7jqVbaWrvJbzI26MX0mII2HYNfGgbnu6lgnp5EI3cHrTPr6i9IywmpmbOsXnfk69LJig" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2ssS3rvembaGahHgGYqiPjfzj7OqB4fjyXVuBNAW-jxt3GpNi4F5UXFF1XiFlKx5yIuhMGZQ_1amK8U_W0mjbDG8ZXqJt9mLF1IIW1pyx7XE_ombc3Yho7jqVbaWrvJbzI26MX0mII2HYNfGgbnu6lgnp5EI3cHrTPr6i9IywmpmbOsXnfk69LJig" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It does look good on how the light hits the wood.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2yI5Jv3ZBIyyOjUCJ4319A12oJzdxjbF18tAaiElN3q_M6SA-OdM73YP8gWHZFq-e8EXvxbJH0hhg6nKJpwm2E4UU4zZvrZn6IPX4sDSgTimt2R1FKg1U0-9Jlq75aLQlFow6Nc8NFPApu6YiDcP5V8MqObubKPXlhzC0JV8yUXc3FfRdsujR37GO" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1229" data-original-width="1638" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2yI5Jv3ZBIyyOjUCJ4319A12oJzdxjbF18tAaiElN3q_M6SA-OdM73YP8gWHZFq-e8EXvxbJH0hhg6nKJpwm2E4UU4zZvrZn6IPX4sDSgTimt2R1FKg1U0-9Jlq75aLQlFow6Nc8NFPApu6YiDcP5V8MqObubKPXlhzC0JV8yUXc3FfRdsujR37GO=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A grand view with lots of potential to come through the year</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0HPZaWu1bu0agAPmxyELYPM3uLircUaTWDXtTAlEOkDe7jy_zP6VBIaAs_XPpsGalhV3Cz1G_bstm0DV0Ozk9lk8XE3VbkS_kS2Vde0usnpF2ut5JQIdkUc5vClKK9JeF0oVqq2lrmIZ87G7Wx84BK__pH5HNnv-ABiFc1CCLLGG_e4XH6bKkC_qy" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0HPZaWu1bu0agAPmxyELYPM3uLircUaTWDXtTAlEOkDe7jy_zP6VBIaAs_XPpsGalhV3Cz1G_bstm0DV0Ozk9lk8XE3VbkS_kS2Vde0usnpF2ut5JQIdkUc5vClKK9JeF0oVqq2lrmIZ87G7Wx84BK__pH5HNnv-ABiFc1CCLLGG_e4XH6bKkC_qy=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from 50 down to 37 onions how many will survive?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-84409712406739999612022-01-06T11:10:00.005+00:002022-01-06T11:13:55.439+00:00From Storm Arwen to the end of the year 2021<p> Our first full year came to a close with the possibility of everything being blown away, a category red storm was heading our way and although we were on the edge of the red zone it still didn't fill us with much confidence. Expectation was for devastation and heart break, as it wouldn't have been just the issue of replacing what we had as all things can be replaced. But! it would have been seeing the memories being scattered around the allotment. Our lass is much more sensible and pragmatic in her approach, we would have just re built, at least it would have been nature and not vandals our lass said. Fortunately our green man which is hung over the shed doorway protected us, unlike a lot of our neighbours who had seen fences down, broken glass in green houses and whole polytunnels skip down an allotment or five from its original position. We were very lucky to escape unscathed.</p><p>Here is a pictorial catch up of things we have been doing till the end of 2021</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LcGIlE623WlhYSFuyHYhpdIINHKaQySTcBXBb1p1o1U3d7dCKY9JPkaSefDnkTyyYxl3BdShBNamS8BDkNmZMDQhf_eH5vzjlWT6TxwM9vP0qsgiu8BK6gPlW3SmfTc_KRul5R7MZrg/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7LcGIlE623WlhYSFuyHYhpdIINHKaQySTcBXBb1p1o1U3d7dCKY9JPkaSefDnkTyyYxl3BdShBNamS8BDkNmZMDQhf_eH5vzjlWT6TxwM9vP0qsgiu8BK6gPlW3SmfTc_KRul5R7MZrg/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made use of the gates our lass found and planters in position</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25yDMEr0pPGsuG8vOdLj5Oh6h-oM5pyd4P_3b1H6rlnJ_u5rrWWDwgoK0qmcYkM4uOaJyNSW6q5qwTXxmyaVOnue2TaxG2d60QRT5K-LZ_ampRcC6E9JoLf8IrxoSSgwpsmQp4-XIvtQ/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25yDMEr0pPGsuG8vOdLj5Oh6h-oM5pyd4P_3b1H6rlnJ_u5rrWWDwgoK0qmcYkM4uOaJyNSW6q5qwTXxmyaVOnue2TaxG2d60QRT5K-LZ_ampRcC6E9JoLf8IrxoSSgwpsmQp4-XIvtQ/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass put down a little path</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHt1-ot4AuHYfdR2WeSplaX2XsUcsUyl4yQIz8jbXxlKhePN4-vzQYLMYPDIZZMd-aPukDntn3uxTyFt7Sz0xuPQhmXcDpwc2Eo4X6Q8vrbk5L8fOZyFzaZGjfbDApk_izcD4oUANUbhY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHt1-ot4AuHYfdR2WeSplaX2XsUcsUyl4yQIz8jbXxlKhePN4-vzQYLMYPDIZZMd-aPukDntn3uxTyFt7Sz0xuPQhmXcDpwc2Eo4X6Q8vrbk5L8fOZyFzaZGjfbDApk_izcD4oUANUbhY/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fence on one side getting sorted, new posts in and the free edging our lass sourced making a really good divide.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPRLfxCbwW_UzId2HGERIOJdenVuxr0AX1lRsmKy-6TDJI1KjSIaEqQs7ZS9EEMxDoGk2IiMjGXnVo8C_MCAzryzgG97eT_SOYfbhdfUIfe3TBJPOeIJ6a0Wce7KCTcEaxGdGIg35YCY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPRLfxCbwW_UzId2HGERIOJdenVuxr0AX1lRsmKy-6TDJI1KjSIaEqQs7ZS9EEMxDoGk2IiMjGXnVo8C_MCAzryzgG97eT_SOYfbhdfUIfe3TBJPOeIJ6a0Wce7KCTcEaxGdGIg35YCY/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass wanted a bird table which the robin could get to, this is my interpretation of one using off cuts.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxtMI9V7iX73ruUO3FeLOjHkgAQUfUbHdmyeKfNLSR5U6JO2FDpVf09R4V7KL6X4bRQpNaRn3tZmhahnulE7JGp9Xbo_HpfszWU4NBZ4k1HFmWMMr9GqQ_X_c9Sy75To_tmUeUU1BPx4/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxtMI9V7iX73ruUO3FeLOjHkgAQUfUbHdmyeKfNLSR5U6JO2FDpVf09R4V7KL6X4bRQpNaRn3tZmhahnulE7JGp9Xbo_HpfszWU4NBZ4k1HFmWMMr9GqQ_X_c9Sy75To_tmUeUU1BPx4/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Guardian of the allotment</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqd3ODJ037PpwoA7fk_mZBvIySckF1PVirpx6iOligi9kAZalbavZBosGgP-J8aKinG7OvnCGSDMWg1guLgJQxTNm9Lzk-NjF9nHTz0jMelgSD9EkQOjs7sEAv7bbjbu2MNEzDgxjiak/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSqd3ODJ037PpwoA7fk_mZBvIySckF1PVirpx6iOligi9kAZalbavZBosGgP-J8aKinG7OvnCGSDMWg1guLgJQxTNm9Lzk-NjF9nHTz0jMelgSD9EkQOjs7sEAv7bbjbu2MNEzDgxjiak/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It hasn't been very wintry, a rare bit of snow up at the allotment</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjevnOAIlOKcYwy6wYEe9G95o1kE_zwzAGwCKYsF6BzNAwbi8ahFFK0J27RXYUhCBjFQVoNr188g55Nb-B_w9OVoVy4QJQPem1rcKM92zbMarddLtPa2LbUOLgp0dWq2FdjBQwILlvuw/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVjevnOAIlOKcYwy6wYEe9G95o1kE_zwzAGwCKYsF6BzNAwbi8ahFFK0J27RXYUhCBjFQVoNr188g55Nb-B_w9OVoVy4QJQPem1rcKM92zbMarddLtPa2LbUOLgp0dWq2FdjBQwILlvuw/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Christmas display, don't know why I didn't take a photo, but we did add baubles to the tree.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-exF-3F8nal2jtqt2nBXfwKt7Dr9soY6VguMavO6Ave62V5_sHelMtoL1NvJRRMzjpcqap7Ni6Z53JS8ZEuKtG3k9Rai1whyMs9KQzQ-2Evj1YglufD9Lbb_WNXkhxhmb6cMxb5eXOpc/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-exF-3F8nal2jtqt2nBXfwKt7Dr9soY6VguMavO6Ave62V5_sHelMtoL1NvJRRMzjpcqap7Ni6Z53JS8ZEuKtG3k9Rai1whyMs9KQzQ-2Evj1YglufD9Lbb_WNXkhxhmb6cMxb5eXOpc/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas day down the allotment, our lass would like to note that we did have food as well.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgrIYO5MkOLjqS6uS4Vm7GwDeYKi1SFfJudb-udo1YNU-Fcf0GHG9vHtDdd8t08tXlKvvTIkjziNtDSdkLz7ZlVdYnqx9H5dv3ZY3P5TSaE3TPeFRaf9wI4PScAvzSABIL9Xx4zyJ3tk/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgrIYO5MkOLjqS6uS4Vm7GwDeYKi1SFfJudb-udo1YNU-Fcf0GHG9vHtDdd8t08tXlKvvTIkjziNtDSdkLz7ZlVdYnqx9H5dv3ZY3P5TSaE3TPeFRaf9wI4PScAvzSABIL9Xx4zyJ3tk/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our present from Father Christmas, well technically it was down by the exchange point in the allotment where people put things they don't want. But It was Christmas day and a good find, so lets not spoil things with reality, Thank you Father Christmas we will continue to be good in 2022.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-8962556112409529702021-11-11T21:54:00.005+00:002021-11-11T22:03:23.161+00:00As we prepare for the coming seasons.<p> Life all around us seems to be forever in the pursuit of looking backwards, dissecting what has happened but alternatively an allotment does help you look forward to the future. You may well look back upon successes and failures but when you are down the allotment you seem to be in a constant state of what does the future hold? </p><p>Our future down the allotment is of hopes and ideas, the learning of what you have enjoyed growing, and growing more of this produce in the coming year and the willingness to accept that the likes of carrots are far cheaper to buy by the bag at Asda than try to spend months growing them to then be devoured by carrot fly. With encouragement from our lass I have grown within myself in regards my abilities to build what is around us at the allotment and our lass too has had the enjoyment of success. We have both enjoyed the ability of just simply being, to lose hours but gain fulfilment. </p><p>We have done plenty, but I have lost the initial condition a lot of new allotment holders suffer which is called the Mimi syndrome. best described as look at me, yes me, look what I have done, as though no others had done the same before.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3emGA-2JEn8QRCTMm5OaB1ukp4gqai1Il8_BZU4Q63W3aQipHNMIds_vt5PxjWTPBcUxfr6A8v0veiX8X8GibdZXfJBKxIyLyDAbqtQ5YOdMCcYiT20k9R78LoHU9m18dyEmddr1RK4/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3emGA-2JEn8QRCTMm5OaB1ukp4gqai1Il8_BZU4Q63W3aQipHNMIds_vt5PxjWTPBcUxfr6A8v0veiX8X8GibdZXfJBKxIyLyDAbqtQ5YOdMCcYiT20k9R78LoHU9m18dyEmddr1RK4/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of pallets and like the jobs we have in mind for when we come to the allotment it normally turns into something else getting done, then these pallets have the same fate, they were to be fencing but if you scroll down you will see some of things they have become.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIu2wdAWe6GZPZCg6DV3RXQAAZM0KHd1S83g-Js-iOxyg0ReySL_hd2g3aLx0jxFd9h_TxTLSaW8UIyKlmqMp9kFhEZPPbYDA5S3SRz0vr4isU3st84nLdz9u2csB943LgBtoqbjmEM08/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIu2wdAWe6GZPZCg6DV3RXQAAZM0KHd1S83g-Js-iOxyg0ReySL_hd2g3aLx0jxFd9h_TxTLSaW8UIyKlmqMp9kFhEZPPbYDA5S3SRz0vr4isU3st84nLdz9u2csB943LgBtoqbjmEM08/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First time try at growing onions from seeds.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZipPDNaM40aq-Cjb15GXr1NLoFhF36dzRt1avPSjA7yTcRZ03062GsDrq7d2YPvGVnlNiaLOSveGKd4cLJ1gDa7Dc6d9-i45PKJfkIkVwzDdIqKeA8G4z2rEQDq9ZgvWT8XQyTjpk0Yo/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZipPDNaM40aq-Cjb15GXr1NLoFhF36dzRt1avPSjA7yTcRZ03062GsDrq7d2YPvGVnlNiaLOSveGKd4cLJ1gDa7Dc6d9-i45PKJfkIkVwzDdIqKeA8G4z2rEQDq9ZgvWT8XQyTjpk0Yo/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was taken towards the end of September and it was great to have a display of colour down the allotment.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkR4eQfrM5LrevSds5coPegk8VniMoQRA502R3PzXXvTtvwFiJXlvreC2_VXmH-5ipzh5KfjUP3TcW2wQMgtED2bURgSIbDV7G5xpHCx9My3OqICA4JmWzN3npZx13qkFkJ3fpUBcRZE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkR4eQfrM5LrevSds5coPegk8VniMoQRA502R3PzXXvTtvwFiJXlvreC2_VXmH-5ipzh5KfjUP3TcW2wQMgtED2bURgSIbDV7G5xpHCx9My3OqICA4JmWzN3npZx13qkFkJ3fpUBcRZE/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass was rightly proud of her cauliflower a very pleasant surprise as the ones which were nurtured seemed the least likely to produce but let them do their own thing and they gave you results like this.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEESX6QXcnk6P-xL6IOHu7Sdu7WaShRzFskh5SGwRJzyWSQcNDSQIk1o8RRbDRzSUm0U5A-s9TnjHF086hyphenhyphenHYJ7o9SGqOWGBX5wxjYkSFOHSlnJZENAk4LxDR2QI-g0v-s4Vuwnt71pA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEESX6QXcnk6P-xL6IOHu7Sdu7WaShRzFskh5SGwRJzyWSQcNDSQIk1o8RRbDRzSUm0U5A-s9TnjHF086hyphenhyphenHYJ7o9SGqOWGBX5wxjYkSFOHSlnJZENAk4LxDR2QI-g0v-s4Vuwnt71pA/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hopefully keep our stuff safe from the grass cutter. our lass is full of cunning plans.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW5zXWC0fdUO7cYUReOEDQvlJwLf27tuxvL0U56jXFLKK0BIQ3M4_J8T8-N6yHb-G5kumTWrzYi-w-YdHkVvXxKMI5KpJBXDhzefWoqYXbpP_aoN3lZoBfaCfRCtZnl1AUeFw_cgzf5E/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW5zXWC0fdUO7cYUReOEDQvlJwLf27tuxvL0U56jXFLKK0BIQ3M4_J8T8-N6yHb-G5kumTWrzYi-w-YdHkVvXxKMI5KpJBXDhzefWoqYXbpP_aoN3lZoBfaCfRCtZnl1AUeFw_cgzf5E/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature can be so beautiful </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxwL1hA6W7lCz9Fy3OrdazUnGaurcIlGeXevHbk978TWbrre66zjVlkOg5d4_mo8pTx_oJVQw1lu4b5y42Hy8lCy-E4NAmGuQDRrQxyNfq6GYLd8WWI2x0QoiwNgMbvjn8VxGuAC8kK4/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxwL1hA6W7lCz9Fy3OrdazUnGaurcIlGeXevHbk978TWbrre66zjVlkOg5d4_mo8pTx_oJVQw1lu4b5y42Hy8lCy-E4NAmGuQDRrQxyNfq6GYLd8WWI2x0QoiwNgMbvjn8VxGuAC8kK4/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onions in their own bed and manure on , well on just about everywhere as you can see.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8PwwjuM0gQ9cYtwa_sZKlhEjszX9qOu-DVUhE_4JVSHyZhz47tIwxmomdjzmVCw8ZkXK8PLNi96uY2kHzgF16NIVrMfHFNcYM2ym3DRosdI4Xvr9XZFTjTMJVY9hyphenhyphen5Ygbm91AQju-0o/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8PwwjuM0gQ9cYtwa_sZKlhEjszX9qOu-DVUhE_4JVSHyZhz47tIwxmomdjzmVCw8ZkXK8PLNi96uY2kHzgF16NIVrMfHFNcYM2ym3DRosdI4Xvr9XZFTjTMJVY9hyphenhyphen5Ygbm91AQju-0o/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lasses idea, pallet planters</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJhZ07Ui9-OWI5rJCqod1BY4pBTjhZ23oeQBlpopyK3A4jrE2eSuEMhnsymxTnaMltN1w8lz6bX4YLGEnw-sF9rayPBBA1YNiIdXnEf8qB19__oTWK2oK_vX6O0EvtqOh5x5Z-bSqk-w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJhZ07Ui9-OWI5rJCqod1BY4pBTjhZ23oeQBlpopyK3A4jrE2eSuEMhnsymxTnaMltN1w8lz6bX4YLGEnw-sF9rayPBBA1YNiIdXnEf8qB19__oTWK2oK_vX6O0EvtqOh5x5Z-bSqk-w/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepared today for the raspberries to be moved. Hopefully it will help to stop them wildly spreading also help keep the neighbours fence upright.