Monday 15 September 2014

Pictures and writing

I really wish I was one of those people with planned blog posts, a clear idea of what I'm going to say and complete organisation in every area of everything.  I've got lots of notebooks, so I do feel I'm on the right track.  Just need to fill them with stuff.

Today I felt like writing a blog post.  But what to say?  I dug out my cameras and had a look to see what photos there were.  First up, one of those little libraries in a 'phone box.


I took the two younger boys for a bike ride on Saturday afternoon.  Just about a minute down the road and you're in the countryside.  It was beautiful.  I was on the lookout for plums.  Lots of people sell produce at their gates, and I found some damson jam almost straight away.  While I dug around for my purse the middle boy tried to reach a blackberry and fell into the hedge, which was pretty much just stinging nettles and brambles.  I was on the other side of the road, so I told him to hang on until a passing car had gone and I'd rescue him (he was tangled up in his bike as well as mashed into the hedge).  When I turned to look at the car it turned out to be a police car.  The policeman was very nice and stopped to see if we needed any help.  With as much grace as we could muster we sorted ourselves out.  I did get the jam.  Also some eggs further on as well.  (On a bike, I know, madness!)

We stopped later on to pick blackberries too, there were some really superb ones.  I've always loved cycling, it's such a lovely way to see the countryside.  A great way to travel a reasonable distance, but you're still very much connected with everything.  Including a good smell of cow which followed us for quite a big part of the way.


There was a little bit of salt sea air on Sunday.  Even though the biggest boy can't walk very far we like to take him out for an airing every now and again.


This week I've got lots on my to-do list.  Lots and lots.  In fact one week won't be nearly enough.  I started with a trip to the allotment which has been a bit neglected lately.  The middle part of it isn't too bad, but the bottom and top ends are scary.  The bottom is the bit with the shed.  Behind it is thick grass and underneath the grass there used to be rhubarb.  Who knows if it's there any more.  There are  out-of-control compost bins and nettles as well, it's all quite daunting.  A job for another day.

Today I tackled the top bit, which is out-of-control fruit.  Blackcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries, with a rogue bramble coiling round it all.



The raspberries have had a couple of years to prove themselves, but I've had almost no fruit so I think I'll take them out.  In preparation for digging out the roots I lopped off the tops, along with bits of gooseberry, blackcurrant and as much of the bramble as I could get.  My arms look like I've had a fight with ten cats.  But the plot looks a little more orderly.


There's a huge pile of stuff in the middle of it now though.  I'm hoping it dries out enough to burn.


I scored a bit of a bargain while I was at the site today.  A Can-o-Worms wormery for just £2.  I've put it in the shed for now.  Come spring I'll sort it out with some worms.  Worm compost is the gold standard when it comes to compost.  So it made me particularly happy to find such a thing.  I appreciate that a bargain wormery isn't everyone's idea of delight, but what can I say, I'm quite low maintenance.

This is some of the middle bit of the plot.  The bit I'm less scared of.  I threw away a load of blighted tomatoes today while I was there.  There are a handful left along with the odd cucumber, some yellow courgettes and a few squashes.


On the way out I passed this plot.


I loved the bright orange against the bluish purple of the cabbages.  I do love looking at other people's plots.  Every one unique, and so many really pretty.

In the garden there are still apples.  These are Egremont Russets.  They grew really big this year.  The skins are quite thick so I quite often peel them, but inside they are absolutely delicious.


I've been looking at wool online this week.  A sure sign that the temperatures are dropping slightly.  It's how I know that autumn is on the way.  I've already got some yarn, but it's nice to browse the patterns sometimes and see what I might make to keep me snug in the winter.  Of course, at the rate that I knit it'll be winter 2016.

28 comments:

  1. Oh, I can't wait to hear more about your knitting. I'm so impressed with you, eggs on a bike! Wow. I can barely carry them from the coop to the kitchen, all of about 40 feet. I think the composter sounds interesting. We compost in a barrel, but I mostly stay far back when it's being turned (by my husband) because of the maggots. It's horrifying. I wish I were braver because I love that we compost, I just can't get too close. :)

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  2. Your bike ride sounds wonderful! How lovely that you can find such goodies along your travels. I hope your busy week is productive and your to do list gets shorter instead of longer:)

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  3. The last time we went on a bike ride round here, it was me that ended up in the ditch with the brambles! And the boys laughed!
    I keep spending ages looking at yarn and patterns at the moment - in fact I sometimes think that I spend longer looking at Ravelry and Pinterest than I do crocheting. I find that crochet grows so much faster than knitting - it suits me better as patience isn't my middle name! x

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  4. I'm guessing you allotment is almost done for the season?

    I wish we did something like that around here. We do manage a few pots of pepper plants and I purchased a mixed herb pot the other day --- I got basil, sage, thyme and parsley. I already used some of the sage on some roasted potatoes. It's SO nice having FRESH stuff. :-)

    Hope you continue to have a wonderful week. BTW --- did you son find something interesting in the Little Library?

