Happy New Year!

I haven't posted in ages as I thought my blog was broken. It turns out it was just that one post that wouldn't work. This winter has been kind - there's been lots of sunlight and I've not got as down as I usually get. The mild weather has meant that I've also been able to catch up at the allotment and have done most of my digging. I haven't sown my broad beans yet and don't know whether to wait for spring or try doing them now. I'm gonna build a massive bonfire tomorrow as I need to get rid of piles of weeds I've been drying out.
In November I did some poetry with my daughter's class - I had six year olds explaining meanings that I'd missed in poems I'd read to them. Sunday I've got a poetry workshop in South London. I'm looking forward to it. In Feb I'm doing the Poetry from Art at Tate Modern and I'm really excited about that.
Saturday did some wild dancing at the Ukrainian club and spun my friend Rachel round. Her first taste of Ukrainian dancing. She managed not to fall over. We were the last ones on the dancefloor :)

Harvest and writing updates.

CORRECTION- redcurrants don't need the fruiting branches cut right off. Will update tomorrow.



First cucumber - it was delicious!

Oh and we've had courgettes- I really miss them when their season is over and can't bear to buy them as it feels so disloyal. I haven't managed to use the flowers yet.


My parsnip thinnings looking rather sexy I think.

Any recipes for courgettes gratefully received. I tend to fry them in butter (especially baby ones) or make ratatouille. Or any recipes as I keep cooking the same stuff.

When it gets busy at the allotment I don't really feel like writing about it so all my posts end up being a bit after the event. I've dug up a row of my Charlotte potatoes which are delicious but the crop is not as abundant this year I guess because of the lack of rain. My neighbour watered his but got even less potatoes so I guess you just can't beat rain. I'm putting my leeks where the potatoes were but due to long winter they are going in late. Last year I harvested my Charlottes on the 18th June. The loganberries (at least I think that what they are- I really should post a picture)I need to finish picking my redcurrants - someone recommended lopping off the fruiting branch then picking off the currants which sounds like a good idea as you need to prune the branches that have fruited and once you pick it gets harder to work out what's what.

I am forcing myself to write 1000 words a day of my novel - some days more successful than others and when I get fed up I look at a poem I've been writing that shimmers in places and trips me up in others. Once I'm in the swing of it I feel happy but always seem to subject myself to hours of prevarication and what's the meaning of it all. The meaning is to enjoy! Some days easier to say than do but I will plod on regardless. Happy plodding or maybe even skipping!!

Writing

I made it over to the allotment on Monday for the first time in weeks. I forgot my mobile and I don't wear a watch so I lost all track of time. I'm glad I did as it looks like it is going to have been the only sunny day of this week and I badly needed some rays. I dug out fists of bindweed from the compost heap on my newer plot. It was very satisfying removing them - though I can't help admiring their ability to rejuvenate. I planted some raspberry canes (Autumn Bliss)- but now I come to think of it I wonder if i was supposed to separate them. There was about 5 or 6 sticks in each pot- now is that one plant or lots? Help anyone? Either way I'm sure they are happier in the ground than in the pot. I chose those rasperries coz they sound easy to maintain-unlike other raspberries you cut the right down after fruiting and next years berries come on new growth only.
I have written a couple of short pieces but feel like I have an ingredient missing that stops them being short stories. Like bread without yeast. I want them to rise but maybe they are destined to be pitta breads-there's nothing wrong with being pittas but I was hoping for something else. Maybe I should just concentrate on making good pittas.
The novel is trawling along slowly. I think I have ten versions of the same scene and other scenes are completely absent. I keep moving bits around which is quite exciting as the tension of the story changes and yes it feels like I am kneading the dough and it's gonna rise.
All that bread talk is making me hungry. Off to lunch. Bye for now.

Happy New Year.

I can't understand why the year starts now when it it still so cold and nature dormant. Perhaps that's why it does - to break up the long cheerless winter. Yes it must be that. I'm not miserable I just like to slide into the new year, feel my way not jump in with too many expectations that I know I won't be able to fulfil while it is still so cold.

My god-daughter made this snow angel. It was lovely watching the kids wandering around in the snow as though they were exploring a foreign land

I've written a timetable. Now I am at home without the kids I find that unwatched a small task can swallow up the whole day. Not that I intend to religiously stick to the timetable - it's just there to stop my time going all flabby. I need to be stricter about writing. One day I can find it absolutely delicious coming back to an emty house and then the next day find myself wanting to go straight back out coz it feels so empty and lonely. So to fill the void I have started baking. The smell of baking bread brings the house alive.

Hubby at the allotment when it was still snowy. The water was frozen solid. The cancel don't switch off the supply till early spring (just when we need it). We used to get snow early spring so it's a hangover from then. Who knows we may have more snow in spring too!!

This plot intrigues me. It's completed enclosed and I've never seen anything growing there. Will watch this space in Spring.

Come in - we are ready to interogate you. - That's what it says to me anyway.

Have just booked our flights to Portugal in the summer yippee i need a beer. I don't tend to do grown up stuff like book flights. I'm always convinced I've got the wrong country, day or people.

Poorly tomatoes

Tragedy -the tomatoes aren't looking too good. I don't know what's wrong with them! Husband thinks I have overwatered them - which is a first for me as I usually forget to water stuff. There is moss growing on compost which is an indicator of too much water(isn't it??). My courgettes and cucumbers seem ok as i keep forgetting to water them.

I entered a writing competition a while ago on the net and was rather disappointed to find I had not won. I got to the first round - which is better than I've ever done before but I do feel rather deflated as I was convinced this was the one. Oh well back to the blank page. Happy writing and gardening everyone!

Seedlings and writing

The Clematis montana is full of pale pink blooms transforming my view when I'm washing up.







Here are my seedlings in my lean-to. My tomato plants look a bit pale - not sure what can be wrong with them. Any ideas?? Too tired to google now.







My writing corner in our bedroom is now set up and fully functional and looks and is brilliant. Now I just have to write - I have run out of excuses -that must be why I spent the entire evening on the phone to sister and friend. A couple of my poems should be coming up soon on the net- will keep you posted. Goodnight.

3rd February

The two things I love best(not counting my family or dancing) are gardening and writing. As I've broken my wrist ice skating at gorgeous Somerset House I am reduced to writing about gardening while I heal. I am one of those sadists that love digging. It fills me with calm and sweeps out all those annoying conversations that swill round my head endlessly. Writing is another way of dealing with them but is harder work.

Anyway vegetable growers -this is what I've got round to so far.

1/Have ordered seeds.

2/Started some peas off inside lean-to in toilet rolls filled with soil.

3/ Have started chitting potatoes in readiness for planting in allotment in March/April.



Chitting potatoes.

Incase you've never heard of this(I hadn't before I got the allotment) it's when you put potatoes in egg boxes in a light frost free place and leave them to sprout. They need to be rose side up so just look at either end and see which side has most eyes (like dots) and put these at top. If you've got loads of potatoes ask at butchers for egg trays. Chit them starting January or February. The jury is still out on whether potatoes do better chitted or not so don't stress if you don't get round to doing it. Will try and post picture of this tomorrow.