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtq63S0NcOoVhCf7ZXD9ZTX3hEsIQfkbqWJw4J36yQEd_kAuJZRatbzWKVJCvvq9Nd8SgP41OJJ-wHfnCLt_nXhGd_4yEK_IBm7v_h-9bWNrYyRqIbNwRlezAYE0rJA0ao3OB4tFybeQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBtq63S0NcOoVhCf7ZXD9ZTX3hEsIQfkbqWJw4J36yQEd_kAuJZRatbzWKVJCvvq9Nd8SgP41OJJ-wHfnCLt_nXhGd_4yEK_IBm7v_h-9bWNrYyRqIbNwRlezAYE0rJA0ao3OB4tFybeQ/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two pallets and a bit of loose planks of wood, we now have a potting bench with shelving... it actually is stable, maybe down to the sheer weight of it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-62389386177705512662021-09-07T10:20:00.007+00:002021-09-07T10:48:11.599+00:00One year on down Our Allotment<div class="separator"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">We have been on our full sized allotment for just over a year now and our time upon it has been an interesting growing year. We grew lots of onions where we envisaged growing none, two beds of sweetcorn, one as the back up as well as the first planted but both grew. An absolute bumper crop of strawberries, a daily supply of raspberries, potatoes, potatoes, potatoes although wire worm and a pest was a slight issue. Our lasses flowers grew well, with an initial would we grow any to having various displays which have done very well and brought the colour to the allotment our lass wanted. If the rhubarb is anything like it's growth in the first year we should have a bumper harvest when we can finally pick some next year, we also have to tame the octopus of a blackberry bush and reposition the raspberries.</p></div><p>All in all it is as always an adventure, you travel along not knowing exactly where you will end up. Vegetables we thought we would want to grow have dropped out of favour such as carrots, we will be doing a multitude of peas and beans next year and I, with the knowledge of growing tomatoes this year will be more selective and use a slightly differing technique for growing, so as to not have such a glut but a high quality tomato for our lass.</p><p>It has taken a year but I have also got out of my system the need for telling the world "Look at what we have produced" I am sure it is some sort of allotment owners ailment. Feeling as though you were one of the first to grow or do something and get the urge to tell the world. It is why there has been such a big gap between the last posts. I have still been taking photographs so you can see the before, the during and the after, but in the future it will be a bi weekly or monthly activity on here. This is our diary to look back at what we have done.</p><p>So with that, here are some of our latest photographs</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXjJ8_fd5PJYXAitYONTWkbSP4yHqgBgjJtWQ1O4OEtW2YtfCZTOHOYYnsLS7ESEZ0umxldrr6htEEWq7Qd9ZACYHRdcIfniDbL5U7hCoRobCkOKT-l97X2qZV7GRMbk7HeIAJ-SqrRo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXjJ8_fd5PJYXAitYONTWkbSP4yHqgBgjJtWQ1O4OEtW2YtfCZTOHOYYnsLS7ESEZ0umxldrr6htEEWq7Qd9ZACYHRdcIfniDbL5U7hCoRobCkOKT-l97X2qZV7GRMbk7HeIAJ-SqrRo/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>The sweetpeas as you can tell have done very well and the scent could be quite powerful en masse as they were.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HdKvZt2kKkuyBgCLqCjyTJNXPOBdg7xQotY8VbRAL19tj0O3mJKNYOv-CE5F1ATgMqrsH46O8BLw72wUV2hk45LG_GO5wYV1YLiSkHTgYQfqA5QiYcBKglbXtjBsQI28KpM9arUBItg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4HdKvZt2kKkuyBgCLqCjyTJNXPOBdg7xQotY8VbRAL19tj0O3mJKNYOv-CE5F1ATgMqrsH46O8BLw72wUV2hk45LG_GO5wYV1YLiSkHTgYQfqA5QiYcBKglbXtjBsQI28KpM9arUBItg/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Not everything has been perfect, the day our stuff got moved, but lets move along ourselves, next photograph please.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83IhA2ld3bu5PW_pM-4K772J61oPYZQFaPJdg44AzJFal6JkdsyH1l_PZzeeeKNmEQiSA2bcfz3NSPHi-0Uo8oJ3btGUYpvoAOCrYvJ4HOMM2QOO1SfYqDeZ0r3nwdIJgthVpjtbapfw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83IhA2ld3bu5PW_pM-4K772J61oPYZQFaPJdg44AzJFal6JkdsyH1l_PZzeeeKNmEQiSA2bcfz3NSPHi-0Uo8oJ3btGUYpvoAOCrYvJ4HOMM2QOO1SfYqDeZ0r3nwdIJgthVpjtbapfw/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUCKZl0s3WmLummBSswFCOnXWaghKFkHFuHTwZ6YQPsWiTQp8d8gOmNSF3jWON0nVFC5BumWjxeSFgzAPo1d-wEi4U-xeRGtiQRb82_RNkn6WfoMJ5L1a_fm10uNTv4xmZfsLUEdrvWs/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUCKZl0s3WmLummBSswFCOnXWaghKFkHFuHTwZ6YQPsWiTQp8d8gOmNSF3jWON0nVFC5BumWjxeSFgzAPo1d-wEi4U-xeRGtiQRb82_RNkn6WfoMJ5L1a_fm10uNTv4xmZfsLUEdrvWs/" width="360" /></a></div><br />It is not a party trick, but every time I use a fork I manage to bend one of the tines on it....<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJGGPb2MuQAZh3ZPltBIyJIN_SUfZbWIUlHuznPnJfgAj-FU6mMgSDs9gCX0E7C96zqHJzdgk4WIPeo0kyykXqzV1GZLH0OR0XMmrR3sIwuR1bFzeUN0-9JQ1LS3yP4LfS5SegcYKs9U/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMJGGPb2MuQAZh3ZPltBIyJIN_SUfZbWIUlHuznPnJfgAj-FU6mMgSDs9gCX0E7C96zqHJzdgk4WIPeo0kyykXqzV1GZLH0OR0XMmrR3sIwuR1bFzeUN0-9JQ1LS3yP4LfS5SegcYKs9U/" width="640" /></a></div><br />July 26th, just taking in the view down the allotment.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0Nj69IYM0PDc5scK3baVUg6UyYmwowc79ewsaKEhXmD2MuOGRXWn2hiW8hN6fw-QC0ORqsav30sX4aHRgl6VS-iK8w6N8YFmSXTciXrbZ_9QOGz-ITMcM96R-i1aX7PUlHHcwsPBdf0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0Nj69IYM0PDc5scK3baVUg6UyYmwowc79ewsaKEhXmD2MuOGRXWn2hiW8hN6fw-QC0ORqsav30sX4aHRgl6VS-iK8w6N8YFmSXTciXrbZ_9QOGz-ITMcM96R-i1aX7PUlHHcwsPBdf0/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Isn't nature great. Must admit in this instance the bee was quite drunk on the pollen gathering so made it easier to take the photo and for once my camera took a good shot.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgv3s9qsztYxBABPZh5NmbyTIZRYwT68PuHWEopHyY8-ZHLtjuF86aQhH-qlJiq3rxOI0fwbcJn53MluvrlgRMcSFyrmHPr5Ok6KlWHMwPiAytV8peEE1gWYXi1V9tyPKYxEAvfiGhao/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgv3s9qsztYxBABPZh5NmbyTIZRYwT68PuHWEopHyY8-ZHLtjuF86aQhH-qlJiq3rxOI0fwbcJn53MluvrlgRMcSFyrmHPr5Ok6KlWHMwPiAytV8peEE1gWYXi1V9tyPKYxEAvfiGhao/" width="640" /></a></div><br />End of July looking back at the allotment as we are about to go home.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7IgdiIlc3-ZMiR-3gsVV5q0DaGN8izzLjOWjuEzAYvlyEOi-p7a67Wl5uRyNSSfuhbWBU0uP4diGmUYV7G0t2wGxtpzegkPl9ZaO_RKXQ0EzlB5CvUvulxUrY61agRlSNsoVCzuzqvg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7IgdiIlc3-ZMiR-3gsVV5q0DaGN8izzLjOWjuEzAYvlyEOi-p7a67Wl5uRyNSSfuhbWBU0uP4diGmUYV7G0t2wGxtpzegkPl9ZaO_RKXQ0EzlB5CvUvulxUrY61agRlSNsoVCzuzqvg/" width="360" /></a></div><br />A tidy shed, finally made use of the work bench, so at the same time had a tidy up.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUY-s29Bxe28QvXR_HAHtg8V3ILkXS_dNyEMQtBRGKCv_caHTeiFI5ZtijZOU6Eo_LvG5Ell-6qTQUtdauk9OOtb5mgD9iLg9fY9Pa3vmMpgeXe7BEJE2kC67zrXTWZwvOF-tf3ReWDA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiUY-s29Bxe28QvXR_HAHtg8V3ILkXS_dNyEMQtBRGKCv_caHTeiFI5ZtijZOU6Eo_LvG5Ell-6qTQUtdauk9OOtb5mgD9iLg9fY9Pa3vmMpgeXe7BEJE2kC67zrXTWZwvOF-tf3ReWDA/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Potatoes coming out muck going in<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg633rKFuSrnwqiy1-aDYpVwguy-YkdBCaqp0ci_IpFw6ulMpSL3CgkKwy6cYBpdyJTLIDZmJ_isC9hUX3N6zGc5qHV1mTi7wa84T4Ybduj2SlL7S0WCAsEwUhwnK8JNhnLsFzdfNnTmlA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg633rKFuSrnwqiy1-aDYpVwguy-YkdBCaqp0ci_IpFw6ulMpSL3CgkKwy6cYBpdyJTLIDZmJ_isC9hUX3N6zGc5qHV1mTi7wa84T4Ybduj2SlL7S0WCAsEwUhwnK8JNhnLsFzdfNnTmlA/" width="640" /></a></div><br />August 11th winter spuds sown<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhCXY_WMkicRfT1pxclhlC6dz-z4kC7toQ-mpbRQkO282H_id7aBRUXJ5hPgl0Vv3h0flT3_ghwbn9tfPuWcJZ4xkKrMdpjUW8QxYIAkXZXHXYdK-4RYvFu4o13q7Yl8LBezhPLzXGQg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhCXY_WMkicRfT1pxclhlC6dz-z4kC7toQ-mpbRQkO282H_id7aBRUXJ5hPgl0Vv3h0flT3_ghwbn9tfPuWcJZ4xkKrMdpjUW8QxYIAkXZXHXYdK-4RYvFu4o13q7Yl8LBezhPLzXGQg/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Grape vine put into place in the green house, as you can see the end of the tomatoes for this year, such a bumper year we had to give buckets full away on freecycle.<br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFNefjIEbmFBkuoVKRx_mYVDHM62_RLOUospYyZ9Qz2irYzfMH6elXtJVAYXIzGyMm-iHxTwxXeWNKCeQa5oCh1ckekNQotk6bVizArWu-aLK7sLBUNZaV2XvEJHq0NFG9Sr_wE_GZyw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFNefjIEbmFBkuoVKRx_mYVDHM62_RLOUospYyZ9Qz2irYzfMH6elXtJVAYXIzGyMm-iHxTwxXeWNKCeQa5oCh1ckekNQotk6bVizArWu-aLK7sLBUNZaV2XvEJHq0NFG9Sr_wE_GZyw/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our first pumpkin a little early but does need at least 2 weeks to mature. Will report back to how well it stores.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAmcRVWwt1d0dN7RhXlbIFl7WdL7CFBhg71GDmA4MY2EtgQR18_XVmZtoHRvLSi3ccmAJ0Dj8SC3umzYbomCpTHaYhLV6GovGTa3P2v21cYK427yrfMEqjjYDBdnMlTpbtOpvDjMh7Mw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZAmcRVWwt1d0dN7RhXlbIFl7WdL7CFBhg71GDmA4MY2EtgQR18_XVmZtoHRvLSi3ccmAJ0Dj8SC3umzYbomCpTHaYhLV6GovGTa3P2v21cYK427yrfMEqjjYDBdnMlTpbtOpvDjMh7Mw/" width="360" /></a></div><br />Club root, not good for the cauliflower, no more of them for a while it seems.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Un_FN26eDfIHEtjZABDcd0SxrQZV9A7RRsDS9iIUQkj7xT9p_g4Y8BOEm1LMRBN3XFwiROkBvWQ25q2SBjsyJAqssUBlJ2T5IgwIoBleQ-d7nP-cjukLQOvTD_FZmcULDEt01z3eNg0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Un_FN26eDfIHEtjZABDcd0SxrQZV9A7RRsDS9iIUQkj7xT9p_g4Y8BOEm1LMRBN3XFwiROkBvWQ25q2SBjsyJAqssUBlJ2T5IgwIoBleQ-d7nP-cjukLQOvTD_FZmcULDEt01z3eNg0/" width="360" /></a></div><br />Our lass had been looking for a deck chair for quite a while, finally got one at a great price.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI7eXSJbziYjvV65JelxJfJnD4SFg7QPmyexcvG1KJw8eYWixSlLLtzEAmiPnFDuvotyg1d8ij5ULMdf6Dtvxno19P00GRncMGbh_RvdZIvneU3AxoW9pyzBD4nazCAr8GY6LroRp1_I/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI7eXSJbziYjvV65JelxJfJnD4SFg7QPmyexcvG1KJw8eYWixSlLLtzEAmiPnFDuvotyg1d8ij5ULMdf6Dtvxno19P00GRncMGbh_RvdZIvneU3AxoW9pyzBD4nazCAr8GY6LroRp1_I/" width="360" /></a></div><br />The Best Exotic Marigold Greenhouse. This was our best marigold bloom at the time and it got snapped, so seemed a fitting addition to the greenhouse<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-FRDNJ3MbFqQEUA3U7sxmDl50OZOQRb-WDXZJzvaZXMehHQ5ErLLsN_fLpbZES2qd0-wAcQM1Z2MgTi9caNRXJZrA6ePBYWFjZOsMU0_c8dEw3YDEfM93SCnczWyxVPpd_7SzzP7_R4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-FRDNJ3MbFqQEUA3U7sxmDl50OZOQRb-WDXZJzvaZXMehHQ5ErLLsN_fLpbZES2qd0-wAcQM1Z2MgTi9caNRXJZrA6ePBYWFjZOsMU0_c8dEw3YDEfM93SCnczWyxVPpd_7SzzP7_R4/" width="360" /></a></div><br />Our new bug house to be completed<p></p><p><br /></p><p>I think with the amount of photographs I have just put up, I really need to keep on top of this blog as we do the allotment itself.</p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-89070304085054010282021-07-19T10:09:00.001+00:002021-07-19T10:16:27.242+00:00You are dealing a lot with time travel when you have an allotment.<p> Who is to say there is a month between posts or that I had written this a month ago and this has appeared now? Well this sort of reasoning is similar to when I say to our lass that I didn't hear her when there are two sounds at the same time as they cancel each other out.</p><p>I am sure I have written about this before, but you are forever time travelling when you have an allotment. You are either looking back and comparing with how something used to be or just how much something has grown or like now, even though we are only midway through July, we are looking forward and making plans for next year and the consideration of crop rotation, what worked or didn't and simply at its highest priority grow more of what we liked this year or was missing from this year.</p><p>Here is a quick review of the last month.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfWC3ubHlaMsY8a7HOu866_N-dWtH3d55xNzTOWkeHW5KlQRLoicC0IsICx59VgV0S8Y-SADNS3g2I299YaJ3osc7gpW-da9c8IYR-EHS6gdD7s_Z3yfvI-32m2CWAwxLrcEuQlNGk4Q/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfWC3ubHlaMsY8a7HOu866_N-dWtH3d55xNzTOWkeHW5KlQRLoicC0IsICx59VgV0S8Y-SADNS3g2I299YaJ3osc7gpW-da9c8IYR-EHS6gdD7s_Z3yfvI-32m2CWAwxLrcEuQlNGk4Q/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Strawberries as you can see were plentiful, at least ten punnets or more this size, quite a few shared out and just as many enjoyed, our first year strawberries did fantastic.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxg_bHqKk8G_PTtArJ-cCGCM7T_DVtmomINxtO5AXuRK4AvqWnxgY_3moPqAPvaYTUhNee1oJxBiSvYqM-F-xSAgNDS0K0DYnu3dCWP6x6py7VAjkwvh9jrjwkvMxpLIkHJzqUfCFxQA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxg_bHqKk8G_PTtArJ-cCGCM7T_DVtmomINxtO5AXuRK4AvqWnxgY_3moPqAPvaYTUhNee1oJxBiSvYqM-F-xSAgNDS0K0DYnu3dCWP6x6py7VAjkwvh9jrjwkvMxpLIkHJzqUfCFxQA/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass found another bargain "Tenner lady" not for any other reason than she cost a tenner.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWU8ikOs3a6x8_szPw3ZzW-kza6GH1D3x9CFLZe4ATQFaA_A4JTYr3DbwRCSciUGK_pTvr3wpCQSfdM6IIU7SCedW0JoWr6onzWmsMBUQzORcL_6IEQV9D2rb_bjKxQXc19ON66HJOHvA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWU8ikOs3a6x8_szPw3ZzW-kza6GH1D3x9CFLZe4ATQFaA_A4JTYr3DbwRCSciUGK_pTvr3wpCQSfdM6IIU7SCedW0JoWr6onzWmsMBUQzORcL_6IEQV9D2rb_bjKxQXc19ON66HJOHvA/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have had some great days weather wise and the view is very muchly enjoyed considering the world we find ourselves in at the moment.