Plotting

Progress on the to-dos has been slow over the last few days. The small person has been poorly....It seems so mean that growing teeth hurts so much and then they fall out and you have to start all over again! After experimentation with teething gels and chewy toys, it seems the best thing as far as she is concerned is melon. A cool slice of melon, straight from the fridge, gnawed over half an hour or so. If only all problems could be solved with a healthy snack (I don't even mind that she ends up coated in juice!).

In the meantime, I am focused on planning the allotment. Step one was to pay the allotment rent for the year....£17.23 for 112 square yards of land. Even when I've been digging for two hours, it's hot and the vegetables are stubbornly sticking to their grow-slow campaign, I am still ridiculously pleased that we stuck out the two year waiting list and paid our £17.23 for the privilege of sweat, aching muscles and a few potatoes. Standing on the plot, I can imagine how I might feel when I can finally stand on a much bigger piece of land and call it mine. The allotment is my little reminder of what I am aiming for. Some space to call my own.

Hopefully, this year, the plot will take another step toward looking like we know what we're doing. This will be our fourth year, I'm determined to make it our best yet. I leave you with a couple of pictures from last year's allotment action....some shallots (above) that turned out to be delicious and one of the most worthwhile things we have grown and (below) our strawberry enclosure. Believe me, the interesting high security defence system (netting, old laminate flooring and some bamboo canes) was another worthwhile exercise. Despite the best efforts of the birds and other local wildlife, we harvested several pounds of really fabulous strawberries. They were so much nicer than any I have bought in shops. At the risk of sounding like my mother, they tasted like the strawberries I remember from my childhood; sun-warmed, sweet and juicy.