Sweater, sleeveless boiled wool jerkin, tweed coat and a lightweight rainproof jacket, a beanie and gloves were her gardening attire yesterday.
In February, she worked in jeans and a cotton camisole.
March, as we know, in the northern hemisphere can be a 'tricky' month and this one is proving not to be an exception.
For, apart from the weather, the state of our poor nation is in a terrible state in more than one way.
Horrific stabbings with people being attacked and killed, some being not known to their attacker and for no reason.
Political goings-on that leave her shaking her head and thinking they haven't got a clue.. who knew that the speaker of the house of commons could overrule the Brexit proceedings, did you?
And she is almost witless with rage that the current chancellor of the exchequer.. NO, she's not 'happy' with any UK politicians and isn't giving anyone capital letters today, for he has raised taxes again on shops, coffee bars etc etc whilst allowing the online companies to get away with zero or very little taxation.
Grrr.. she's not at all happy.
Luckily she doesn't think about the political state of our nation all the time, for that would surely drive her around several bends.
Yesterday was chilly at the allotments, I'm glad I didn't go, when I saw her getting dressed in those multiple layers, I realised she had looked at the weather forecast and knew that rain was heading our way in late morning and sure enough, it came bang on schedule.
However, much as she dislikes gardening in rain, it's making the woodchip and manure break down quickly, as she forked over a bed which is divided in two with a wooden walkway and found huge worms and no weeds which made her very happy.
Some several self seeded fennel plants were given to Joska and Sirun, the others she transplanted into a herb bed.
Five perpetual Chinese cabbage plants were transplanted to where the perpetual spinach is.
This left a bed, which has wonderful soil in it, to had some slow release chicken manure scattered on to it and forked in.
She rotates a four year crop rotation, this means no bed ever has the same vegetable growing in it for another four years, the only exception to this is lettuce and the permanent herb beds.
No, of course, she can't remember what was growing in each bed on three plots for four years! She keeps a garden diary into which she writes seed details, planting times and yield detaips.
The fourth # 35, doesn't have ground level beds but fruit trees and bushes and seven giant raised beds which are full of rotting manure and woodchips. Next year these will be melon and sweet potato beds.
She's a feeling that this year maybe a 'good one', and is planting melon seeds. Several years ago, she grew two varieties, they were delicious!
They grew on plot # 39 in a bed that gets sun all day long and is protected from winds.
Plots 41 and 39 are ablaze with colour! All of the narcissi she found at Lidl for 89p have grown on well, their colour is sharp and amongst the old much taller narcissi they look like little sisters!
And in the cutting bed on the edge of plot # 41, there are lots of dark blue hyacinths and tall double narcissi almost ready to be picked.
She remembers where she got the hyacinths, a flower stall holder sold her them and there were a lot of bulbs, for a fiver!
They were definitely 'past their best' and she said "how much do you want for those", the (silly) woman said "Oh, take the lot for a fiver (£5.00)", a note was handed to her very quickly and then she said "But why would you want them?"
To which mama replied "I've an allotment, they'll be planted tomorrow and give me cutting flowers for years to come".
Now guess what the woman's response was.
"Oh dear, you can plant them and they'll grow? I didn't know that, I've sold hundreds over the years for no money like this and I've an allotment".
You see why I called her a silly woman!
These rescued hyacinths have rewarded her for many a year now, they've multiplied and she has given away quite a few bulbs for the depth of their colour and perfume are lovely.
Oh.. it's past 10am. I've got to go for she's going early to the allotments and plans to come home via the library.
Think of something pleasant.. because if you focus on all the grim things that are going on around the world over which we have no control, it surely will make you depressed and very grumpy.
GeeGee Parrot.
March 19th, 2019.
In February, she worked in jeans and a cotton camisole.
March, as we know, in the northern hemisphere can be a 'tricky' month and this one is proving not to be an exception.
For, apart from the weather, the state of our poor nation is in a terrible state in more than one way.
Horrific stabbings with people being attacked and killed, some being not known to their attacker and for no reason.
Political goings-on that leave her shaking her head and thinking they haven't got a clue.. who knew that the speaker of the house of commons could overrule the Brexit proceedings, did you?
And she is almost witless with rage that the current chancellor of the exchequer.. NO, she's not 'happy' with any UK politicians and isn't giving anyone capital letters today, for he has raised taxes again on shops, coffee bars etc etc whilst allowing the online companies to get away with zero or very little taxation.
Grrr.. she's not at all happy.
Luckily she doesn't think about the political state of our nation all the time, for that would surely drive her around several bends.
Yesterday was chilly at the allotments, I'm glad I didn't go, when I saw her getting dressed in those multiple layers, I realised she had looked at the weather forecast and knew that rain was heading our way in late morning and sure enough, it came bang on schedule.
However, much as she dislikes gardening in rain, it's making the woodchip and manure break down quickly, as she forked over a bed which is divided in two with a wooden walkway and found huge worms and no weeds which made her very happy.
Some several self seeded fennel plants were given to Joska and Sirun, the others she transplanted into a herb bed.
Five perpetual Chinese cabbage plants were transplanted to where the perpetual spinach is.
This left a bed, which has wonderful soil in it, to had some slow release chicken manure scattered on to it and forked in.
She rotates a four year crop rotation, this means no bed ever has the same vegetable growing in it for another four years, the only exception to this is lettuce and the permanent herb beds.
No, of course, she can't remember what was growing in each bed on three plots for four years! She keeps a garden diary into which she writes seed details, planting times and yield detaips.
The fourth # 35, doesn't have ground level beds but fruit trees and bushes and seven giant raised beds which are full of rotting manure and woodchips. Next year these will be melon and sweet potato beds.
She's a feeling that this year maybe a 'good one', and is planting melon seeds. Several years ago, she grew two varieties, they were delicious!
They grew on plot # 39 in a bed that gets sun all day long and is protected from winds.
Plots 41 and 39 are ablaze with colour! All of the narcissi she found at Lidl for 89p have grown on well, their colour is sharp and amongst the old much taller narcissi they look like little sisters!
And in the cutting bed on the edge of plot # 41, there are lots of dark blue hyacinths and tall double narcissi almost ready to be picked.
She remembers where she got the hyacinths, a flower stall holder sold her them and there were a lot of bulbs, for a fiver!
They were definitely 'past their best' and she said "how much do you want for those", the (silly) woman said "Oh, take the lot for a fiver (£5.00)", a note was handed to her very quickly and then she said "But why would you want them?"
To which mama replied "I've an allotment, they'll be planted tomorrow and give me cutting flowers for years to come".
Now guess what the woman's response was.
"Oh dear, you can plant them and they'll grow? I didn't know that, I've sold hundreds over the years for no money like this and I've an allotment".
You see why I called her a silly woman!
These rescued hyacinths have rewarded her for many a year now, they've multiplied and she has given away quite a few bulbs for the depth of their colour and perfume are lovely.
Oh.. it's past 10am. I've got to go for she's going early to the allotments and plans to come home via the library.
Think of something pleasant.. because if you focus on all the grim things that are going on around the world over which we have no control, it surely will make you depressed and very grumpy.
GeeGee Parrot.
March 19th, 2019.
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