Saturday, 25 January 2020

Are you local?

So there we were on Saturday morning last lambasting the weather for being so terribly cold and windy (and secretly both wishing we had nowhere to go). But work was waiting to be done for our plot and by golly we were the only ones to do it!

Hence we went to our preferred local builders/farmers supply shop but it was closed due to a bereavement. The place was humming with people obviously waiting for the hearse to pass; boy that puts your day into perspective. After a think we remembered the other local builders' yard and though it was busy we got posts and wood boards.


are you local? - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault 2020


On the way to the plot then we nipped into the nursery next door. Looking for bare root fruit trees and a cherry 'stella' in particular but no tree for us. However I got new gloves and they kindly gave us six used compost bags.

Dropping off the wood at the plot we realised it was time for a coffee break (with apple sponge). We drove off to Whitehead (quite local) to fulfil this need and after we had refreshed ourselves we took those 6 empty compost bags to the sea side and gathered a lot of fresh seaweed.
seaweed - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault 2020
lovely (not too rubbishy) seaweed

Oh it was a heck of a weight but when we got back to the plot with it all, it only covered most of one bed! Wow. Like when you cook spinach, this seaweed will wilt down to nothing much and introduce loads of good nutrients into the soil.



seaweed  on the bed - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault 2020
almost covered the whole bed - note broken fence in background..

And so that was Saturday, boy I look forward to the days when there is light much longer into the day.

************
After a good day it is very common for me to have a bad day, mentally. This is exactly what happened last Sunday (and has lasted all week, even now). Therefore I didn't get to the allotment on the second afternoon and thus there was no hammer action for me! I know you are all terribly sad about this. Take consolation in the fact that I later learnt Andrew fixed the fences, the worst raised bed edges and such with an electric screwdriver and screws - where's the danger and excitement in that?! Haha


hard work at the plot - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault 2020
Andrew's hard work

sunset at the plot - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault 2020

That's all for now friends. I haven't been to the plot today either but I have hopes that tomorrow will be a better day (I always have hope!)
Love
Carrie x

Thursday, 16 January 2020

First visit to the plot in 2020!

header - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault

Hello darling friends - I live! Yes, it has been a lifetime in blogging terms but I am still here, still going strong and despite the weather I am still your stubborn optimist!

Who would believe it? - The world seems a mess with this climate emergency and so much serious, scary politics and it's only the 3rd week of the new year. It would break one's heart if one where to dwell on it all. So instead let's just focus on the macro level and think about the poor wee neglected A24a 😊 How's it doing?

It was with much trepidation we visited the plot last Sunday and though the path down to it was a boggy mess, the plot itself was surprisingly OK. Better than that in fact as all our garlic [Solent Wight] was up and (bar two which looked like they had be pecked by birds), all look great! Plus, right next to that is a lovely line of tulips coming up too, the gorgeously dark colour of the petals hinted at in the leaves.
garlic - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault

Another bed blessed us with utterly delicious kale [Cavolo Nero] to harvest and take home for dinner. It went into the loveliest curry, made by Andrew. Also in that bed we also have super healthy looking purple sprouting broccoli  growing well - things are looking good!

kale - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault

The only downside is the rotten wood all round the place that needs replaced and fast. The main fence has snapped in two at the entrance as well - this Saturday guess who's going to the timber merchant?! I can't wait to see the whole place revamped and ready to face the year and indeed years to come. We have a keen vision for 2020 (haha, 2020 vision) and we have to make a start with new bed edging and possibly even an extra tree. Watch out world - I may have a hammer in my hand this weekend! 😮

andrew's photo of the plot - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault
Andrew's photo of the plot and me photographing the kale - my photo below :)

lovely kale harvest - astubbornoptimist.blogspot.com - Carrie Gault

Much love and best wishes to you all
Carrie x