Saturday 9 August 2014

Badgers, sweetcorn and a pain in the neck


You know when you've been told that a certain disaster will happen because it always does, but you cling to the vain hope that in your case it actually won't?  And then it does.  Well, that happened.

We'd been told that all sweetcorn at the allotment is eaten by badgers the minute it's ready.  But the middle boy wanted to grow sweetcorn, and the littlest boy had his heart set on popping corn, so we planted it anyway.  And it was almost ripe, and I was living in hope.  And then this.


All except two plants (one of each) mashed into the ground, and almost all of the corn eaten.  The littlest boy said, "I wish badgers didn't live in this country".  They'd somehow stripped out the corn from inside the leaves, leaving empty husks.


Oh well.  Onwards and all that.  Next year we'll try them at home and plant something else at the allotment.  We're over it.  At least some of the sunflowers survived.



The bees absolutely love them.  Between the sunflowers and the artichoke flowers, they're in heaven.

A single solitary sweetcorn survived the badgers.  It wasn't a big one, just small and sweet.  We debated who should have it.  Someone small, sweet and deserving.



It was appreciated.

The littlest boy's little patch of garden is looking good.  Lots of bee-friendly flowers, and all sorts of different bees.  It's all taller than he is now.



We've been thinking about what we might plant next year.  Maybe some square foot gardening, where the 3' x 3' plot is divided into nine squares and each square gets a different crop.  The biggest boy helped the others decide what they might plant and even drew diagrams.  He wants to grow herbs himself.  I'm thinking we might visit a local herb farm and have a wander.  I haven't planted this idea in his mind myself, honest...

It's been quite a hard week and a half around here.  My cold dragged on in an unusual kind of way.  I've had a headache every day since it began about twelve days ago.  And a heavy feeling in my head.  It coincided with a crick in my neck, which also got worse and worse.  I felt quite exhausted as well - not a good feeling for the summer holidays with boys needing to be entertained.  Thursday and Friday were particularly bad.  I took a painkiller on Thursday because my head hurt so much.  This is so unlike me - I literally haven't taken one for years and years.  On Friday I took the boys to a park about half an hour's drive away.  I felt so grotty I ended up lying on the picnic blanket under an oak tree - despite all the lumpy little acorns.  My head hurt and my neck was stiffer than ever.  Last night it occurred to me that the stiff neck was connected to feeling ill.  I Googled it all, and came to the conclusion that it's probably viral meningitis (not the scary bacterial one, thankfully).  I'm feeling quite a bit better today, and grateful for living somewhere where there's healthcare available if and when needed.  Hopefully next week I'll be a bit more on the ball, I feel that I haven't been doing particularly well when it comes to the boys.  The summer is short, I'd like it to be a good and memorable one for them.  Tell me, what plans do you have for the rest of the summer?  Grand plans and small plans, I'd love to hear them.

43 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear that you are icky. I hope that you get better soon. Take care of yourself and go to the docs if you are not well soon. Such a shame about the corn/badger situation, I am sure that little guinea pig enjoyed the remaining cob though. Take care there. xx

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  2. It is probably just a virus - I say just but really it can be horrible and not "just" at all. Hope you will feel better very soon. I am not a fan of badgers either and especially not when they attempt to break in through the cat flap at night! I know they were here first and that they must eat and I love all wildlife even ants and snails but.... like your son I sometimes wish they live elsewhere! I love how your little guinea pig got the sweetcorn! Hope nexty year's gardenening is a huge success and maybe you could squeeze a sweet corn plant in the garden and not at the allotment you might get the boys to stand guard on a rota system then perhaps?!! Hope that you will enjoy the rest of the holiday and feel well soon.

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  3. I do really hope you are feeling better soon and I also really hope you don't have viral meningitis. My friend was in hospital with a viral meningitis for two weeks! I never google my symptoms when I am ill, it is just too scary.
    What a shame about the corn. I had no idea that badgers eat it (and neatly, too), I always assumed they were strict carnivores. Your littlest boy is not the only one who wishes that badgers lived elsewhere, judging by the regularity with which they make the news. We don't have badgers in the city but plenty of foxes and deer. The foxes eat shoes but I am not sure what the deer might eat. I imagine they visit allotments in the neighbourhood :( I just love your red sunflowers and the artichoke flower is pretty, too. We've planted artichokes this Spring, I hope they'll produce flowers and artichokes next year. Have a restful Sunday. Cxx

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  4. I hope you're soon better, it's hard to perk yourself up and recuperate when the kids are off school!
    Our Summer hasn't really started due to work and I'm feeling very guilty, Little Miss in particular is getting very bored!

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  5. I'm sorry to hear you've been sick. Can you go to the doctor? I know how hard that is when the kids are around all the time. I'm disappointed to hear about the corn. That must have been sad for all of you. I'm glad the guinea pig was able to enjoy the one ear anyway. Your flowers are very pretty. I'm glad there are things growing so beautifully there.

