Well, Blow me Down!

I'm a bit late posting this, as it relates to last Tuesday, but if I get this out the way, I can post about what was going on at the plot at the weekend without getting all out of order.

Anyway.

After attending a regular meeting some distance away last Tuesday late afternoon, I had to take a detour from my usual route home which meant that I found myself just a couple of miles away from the Hill - and despite the fact that there was rain in the air, I nipped across to drop in and have a look to see if there was any more asparagus on the way.

However, the rain was rather heavier than it had  looked from the cosy side of the windscreen, so after a quick run round the beds with water dripping down my neck, I gave up, and wondered - as I was there anyway - if the Club was open.  There looked to be quite a few cars up in the car park, so I went up to dry off, expecting the usual early evening smattering of regulars.

Well, damn me - I walked in to a wall of sound!

It turns out that there is a live music open mic night at the clubhouse once a month, and the place was swinging.  I heard violin and piano duets, singers, a swing band, a trumpeter and a rock band - some real talent on show - my swift half turned into quite a lot of the evening propping up the bar and
tapping my feet.  

I wish I'd had Chris from the bottom end's phone number on me to get her to come along too - it's far less embarrassing bopping away if there are two of you doing it, after all........

A Red Letter Day!

Between the showers at the weekend, I had a sterling time weeding - mostly the front flower border, and also the raspberry bed.

I should have taken a 'before' pic, as this 'after' pic is unimpressive despite much hard work clearing forget-me-nots, tall broad-bladed grass (where has that sneaked in from?), chickweed and wayward raspberry shoots.

The tulips are lovely - they do well each year despite having a fairly nomadic lifestyle as I inadvertently dig them up and shove 'em back in all through the later months.

I've been away, so it was good to see that the plot - front border notwithstanding - is not all wildly weedy, which I put down to some thorough bed prep in the winter once I had those new dalek composters on the go.

The last photo I put up was of the garlic, looking good - well they've come on very well in the last 3 wks or so, as shown here.  The POTATOES are all showing some shoots, too, also the CHARD and maybe some of the sowings of PARSNIP and BEETROOT.  

Not the faintest sign of the bloody CARROTS though - I'll sow a row from a different packet this weekend, I think, as it could be that seed is a bit on the elderly side.  Or slugs, maybe.

The PEAS and BROAD BEANS are looked good too - they seem to have survived being planted out pretty well, although the sweet peas seem to be sulking a bit.

At home, the KALE and LEEKS were bursting out the pots and asking to be planted out (well, I've yet to get leeks the regulatory 'pencil thickness' prior to planing out, but the grass-like seedlings looked ready to go nonetheless), so I got those done.  I was daydreaming a bit when planting out the kale, and only stopped when I got to twelve, so I might have over-egged the omelette a bit there.  I'll be short of room for other brassicas if I'm not careful.

Speaking of which, at home, I sowed a pinch of CAULIFLOWER, RED CABBAGE, CABBAGE, and BRUSSELS SPROUTS, and some more LETTUCE and LEEKS.

The FRENCH BEANS are all up, with varying levels of vigour; the TOMATO plants that I entrusted to a friend whilst I was away were returned looking very perky, and although there is no sniff of the second sowing of both the SPRING ONION and PEPPER seeds, the courgette are up there too.

Oh - and why was it a Red Letter Day?  Because I cut the first ASPARAGUS spear.  I've been waiting three years for this moment.  

And absolutely delicious it was too.  Here's to very many more!