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  5. I like to air out my son too. Sometimes it's just making him go do chores and errands with me, and walking a bit instead of taking the underground or streetcar. I know he gets "exercise" from soccer and school but I like to incorporate a bit of everyday activity like you, I think. This weekend we went to see my father and step-mother out in the suburbs where there is minimal traffic and my husband took him bike riding with his cousin out by a trail by some old train tracks. They said it was the best ride ever.

    ps: love the photo of the phone/book box :)

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  6. I have a super busy week too and also never plan out my blog haha THose apples look different than I've ever seen before! I have also never seen the libraries in a phone booth before... that is so adorable

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  7. what a wonderful ramble thru your allotment (and other people's too). you must be very satisfied with all that work you did (even if you were scratched to pieces).

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  8. Love that book phone booth!!!!!!! Why can't they have those on every corner! What a cool way to share the joy of reading! And the bursts of colors at the allotment are just magnificent!!! Sounds like you all had a lovely weekend! And those apples!! YUM! Happy week friend!!! I don't plan posts...probably why I am so sporadic when posting!! Oh well...we do what we can! Your a hoot! Nicole xo

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  9. I enjoyed following along with your week of biking and gardening and harvesting. We've been goofing off really, adventuring and taking care of the boys. We took them to a movie yesterday, "How to Train Your Dragon 2". I actually liked it a lot!
    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. What a lovely week - I do love libraries set in old telephone boxes. My greenhouse looks a bit like the back bit of your allotment at the moment; I need to battle my way in there and get it sorted out. I'm so envious of your russets - they're my favourite type of apple and, for some reason, always remind me of Christmas. Good luck with the worms! x

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  11. What a wonderful bike ride, I am guessing your roads are quiet enough to brave bikes with children?

    We have a wormery which we got for a bargain price too, I had no idea that the compost is gold standard perhaps I should be using it a bit more........

    I am coveting your apples, that is my favourite variety. If they disappear you will know where they have gone ;)

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  12. Organised or not your posts are always such a delight to read. telling as they do of life as it really is and not as we wish it might be! Do hope that your son didn't suffer too much damage after falling off his bike? I love your allotment tales as they take me back to my own allotment days which although I never achieved a neat ordered plot were happy days of hard work some produce and time to just be in the moment. Your site certainly has some pretty plots. I think you'd be doing well if you got a jumper knitted by winter 2016 it might well take me longer than that!

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  13. Love the photos and the phone box is great.You are going to make me homesick.

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  14. Those Egremont Russets look good. They're my favourite apple. Ours are ready for picking too.

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  15. Falling into a bed of nettles is no joke - I've been there. Dealing with thorny vicious blackberries is not an enjoyable task either which is why we have now settled on the thornless blackberry - now we need a thornless tayberry.

    Love the phone box library

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  16. Sounds like a wonderful little bike ride, I love discovering people selling produce at their gate, Lindesfarne is good for that, plenty of island grown veg! That library in a phone box looks so cute! I've been looking for knitting patterns and wool lately too, it's an autumn thing... purple and mustard are calling to me! x

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  17. I love that phone booth, have you posted about it before? Poor lad falling into a hedge full of nettles. The worm bin was a fab bargain , I think I shall get one next year. Mike has removed our compost bins, they were taking up too much space& is investing in one of those rotating composters instead. I would like a little wormery for foody bits though, have a great week.

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  18. Your boys do get themselves in to some scrapes, literally. I hope the Middle Boy wasn't too badly hurt, nettle stings are horrible things. What a bargain you got with the wormery, I look forward to hearing how it does for you.

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  19. I love boys! Olly is crafting while I'm on the computer, and has just fell from his chair in a spectacular fashion, and smacked his mouth on the glass table top. With scissors in his hand. I'm not kidding. I didn't even break into a sweat. That's mother of three boys parenting for you!!.
    I need to get a bike. It's on my list.
    Leanne xx

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  20. I think I'm going to have to do the same as you with the raspberries. Have them all out and start again. Well done for biting the bullet.

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  21. The first photo caught my eyes, so interesting and beautiful. I was glad to take a look of your garden and its progress. The apples seem to be very aromatic.

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  22. Such an impressive garden! Your sunflowers grew so tall. I'm jealous!

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  23. A most enjoyable post, and lovely pictures. I often plan a post the day before only to one about something different.
    Thank goodness the middle boy was okay as brambles and nettles are not a kind combination.
    Good to see that you got to do some plotting. Flighty xx

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  24. So glad to hear that you like to give your son "an airing" - love it! And the police car and a son in the brambles made me laugh too, though not at son's expense. I'd love to have one of those libraries in a phone box near me, I think they are a great idea. And you know, unplanned posts are just as good as planned.
    Caz xx

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  25. Hope your son didn't suffer too much from his fight with the stinging nettles and brambles.. Ouch!! How lucky are you getting your bargain wormery :o) x

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  26. First off - you should be so proud of those apples - what beauties! And secondly, you gave me a much needed laugh. A boy on a bike in a bush, a police car, and a mom buying jam - you can't make that up!

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  27. Today is the first day that I've felt chilly, but I stubbornly resist turning on the heating until October. I thought your allotment would be winding down by now, but clearly it's still going strong. I bet part of you breathes a sigh of relief when it's done for the year? Or maybe it's never "done"! x

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  28. I really wish I was one of those people too! We're clearly both just good impersonators ;o)

    Lovely to see all the fruit and veggie abundance ... that piggy of yours must be in heaven with so many fresh trimmings and peelings about.

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