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  6. Hope you're feeling better soon - take lots of fluids and I should just go with the flow as far as analgesics are concerned for the time being. Love the guinea pig photo - you've got to quite admire the badgers; they're quite clever to allow it to fully ripen and then strip it so thoroughly! We suffer from deer - I even had to plant a courgette in the greenhouse this year because they eat all the ones in the veggie patch. Somehow though, they look so adorable (especially the baby ones) that I can't begrudge them. Thank you for the heads up about Cirencester by the way - we finally went this week and had a lovely day out. x

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  7. That is quite a chubby bumblebee on the sunflowers. Life must be good for the bees in your garden.

    Hope you are feeling better soon. It sure doesn't sound like you've had much fun with feeling puny.

    We have a busy few weeks coming up --- next week we will travel a couple of hours to visit our son. He just got back from his vacation and has pictures to share. The week after, my personal trainer is getting married. Then two weeks after that Steve and I go on holiday to celebrate our anniversary. WHEW! I'll be needing a good rest after that. ;-)

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  8. your flowers are gorgeous. sorry you are feeling so unwell. I understand that you don't like to take painkillers but sometimes it is for the best, especially when it might be muscle pain. if you have pain in your neck you are more likely to hold it stiff to protect it, but this can cause to a change in posture which causes the pain to spread. if you could bear to take some painkillers with a muscle relaxant such as ibruprofen it can help to break the cycle. take care xxx

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  9. poor you! have you tried an osteopath? I suffer from bad headaches too and I visit an osteopath every three months or so to keep my neck in the right place... it makes a huge difference!

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  10. Hope you feel better soon. I'm going to split my plot in to squares think it will make it easier to manage as at the moment it's all over the place.

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  11. Googling symptom can sometimes be unwise you can convince yourself that you have everything on offer, Hope you soon feel 100%. Do the badgers forage anything else?

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    1. Nope, just the sweetcorn I think, although they do dig a lot, really huge holes. They're looking for grubs and worms I think.

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  12. I agree with Sue, why don't you see a doctor if it gets worse. Look after yourself.

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  13. Sorry to hear that you have been feeling so unwell, especially when the children are at home with you :). Pesky pests I take it you don't have badgers in your garden? Well I hope you don't :).

    Plans for the rest of the summer? Erm avoiding the rain, a visit to a castle on a classic bus, play dates with friends, some bird watching, a folk festival and a scout camp are just some of the things we have in the diary. Enjoy the rest of your summer and hope you feel better soon :)

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  14. I'm sorry to read that you've not felt well so take care and I hope that you feel better soon. That's a shame about your sweetcorn, and I don't think that I'm going to fare much better what with high winds and squirrels to contend with. I like your sunflower, that's such a great colour. Littlest boy's flowers are looking good, the white cosmos are one of my favourites. Flighty xx

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  15. I'm sorry to hear you've been feeling so ill, as you say, it's not very nice being unwell at any time of year but it's particularly inconvenient during the summer holidays when there's children needing entertaining. Such a shame about your sweetcorn but how sweet that the little piggy got the last of the cobs. It's raining here and I think it's in for the day but I need some veggies so I shall persuade Mick to pop to the allotment to do a bit of harvesting. I'm hoping the weather picks up again as Mick's got a couple of days off work at the end of this week as it's his birthday and then he's got the last week of the school holidays off, I'm hoping we can have a few days out.

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  16. Oh you poor thing, I get vicious headaches so I know the feeling of pain and having to keep moving. I sure hope you are on the medication you need to heal up quickly. It is funny, if this had been one of your boys you would have had him into the doctor right away, but the Mom always thinks things will get better on their own when it comes to her. Love the garden pictures but so sorry the badgers ate the corn.
    Feel better soon,
    Meredith

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  17. Oh poor you CJ, its no fun feeling so unwell when you have three energetic boys to keep occupied. Make sure you go to the Dr's this week if things don't improve. Your garden plans all sound so lovely and it seems as though your boys have inherited your love of all things green !
    Kate x

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  18. Hope you are now feeling much better. I love your new header! Sarah x

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  19. I am so sorry that you haven't been well, I don't think there is anything worse than a cold in the summer, do you think you should go to the Dr's to make sure it's not bacterial? Maybe you need antibiotics? I hope you get better soon... Your photos are lovely by the way.
    Tammy xx

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  20. Don't beat yourself up thinking that your boys are not having a great summer - it will be enough for them that they don't have to go to school and can be outdoors. They've already had some great adventures (treasure trails! beach! home time!) and, trust me, your expectations will be a lot higher than theirs. I used to suffer from inexplicable vicious headaches with neck pain and took a wonderful tablet called Syndol for them which made me relax, sleep and get completely woozy! Sadly, no longer available (probably too many drowsy people) and I haven't found a suitable replacement. Luckily I don't seem to get so many bad headaches now. Really hope you're feeling better by the time you read this. Sleep is good. Caro xx

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  21. Scary bee! Cute guinea pig! Pretty flowers :) My summer plans are of course just the beach as much as possible. I wouldn't worry about the boys. Growing up my mom worked full time and we honestly didn't go and do much but hello, there's no school... so it was always the best time ever. Kids don't need too much to keep them happy, don't worry! Plus from the posts I've seen on here it looks like they're having a great time!

