How are you, friend?

I don't usually let a year go by without mentioning and championing the annual mental health awareness week. However, this year I have been suffering myself ironically and haven't been able to write about the allotment or even the allotment patio. My depression has been heavy, anxiety unbearable at many points and I just don't feel engaged.

Even though it's getting like a lush jungle out there, I haven't even taken a photograph or a good look at things until 5 mins ago.

I must say though that many things are going great with our plants. Everything especially in the patio where most predators ( bar the snails) are yet to know about the tasty foodstuffs. OK our turnips and spinach seem to be bolting and the wild winds on Friday/Saturday hurt the leek seedlings but there's little to complain about. Also, I'm not sure why but all the spring onions are growing droopy - I don't mind it and they look yummy but it's odd....

leeks which bounced back, the many broad bean flowers, bolting spinach, droopy scallions

*******

I've been hiking around where we live with Andrew and Toby. Yes, there are very few footpaths but we are loving the exercise that we would usually have to wait for the weekend to do. Boy we have found some beautiful places... How glorious it is to see wild strawberries, gorse, bluebells, ferns, violets, sheep and even horses and donkeys.


I hope you know that wherever you are, whatever you're feeling these days, it is valid. If your thoughts are negative please talk to someone you trust. If it comes to it talk to me, my lovely.

Hugs
Carrie
xx

It's all going swimmingly

There have been some truly beautiful days this week again and Andrew and I have had a few late lunches out on the patio. On one of those days Andrew planted up some of our mixed lettuce and a few wee baby chard 'bright lights' into the last patio pot; we still have so much other delicious food stuffs to pot up but where? how? we can't get more pots! I guess everything else such as the sweetcorn, leeks, squash were always going to have to go to the allotment proper.

We do have lots of lovely little flower pots for my flower seedlings and more radishes (we've been eating them like they're going out of fashion!). Oh I look forward to planting them up and seeing colour abound, big thanks to Flighty again for sending me the seeds. There will soon be marigolds, nasturtiums and some sunflowers alongside my happy little geum 'Queen of Orange'; I'll also have some for the allotment plot :)

So everything is going swimmingly here and we are going to the plot tomorrow to get on top of the explosion of weeds that has happened thereI shall take my camera and share the news from that side of the allotment story too.

Beautiful broad beans flowers abound

coriander and spring onions getting on great 

radishes, turnips, potatoes, spring onions and spinach!

Just noticed that some of the spinach 'amazon f1' has started to bolt as it is wont to do, never mind though, we have been eating it with nearly every meal, it's been so tasty. We have perpetual spinach now as well so all will be fine in the end.

spinach and beetroot with baby round carrots just starting their journey

Toby say's Hello ("bork") and wags his tail at you,
Hugs and love
Carrie