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_u5Gz91xI25r8s4f76tDIAT5P4O6N_-4Z1mzJbHXcJTsJDY-7wOld8s6dN0uqoboUqvOgCDutlIquWAzktTsu_OYJEV_HhfJM1C2o4bh6z2RQCkio8S2lnBtJiQkY0ANDAm1DRU5k_A/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="360" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_u5Gz91xI25r8s4f76tDIAT5P4O6N_-4Z1mzJbHXcJTsJDY-7wOld8s6dN0uqoboUqvOgCDutlIquWAzktTsu_OYJEV_HhfJM1C2o4bh6z2RQCkio8S2lnBtJiQkY0ANDAm1DRU5k_A/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">flowers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XHAQ2GVcM6GQiCuDxWgwf1dk7pDTg9NLyF_Evx9vsOl-E8Fr1mU0NL-xUm1PC5D7NH9b-kjw12nk6LnJKA6-kPOhXF4hiXBhsEoh_DIfqSUpa3tGm_sh8uEsSdoeb_MQr1sth5at1jU/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="360" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XHAQ2GVcM6GQiCuDxWgwf1dk7pDTg9NLyF_Evx9vsOl-E8Fr1mU0NL-xUm1PC5D7NH9b-kjw12nk6LnJKA6-kPOhXF4hiXBhsEoh_DIfqSUpa3tGm_sh8uEsSdoeb_MQr1sth5at1jU/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQ0Dh2LgCPFxq7nHj2EE6a7NoROl-6e06_2TQEP0hpZ3XJ9dRdkIcY1HMm-gdH4ZFu42402_dRq7pjbwEz7m5-biU5vtQgRmpvz9Xw7QldqMl68mkIb3x1fQivNhfRSOxkADciVVIYo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeQ0Dh2LgCPFxq7nHj2EE6a7NoROl-6e06_2TQEP0hpZ3XJ9dRdkIcY1HMm-gdH4ZFu42402_dRq7pjbwEz7m5-biU5vtQgRmpvz9Xw7QldqMl68mkIb3x1fQivNhfRSOxkADciVVIYo/" width="640" /></a></div><br />and more flowers. Our lasses initial troubles with getting the darn things to grow have now come to fruition or should that be flowertion. Our lass will be doing things differently next year but it has all helped to learn what does or does not work or what you want to do or not do.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhso8nsP1KLVZ4RpBf2ALF2xQetfW6ijKhw2KD1q3YFZeiHXR6DNgHnx-PgCv3l3wxsLAi3hDbL91HUQeL0l3qNQ5YzMZRGyURBJ5o_sWL18nKckTgvVFxONLI31IzX-hTF0xRw5DEbz6U/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhso8nsP1KLVZ4RpBf2ALF2xQetfW6ijKhw2KD1q3YFZeiHXR6DNgHnx-PgCv3l3wxsLAi3hDbL91HUQeL0l3qNQ5YzMZRGyURBJ5o_sWL18nKckTgvVFxONLI31IzX-hTF0xRw5DEbz6U/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Just some of our onions drying, and it should not be long before the tomatoes ripen.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsBAnZAIUeWfV99FSaCtgHkYS_iiMm4Zgt7nj6Zpwvd-bQNgobywRv_XGVJe3tMki9y2OIMtwRsKlokwhMCU0w8DMn3zXFkZZAIrCzf6NU_dwe_kuwSUR5e4u22q7FMVYdvJS7V58ESQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsBAnZAIUeWfV99FSaCtgHkYS_iiMm4Zgt7nj6Zpwvd-bQNgobywRv_XGVJe3tMki9y2OIMtwRsKlokwhMCU0w8DMn3zXFkZZAIrCzf6NU_dwe_kuwSUR5e4u22q7FMVYdvJS7V58ESQ/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><p>A woodpecker caught on the wildlife camera, wish I could just get the perfectly clear shot. Just a little too close.<br /><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOfvQwZFRc21kZg-c_RKxykh8PxsehvgsEKX8UqVPUol2jR-wuuJeZdc3tYH5cXMml9hiu4PHmOpJHimWSq25mvIQd6TAiT9nObA-9hy1pyZKHp_sYLzEKpjHZvdmCSF3RRDTVHF5JJ8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOfvQwZFRc21kZg-c_RKxykh8PxsehvgsEKX8UqVPUol2jR-wuuJeZdc3tYH5cXMml9hiu4PHmOpJHimWSq25mvIQd6TAiT9nObA-9hy1pyZKHp_sYLzEKpjHZvdmCSF3RRDTVHF5JJ8/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><br />and finally....<p></p><p>Every shed needs a little bit of lace curtain don't you think?</p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-428763574643516722021-06-16T15:10:00.006+00:002021-06-16T15:24:39.361+00:00You know it is going to be a good day down the allotment when......<p> When we first venture onto our plot for the day ahead, we find ourselves surveying for changes. Those alterations can be negative, such as a new crop of weeds, the demise of a plant or the left over seedling massacred by a slug or alternatively as we did yesterday you can be greeted with a more positive view where our plants first flowers were on display. Our lass was the first to notice the clematis having its first flower, as we walked through the gate our sweetpeas were unfurling their flags of summer by displaying flowers for the first time this season. Last but not least the yellow petals of the virgin courgette could be seen heralding the arrival of its fruits to be born.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1DIdH5e1O_EuzwsFTQ_oiysxb1qmGkgehxglXt08XkF3yI0F5mmFXEzZs7n82lHCaFzFUCm1yH-jaUiJuWcskY-_Jdn3ZqvslonL7cal64VrEWalAvUvCpxiEoHLMgFxoqIO5xqBR7Y/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ1DIdH5e1O_EuzwsFTQ_oiysxb1qmGkgehxglXt08XkF3yI0F5mmFXEzZs7n82lHCaFzFUCm1yH-jaUiJuWcskY-_Jdn3ZqvslonL7cal64VrEWalAvUvCpxiEoHLMgFxoqIO5xqBR7Y/" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTv9mM-mOZXtGlGTstSMUeV_pxJks5s5gJiF0F-__Jr0udap-JtNOn535t_dU7lxesSajuSm0C_XzCEmWSs_dVPBnMNWhQSdwBKysWXQFRlo2JUPPDI3c099vXlxW5Ka54WsDmNvYCRI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirTv9mM-mOZXtGlGTstSMUeV_pxJks5s5gJiF0F-__Jr0udap-JtNOn535t_dU7lxesSajuSm0C_XzCEmWSs_dVPBnMNWhQSdwBKysWXQFRlo2JUPPDI3c099vXlxW5Ka54WsDmNvYCRI/" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EOQ5Au3nEI8tqctonyo8X_6UzMgN91bZwxIZ6AgatYGQHMyx6zMG80GIeVOwbmU6Us1pl6rKBkT8rzvPHQ5-50gTiQcIDjULbDArxDI8DEja-OIN_B8EvildKClWb-jxWQGQL5zgJi4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EOQ5Au3nEI8tqctonyo8X_6UzMgN91bZwxIZ6AgatYGQHMyx6zMG80GIeVOwbmU6Us1pl6rKBkT8rzvPHQ5-50gTiQcIDjULbDArxDI8DEja-OIN_B8EvildKClWb-jxWQGQL5zgJi4/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Whilst the day may start with a positive we are forever vigilant against the negative, namely, slugs! We have beer traps a plenty, but at times that seems nothing more than an empty house going viral on social media. You feel the slugs are sending out invites "Free Beer and all the juicy leaves you can eat" We did find some slugs last year on taking over the allotment which had been that well fed that they would have struggled to fit into a half pint glass. We now take our war to the next level, and have gone for biological / chemical weapons, the natural sort of course, using Epsom salts. With us expecting heavy rains in the next few days our lass thinks a few of the beds may resemble bubble baths. If it gets rid of the slugs I am quite prepared to turn the allotment into a foam party for the purposes of eradicating the slugs.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjRrvzNzXcBvtoUYntQ7oOKCK4TBsuEUObYRFcn_XOZExIH466O2pDZISuv4D-YUwNrU659XUpX9WIS-SHQoWPQsyCvgYkyb6e27GzYhrM2cC3ff3sjXcGJapbNR-loIm11h8fHDOarE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxjRrvzNzXcBvtoUYntQ7oOKCK4TBsuEUObYRFcn_XOZExIH466O2pDZISuv4D-YUwNrU659XUpX9WIS-SHQoWPQsyCvgYkyb6e27GzYhrM2cC3ff3sjXcGJapbNR-loIm11h8fHDOarE/" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6h5ej_kyp8xKRJCpnIIWW90M8FB9wV5NNe60W8OqwulKAmHY1BvRnBVqd44np7MVUYzNbCTc5vxCzU82rrC7Ly8BtRhyActMpWanGi2kMNbP-YOk7zgxQfFZD0kneC7NI8QVgtVUWGA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6h5ej_kyp8xKRJCpnIIWW90M8FB9wV5NNe60W8OqwulKAmHY1BvRnBVqd44np7MVUYzNbCTc5vxCzU82rrC7Ly8BtRhyActMpWanGi2kMNbP-YOk7zgxQfFZD0kneC7NI8QVgtVUWGA/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Having the allotment has one glorifying pinnacle though "The Bounty" and our bounty yesterday was overflowing with a record setting strawberry harvest. This had already been broken on the first pick with one punnet full, something which we hadn't achieved last season barely getting one or two strawberries where the slugs and birds had beaten us to them. This season we are already onto three punnets full. Quite a large one as well as you will see from the photograph. We had our first ever crop of peas and a second crop of new potatoes. The new potatoes on the second crop had been found by the slugs as nearly half had tiny holes in them, but fortunately we were left with quite a few for us.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42mCDj8GS3Ja-XbfrywqyWAzfF9C39PgutK1Ij2pDq6RIF65Urh8jC5mBUm7DcUyiW7g0C6qWTBKS13pKNZZw97FeMTb2Q-BPFdll6TgJ_AloDzn6XanADchtVZqPhf9HDScDWbNApfM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42mCDj8GS3Ja-XbfrywqyWAzfF9C39PgutK1Ij2pDq6RIF65Urh8jC5mBUm7DcUyiW7g0C6qWTBKS13pKNZZw97FeMTb2Q-BPFdll6TgJ_AloDzn6XanADchtVZqPhf9HDScDWbNApfM/" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5vd7ZdPc7gZzj3zDStcKd98JsXBy2Yp5sfa95G900mteQ7rHjo4l9arOWW9YGW5CMbCv1o3YGL3U72Cb-_GbWcgmZ3_bhBLhxQaTz2a1kUUUv33gPSWC_Hm5pvK9GIO6HY3dZpMaUo4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt5vd7ZdPc7gZzj3zDStcKd98JsXBy2Yp5sfa95G900mteQ7rHjo4l9arOWW9YGW5CMbCv1o3YGL3U72Cb-_GbWcgmZ3_bhBLhxQaTz2a1kUUUv33gPSWC_Hm5pvK9GIO6HY3dZpMaUo4/" width="640" /></a></div><br />One thing we hadn't planned for is, what to grow after you dig up the potatoes? To be honest it was a case of would anything grow? Now it has we have to think of what is next? Our lass has some emergency sweetcorn which is too close together so we are going to move that in to the old potato bed. There is not a lot to lose, they are too close together where they are so would fail because of that it was just better than doing nothing with them. Now they will have chance to be free in open ground, will they take the chance or wilt? We will see.<p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-65512142669043663992021-06-14T08:00:00.005+00:002021-06-14T08:21:33.092+00:00A day for collecting our bounty down the allotment <p> Quite a few times when we have been going down to the allotment our first sightings of change is the remains of a leaf stork to flowers or a sudden appearance of weeds. So yesterdays findings were a pleasant surprise, the glimmering rubies nestled in the straw under cover of emerald leaves. We did expect on closer inspection to find the signs of perfection on the outer most view and the signs of slugs when you turned them over, but there was very little slug activity.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV7x0sJzdnLlxqrUGCRfafDWUFNLY0vefWeIGcU-iV8WYtFGF3yDxDRxc_XDliCP9SQ9_BJB0U7SxMZeuDu3BpFIsyVqOhYs2o7IFh5hvxhwdNDSUAcvHvAf57Q4rDDbE9jaFFva1EyY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKV7x0sJzdnLlxqrUGCRfafDWUFNLY0vefWeIGcU-iV8WYtFGF3yDxDRxc_XDliCP9SQ9_BJB0U7SxMZeuDu3BpFIsyVqOhYs2o7IFh5hvxhwdNDSUAcvHvAf57Q4rDDbE9jaFFva1EyY/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our lass picked the strawberries and although from the photograph below you might think a punnet not bad, this out strips our returns from the whole of last season and hopefully is a good sign of things to come considering all the nurturing our lass has given the plants. Transporting all the runners from our old plot, weeding and now straw bedding with netting protection. Our rewards will be at least many fold the effort put in.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpy95Ijh_YL1qxoMrxgeLAr7sjJq9fwsR1PR6AQS6BWA4iTCi3dPg1ycHDSHvCSq3ldqiPb4NC3E5WxobGr2-qtVj-2nUxhmTSRxyCZjqQYVp6dG2CeqyGVa12qWRMryOO4w2NlUdiwQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpy95Ijh_YL1qxoMrxgeLAr7sjJq9fwsR1PR6AQS6BWA4iTCi3dPg1ycHDSHvCSq3ldqiPb4NC3E5WxobGr2-qtVj-2nUxhmTSRxyCZjqQYVp6dG2CeqyGVa12qWRMryOO4w2NlUdiwQ/" width="640" /></a></div><br />The only thing lacking was cream and as it was shops shut Sunday, I was a heathen and had them with custard, our lass will wait for some cream that we will buy today.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ibmlssWeIr1r2HLulARoIcIzgpwuGKmXwHtve6M-sketcM487xg07EnBkb8y990G58b8O4yoVdgUr1bBYq95WTmlmGGt_HtPuBCmF1AVFwtjvTrWzW1eutNoAZ8UVmekYsboHlOjhv8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ibmlssWeIr1r2HLulARoIcIzgpwuGKmXwHtve6M-sketcM487xg07EnBkb8y990G58b8O4yoVdgUr1bBYq95WTmlmGGt_HtPuBCmF1AVFwtjvTrWzW1eutNoAZ8UVmekYsboHlOjhv8/" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wjW1DL141xYZxaAQIsMMbR3IxRjYAokAkh4xLGFZB1-ys_aBd6b-Kt3OS0izfVJv8LZPdMUTKPrYPkENVZUkp0QiGbcOTtcT-K69MN07XGhtjA-b1q9QI4d4OqBb3Ymw4ri0pM_oMko/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wjW1DL141xYZxaAQIsMMbR3IxRjYAokAkh4xLGFZB1-ys_aBd6b-Kt3OS0izfVJv8LZPdMUTKPrYPkENVZUkp0QiGbcOTtcT-K69MN07XGhtjA-b1q9QI4d4OqBb3Ymw4ri0pM_oMko/" width="640" /></a></div><br />New potatoes that we had for tea from the bed above, our lass has now added chicken manure dug it over and transplanted the last of the cauliflower seedlings. Photographs to come. The new potatoes should just have been ready in 60 days, these were sown back on the 14th March and so have had nearly 90 days, also a lot of the soil was still very clayey it is going to take some time to get the soil as we want it. Free of detritus would be a start as we continual keep finding bits of glass and nails. One day the soil will be just right and that shouldn't be too far away.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswfWbImQXixkSE-0Ri6NSsI4AXagc5J4ioWXaAu7eakcjopYH91gGIKt0oSJM8F4yxU6Lfu5aU04BfI9kjZGkCL9RssTZKyrKVfBCZigpb_cbpLDYumzLGRcAMjiEqO2lgxPmFfTJBw4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswfWbImQXixkSE-0Ri6NSsI4AXagc5J4ioWXaAu7eakcjopYH91gGIKt0oSJM8F4yxU6Lfu5aU04BfI9kjZGkCL9RssTZKyrKVfBCZigpb_cbpLDYumzLGRcAMjiEqO2lgxPmFfTJBw4/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our break time view of the alliums in full flower attracting more than their fair share of hover flies.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y9P0GbCfqSzcH4uxN-9ryAIn7ajiD82dvGaufekHm9ZPh__sVCkgSI-WXLmm5ybj47qnG7VlkdjpnWSM6MeIltdu8zXPHq2lLF5bEH09fcU0nRZm629Q7asT99TEx6Jy_fulHK1cg8Y/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7y9P0GbCfqSzcH4uxN-9ryAIn7ajiD82dvGaufekHm9ZPh__sVCkgSI-WXLmm5ybj47qnG7VlkdjpnWSM6MeIltdu8zXPHq2lLF5bEH09fcU0nRZm629Q7asT99TEx6Jy_fulHK1cg8Y/" width="640" /></a></div><br />More colour and hopefully by hanging them high they will be out of the way of the slugs.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrKFJXKw2wn95OlvN2StuNTz1D-ytahW7XzHRuKlYMF7cyUvqwNZuKWwkXvY7QZosKJzU0r9CVhFcx4fwVpnEo1G2rDPZBRDi9X_FoPKawERW7MpvJQJXzh0lY_NRjmIHNbilLtXking/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrKFJXKw2wn95OlvN2StuNTz1D-ytahW7XzHRuKlYMF7cyUvqwNZuKWwkXvY7QZosKJzU0r9CVhFcx4fwVpnEo1G2rDPZBRDi9X_FoPKawERW7MpvJQJXzh0lY_NRjmIHNbilLtXking/" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxcjtHWfHZJe-tohdOcwisv4JN-dSwsSobC7hNh3ctcKdKxgSNNaUaMb5slUyAFadArB0j_Hao7wo9jBTlFHlaNEBt14EIbbYenCXo1FSMsrs_Y-XBi7NhM7EmNcxJOhzqOT9-kCFUtQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxcjtHWfHZJe-tohdOcwisv4JN-dSwsSobC7hNh3ctcKdKxgSNNaUaMb5slUyAFadArB0j_Hao7wo9jBTlFHlaNEBt14EIbbYenCXo1FSMsrs_Y-XBi7NhM7EmNcxJOhzqOT9-kCFUtQ/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />As we say good night to the allotment we take a look back at the current growth we have, our next agenda is to get more flowers in for our lass.it is all far too green we need a bit of colour in our life.