Allotment project (It's a Salford thing)

At the weekend Vanessa Short came down to visit my site she's working on a project about those with allotments here's the piece she did about me.

A feature of the London Skyline

In other news I met up with Ex-Euronews buddies Shaun 'restless' Sullivan and John 'The Voice' Boham-Cook in the shadow of London's Gherkin (not grown one of these yet). All is well with them and we send a shout oiut to Andy on reaching the age of half a hundred - well done Andy!
In other gardening news I've picked several courgettes (some more like marrows) a cucumber and some TomatoBerries. Courgettes boiled and also baked with rice and lardon stuffing.

It's a Greenhouse thing



Not sure about windy weather

I have also added a small solar panel for powering a light within my shed - hopefully provide a little extra light once the evenings draw in.
During the week I also went to a House of Lords Tea (Scones, Tea and the like) arranged by the Royal Commonwealth society (of which I'm a member)

Greenhouse base and Apple

Lime Tree in it's planter

Two apples (two more than expected)

Base for Greenhouse

 Today there were spells that were without rain.

I am very happy to report that my  Lime tree has arrived and it  looks pretty, I've healthy put it in a planter with compost and some sand.

I have today  picked some onions as well as more turnips, some chard and beetroot.

I have applied wood preservative to what will be the base for a very small and light greenhouse.

Rather excitingly Ealing now has a Maplin's where I bought a workmate today for £7.99 - (not a person but it seems like a bargain)

Turnips, Chic and Zeebox

Although I have delayed mentioning it I was quite impressed with a presentation I attended by Anthony Rose - he comes over as a geekier South African version of Ed Byrne and although importance of 'Social' media might be overstated he knows what he's talking about. I wonder what Facebook will do in this area?

Summer has been pretty awful but we're counting ourselves lucky to have attended a Kew the music concert (Wednesday's) and not got wet - Chic and M People both put on good sets - when you realise what Nile Rogers has done you can't help but be blown away -worked with Bowie, Diana Ross and Sister Sledge as well as Madonna. great tunes and fantastic guitar style.

I've been weeding on the allotment when the weather has let me also working on adding one of those little plastic greenhouses. The crops I've been harvesting include baby beetroots, lettuces and turnips - we had turnip soup today.

Rich Pickings

No this isn't all about George Osborne or Bob Diamond but about the start of payback from the ground.
I've had  quite a few Broad beans and as well as sharing them I've had a nice  Soup and a good Risotto (all gone now)
At the weekend we had some fresh peas and today I've had lettuce and beetroot (for my lunch).
I pulled up a couple of turnips too.
A recent addition is a further olive tree and I've re potted the first one (which was struggling) other trees all doing fine and a Lime tree on the way I hope.

I've added netting over cabbages that the pigeons have taken a fancy too and might have to do the same for the cauliflowers.
On the subject of Barclay's it's kind of strange that Bob has offered to waive his bonus - does this option get offered to to so called 'benefit cheats'?
Nice to see a good piece of drama on BBC1 this evening which asks some good questions of the viewer -Blackout looks worth keeping an eye out for parts 2 and 3