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  22. So beautiful, CJ. Dare I admit I laughed at the darling piggy eating the sweetcorn. The photos are beautiful. Sorry about the badger, here, as you know, it is rabbits! x

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  23. Darn badger!!!!!! But man when I saw the next photo of that gorgeous sun flower all was well with the world!!!! I am glad to see all of your blooms so happy and beautiful up there! So sorry to hear you have been under the weather....it is awful when you don't feel well and I completely understand that feeling! Glad that today was better! And as for summer...it is just zipping by and I am just trying to do a little something special everyday with them before it is all over in a week :((( You take care friend and have a lovely week with your crew! Nicole xoxo

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  24. I'm so sorry you've been unwell, that sounds nasty. Get better soon! Damn those badgers, eating your sweet corn. How dare they? Still, the sunflowers are stunning. I'm off to my mums for a week with the kids. I hope it's sunny. Don't think it will be though. X

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  25. Badgers, really? I didn't know they'd do that! That sunflower is a gorgeous colour, and your guinea pig is so cute. (His hutch looks an awful lot cleaner than ours!)
    Hope you're feeling a lot better this week, the summer break is dashing by at a rate of knots!

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  26. Hope you feeling better soon CJ - tough when you've got to get up and keep going eh? Sending you get well vibes. Your garden flowers look GORGEOUS!! Very inspiring. I love sweet peas - my late father used to grow them in swathes in our garden and they are still my favourite summer flower - that and a good sun flower - and you have both!! Garden envy ;o)
    Take care, J9 x

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  27. Being sick in the summer should be illegal! I hope you are feeling better every day. Our jalapeno plant has produced 12 beautiful jalapenos. What does one do with 12 jalapenos? I am going to try my hand at pickling/canning this weekend....wish me luck!

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  28. oh man, i'm so sorry you're sick. i hope you feel better soon, and are back to whoopin' it up this summer with your boys. our summer holiday is just about at an end here. we begin middle school next week monday. in the meantime it will be a visit with his father's parents, some paling around with friends and a much needed haircut :)

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  29. Those sunflowers are beautiful! The color is so unique and although I love yellow, the burnt orange is unexpected and so pretty. I love the littlest boy's comment about the badgers. ha! And I think you picked just the right recipient of the sweet corn. Lovely post as always CJ.

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  30. Oh, to be sick in summer just isn't fair! Especially when you have three busy boys to entertain! :( I just love that you gave the corn to the guinea pig - she is the most spoiled pig around!

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  31. I hope you are feeling a bit better by now and I just love how your boys are busy gardening. My experience with my (not so little any more) boys is that they will understand and you just being around for them is just as important.Hope the rest of your week goes well, Anita xx

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  32. Your sunflowers are beautiful. Ours are yet to flower but there is one bud...so I'm hopeful!! Hope you're feeling better now.

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  33. I love visiting your allotment , thank you for sharing. I glad your little one did not get too upset about the pesky badgers

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  35. I do hope you're feeling better now x

    That sweet little piggy is just too cute. And clearly very happy with her sweetcorn :) If that's the result of badger invasion she may well be egging them on next year.

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  36. I hope you're feeling better - stress kind of does that to me.

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  37. Hey Cj
    how did I miss this? There's nothing worse than feeling ill and in charge of children. Hopefully you feel better now.
    leanne xx

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  38. First of all....GUINEA PIGS ARE THE BEST! Wow, what a little sweetie!
    Secondly, I'm very sorry to hear the sweetcorn got munched....however...I really can't help picturing a badger sitting down with his mates, tucking napkins around their necks and enjoying their sweetcorn feast...oh dear! If it's ANY conciliation, mine utterly failed on their own without any critters help! ;)

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  39. I'm so sorry about your sweet corn. But your sunflower is so stunning, and your cosmos too. Hope no 'bugs' anymore.
    Happy gardening!

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  40. I'm so sorry to hear you've been feeling so poorly, I hope your feeling better now. The sunflowers are gorgeous and love the artichoke flowers too - I might have to attempt to grow some myself next year. I love the sound of your allotment plans for next year - like a big garden quilt! xx

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  41. Oh that is a shame about the sweetcorn, I love that you gain the remaining piece to your guinea pig, how kind :) Hope you are feeling better.

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  42. Oh, CJ! Summer has had a few bumps in the road for you. I hope you're feeling better now. It's a terrible thing to be sick, especially in the summer when you just want to be outside having fun. My husband is from a very small town in Iowa and grew up on a farm. His little town has the Sweet Corn Festival every year where they have truck loads of sweet corn for everyone to eat. I wish I could ship you some so that you all could replace what those little rascals got. Your little piggy sure looked like she appreciated the ear you saved, though:)

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