<br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-24323142491516423502021-06-10T08:15:00.010+00:002021-06-10T09:09:28.216+00:00Blackleg potatoes<p>One thing I have always written is that you need to take lots of photographs and this is another reason as to why you do this. It helps you to remember just how far you have come with your allotment. Our lass has numerous issues with getting the flowers to grow and anything which does grow gets slugged.</p><p>Yesterday I noticed that one of the potato plants was worse for wear and as one person commented, it looked peed on.</p><p>This is to do it seems with black leg. <a href="https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=223" target="_blank"><b>Link to RHS site about Potato Blackleg</b></a> best to follow the link than have me waffle about it.</p><p>But we have removed the first one as you can see, another in a different location seems to be going the same way, here is hoping we have caught it in time. The only saving grace is that the crops are rotated around the allotment and this only affects potatoes so a year or twos absence from this ground and the bacteria should be gone.</p><p>In other news...</p><p>The pansies out front have been sat on and we think the culprit for that was the local pheasant which seems to want to snuggle down everywhere. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWxL76vxR74SSMdfRz25X7SCVA_-tfK_vag83U8xIt9CvDEKoTUqoLCNMCFpsTwEg1qHrdz8bkm5M4l-grTvtWVozRBsTmRHaQmFcIYdsf89nShhPRJQPGwq436O-0ezVDwNGnzJ7zSo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWxL76vxR74SSMdfRz25X7SCVA_-tfK_vag83U8xIt9CvDEKoTUqoLCNMCFpsTwEg1qHrdz8bkm5M4l-grTvtWVozRBsTmRHaQmFcIYdsf89nShhPRJQPGwq436O-0ezVDwNGnzJ7zSo/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwFTWRfzE8RX-_S9jnE3HrfP4OCMat4WI_90iiwWW2TFwZRw50Yn7T5dRSkLRKoTshH2yl5WP-aIyJNAuC2wv_-iIOnFOMuL_t6ZM6fJWHCDnOxLBAxMEg2qXhL_em3Z9BpZAGQk1OkI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwFTWRfzE8RX-_S9jnE3HrfP4OCMat4WI_90iiwWW2TFwZRw50Yn7T5dRSkLRKoTshH2yl5WP-aIyJNAuC2wv_-iIOnFOMuL_t6ZM6fJWHCDnOxLBAxMEg2qXhL_em3Z9BpZAGQk1OkI/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvpBS1ZlwbmUTtW5h-0lOTs-nUPWvOI_XY1ewBBrBzUfnWRr7PuuVGgJsNdopsTMQjbQb9KsP66D7pHFCLuAsOyt2VnpmXC_eOpwr1wmUSTesXN_ZgkVrRu1QkP9TOYRDXjlu1vz6GPw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvpBS1ZlwbmUTtW5h-0lOTs-nUPWvOI_XY1ewBBrBzUfnWRr7PuuVGgJsNdopsTMQjbQb9KsP66D7pHFCLuAsOyt2VnpmXC_eOpwr1wmUSTesXN_ZgkVrRu1QkP9TOYRDXjlu1vz6GPw/" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-83781413072228978982021-06-08T10:06:00.004+00:002021-06-10T09:02:46.701+00:00Straw, Slugs, Allotment, Slugs, Cauliflowers, Slugs, Potatoes, more slugs, oh and bind weed.<p>You may have noticed a theme to the header, the bane of every allotment holders life. Slugs! I did actually google to see what are slugs good for? (Absolutely nothing!) You may well have the song War! in your mind now. But it seems that slugs are a big part of the eco system, they make great composters, it is just a shame the stuff they want to eat is young tender leaves and not weeds. If only a slug could be encouraged to eat weeds, we would be devoted disciples of the slugs, erect monuments in their honour. They don't though so our lass sets out beer traps and the feeling is we might as well be putting party invitations out for the slugs with a header of FREE BEER!.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_CbAWyZNgDgnAJ80WY9KLwsniS2MhoJaizr4mAL40ecU1vl0KWpf0Isv5Hl8x7YfbQP-6SnDpwnqG8ZxTMohUpnS0AmJ9Q5JpA8jSPcvbOucgOVRX9nRNp91atYxSw9dlELogfu2UoM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_CbAWyZNgDgnAJ80WY9KLwsniS2MhoJaizr4mAL40ecU1vl0KWpf0Isv5Hl8x7YfbQP-6SnDpwnqG8ZxTMohUpnS0AmJ9Q5JpA8jSPcvbOucgOVRX9nRNp91atYxSw9dlELogfu2UoM/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />One thing which seems to have worked a bit is the grit around our courgette and pumpkin although one mound as you can see top right seems to have mysteriously moved all by itself. Also the leaves at the bottom are yellowing and hopefully we start getting new leaves before we lose the old ones.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqvklXbRgQB7IAuZ9VJD2et7S_nXq3Ytxa7UT5SsE6JTNwOOrX1yfgPIHl39gW5NivG7LShSOfbb15jnLrzLWT_j3gb6yLHNdUqfz-9VcV1koJI97XLBv4MFT1ute-KGC4uwZklf4i5c/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqvklXbRgQB7IAuZ9VJD2et7S_nXq3Ytxa7UT5SsE6JTNwOOrX1yfgPIHl39gW5NivG7LShSOfbb15jnLrzLWT_j3gb6yLHNdUqfz-9VcV1koJI97XLBv4MFT1ute-KGC4uwZklf4i5c/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our lass has put out the barley straw, worry as always is will this just be a comfortable hiding place for the slugs. We have since netted over as well, to stop air attack from the birds, here is hoping we actually get some strawberries for ourselves.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84GV7YFIigXZ4cJuUM4Zm16LfYugcp9U35ho9Yt4oq1f6HJAGQdXAOaLqW5Tlx-4M0laKopyi0a80eoXaT1z3a4-rvqhBckX3vpcypPHgxUqev7VUr30ku_hHsAkDgB5VT3sU8ZY2sjw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84GV7YFIigXZ4cJuUM4Zm16LfYugcp9U35ho9Yt4oq1f6HJAGQdXAOaLqW5Tlx-4M0laKopyi0a80eoXaT1z3a4-rvqhBckX3vpcypPHgxUqev7VUr30ku_hHsAkDgB5VT3sU8ZY2sjw/" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RFoRLJONHRvIzJNEbI6SjEKDpWYmYnKmoOQjt1fwq2p4fDObg1xzEhTdKqEE4f2KUyFZW_J2FuP-fKEdOCb4PazymIBncDHntT9ZrMWtrXRmSVjCs24b2KM0XFEgFA_qRZvPCED10x0/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RFoRLJONHRvIzJNEbI6SjEKDpWYmYnKmoOQjt1fwq2p4fDObg1xzEhTdKqEE4f2KUyFZW_J2FuP-fKEdOCb4PazymIBncDHntT9ZrMWtrXRmSVjCs24b2KM0XFEgFA_qRZvPCED10x0/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Our lass put out a few cauliflowers yesterday and whilst doing so removed five slugs from the ground, they now have hopefully become lunch for the frog as we put them in the pond. But please give us a chance, go for the beer please leave our veg alone.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90kCNcPNpeeZzL0K3IWj5l3Pisz7X7OxZbq6yz5SiWgu6Tw_0ozFhZNj2U80-8ACAN-odXsj0xTsXmw7Lsdd_vLJkCqub22bqoKD7EvcoczmX1BOljxvaJqLSfmHXOvkzEdmYTY1ELfA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90kCNcPNpeeZzL0K3IWj5l3Pisz7X7OxZbq6yz5SiWgu6Tw_0ozFhZNj2U80-8ACAN-odXsj0xTsXmw7Lsdd_vLJkCqub22bqoKD7EvcoczmX1BOljxvaJqLSfmHXOvkzEdmYTY1ELfA/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Yesterday we took our first crop of potatoes out of the ground, we had had some from a bucket, but these were our first from the soil. This whole area when we got the allotment though had bin weed, not only is it a lot tidier now we are still doing our best to get every little bit out. As you can not even leave the smallest bit of root in. Plan of action, is to cut the main leaves of the potatoes and compost them, fork out under the potatoes and put them on the sieve. Pick through and sort, potatoes, then potato roots and weeds in a bag to go for rubbish. I know they say you can compost everything, but for us weeds just have seeds and you are spreading it around the allotment and potatoes seem to like to grow anywhere from even the smallest node.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTckc9KSONT7GuUyEWlpInqn1ZV5lydFFLk0s3sXcjDUcy4BVdcIHD-snCqO5Z3vQR4puK-_dTJ6DYpq68NaIdUetByGIVxsvSwmj4uV790TA6oZWg5h4STQRH74QhxbzM-UpVHpRuTQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTckc9KSONT7GuUyEWlpInqn1ZV5lydFFLk0s3sXcjDUcy4BVdcIHD-snCqO5Z3vQR4puK-_dTJ6DYpq68NaIdUetByGIVxsvSwmj4uV790TA6oZWg5h4STQRH74QhxbzM-UpVHpRuTQ/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6mTcRSUITSg6lxm0ThSf_uWp3QgUAjzkDZ5v_SbNjxg3hUpNPw8bcv_FQ_Nv21_VM-hiIn_230DuMBVebBt3QI5HBFxBPJiO1pTyy6_ixy1aHI6Hu3A3DlcHaPdvrFrCqfnfbf-sO3w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6mTcRSUITSg6lxm0ThSf_uWp3QgUAjzkDZ5v_SbNjxg3hUpNPw8bcv_FQ_Nv21_VM-hiIn_230DuMBVebBt3QI5HBFxBPJiO1pTyy6_ixy1aHI6Hu3A3DlcHaPdvrFrCqfnfbf-sO3w/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />How the allotment looked on day one and the bind weed on the right.<p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolJox0suCSR4cb5xTqEM0o0XTbHvUHVhOzlIm4wUm0MKsazVNI3yp5SwcM7hYKfPSS1JcAbpUaEUqUOqNieSMps4wXP1N6B8TrVX3cFpgxTcEmMvpqNwCuTGn7zZY3pKWdmPMboQHD6Y/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolJox0suCSR4cb5xTqEM0o0XTbHvUHVhOzlIm4wUm0MKsazVNI3yp5SwcM7hYKfPSS1JcAbpUaEUqUOqNieSMps4wXP1N6B8TrVX3cFpgxTcEmMvpqNwCuTGn7zZY3pKWdmPMboQHD6Y/" width="640" /></a></div><br />Yesterdays new potatoes and very nice they were as well, the smell of the cooked potatoes took me right back in time, might sound like some old fart. But the potatoes we have today just don't even smell the same as they used to and was very enjoyable to eat yesterday.<br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7tA9any6dUfu1-nHVn-geh2XSqg0_8UfqJRcurZUxiK7IwxJ052SmcgpNggYVK_cvDkhH1W1BDv0Y-nt7Rcqene91D4ssHNbWvlgK34w6LSLiS-t_zoDaSTuRN7gyaXwvttP4uB9GMw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7tA9any6dUfu1-nHVn-geh2XSqg0_8UfqJRcurZUxiK7IwxJ052SmcgpNggYVK_cvDkhH1W1BDv0Y-nt7Rcqene91D4ssHNbWvlgK34w6LSLiS-t_zoDaSTuRN7gyaXwvttP4uB9GMw/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />and finally Carrots and Onions, no need to thin the carrots as only a few have come through from the ones which were sown a couple of months ago. Last month we sowed another row in the middle and they are just showing the first signs of germination and yesterday to the right sowed the final row of carrots in the hopes that over the coming months we will get a progression of carrots to pick, carrot fly is supposed to have gone by June, but still trying do as little as possible to disturb just in case. As for knowing your onions, well I didn't and thought they had all died in the winter but thought would just leave them to see what would happen. Which it seems was a good idea as they are starting to look a lot like onions. Now just need to know when is the right time to pick them? Answers not on a postcard but in the comment section if you know.<p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-2820415788657854172021-05-30T20:17:00.001+00:002021-05-30T20:17:14.432+00:00Grand day down at the allotment.<p> Well you wait a few weeks for a blog post and then you get two in one day. Bank holiday weekend and whilst you will see photographs of beaches being swollen with folks, we had our plot all to ourselves, we took a picnic and the hours flew by. The crowning glory to the day is that we finally saw a frog residing in the pond. It is all the little things which make life good.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALRc6n0iPBRX6v45-08mkjaHSK4dJ4tTTWJHpe-s9tFZOhQM4B-TJwnpX3dKAt4tCIYscBpchcfIoN_1C_T65rRXb9-gJI_OTCKrbqu0H7xnER7ULWZrTtfeUcNZXWifbUW08i03wxsU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALRc6n0iPBRX6v45-08mkjaHSK4dJ4tTTWJHpe-s9tFZOhQM4B-TJwnpX3dKAt4tCIYscBpchcfIoN_1C_T65rRXb9-gJI_OTCKrbqu0H7xnER7ULWZrTtfeUcNZXWifbUW08i03wxsU/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A grand day to go to the allotment</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4Zm2BoR5yrix9-AwMaEd3Tp-Lkidsd56zocKwC241S2Rh9P_7NLteLFtRVwaSonY0lgvKpYb7vNfXZN8ht6_ydXtA31fNhOD0PVxf2_3mOTa0ooXqIP_n_xko5RbSguhr2bRCMUmaZg/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4Zm2BoR5yrix9-AwMaEd3Tp-Lkidsd56zocKwC241S2Rh9P_7NLteLFtRVwaSonY0lgvKpYb7vNfXZN8ht6_ydXtA31fNhOD0PVxf2_3mOTa0ooXqIP_n_xko5RbSguhr2bRCMUmaZg/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunshine brought the alliums out to flower</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9c2d497N7VvpvLFGK4SDgAxhpmlSsuCS095oEfLpkmm3jBeFlF20X4cgV53Dh0BCrtU7I6jJvWOtnrBXgnKDG_Hc-g2DbilUn0LOQA99bV6uuYJM0O35cdOTo452xNq0QJ9XdT6zFRY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9c2d497N7VvpvLFGK4SDgAxhpmlSsuCS095oEfLpkmm3jBeFlF20X4cgV53Dh0BCrtU7I6jJvWOtnrBXgnKDG_Hc-g2DbilUn0LOQA99bV6uuYJM0O35cdOTo452xNq0QJ9XdT6zFRY/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass put out the reserve sweetcorn, having bought some thinking the first lot might fail we now have two lots, but they have replaced a row of raspberry canes which were simply twigs.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE6BgslwTAQp1nd0ihTMwCZnpFLmCYSDH6ouJlgNgEZm_j7BswmYr0vmfSeBAl4Zf7CFSsYbg0mrLxOhFwb_kSTGrX3jYYPY9PavFf3GTOA890L9YVWbSvpuz2gP7YT7kr2PSE1jQVMM/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinE6BgslwTAQp1nd0ihTMwCZnpFLmCYSDH6ouJlgNgEZm_j7BswmYr0vmfSeBAl4Zf7CFSsYbg0mrLxOhFwb_kSTGrX3jYYPY9PavFf3GTOA890L9YVWbSvpuz2gP7YT7kr2PSE1jQVMM/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the seedlings in, now lets see if they will flower, I am sure our lasses creation will be a success</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3p6IOZuzRGho26ipcNdDeQSFuuVclIrqzdem7zaU3H5g6QIk1ZOR7553WtByvPqR9S-kAUN9cvaJP5QD3MVo8B-_Gd9OTI-k964FUQxXf1ZgjM3v-kT-JxbS0dMVYvN7movycNCPqKJ4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3p6IOZuzRGho26ipcNdDeQSFuuVclIrqzdem7zaU3H5g6QIk1ZOR7553WtByvPqR9S-kAUN9cvaJP5QD3MVo8B-_Gd9OTI-k964FUQxXf1ZgjM3v-kT-JxbS0dMVYvN7movycNCPqKJ4/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My one job, putting the shade netting on my greenhouse, now lets see if it stays on.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK9g-gGV2h7rBMNsxAz_zt3vKOwtPO3B5iQiiqQyGwu0OhDq86X3q5aLygGIcHvymMqVzoLB5ZBFFyNriJgsRQJqCwXpREiEkeyRKJl8CR4AbNRE77yWbNYtdG_-C43moCJylEUg97Zs/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK9g-gGV2h7rBMNsxAz_zt3vKOwtPO3B5iQiiqQyGwu0OhDq86X3q5aLygGIcHvymMqVzoLB5ZBFFyNriJgsRQJqCwXpREiEkeyRKJl8CR4AbNRE77yWbNYtdG_-C43moCJylEUg97Zs/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And finally, a frog in the wildlife pond.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-89710098460000705672021-05-30T09:48:00.002+00:002021-05-30T19:56:51.595+00:00When the weeds start growing start sowing.<p> The header to this post has been inspired by a quote from Adam Frost (shame he doesn't present more on Gardeners World) and the past few months have been strange. April being very cold with continual frosts nearly every night and May being very wet, so at the point the ground would have been warm enough it became too wet. On the subject of weeds though, this blog has/had become a metaphor for this, you do have to keep on top of the weeds and you do have to keep on top of the posts otherwise you get to a point where it looks all too daunting to get back on track.