Thoughts and Observations

An early start at 5:30. Managed to get up after a night of not much sleep. Neil and Ian had been to watch Supergrass and Neil had trouble getting back to Bishop’s Waltham. Indeed, he did not get back until gone 3:00 am.

Made breakfast and had a shower, then last minutes packing and checking.

Luckily and very pleasantly Pam had offered to take us to the station, which she did. So, we were in plenty of time to catch our 7:39 train to Birmingham International so that we could check into the airport. We arrived at about 8:30 and were happily surprised to find a shuttle service to the airport. As soon as we got off the shuttle there was Jet2.com check-in. Very few people were around, so we were checked in by 9:00. Off to departures and I made a mess of the security procedure. I was fin, I had remembered to remove my belt and anything metal. Unfortunately, I was not so thorough with my hand luggage and it had to be checked and rechecked a few times as I had not removed small bottles of hand gel and hand cream. Thus, a lesson learnt for the future.

So far, everything had gone really well, only a three-hour wait for our plane. Well, that was until we heard that our flight had been delayed, because of a French air controllers strike. So, we ended up waiting for about four hours.

There flight itself was fine, a little crowded and not much legroom and full of Jet2 holidaymakers, but the staff were friendly and very helpful and pleasant. Jet 2 was a short-haul service has much to recommend it. Arrived at Lanzarote airport and went to get our shuttle. No luck there! We just had to get a taxi.

We arrived about 6:45 and registration was fast and a kindly porter took our cases and showed us where we would be staying. We have a family apartment confusion of a lounge with a small kitchen area, a bathroom with two showers and a bath and a bedroom. All very clean and comfortable.

We were in plenty of time for dinner and I probably, in spite of all good intentions are far too much. There was a great selection of good and very good German wheat beer. I had two, so in the end, felt very full and rather squiffy!!!! Of to bed!

Well, we have a dry day, the first one for a long time. So, it seemed sensible to take advantage of this to do some planting. Also, I had to attend a Committee meeting where we were meeting a member to sort out some misunderstandings about flags and the removal of soil!!!

Surprisingly the soil was not too wet.

Planting in order from the strawberry bed end:-

1. Solent Wight garlic the separate bed at the back to compete with the strawberry plants I added in the autumn.

1. 10 Mikor shallots for half a row.

1. Following on and for the next row Hercules F1 onions.

1. Then one and a half rows of Red Baron onions.

Overall the allotment is not looking too bad, with the extra row of broad beans just sticking their heads above the soil.

First time back after Christmas and I managed an hour before it started to rain! It had not really rained for a week, but the ground is still very heavy and wet. The forecast is for more heavy rain tonight. I hope that we start to get some drier weather soon.

Broad bean Aquadulce Claudia seeds have started to grow, there seem to be a few gaps, but I can fill those in later.

The celeriac is also growing, but slowly. I harvested a couple, which will be enough to make a decent amount of soup. I need to get them started earlier this year and make sure they are watered.

The pear and apple trees look OK, but there are some dead shoots on the pear that need to be trimmed. I moved the rubber holding tie as the trunk was rubbing on the support stake. Hopefully, this will help and as this is the third year they have been in the allotment fingers crossed for a better performance this year, otherwise, they may have to go!

I managed to do some digging, but the is still about a quarter to the allotment to go, which I must get done by the end of January.

First in Oxford. This is Boxing Day with everyone on Sue's side present. Ralph and Tash came the night before Christmas Eve, so it was good to see them for a few days. The rest came on Boxing Day, with Will, Emily and Alice staying overnight.

Second in Bishop's Waltham. This was on the Saturday after Christmas. Ian and Laura came down on the same day and stayed overnight, so did Sue and I, but we stayed in a local hotel – the Macdonald Botley Park Hotel & Spa.

Oh, this is just Felix. Just a cute picture he is wrapped in the elephant towel we bought him for Christmas.

I am a member of the Oxfordshire bodgers led by David Knight

https://davidknight5.wordpress.com

http://www.spooncarving.org.uk/?LMCL=kykED2

I am even thinking about setting up my own site:

http://spoonscarvedfromwood.com

I have always thought that I lived in a Democracy that valued diversity. In this election, it would seem that some people, of whatever political persuasion, value neither Democracy nor diversity

The digging of the allotment continues. The soil is still very wet and more rain is forecast. Walking off the allotment means that a trowel has to be used to remove the clinging mud and the tools used need to be scraped clean.

Still, I managed to get a couple of hours done before I left for Mindfulness and then Ukulele – what a varied life I lead. Remind me to tell you about the George Formby Convention, which is held in the Imperial Hotel Blackpool.

OK back to the allotment. If I want to feel upbeat then I look these two pictures:

This one has been taken of the same day as those above, but from the opposite end and it is more depressing as it looks like I have done very little.

The weather has been so wet recently that it has been difficult to get on to the allotment to get it dug over. It seems that most days are full of rain, but in the few dry days I have been able to get out.

This is how it was at the start of November

This is how it is now with the celeriac lifted, then spaced and replanted. Hopefully all 12 plants will survive. In addition a row of aquadulce broad beans has been planted. This is the first time that I have tried overwintering broad beans. If successful, this will, hopefully, lead to an earlier crop than last year.

More to do!

Although we have quite a small plot, there is still much digging to do. Unfortunately the allotments do not have a ready supply of manure any more. It can be bought in but I am not sure of the cost, quality or the quantity.

This time of the year when the growing season is coming to an end and the evenings are drawing in and the frost and rain and wind are just around the corner; it is time to put the allotment to bed!

Everything is looking tired and weary and such a contrast to earlier in the year when we were harvesting onions, courgettes, patty pans and sweet corn. Even earlier we had tomatoes, gooseberries, runner beans, broad beans, beetroot, strawberries and rhubarb to eat or turn into jam or chutney. All that we have left to harvest are some carrots and celeriac.

The next step!

Such a contrast, now the job of the clearing the ground has begun and it will be dug over in the next few weeks (if it ever stops raining for long enough) and then we will plant garlic and broad beans (Aquadulce var.)