</p><p>One thing our lass does like though is weeding, especially the ability to look back and see what you have actually done. Unlike the steady millimetre by millimetre or inch by inch growth of what is in the allotment which normally means only seeing your rewards of what you have done days or weeks later.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7Sx2GFornr0w72cZv1iuTtFGc0GQ42lc7xakHmBP4voADbotCzHDoF34Ty6wtHMQG92vm83229ISBhhJDsIJT4S5kqD8loLAxfyMj5LPNQAgQDc_5dPdetjaebrea5Xmht83iQkGmEA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7Sx2GFornr0w72cZv1iuTtFGc0GQ42lc7xakHmBP4voADbotCzHDoF34Ty6wtHMQG92vm83229ISBhhJDsIJT4S5kqD8loLAxfyMj5LPNQAgQDc_5dPdetjaebrea5Xmht83iQkGmEA/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All clear of grass along the fence</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEqn1wdYsB4tY1ppLWYfoGlEI4TW8zpaNi4vXdfyLf5_awTu3rDBL4yIE7Mfz5EtcOwWxqabs01dkAqv_qAzYyJHmdfbl336rBXOCY-DhQrKQBhnQNMkhEOFPFm4WWnmGPwPGaQwtrnw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="270" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEqn1wdYsB4tY1ppLWYfoGlEI4TW8zpaNi4vXdfyLf5_awTu3rDBL4yIE7Mfz5EtcOwWxqabs01dkAqv_qAzYyJHmdfbl336rBXOCY-DhQrKQBhnQNMkhEOFPFm4WWnmGPwPGaQwtrnw/" width="180" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEqn1wdYsB4tY1ppLWYfoGlEI4TW8zpaNi4vXdfyLf5_awTu3rDBL4yIE7Mfz5EtcOwWxqabs01dkAqv_qAzYyJHmdfbl336rBXOCY-DhQrKQBhnQNMkhEOFPFm4WWnmGPwPGaQwtrnw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJN-abqCwY_CnHGAmnKwxh8eKcF5FBzH_Cjuh77GGsJYlKlrCOgAI-sWG5CC3KZ_0tI8R8C1_j_r5HcF61t5TjJ29dqbBfrA5FtsniYWad335_llgQlRAYhxc2LAOCLxwTIjsmV9T6Za4/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJN-abqCwY_CnHGAmnKwxh8eKcF5FBzH_Cjuh77GGsJYlKlrCOgAI-sWG5CC3KZ_0tI8R8C1_j_r5HcF61t5TjJ29dqbBfrA5FtsniYWad335_llgQlRAYhxc2LAOCLxwTIjsmV9T6Za4/" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>The first shade cover for the green house didn't quite fit as you can see someone sent the wrong size out, but it has come in useful as a side shade for our lasses Greenhouse<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuFP_RiSs-KtdSW_P9OG3Wgpdrh16THOOiRyVWXjlE2QMP263JVNnSlg250_eL1SlAZ_jLJT70Q5pKqxTdxUK9ZP2l0Ak9xgZD73h0mdALAqfo3e6-tcgB_Re0fUGGkZkNdE0KdKklhA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTuFP_RiSs-KtdSW_P9OG3Wgpdrh16THOOiRyVWXjlE2QMP263JVNnSlg250_eL1SlAZ_jLJT70Q5pKqxTdxUK9ZP2l0Ak9xgZD73h0mdALAqfo3e6-tcgB_Re0fUGGkZkNdE0KdKklhA/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass is full of great ideas and this is starting to take shape for the flower pot of heads, update to come as it has moved on since</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I am known to be quite daft really and whilst following an experiment our lass had seen online managed to cut myself not on the stanley knife but on the hose pipe.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_GSrfNern5bpM3DMg3YaDoer4szxhGDagfa9I9cfnduArE78NoHOwN4DKuukl8ysmBJKq2L8Jjqo9yOcx3ShUOXt3T_W-lfTpcbJjojKw-89LJqUH4RzaZJweD7FpywZi5Lvuel_mHQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_GSrfNern5bpM3DMg3YaDoer4szxhGDagfa9I9cfnduArE78NoHOwN4DKuukl8ysmBJKq2L8Jjqo9yOcx3ShUOXt3T_W-lfTpcbJjojKw-89LJqUH4RzaZJweD7FpywZi5Lvuel_mHQ/" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_GSrfNern5bpM3DMg3YaDoer4szxhGDagfa9I9cfnduArE78NoHOwN4DKuukl8ysmBJKq2L8Jjqo9yOcx3ShUOXt3T_W-lfTpcbJjojKw-89LJqUH4RzaZJweD7FpywZi5Lvuel_mHQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT02z7sXiWodR5crdxRuKyNjAYuUpxgDT_evpgOkU_Vy8SKr51d2xM6YhF6oHZaql7MnCAUhqFra1AWDzSa1LM6rrIuC06B1FEGHA5brjodjStPkybgl_a-yEo5OIX2RexWgZoLByAMJQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT02z7sXiWodR5crdxRuKyNjAYuUpxgDT_evpgOkU_Vy8SKr51d2xM6YhF6oHZaql7MnCAUhqFra1AWDzSa1LM6rrIuC06B1FEGHA5brjodjStPkybgl_a-yEo5OIX2RexWgZoLByAMJQ/" width="320" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT02z7sXiWodR5crdxRuKyNjAYuUpxgDT_evpgOkU_Vy8SKr51d2xM6YhF6oHZaql7MnCAUhqFra1AWDzSa1LM6rrIuC06B1FEGHA5brjodjStPkybgl_a-yEo5OIX2RexWgZoLByAMJQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XoCjFwbAgBEK3VZLgAjpbyW1KksYTfMC6s8OjASatGGtfHTUvSCTubkmiL0v-8mXbCzUEHpKug3XSh5ySmfke9uaEAlGzFVagTM4HuNLjtnM0nSr3RBIvbjE0kuvr92Uqu7KKwvmbrw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XoCjFwbAgBEK3VZLgAjpbyW1KksYTfMC6s8OjASatGGtfHTUvSCTubkmiL0v-8mXbCzUEHpKug3XSh5ySmfke9uaEAlGzFVagTM4HuNLjtnM0nSr3RBIvbjE0kuvr92Uqu7KKwvmbrw/" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><br /></div><br />We had been expecting high winds and the netting over the purple sprouting broccoli needed some extra help to be kept in place, so if you cut down some old hose pipe then wrap it around a cane it keeps the netting in place. That is the simple idea and whilst being very careful with the knife. It was only when prizing the hose pipe apart i managed to slash my finger. Warning hose can cut.....<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrPOpQ04gDfekQdW8p8pI6HvPS83ToStO6uo2AIgO8eS0-c7hUmgxIW1j9BpaHtXyt1qMkKtKpbeLfrSiJIwy6NmVswHxyqcJrK-HhBJpvvQCHlAG2agMETaO152eaQSx9FuCth6KLiE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="510" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrPOpQ04gDfekQdW8p8pI6HvPS83ToStO6uo2AIgO8eS0-c7hUmgxIW1j9BpaHtXyt1qMkKtKpbeLfrSiJIwy6NmVswHxyqcJrK-HhBJpvvQCHlAG2agMETaO152eaQSx9FuCth6KLiE/w480-h640/image.png" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courgette and Pumpkin protection</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We have managed to germinate and grow one of each of the Courgettes and Pumpkins, in reality you don't need that many courgette plants, but it does put a lot of pressure on this one to be successful. I had hoped to grow two pumpkins but there again only one germinated so it seems the grandkids will have to share. As this is the sum of our production for these plants we really do not want the slugs to get them. So, we have encircled them with grit and after about five days we have seen minimal activity from the slugs on these plants.<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyywvJRI2ACxkS51cdkvoFNDLEoZl6ROrw6OvsS7ggDJcInxCj2dLIsws-aDK7s64o8i0KXwXV6STzsdBMvSwdFusxry0PlyxM2oWgETu4dXMl_XOSEXNNQjFHHQnMyx0gP4Hph0txv0U/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyywvJRI2ACxkS51cdkvoFNDLEoZl6ROrw6OvsS7ggDJcInxCj2dLIsws-aDK7s64o8i0KXwXV6STzsdBMvSwdFusxry0PlyxM2oWgETu4dXMl_XOSEXNNQjFHHQnMyx0gP4Hph0txv0U/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tidy green house and new seating so I can sit and inspire the veg</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgA65E38yD2joBTWApAzzISSYzNyL-Ag89WwomT9EuhkuLqvRpUE_bMjp_E7MW3IG0WP4MjXKGpx7npApA-VetXiss3Ucv-ed6QTUaoPV07IuhxUsb_TUWu8_N8rZDiTLbJdIq0Y7yo4/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgA65E38yD2joBTWApAzzISSYzNyL-Ag89WwomT9EuhkuLqvRpUE_bMjp_E7MW3IG0WP4MjXKGpx7npApA-VetXiss3Ucv-ed6QTUaoPV07IuhxUsb_TUWu8_N8rZDiTLbJdIq0Y7yo4/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pansies our lass grew are looking great</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS9fBjqQTI5AngCKiCE-cf2JChE5iR7WWELxN-zGaqk328Yz86fh3UmmOY3A0J-tBWADxugUH9CMiICLTHrld0tOm33Bd08hTzciCJBawkvIE7KB1QEUUPsqDTVx1tG6U0jjhs8eFoso/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFS9fBjqQTI5AngCKiCE-cf2JChE5iR7WWELxN-zGaqk328Yz86fh3UmmOY3A0J-tBWADxugUH9CMiICLTHrld0tOm33Bd08hTzciCJBawkvIE7KB1QEUUPsqDTVx1tG6U0jjhs8eFoso/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lettuce in a bucket</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m7R6Xv_Lnjjpnf3iNryLCtVTuSuwkpx7GGCqYv_s2RYikheIc4Ipo-9LMiOPoGHuFfw5zbKNmaQrznDEE2iDdenAuCjBH7UL5-seNCbAYnYaezFpE3L-6-LxxiS1huFhgIz94uJGQ1Q/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7m7R6Xv_Lnjjpnf3iNryLCtVTuSuwkpx7GGCqYv_s2RYikheIc4Ipo-9LMiOPoGHuFfw5zbKNmaQrznDEE2iDdenAuCjBH7UL5-seNCbAYnYaezFpE3L-6-LxxiS1huFhgIz94uJGQ1Q/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15 shades of sweetcorn</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-39454555112023594992021-05-11T08:01:00.003+00:002021-05-11T08:01:21.664+00:00Allotments can help you grow yourself, not just fruit and veg.<p>There has been a few weeks since the last blog post, not because we haven't been down to the allotment but because you do discover that sometimes it is not all about look at me look at what we have done, please give me your approval by liking what I post or write about. This allotment is for me and our lass, whether or not someone else approves or not, likes or dislikes it is for us and we do what we do.</p><p>You do however have to love/like what you are doing, with the long dry spell we have had been through recently and frosts over night it became increasingly difficult to do this. Mental health is something which is mentioned a lot in regards to gardening and the ability to get out has been of a great help to me and our lass. There is however another side you have to fight with and that fight is mostly with yourself. You invest a lot of thought and emotion into what you grow, to see it wither, not germinate, bolt or basically not do what it should, can be a source of immense frustration which may lead depending on how you are yourself to a depressive thought process.</p><p>"These are easy to grow" is something you will hear or read depending on how you take in your gardening information, those words echo in the back of your mind as you look upon a bedraggled array of seedlings or a eight by four seed tray and only three seem to have germinated and you are sure after six weeks something should have come out of the other pods. It can be frustrating with all the positive vibes of getting yourself out being drowned by the negativity of what have I done wrong? You see weeds seemingly making their way through concrete but your easy to grow seeds can't make it out of the module because it is too wet, to dry, to warm, to cold, not enough light, too much light. So if it is not the seed it must be the grower, what is wrong with me? Especially if they are so easy to grow as everyone else states.</p><p>This is where you grow yourself, you learn to say "Well, we are doing our best, what will be will be" we have also said "This is our first full year on the plot so lets see what happens" both statements you repeat as a mantra but are difficult to square up with the withering or non existent seedlings you are looking over. But the past few days have improved emotionally with the improvement in the weather. Heat is slowly coming back into the days and we ain't going to shout this too loudly but we think this is the last of the frosts until winter comes around again.</p><p>A lot of what we have been doing over the past few weeks is triaging the allotment but we have as you will see from the photographs below moved forward in certain areas, but the biggest move forward is within ourselves.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiYLfzy7bUoSMCX-v88D0cvj7UmM4b5bDj-9FKxpfBfIcZuB_Rl1SiKSAtH1z5aczZ68_PukSjZnF8DAdaAULJjyfz1sSIEwCfnCKyDmrBkcXBlO3EGtDerlaVMHRyax2FF8vB-6yJXo/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiYLfzy7bUoSMCX-v88D0cvj7UmM4b5bDj-9FKxpfBfIcZuB_Rl1SiKSAtH1z5aczZ68_PukSjZnF8DAdaAULJjyfz1sSIEwCfnCKyDmrBkcXBlO3EGtDerlaVMHRyax2FF8vB-6yJXo/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wire mesh was a free find from another allotment, bottle tops to help the birds not crash into it, now here is hoping the sweetpeas make their way upwards</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqxUldlsG5HsaaZVTW9aznrZkt21lSB3BxJzuB26V3pPXl0EiNFjXuOTA6OeWtrIW4L-A42FW0kntiWuVD-puDxbqas8NtSI0QM7ZgdeiMqUzWQaKToL8fBFusbrh1zax9JsfTydotK8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqxUldlsG5HsaaZVTW9aznrZkt21lSB3BxJzuB26V3pPXl0EiNFjXuOTA6OeWtrIW4L-A42FW0kntiWuVD-puDxbqas8NtSI0QM7ZgdeiMqUzWQaKToL8fBFusbrh1zax9JsfTydotK8/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wild flowers/life area, our lass has put a seed bomb over the uncovered ground and support for the clematis all we need now is flowers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZIUgVcAQ7qV_6EDtwcN-PFPS-jeZQnZh_LQr8ntN2jnc8awuol3X8pDAjHvnauoFbCtpn8Iiw1u-vrpZh0in-OJWeXcuesC5jzhrDC5XbZqhW5hpVp0zysbA_MLw0ipgyA4lBl30DAI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1280" height="623" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZIUgVcAQ7qV_6EDtwcN-PFPS-jeZQnZh_LQr8ntN2jnc8awuol3X8pDAjHvnauoFbCtpn8Iiw1u-vrpZh0in-OJWeXcuesC5jzhrDC5XbZqhW5hpVp0zysbA_MLw0ipgyA4lBl30DAI/w640-h623/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early purple sprouting broccoli has been a bowl of contention for our lass, when do you put it out? But the seedlings have several leaves, so our lass has put it out now, this is a slow burner and if the weather, pests or nature in general doesn't have for it, we could have some broccoli next spring.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-12699592223775031782021-04-23T06:00:00.002+00:002021-04-24T05:32:56.401+00:00Plenty of sunshine, plenty to report, still cold at night.Recently there has been a lot of sunshine, it has been strong enough to bring on the sun tans but not enough to push the thermometer outside the green house above 16 degrees. Inside the greenhouse it has been able to reach 45 degrees and thanks to very good advice from our lass we have some greenhouse shading material arriving next week but it has all been contrasts as in the evening we have been greeted by frosts and minus 3 degrees. Makes for a very confusing balancing act to keep all the plants happy.<div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsINad8K4_0B5MKvCyJllD9-PJH_wDiy2P88N4j4gUAhsZzpO7vRCsb0-aNK5vEoV-VT5PWHlP9RnzX47PvY6FYTUUQQ5VLfAfZD-ZfomkG6jwWmExpid6vggVZVhE3VAnH0tMDtzjF0/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsINad8K4_0B5MKvCyJllD9-PJH_wDiy2P88N4j4gUAhsZzpO7vRCsb0-aNK5vEoV-VT5PWHlP9RnzX47PvY6FYTUUQQ5VLfAfZD-ZfomkG6jwWmExpid6vggVZVhE3VAnH0tMDtzjF0/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can not sustain such high numbers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFGlubV4Ohj6UU99y2NOROZm3_fFRO3O_JJhZK_m5tqUHHnSQm7GV5P5WybD9EEMaqzAS0UeUD4L0IzYrAy-98J6vU2leU1ZCJ1Ce6ofPhBukNHhplpYtgzQQKjk2wK461_LmS1maQ_Q/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbFGlubV4Ohj6UU99y2NOROZm3_fFRO3O_JJhZK_m5tqUHHnSQm7GV5P5WybD9EEMaqzAS0UeUD4L0IzYrAy-98J6vU2leU1ZCJ1Ce6ofPhBukNHhplpYtgzQQKjk2wK461_LmS1maQ_Q/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Far too hot in the greenhouses to sustain the lettuce</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Our lass is always good at finding a bargain and upcycling things around us. On a lone trip to the allotment our lass completed a project of surrounding an inconvenient tree stump with milk bottle plant pots, should look even better when the flowers grow from them.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0JJFt25HkoR8gzdEgKMYa-uJ3zt6f5KG-zPR8vxMIdUd5i5KYO0hTHXVFxEB2VGd8CS053aWxgiyQD33if2DbUQ5d-yfQfBMoOcV6fEvjQi7d46KRpVeCjKpMrXcpK0XXrTSej1nrQk/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0JJFt25HkoR8gzdEgKMYa-uJ3zt6f5KG-zPR8vxMIdUd5i5KYO0hTHXVFxEB2VGd8CS053aWxgiyQD33if2DbUQ5d-yfQfBMoOcV6fEvjQi7d46KRpVeCjKpMrXcpK0XXrTSej1nrQk/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just like winter currently bare will look even better in summer when in flower.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another great find from our lass on FaceAche, you can't beat free</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZlQtaoBA3OtPhi7fyx_1Q-lz_PQ31B0c83eWQn_yccBeL5NQaj08zk1-8P7EZoLbN43c10cfxtBAe6q7_X1QFUeCSFIFHwGpZsMnRsQYxQkftM79lj_sFFXHrRqMwANb4atJYa6kp20/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZlQtaoBA3OtPhi7fyx_1Q-lz_PQ31B0c83eWQn_yccBeL5NQaj08zk1-8P7EZoLbN43c10cfxtBAe6q7_X1QFUeCSFIFHwGpZsMnRsQYxQkftM79lj_sFFXHrRqMwANb4atJYa6kp20/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two iron gates, quite some weight to them, will be very useful</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3jUCHmsUuzA0Eqziz0vR9j_dOnWQYssqtdwEhBLPIyKGuzDwxFsFE3VaeryFk7YBR7b-Ww5_hPkQGI7dpLnA6WpUbsMt-nmQUsDug4ChvSv-5NBJK1eQCulo0Fx25D9rccuREml03x8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3jUCHmsUuzA0Eqziz0vR9j_dOnWQYssqtdwEhBLPIyKGuzDwxFsFE3VaeryFk7YBR7b-Ww5_hPkQGI7dpLnA6WpUbsMt-nmQUsDug4ChvSv-5NBJK1eQCulo0Fx25D9rccuREml03x8/" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little early but the runner beans have been sown</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAbwvQZ1i9ldj7hyDOfCMWl_88dLM_BueNu7Kvm6zsbdHlo5skpfkFSI9tNyYs2qxoyLtSOw3ifSpQCUAewuIU4VaRGiAklYNtVNyHxBjcD4NhixRxUYdOPuPnkCAWUAdcKKgGvMWLHw/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAbwvQZ1i9ldj7hyDOfCMWl_88dLM_BueNu7Kvm6zsbdHlo5skpfkFSI9tNyYs2qxoyLtSOw3ifSpQCUAewuIU4VaRGiAklYNtVNyHxBjcD4NhixRxUYdOPuPnkCAWUAdcKKgGvMWLHw/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will any of the leeks make their way out of the holes?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZP8-Iu_oP-eH7pGc978FHSXwrJQRo8hVPCtl-nahg0KmwAtu9LXAlMF5j94mWYOUh-AibzcsARJvsl98kvTalm6SYhS9lkX_7jID1kys2-5kpZLslEtC7WyYFyymfxQBPoOq3VHGiPc/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaZP8-Iu_oP-eH7pGc978FHSXwrJQRo8hVPCtl-nahg0KmwAtu9LXAlMF5j94mWYOUh-AibzcsARJvsl98kvTalm6SYhS9lkX_7jID1kys2-5kpZLslEtC7WyYFyymfxQBPoOq3VHGiPc/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slugs like rhubarb as much as we do, but this is the rhubarbs first year so needs as much chance as possible to get a foothold. So our lass has a cunning plan to help it survive, so far so good.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />As we have been leaving the allotment we have been finding some great allotment giveaways, firstly a couple of tubs, mostly likely not wanted due to the half an hour plus it took us both to part them, but once done we now have one for beans and one for carrots. So we didn't fill it all with compost, we filled to the top with straw and horse muck from the pile at the bottom of the hill and watered down, then just used one bag of compost instead of five. French beans sown and as the straw/manure rots down hopefully a source of nourishment as well.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuq-lt_U9pBTE0hsJwnFTTtTXeKXnXQe3R46v6u_KOrbIE0l0l_abooDGm1kmBtQPGaQG3KuiXR-zlOytG-SjTlWT9F9uP6nY9Q_uE3TEAbPLB705s4n-G4zXaHe2pwl8aZURGt-jWBU/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuq-lt_U9pBTE0hsJwnFTTtTXeKXnXQe3R46v6u_KOrbIE0l0l_abooDGm1kmBtQPGaQG3KuiXR-zlOytG-SjTlWT9F9uP6nY9Q_uE3TEAbPLB705s4n-G4zXaHe2pwl8aZURGt-jWBU/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to fill every bit of space.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another find as we were leaving moment was the logs and off cuts you will see below, this is the second time a pile had been left, before we were naive enough to think they would be still there the next day, obviously they were not. This time even though it was a trek back up the hill for the barrow, back down the hill, and back up the hill with a full barrow, we now have stepping stones and seats for the grandkids.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnB0LUB9yKziReH84FxPkwGgr48h7pRbS04BCPSIVpXaqA6vWhhTcVRmqHJyLbSl-IqTCQm5B8i3DBogSF9_e5B6eZTD8ydAbXzTJWjWKyQJdH9e4ZuB09_jQbf40IYeqwwuzIFGKyxME/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnB0LUB9yKziReH84FxPkwGgr48h7pRbS04BCPSIVpXaqA6vWhhTcVRmqHJyLbSl-IqTCQm5B8i3DBogSF9_e5B6eZTD8ydAbXzTJWjWKyQJdH9e4ZuB09_jQbf40IYeqwwuzIFGKyxME/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice little haul</td></tr></tbody></table>and finally </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L9alzKkJb9B_IJ8RVXddAByVXOvMU-ePLFZJT0rymHAnq4MLsri6YZ-KNZnrn-tE1Uf4QFLIhiLEDcsd04a4BNOOGMjICghsyDxo6U0E0peUS00zweY2RPYKXNy0vhcghvIZtuu08Ak/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="680" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L9alzKkJb9B_IJ8RVXddAByVXOvMU-ePLFZJT0rymHAnq4MLsri6YZ-KNZnrn-tE1Uf4QFLIhiLEDcsd04a4BNOOGMjICghsyDxo6U0E0peUS00zweY2RPYKXNy0vhcghvIZtuu08Ak/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we were leaving the other day, to look back and see the clear blue sky and to take in all the feeling of potential</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-29887544477564305102021-04-15T19:59:00.001+00:002021-04-15T20:04:43.069+00:00Determined indetermination<p> We have been up to the allotment over the past few days, our lass has been very busy moving her babies along from one tray to the next, hardening off in the cold frame, also making the cold frame as mouse proof as possible. I on the other hand have been a bit lax with posting on here and thought a slight change is in order. We can still post about our adventures down our allotment but drop the day (number) part. Almost seems like a diary from prison or in a far flung land waiting for salvation, when the allotment itself continues to be our salvation.</p><p>The title comes from not always knowing everything in life, it seems potatoes and tomatoes for that matter can be determinate (make all their tubers or fruits in one level above the originating seed tuber or all in one go in the case of tomatoes or they can be indeterminate which means they grow tubers or fruits along the main stem of the plant. With potatoes you can continually earth up and in theory get as many levels of potatoes as the stem grows up the tower you grow them in. Tomatoes will have ripened fruit at the bottom and graduations of its fruit as you work the way to the top of the plant. Didn't know this little fact and slightly annoyed when you watch most of the gardening programmes talking about earthing up and getting more from the crop. This explains when viewing neighbouring allotments and they have several buckets already full of soil with the new potato inside. You learn something new all the time so will help with formulating the growing of potatoes for next year.</p><p>Our lass spotted a green man plaque on a recent trip to the garden centre, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Man"><b>Wiki info on Green Man</b></a> all about the green man / woman, I could write waffle but why not follow the link to wiki. It looks good and hopefully bring us good fortunes for the year ahead.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmmr4faGAr9P-V95MHtr2b6e88PyfZ2OQDGCgh5JuK_kf-BUirSsftCbw_Xe5BdykEfdC0uHn4Gux6rWG_4GfFlEYEoBH0otjRUzguLrCu1HDxFyc8P8hngFFBQ4_NIf7C1_-CMEYjRE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkmmr4faGAr9P-V95MHtr2b6e88PyfZ2OQDGCgh5JuK_kf-BUirSsftCbw_Xe5BdykEfdC0uHn4Gux6rWG_4GfFlEYEoBH0otjRUzguLrCu1HDxFyc8P8hngFFBQ4_NIf7C1_-CMEYjRE/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new plaque</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3RHerx2Nlpji0-KrYYCoEirtRmkAC5LAJ7yNr23w3Z8lwO-XLJl3nZPHkgtrQMlegfOEgar4X_04I3Kf1eU4OXqRJSVT9QQEchfBUw2NFEWGGm3cDuJYeT9bwDzibaKK7U2VnvLkD9k/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU3RHerx2Nlpji0-KrYYCoEirtRmkAC5LAJ7yNr23w3Z8lwO-XLJl3nZPHkgtrQMlegfOEgar4X_04I3Kf1eU4OXqRJSVT9QQEchfBUw2NFEWGGm3cDuJYeT9bwDzibaKK7U2VnvLkD9k/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lasses full green house</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_iEbUeiI8uAXRK6ecb2kpzgomt5VrRRC46T718eFziK258Yd4MDg3d3xO0YrXtWeZDnfrPEWXS6HqDTE8hcogAc7FJwjeahbOirrzxrbim1HTEwyAzPBZKR0ex7TfKwdoHb944aakpM/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_iEbUeiI8uAXRK6ecb2kpzgomt5VrRRC46T718eFziK258Yd4MDg3d3xO0YrXtWeZDnfrPEWXS6HqDTE8hcogAc7FJwjeahbOirrzxrbim1HTEwyAzPBZKR0ex7TfKwdoHb944aakpM/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We need the frosts to go, so our lass can plant.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpSTwtItX0CZV5TbIjDsq8i3B4aHoS3VtvSEy8alKMm-LFank8ZsDw2MagHW0bI1o-hkncV9weFg7IQSxI-Iq7JBTfRrMvX93_jDQPWFe04IUxMT8nqQUzWLqDJkwMNqO2LlkP2aRnn8/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwpSTwtItX0CZV5TbIjDsq8i3B4aHoS3VtvSEy8alKMm-LFank8ZsDw2MagHW0bI1o-hkncV9weFg7IQSxI-Iq7JBTfRrMvX93_jDQPWFe04IUxMT8nqQUzWLqDJkwMNqO2LlkP2aRnn8/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will it be beat it or bye bye baby for the beetroot</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBgQfdDqdri99YUUTh1yIRImpGE5TovsLS3uihWqVm9Sv0KNpbQEXeoMBstxD-AI9dNS0CpJQBuUfVTY_ov6FuSIgBOAlpgVSIss5Tnp0Ia4ns6f2_vE4qgCtUdgXJOYniEobhGJ3z4w/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBgQfdDqdri99YUUTh1yIRImpGE5TovsLS3uihWqVm9Sv0KNpbQEXeoMBstxD-AI9dNS0CpJQBuUfVTY_ov6FuSIgBOAlpgVSIss5Tnp0Ia4ns6f2_vE4qgCtUdgXJOYniEobhGJ3z4w/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One potato, Two potato, Three potato, more. Well 14 rows and 4 grey buckets and a recycling bucket. Potatoes are more than sorted.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-74084740382670554722021-04-11T08:56:00.001+00:002021-04-11T08:58:11.082+00:00Day 62 - Dealing with allotment inertia.<p> This seems to be a difficult feeling to describe and all the words available seem to be negative which is the one thing I do not want to be. This is why inertia seemed to be the closest word to encapsulate the situation as I see it at the moment.</p><p>"inertia" definition in the field of physics</p><p><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px;">"A property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force."</span></p><p>We have seen great change in our allotment since taking over in August and it seemed with each visit this could be viewed, photographed and posted here, but over the past month or so, the changes have been far less noticeable and as with the definition of the word "inertia" above we await the external force of nature to change this state.</p><p>Our lass however is never inert and as you can see from the photographs below there is a greenhouse full of seedlings ready to make a difference to the allotment.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyhDK6S4EwTDrwUCiXwTDSTjNrVpw3-krUKTYnWqSorBkCVxKERT_9qfMoVZdSKaufwpXzFjV6gV8g31srfmJH7X0Td2lxKXtl2NpqTpyo4cW4gbB-QRHoaCKbjTQ0uVTKuCSAPWTjHI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVyhDK6S4EwTDrwUCiXwTDSTjNrVpw3-krUKTYnWqSorBkCVxKERT_9qfMoVZdSKaufwpXzFjV6gV8g31srfmJH7X0Td2lxKXtl2NpqTpyo4cW4gbB-QRHoaCKbjTQ0uVTKuCSAPWTjHI/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpeccXxp7jYzHVlj29R21i_FCSApjTlfFMiGmeg0gV9-PTProIQqjFRn3h-ZGGtbdlADNLwGlzzo8JYEg0SaaKj6pawUouCaxNKQyf07NcIi_NaIkbAV95covgxMqS_uzwXiO_gbIq-g/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpeccXxp7jYzHVlj29R21i_FCSApjTlfFMiGmeg0gV9-PTProIQqjFRn3h-ZGGtbdlADNLwGlzzo8JYEg0SaaKj6pawUouCaxNKQyf07NcIi_NaIkbAV95covgxMqS_uzwXiO_gbIq-g/" width="640" /></a></div><br />In my small part and having our lass as inspiration and the allotment as purpose I continue to increase my handy skills. We now have three more raised beds which can be moved around in the years to come, these will help for defined areas for our lasses flowers.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrTJfr5pfM7UncFZMC-80Vrr_xslx4vK-_Seu7repf0hzGRRNIg0tJdSwMaHCHl-VwUijJcjvRT6m0jAh1GVWkS4UYAwwwQfOF-EOaef__9dlzUehoW4yIxPo325N4JsmtlR8RRaUtJY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrTJfr5pfM7UncFZMC-80Vrr_xslx4vK-_Seu7repf0hzGRRNIg0tJdSwMaHCHl-VwUijJcjvRT6m0jAh1GVWkS4UYAwwwQfOF-EOaef__9dlzUehoW4yIxPo325N4JsmtlR8RRaUtJY/" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwx9KAogE_EKQq6JBNQsqpGMA1PypEw76GcUA043cVlVddaeZtB5FSY_7OyeU00zK8le33GQxD_-X0WagfXzriZlvw2G60ezuQZuxyXm3jNBcPo1GYf6dw9NWfUWViB206ptti7fxhlto/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwx9KAogE_EKQq6JBNQsqpGMA1PypEw76GcUA043cVlVddaeZtB5FSY_7OyeU00zK8le33GQxD_-X0WagfXzriZlvw2G60ezuQZuxyXm3jNBcPo1GYf6dw9NWfUWViB206ptti7fxhlto/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-3174817112154588112021-04-04T09:01:00.002+00:002021-04-04T09:01:46.285+00:00Day 61 - Ability to time travel required.<p>There is a saying "That a society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they will never sit under". Now we have no plans to pop our clogs anytime soon, but you do have to plan for the future. Currently our rhubarb won't be ready to harvest for another year as you can only start picking on the second year. You will see in the photograph below we have erected another archway, but the climbing rose which grows underneath will take around three years to reach full height and probably five to make the full arch. So it's all about time travel, you let yourself go into the future and envisage what will be, it certainly helps as you look at the bare ground before you. These photographs here will also help us time travel back into the past, when our efforts are rewarded when we can say "Look what it used to be like"</p><p>Our lass is forever a happy digger and the last two potato beds are being prepared, they say you should have soil like cake crumbs, ours is currently like rock cakes.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOPOkMg6TPOeNVBt4VbSU0kUZCD22ON01QgqgRMW05K2IYXhi8U31LD_QdLqGNw0Xs4MhAiZP_P0tQ0t3KZ_4KNd8keYSj4e613IwJMEvhhyphenhyphenePhoeeEQ2AF-hA5nskYxhRz5-sqyPtro/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOPOkMg6TPOeNVBt4VbSU0kUZCD22ON01QgqgRMW05K2IYXhi8U31LD_QdLqGNw0Xs4MhAiZP_P0tQ0t3KZ_4KNd8keYSj4e613IwJMEvhhyphenhyphenePhoeeEQ2AF-hA5nskYxhRz5-sqyPtro/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preparing for the future</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dw7oYEZ0TjxUOVm5fWNmQaBXGH4fcOAefSdgR5hOBZVwjZ8eaVl0nkN25Q7Vt7awiripaNoQWIrq9PWbpYadZw4R4I2uVCC5s68dSl3oJp9VRZ4E9oNvtx9Elti8Kau82zO0Bto2s24/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dw7oYEZ0TjxUOVm5fWNmQaBXGH4fcOAefSdgR5hOBZVwjZ8eaVl0nkN25Q7Vt7awiripaNoQWIrq9PWbpYadZw4R4I2uVCC5s68dSl3oJp9VRZ4E9oNvtx9Elti8Kau82zO0Bto2s24/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last two potato beds being prepared</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-79105786040798077222021-04-01T09:29:00.003+00:002021-04-04T09:06:08.269+00:00Day 60 - Do two warm days make it springtime?We have now experienced two warm days in a row, it must be spring? mustn't it? Everything is taking hold and starting to grow, especially the weeds. All seeds and young seedlings always seem moments away from an intensive care ward for plants. The few exceptions presently is one lot of potatoes in a bucket and our lasses lettuces which haven't been potted on yet. The leeks and other seedlings are doing well, but we still have to take care, although our lass takes a lot more care than I do, the leeks were going to leave the warm greenhouse and be put outside, where our lass said they should really go in the cold frame. You will see from the pictures below that our lasses patience won out which of course was the sensible action to be taken.<div><br /></div><div>Yesterday also saw our lass fall into the trap of starting one thing and the job turn into another, looking to find a place to plant a plant in the wildlife area meant digging out the grass and nettles that had returned, this then turned into a bigger area, until a third of the area is now dug over. Our lass does like digging though, our lasses next plan is to put down more wildlife seeds and hopefully they will outperform the grass and the weeds.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did sedentary jobs yesterday being full of what we believe is hayfever/tree pollen, so I put an arch together and started an obelisk but needed tools to finish. But much like starting a job and it developing into something bigger, or going to do one job and doing another, the arch was being built to go over a climbing rose and is now instead positioned over the front gate, if proof was ever needed you don't really have plans just thoughts.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMppDDVovJTFpu4IfuMOw6e7TBdfrgMFCxl0U2WkzVswo2WpN41_Oj4dpgIgvrQKGmUyMte0-1yndhEEyMZbQWs8K0GMLbYWd0H2deFS0ce8iYzQSMTliEy19hhts_8W3r6aF-eCTNUWY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMppDDVovJTFpu4IfuMOw6e7TBdfrgMFCxl0U2WkzVswo2WpN41_Oj4dpgIgvrQKGmUyMte0-1yndhEEyMZbQWs8K0GMLbYWd0H2deFS0ce8iYzQSMTliEy19hhts_8W3r6aF-eCTNUWY/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the plant to the right of the end log by the pond is what started of the digging</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3L0GqW0W5Lk87pkZzwUzhehpVx8era4QnWiIONLsN2Y6hjenHhNJV6aUaD_fTkezXzoPTSN8_iZTOfWoc-BFUE9oPysY8An8WS4gdzLz5Zv1R9GXhWmlbxww676xwGdHlDXz6ZcKTqI/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3L0GqW0W5Lk87pkZzwUzhehpVx8era4QnWiIONLsN2Y6hjenHhNJV6aUaD_fTkezXzoPTSN8_iZTOfWoc-BFUE9oPysY8An8WS4gdzLz5Zv1R9GXhWmlbxww676xwGdHlDXz6ZcKTqI/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leeks moving on into the cold frame</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEGgR2v5e2FNUXrJplk-RK-J7TpEk1AUdWa3jJ6ElQy83kBUkAT1T-4rQnRqEzW2eO-Rq1UZxv6JoSlsrfpZfbbgmPymu_TX0Ew60sR-KD2T-XgXyXSM3avj4bbGHFEU6qzEvZaGLfis/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEGgR2v5e2FNUXrJplk-RK-J7TpEk1AUdWa3jJ6ElQy83kBUkAT1T-4rQnRqEzW2eO-Rq1UZxv6JoSlsrfpZfbbgmPymu_TX0Ew60sR-KD2T-XgXyXSM3avj4bbGHFEU6qzEvZaGLfis/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass will be getting a clematis to climb up the arch hopefully</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1r1BLIpJOAo3ZYR2PZ3R-N8-i-AR58EkCj5_pZ1cTw0R0peM65DcDJMFrSafIzllMAJjI2Rw7m5rGNSAh6qkiXFCLAbPX2gF-geDIuBNA9Eb4rPM5e-mWAJoScC8R6Sxzrfv-WdERBo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1r1BLIpJOAo3ZYR2PZ3R-N8-i-AR58EkCj5_pZ1cTw0R0peM65DcDJMFrSafIzllMAJjI2Rw7m5rGNSAh6qkiXFCLAbPX2gF-geDIuBNA9Eb4rPM5e-mWAJoScC8R6Sxzrfv-WdERBo/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peas in a bucket in our greenhouse starting to make their way up the canes</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKfnQfV9ASCqMfw14hCKqfC1kNawtfTd7oSCxQGd8keiXz8c16lt82KoSdYBWYLvFKhbZx9GlgAc2m9fF_wp_InjzKJsgVAf2ZSkUTtUXN2hfAbk8XTp8N5djsFKA2tpx2aJcFgTF9JQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKfnQfV9ASCqMfw14hCKqfC1kNawtfTd7oSCxQGd8keiXz8c16lt82KoSdYBWYLvFKhbZx9GlgAc2m9fF_wp_InjzKJsgVAf2ZSkUTtUXN2hfAbk8XTp8N5djsFKA2tpx2aJcFgTF9JQ/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish them luck but three peas have been put out by the pea sticks, the back two rows have pea seed in the ground, no disturbance but no signs of seedlings either.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-53815285560847530532021-03-31T09:10:00.000+00:002021-03-31T09:10:18.225+00:00Day 59 - Gone in a badgers twinkle<p> Day 59, is actually 6 days after our last full day of day 58. We do go up in between watering and tinkering but we only write about the full days we spend down our allotment.</p><p>This day, was dahlia day, our lass potted up all the Dahlias which had been sourced. Now, if confirmation was needed that I mishear our lass it came when our lass talked about the names given to the Dahlias. I would have staked good money that there was Dahlia called "Beavers twinkle" it turns out that it was a Badgers twinkle, maybe it is the forever small boy which occupies a blokes mind, but I sniggered.</p><p>This was also the first exposure for the garden hose, it had been put away for the winter to save the frosts freezing the pipes also you don't get to do much more watering than a watering can during the cooler month, but it is another sign that spring has sprung.</p><p>We also sorted out the wooden fencing which we had been given, you will see from the before and after photographs below, we have managed to bring some definition to the area, even though there was fencing at the back of the wildlife garden part, it left us feeling exposed this is hopefully remedied now.</p><p>One thing we are fighting with now, is our own minds, the allotment still looks bare, what is in the greenhouse seems to always be on the edge of existence. One wrong look and it will whither whilst weeds are popping up all over the place, no matter how much you chop and hoe. Having an allotment is very much a religious experience you have to have faith.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLyxi6pJfYfuvk1Sh1xlxN8e6Sg9jNwg4VfGksDgBpDgRcFjGo0RLEN3BlVQrg8aX74mLTFTRd1RlWRomCGe5e7A5p_Apy8YTgkJw1-kWAojtrQgcTM3LS8LFdfamhPCcF1iiuPpxeQ8/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFLyxi6pJfYfuvk1Sh1xlxN8e6Sg9jNwg4VfGksDgBpDgRcFjGo0RLEN3BlVQrg8aX74mLTFTRd1RlWRomCGe5e7A5p_Apy8YTgkJw1-kWAojtrQgcTM3LS8LFdfamhPCcF1iiuPpxeQ8/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a few of our lasses Dahlias which have been potted up.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOU7zEP7m_Uwz6mfuNJPrYNrHi5U3pv94HdcZG0EN3oKUeo28m6zF5RJYZ0LRY0xe5rSlfbFsTaWhmgcAG9qPg16kt6HLC18LmbLSTzXfb1XTPribfdBYw99l18Gs90EvUELgDvMJ04wY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOU7zEP7m_Uwz6mfuNJPrYNrHi5U3pv94HdcZG0EN3oKUeo28m6zF5RJYZ0LRY0xe5rSlfbFsTaWhmgcAG9qPg16kt6HLC18LmbLSTzXfb1XTPribfdBYw99l18Gs90EvUELgDvMJ04wY/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood, lots of wood.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYV29619s4v2e1leMXdwSZgAwwgLZZc33mUKh3-N7J-q3H7xMv3q8ohdEm2ibR8VdMVH_rqAFiw2e5XqaRyr8TZMz0A1chyphenhyphen5xMQkLp09qoxSa_hTJEaHNhevVLvgxQ5KOh5_YrvpHO8w/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYV29619s4v2e1leMXdwSZgAwwgLZZc33mUKh3-N7J-q3H7xMv3q8ohdEm2ibR8VdMVH_rqAFiw2e5XqaRyr8TZMz0A1chyphenhyphen5xMQkLp09qoxSa_hTJEaHNhevVLvgxQ5KOh5_YrvpHO8w/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUpB2U2A-HsEfy6iOlyJkJrI62RiSnlI13zH3tRgzZofYf0dUCf3JibBfNiAKrqN2jjWcfyE7QE_U2Ws1bH4KZtDqiHXbZQhNq-Nrvtnjpu1vUixIgCppQbeNwS-_HP0vutCsV-iAvps/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUpB2U2A-HsEfy6iOlyJkJrI62RiSnlI13zH3tRgzZofYf0dUCf3JibBfNiAKrqN2jjWcfyE7QE_U2Ws1bH4KZtDqiHXbZQhNq-Nrvtnjpu1vUixIgCppQbeNwS-_HP0vutCsV-iAvps/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlTBgD16JMVKs-k68LIz2e703AUaShz27n4PQaMMph3XjMiud0NYMGxrCSzMgcCim5L023ztCcC9xXqN2n8AFvxtDAp7-ypHC6xk0u-zoDvhrwnYlPF3S1A95qnfmYKnaZklpZ-26bGQ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlTBgD16JMVKs-k68LIz2e703AUaShz27n4PQaMMph3XjMiud0NYMGxrCSzMgcCim5L023ztCcC9xXqN2n8AFvxtDAp7-ypHC6xk0u-zoDvhrwnYlPF3S1A95qnfmYKnaZklpZ-26bGQ/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After, and looking just right for a break time.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKCJXGxTBF52YyTmvaAso7iiBjY_O_PJN6pjgZFQzJT8S-nVbgSSKXO7osgP6ycFxICwZG941s7kwcqC2nPR_eSlb1ATuZ8csN9mqwc07FwBb63x5e4iZImtv_qPD48JsXvh7OjzmND8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKCJXGxTBF52YyTmvaAso7iiBjY_O_PJN6pjgZFQzJT8S-nVbgSSKXO7osgP6ycFxICwZG941s7kwcqC2nPR_eSlb1ATuZ8csN9mqwc07FwBb63x5e4iZImtv_qPD48JsXvh7OjzmND8/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">looking good in our lasses greenhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lGLlQHB43x03mayiUIeF7BW_qssrHE5zBIEEvDljXpMnLnZc2OJLFUIHx7BlhZYJgEyNwpm-MnXOifBHdps05snrdaW3enEtkVAi3OO_yv0K11s804BkElKktCzOEUTAKndng6_3yrA/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-lGLlQHB43x03mayiUIeF7BW_qssrHE5zBIEEvDljXpMnLnZc2OJLFUIHx7BlhZYJgEyNwpm-MnXOifBHdps05snrdaW3enEtkVAi3OO_yv0K11s804BkElKktCzOEUTAKndng6_3yrA/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy both sides of our lasses greenhouse</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-59005460057954096652021-03-24T21:21:00.006+00:002021-03-24T21:33:28.177+00:00Day 58 - Windy Allotment, little wind in our sails.Of all the weather conditions we face up at the allotment, I think wind is one of the most demoralising. Rain can nourish the ground, cold can break up the soil and even a dull dank day means you just potter and await the sun. But wind always leaves you in a double job mode, it isn't just doing the work you want to do, but then you have to tie everything down you wish to use which helps with the activity. Forget, and you can be chasing down the allotment for your hat or worse still picking up a broken pot or lifting a pallet off a bed which fell over for that split second you thought "Oh it will be safe.......".<div><br /></div><div>Sweetcorn needs the wind for pollination, or at least a breeze, you also need it for your metaphorical sails. But when it goes calm in your world this also can be disheartening, (take lots of photographs so you can cheer yourself up with the difference you have made) this also happened today whilst doing the day to day jobs of getting the allotment ready, our lass can see all her seedlings trying to grow, but viewing them day on day you see very little difference, the only difference really shows when one of them takes a dive. The same happens in my greenhouse, growth seems gradual, declines seems instant. (Weeds seem spontaneous) The leeks which were my second attempt have been growing slowly and have finally had to be moved to a shelf below as their tops were touching the green house roof (they were on the top shelf) So where visible growth was not seen it must have happened and did hearten me a little. This is where televisual gardeners don't help, the "here is one I made earlier" or "I had sown these three months ago, just look at them now" gives the impression of instant success, they rarely mention failures and rarely do week by week reports on growing vegetables or flowers, at most you have three or four stages. So as all we have to view is the slowly growing seedlings, if they have decided to germinate, you are holding onto a lot of hope that all will end fruitfully.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNBFERQmDJgouSl2XJ8F5xztdojKTMkZ4m70kBQKvWiZ8Eb2xxTONpXCGBuNeCdpywrXyO8BNGzXlDO_x3j82CXf5KlR4P4hvuDAyvfebPa1BD4JHEuvmjlctSWd_szMugPWHMj5bjpE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqNBFERQmDJgouSl2XJ8F5xztdojKTMkZ4m70kBQKvWiZ8Eb2xxTONpXCGBuNeCdpywrXyO8BNGzXlDO_x3j82CXf5KlR4P4hvuDAyvfebPa1BD4JHEuvmjlctSWd_szMugPWHMj5bjpE/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pleasant surprise for our lass, someone on the allotment didn't need it so we are now it's proud owners.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbzNQ-vPvKv-5z3XSR9MDmMHV3ApARDK1y2q57Cf9sQtSj0MyX1JeIlycEDO9w0XMqdqantsC1jtidAPKufzOW5GNSlr6IPYEJY1JDEj_-4aBDv_9tEdO2AvInsgH0FL7PvS59jwO0no/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbzNQ-vPvKv-5z3XSR9MDmMHV3ApARDK1y2q57Cf9sQtSj0MyX1JeIlycEDO9w0XMqdqantsC1jtidAPKufzOW5GNSlr6IPYEJY1JDEj_-4aBDv_9tEdO2AvInsgH0FL7PvS59jwO0no/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for them to be as thick as pencils but they are getting there.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V8VAZmfjHRNB3KEYRpvyerTFk-76UQonCX25Jyl_qQM87qhOMuX1hBEfsuZkNNs5Ftih2CfSR7998-mXRSMGJD47wFnKgBUzwTPKb5PxFh9F-W5CVj6C5dbnA8V67_8ETFlqS_KSuJk/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4V8VAZmfjHRNB3KEYRpvyerTFk-76UQonCX25Jyl_qQM87qhOMuX1hBEfsuZkNNs5Ftih2CfSR7998-mXRSMGJD47wFnKgBUzwTPKb5PxFh9F-W5CVj6C5dbnA8V67_8ETFlqS_KSuJk/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lasses busy green house</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI5wQmijOXEqRsjhfeQ0rv1RsneuZU51XdGHTCl_2s-HPFV4L5osYr3u8g-1r54nzr41CzBqizXoBKy6VF4Z4loXGbU6FxrqpX4mX4_EtLbLiNkJ8fSfzJqDQx_Rj077NCQNz3l1Z4n8/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI5wQmijOXEqRsjhfeQ0rv1RsneuZU51XdGHTCl_2s-HPFV4L5osYr3u8g-1r54nzr41CzBqizXoBKy6VF4Z4loXGbU6FxrqpX4mX4_EtLbLiNkJ8fSfzJqDQx_Rj077NCQNz3l1Z4n8/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courgette and pumpkin, mark2</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-u4eqODT2rCoYhOpN4CH650GNxsXi6M7bliiVhvxLNM3JTiSdInsyt6PyHZqoNcS9PHMThFCBKtAFyRWb1hFQV4IO5QsaiupAvZjpd0mm81lza0LEIXZ4sjr5So5_0fZa0Dh2H-VOKBE/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-u4eqODT2rCoYhOpN4CH650GNxsXi6M7bliiVhvxLNM3JTiSdInsyt6PyHZqoNcS9PHMThFCBKtAFyRWb1hFQV4IO5QsaiupAvZjpd0mm81lza0LEIXZ4sjr5So5_0fZa0Dh2H-VOKBE/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally sun and no wind, just as we finished for the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-20972071732900224082021-03-22T06:54:00.009+00:002021-03-23T21:43:40.689+00:00Day 57 - Allotmenteering is much like playing golf.<p> Now before you get your five iron and see how far you can launch your brussels just read me out. For the past few months we have been preparing the allotment for the growing season ahead, trying our best to add goodness to the ground, setting out the beds for the crops we wish to grow, making a plan on cardboard boxes as to where things will grow. Now the time is almost upon us, we constantly have the thoughts of will everything grow, have we got too much of one produce, is another going to be ready in time, how come other allotments have this done now and how come others seem to have nothing done at all, are we too early are we too late. Questions rattling through our heads and most of all will it all work out. Now a golfer must go through the same, lots of practise before the competition, then get to the course and over four days having to play as well as possible against the conditions which will be unfamiliar to them and comparing themselves to others playing around them.</p><p>We can only affect what we can do, it is in itself enjoyable to be down the allotment, so even if nothing grew, it would be very annoying, but me and our lass would have shared sunny days. There will be miss haps, there will be golf balls in the lake moments, every grower has something which won't germinate, get eaten, or simply doesn't grow as it should, but we will have chip ins from the bunker moments as well.</p><p>You might tell that I watched the golf last night after being down the allotment with our lass.</p><p>Our Lasses greenhouse is almost full, mine is almost full as well, the next lot of potatoes are in the ground, four varieties in two more to go how will it all do, well only the future can tell. But it is a future we can look forward to.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAY3jD8hNMZzsVpvAS6qtM6FhSw32NLGp8HREyf5QUD-qI1OYXbVK-ML0vNad30tQ6RSnt2fKhH18REeaViPSTdoLNnydDB9lxlFVFUi2-TeHg4Ihcwk6aIDgPjNQYyCKzKAS7rebW5A/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAY3jD8hNMZzsVpvAS6qtM6FhSw32NLGp8HREyf5QUD-qI1OYXbVK-ML0vNad30tQ6RSnt2fKhH18REeaViPSTdoLNnydDB9lxlFVFUi2-TeHg4Ihcwk6aIDgPjNQYyCKzKAS7rebW5A/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass trying to make use of every bit of shelving</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdha6JRAnV9WZddxj4inZlLJ3Z3Y-eFskYFTxvmyhrL2pWDlxHs257204iSjMOZh7ZsL_DocHWOQ4YQTF9xy78pKGN4bC8LbW4EGhSEXMPl8s1hR9CDBCG3wIb3PvD_hd2SFDcx86GRg/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdha6JRAnV9WZddxj4inZlLJ3Z3Y-eFskYFTxvmyhrL2pWDlxHs257204iSjMOZh7ZsL_DocHWOQ4YQTF9xy78pKGN4bC8LbW4EGhSEXMPl8s1hR9CDBCG3wIb3PvD_hd2SFDcx86GRg/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lass who always knows better, really did need the shelving I made her.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkD37DdyeWZLuQ9_3boQToTXyL8zcTcSqjPF-PzkdZKlkkBxwlDRLl-Szvv8_re_jb3BBWEsjoWr0Gkt_KvX1zOcNNdx00NoBJkoiJR2l64aMC84jQMmFftlljF3J9nzgWqajs9phgnM/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkD37DdyeWZLuQ9_3boQToTXyL8zcTcSqjPF-PzkdZKlkkBxwlDRLl-Szvv8_re_jb3BBWEsjoWr0Gkt_KvX1zOcNNdx00NoBJkoiJR2l64aMC84jQMmFftlljF3J9nzgWqajs9phgnM/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All in place, now hope it all grows.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJkA7Sc5E0rzje8Sk5DE9WI8ZR-RV7edauFZ5oVXhyq50s3mHP1bCR8uKjD0zPf9rjISuLlcnNnnNr7ZOXMF8CzWIDZP0CKZ4mr2Py2aeQCq0l0t_G3Vl1QfqqWu2sOmTus6rx8kjiiI/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJkA7Sc5E0rzje8Sk5DE9WI8ZR-RV7edauFZ5oVXhyq50s3mHP1bCR8uKjD0zPf9rjISuLlcnNnnNr7ZOXMF8CzWIDZP0CKZ4mr2Py2aeQCq0l0t_G3Vl1QfqqWu2sOmTus6rx8kjiiI/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two more beds of potatoes in Cara and Kestrel</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-q7_Sgi4l8TjO0paFgGlyRjJCfyw81Xbf4tJaO4VvBi2MpybdyKSPqcMWu5A1OpHfrkTsKZCo8sJBK5ohVnrk2FbijoL-nxArFbMzMoCrOAx86WucObywbBb5iRTEvc1gMLAz9G1wQ0/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-q7_Sgi4l8TjO0paFgGlyRjJCfyw81Xbf4tJaO4VvBi2MpybdyKSPqcMWu5A1OpHfrkTsKZCo8sJBK5ohVnrk2FbijoL-nxArFbMzMoCrOAx86WucObywbBb5iRTEvc1gMLAz9G1wQ0/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The daffodils are almost in flower.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-12175150071877170922021-03-20T21:14:00.004+00:002021-03-20T21:25:31.028+00:00Day 56 - It is time to celebrate - Spring<p>Today was a day to celebrate, firstly it was our lasses birthday which was greeted by sunshine and warmth when the breeze died down. Obviously I will take credit for making sure we got some sun today. Secondly, we have crossed the threshold of longer days than nights which means the growing season will be with us before we know it with somethings already growing.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01bGLZnkFquQnYb_xg4vQ4qEB_yLmJaTAwuDHHG562rK7_ZYdHQ3jikGhifdduxtwVLv7MNSm2GW1-UEQqBRrSHWNL4dD_qMgLVOQKuoSlbyI6tWRdeeZ78nGJmL3daEr7zUP1pBID3E/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01bGLZnkFquQnYb_xg4vQ4qEB_yLmJaTAwuDHHG562rK7_ZYdHQ3jikGhifdduxtwVLv7MNSm2GW1-UEQqBRrSHWNL4dD_qMgLVOQKuoSlbyI6tWRdeeZ78nGJmL3daEr7zUP1pBID3E/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sunny view out over the allotment</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDaviz0tmt8KwoxfHeLfi0NqmQVmUEp7B4eMWL1N3e6OdKn54lxOcNyKK51D4C9l8u2bcu66G2CHJ8pVwNEiLEVWEMvqFAi-DJAEuwyuf44VyVO3q3LlDcj4PXirjI-STYtxweKQsAyY/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxDaviz0tmt8KwoxfHeLfi0NqmQVmUEp7B4eMWL1N3e6OdKn54lxOcNyKK51D4C9l8u2bcu66G2CHJ8pVwNEiLEVWEMvqFAi-DJAEuwyuf44VyVO3q3LlDcj4PXirjI-STYtxweKQsAyY/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first of many empty bottles to be found down our allotment this year.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLukx6A7MAqMRu2-jCzlNEimvh6Ks40gBcEN1zqS9UaYoh5_pIhMc2eD-andi2oF04Gpww1NZ9JjWdAJdWdaEc6S08CjPlvBU1pxO2Pr77Wz7kbFkX9ltWEOOz5za6v5gFdbjmmMIgD0/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLukx6A7MAqMRu2-jCzlNEimvh6Ks40gBcEN1zqS9UaYoh5_pIhMc2eD-andi2oF04Gpww1NZ9JjWdAJdWdaEc6S08CjPlvBU1pxO2Pr77Wz7kbFkX9ltWEOOz5za6v5gFdbjmmMIgD0/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomatoes are taking root, onions starting to have shoots, peas starting to grow upwards and first level of compost added to the potatoes, just awaiting pumpkin and courgette seeds to germinate</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE91NU7daKiU9l7lEQWVIh9VJXfXv5CBjeZrFgoau61mbGKYQMOi0kZqZon2L6vM1rYig78Q9K8mw4e6UKs3fgTQiuetqUvKjLplfOM7UDa_jhZ9t23GzAA6dCI-r74dIIs8Tfj57fOvY/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE91NU7daKiU9l7lEQWVIh9VJXfXv5CBjeZrFgoau61mbGKYQMOi0kZqZon2L6vM1rYig78Q9K8mw4e6UKs3fgTQiuetqUvKjLplfOM7UDa_jhZ9t23GzAA6dCI-r74dIIs8Tfj57fOvY/w640-h480/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lasses Carol Klein impression, tidying up the pots with grit,</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXiQrx9T9nQrHU4fEw0bxEzctbaT7TcawK6kKz6xpBgqg-GkXyMCyd0_lj1BBIuWImIi_vPjh5Ja5JeRdfVA055qofe-nWhW5vXdmcAryNRqYph3SV8_YNoPc_cjPpd7YDnSfSMeE5GNA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXiQrx9T9nQrHU4fEw0bxEzctbaT7TcawK6kKz6xpBgqg-GkXyMCyd0_lj1BBIuWImIi_vPjh5Ja5JeRdfVA055qofe-nWhW5vXdmcAryNRqYph3SV8_YNoPc_cjPpd7YDnSfSMeE5GNA/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Year one for the Rhubarb, which is a shame as no Rhubarb crumble this year, but where we thought we may have lost one, all three are starting to grow good leaves.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DWUe_EKWeI-O1QuRxsEP_fX4XE5lF7Dtke85uUWnGNT99-mNJ0YF_JZOnhERmQ3nM9l8t0BluNl4LF6vNOv5Q8MHTe6Yu7PNFzkYSnyyhbHRdE_NdcXG15Q6LM420jvknj4mQIj0mTo/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DWUe_EKWeI-O1QuRxsEP_fX4XE5lF7Dtke85uUWnGNT99-mNJ0YF_JZOnhERmQ3nM9l8t0BluNl4LF6vNOv5Q8MHTe6Yu7PNFzkYSnyyhbHRdE_NdcXG15Q6LM420jvknj4mQIj0mTo/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another two sets of furrows await their potatoes, it will be plan B though as the ground is still very clayey so we will be covering with homemade compost in the coming months.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4414029244966440974.post-71894335870631498402021-03-18T21:06:00.004+00:002021-03-18T21:12:11.694+00:00Day 55 - Making teepeas and counting crows.<p>We may have mentioned before that you go to the allotment with one job in mind and end up doing something else, as I keep saying to our lass though, I don't have plans just thoughts. Todays thoughts was to sort the compost as it was quite moist. Our lass had a great idea of adding the dried up lavender we had from home to the compost, it was a win win, the bed in front of the house is now clear and we have some dry material for the compost. So this was the plan of action for the day.</p><p>But this morning whilst sorting the bin full off lavender cuttings to put in the back of the car, I noticed the branches from some trees we had cut down and thought they would be useful. The thoughts then just kept on rolling, whilst the peas had been safe from the mice in their compostable pots, they were not growing well as the pots were not deep enough for the roots. Peas also don't like being moved, much the same as I have done with the tomatoes the other day making sure of as few a moves as possible I am trying to do the same with the peas and have direct sown the peas into the bed. We will see in the coming days if the mice have loved our idea as well. Whilst sowing the peas there was a great gathering of crows assembling in the large oak tree at the back of the allotment, our lass gave commentary "Oh look he is planting the peas we will come for them" It really did give the impression of word was going out amongst the wildlife.</p><p>Our lass as always was busy and you will see from the photograph below that the final bed is being prepared, the ground is quite clayey and water logged. So our lass had been busy mixing compost and grit to enrich the soil for more produce to be sown. Now we have to find what will go there, as we do have a plan, but as with all plans they are changeable.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhwvYemAQiMg_1P9MxdYQ9P9Ihtoq0EU9wAQBFtYm9ctcI6xokI_3YSO6UJpZsSAh6PP0q1RNWVvlzmvlKZeosSAc-jEGp3RmskMDPFLD_FBDc-XygaTvQCOn0xzATwBQGM-p9NC-dps/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvhwvYemAQiMg_1P9MxdYQ9P9Ihtoq0EU9wAQBFtYm9ctcI6xokI_3YSO6UJpZsSAh6PP0q1RNWVvlzmvlKZeosSAc-jEGp3RmskMDPFLD_FBDc-XygaTvQCOn0xzATwBQGM-p9NC-dps/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Been a while since I have taken a photograph from the front of the allotment. Just weeks away from take off into Spring.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybsu2u5zbug7kyoxWngmwkCa02MD2H7Za5Vd34S3SPC3yTOsSCW4GbcJT1VsAee26HHqgMKGca6ujW5LbGqTazBsZ9g8DrqXQtGeSs7wqy_oQQtUpZI8AzzYQqulHBa6nEuUzl8hF2xU/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhybsu2u5zbug7kyoxWngmwkCa02MD2H7Za5Vd34S3SPC3yTOsSCW4GbcJT1VsAee26HHqgMKGca6ujW5LbGqTazBsZ9g8DrqXQtGeSs7wqy_oQQtUpZI8AzzYQqulHBa6nEuUzl8hF2xU/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lasses freshly prepared bed, the planks have been really useful for dividing and walkways</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68H-EI5hbDnUJ5_9gbPhEyS3eGeJsHtAk2MJHd_Pdf2zsiXuA7uUkgbr7_72OcvsmKxq0N6YRjq2slvzHHI0-ECnno2dpzkD4_a_MqxWgq0xGZZCvIHHSXB5qjCkFnx-4LPHhNF775bw/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68H-EI5hbDnUJ5_9gbPhEyS3eGeJsHtAk2MJHd_Pdf2zsiXuA7uUkgbr7_72OcvsmKxq0N6YRjq2slvzHHI0-ECnno2dpzkD4_a_MqxWgq0xGZZCvIHHSXB5qjCkFnx-4LPHhNF775bw/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuFAgkr_GGU3CXzc-XI-ZvchrKuEhEDR9A3fI7miTqaeXcDxa0z5ZTl-3UROeRyRuCpViC6zNkV_RzNm7vj152dr3yjqKlIAUrPNQ3RH0oQ9Colv8aUc5-SygT24uhQMjCowKCThvGQs/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuFAgkr_GGU3CXzc-XI-ZvchrKuEhEDR9A3fI7miTqaeXcDxa0z5ZTl-3UROeRyRuCpViC6zNkV_RzNm7vj152dr3yjqKlIAUrPNQ3RH0oQ9Colv8aUc5-SygT24uhQMjCowKCThvGQs/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not its best angle, but hopefully will do its job, tin cans to scare the birds or will give the mice a toy to play with.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT-quc_nwi2gSW49NLSFmq9r5NxPH8MeC_qtN3YOsFZFw3YYpEEFbzPz7Vn_EasF0LQj-KFUDMuTP0RCVxTwYMv98o56HkcUhtO5Nat9fpG5njSug07BWLDqdomjGGIHk0Ytk40CbquE/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT-quc_nwi2gSW49NLSFmq9r5NxPH8MeC_qtN3YOsFZFw3YYpEEFbzPz7Vn_EasF0LQj-KFUDMuTP0RCVxTwYMv98o56HkcUhtO5Nat9fpG5njSug07BWLDqdomjGGIHk0Ytk40CbquE/" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compost looking the right colour just needs to be a little less moist.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Retire At 50http://www.blogger.com/profile/18122761212340153767noreply@blogger.com0