Yamass!

Happy Birthday to R! Tuesday was a day of celebration. At some unsociable time of the morning, forty years ago, and just three weeks late, our eldest son first made his appearance into the world. Being a clone of his dad, and a true Yorkshireman, he hasn't made a big deal of such an anniversary, although R & S (who also turned 40 recently) had, a few weeks ago, hosted a very successful fancy dress party with their friends It suddenly dawned on me, though, that I am older than I think (and on most occasions, feel), having a son of that age. After our grandchildren had returned home from school, we all sang 'Happy Birthday' to R, and enjoyed a piece of cake.

Leaving R & S's, we headed back home to pick up a large pan of gigantes ('big beans') to take down to the allotments. They'd been cooking slowly all day and the smell was wonderful. We'd already packed the car with the other essentials for our allotment party. I must say it turned out to be a fairly decent evening weather-wise, and our little band of plotters were able to enjoy a friendly get-together, until darkness took over and the bats came out. Thanks to Alma, Brian, Hazel and Catherine, who joined John, Mike and me at the bottom of the hill. Despite John's remarks, Hazel's wine (see her Blog) was rather good.

Just to make me very jealous, our friend's C & D sent me a text from Samos yesterday evening, to say they were just about to enjoy their last meal there (rabbit stifado) before returning home. The weather and the holiday had been good. Today our friends D & D will be back from Portugal. I suppose the weather has been good there too! I must say I wimped off and didn't go walking yesterday. I should imagine Chris, who was leading the walk, wished it had been like today, which has turned out to be very pleasant.

Prolific production

It's a good thing that I managed to get down to the plot on Saturday, followed by a shorter stint on Sunday, as today is grim. Across the road a tractor is slowly ploughing (well, actually 'planting') its way up and down the field, followed by a flock of white gulls, the only things that stand out in the dark, misty drizzle. At this time of the year there is plenty to keep me occupied on the allotment. I'm afraid the garden has to fend for itself at the moment. It has always been overplanted, and as a consequence there are few bare patches of earth where the weeds can take hold. Where they have found a space, they (particularly the dandelions) are growing larger by the day, so the next reasonable day will be a weed eradication offensive. Some of the grapes are already ripe enough to pick, and tasting reasonably sweet. I will probably collect these, before they drop to the ground, or the birds have them first.

But back to the plot. Walking slowly down the path, camera in hand, there were plenty of bright splashes of colour - blowsy dahlias, vibrant rudbekias, pumpkins and squashes. Black eyed Susan (thunbergia elata) was scrambling up the pole at the end of Carl and Wendy's prize-winning mini plot (soon to become a half plot), and the rudbeckias fronted another plot (can't remember whose). I usually arrive too late in the day to see, on my own plot, the morning glories in full flower, and scrambling amongst the small, golden squashes on the arch, but at least there is evidence that I have achieved what I intended. Must get up early on a decent morning, and catch them in all their glory! It won't be long before I will be collecting the ornamental gourds (see photo) for drying out. There is a monster marrow lurking under the leaves on Jane and Peter's plot, growing bigger by the day. We haven't seen them for a bit as Jane, like her marrow was, until recently, also growing bigger by the day. Congratulations to them both, as they have just produced a little (!) baby daughter. Hopefully, they'll be bringing her down to meet the friendly folk at the bottom of the hill.

Hazel was huffing and puffing as she turned over the green manure at the front of her plot and I can confirm (see her blog) that her face was a rather deep shade of red. I was most impressed with her crop of exceedingly large potatoes, and am looking forward to the culinary results. Growing potatoes has not, so far, been a priority of mine, although I did have a few rows of earlies, including Vales Emerald (very tasty) which, apart from earthing up, I just neglected. Perhaps I should make more effort next year. They just seem to take up so much room, and for quite a long period, and I can't say we eat that many anyway. I've been looking at the very healthy parsnip foliage and wondering what is going on below ground. We are still harvesting runner beans, squashes, those prolific courgettes, carrots etc, that I had decided to leave the parsnips until later and after the frosts when they should be sweeter. However, the thought of Sunday's meal of roast belly pork accompanied by roasted parsnips was too tempting. I must say they were my best yet - large, unblemished and very good to eat (Tender and True). Apart from the pig, all the other ingredients for the meal were home grown - the last of the sweetcorn as a starter, followed by potatoes (Rocket - the last of the 'earlies' which I'd only recently dug up), cabbage (Hispi), carrots (can't remember the variety, but the second batch grown in a large container), runner beans (seed from Brian - huge, long beans, also some Red Rum), then crumble made with apples (from Margaret) and Autumn Bliss raspberries. The kitchen is garlanded with plaits of garlic, shallots and chillies. There's a jug of freshly picked sage and parsley on the window ledge, and a bag of cooking apples from E's garden, a bowl of small squashes, plus quite a collection of courgettes in the garage, and plenty of fruit and veg in the freezer. Reluctantly I'm having to buy cabbage but that is my fault for not growing enough, and neglecting to look after the few I did grow. Also onions, as mine were a flop this year. Still, some you win and some you lose - and the successes far outnumbered the failures.

The wrong side of the hedge

Just read a mail from our ex neighbours Pauline and Graham, who sold up, downsized to the bare minimum and set off on a slow journey through France to Spain, where they are now about to settle into their rented property, until they eventually find somewhere to live permanently. What an adventure! For the weeks prior to leaving Sutton, they were selling off and giving away most of their possessions, even down to their well-loved cat, who had become quite friendly with Mike and I, and enjoyed sitting on the bench in our front garden, reminding us of our lovely Emma, and her predecessor Daisy. I must say I was very tempted to take on Tibby, but we have been pet-less for some time now, and free to take off in our caravan, whenever we want, so she is now living (very happily by the sounds of it) with one of their friends in Wales.

Due to our little get-aways in the caravan, I have missed quite a few of the Wednesday walks, but when I have had the chance, I seem to have hit on some particularly good weather, especially during this pretty miserable summer. Yesterday was no exception, when we enjoyed Molly's walk in the Kenilworth area. Here are some of the 'girls' having their mid-morning break, sitting in the warm sunshine, under a blue sky, at the edge of a maize field. I couldn't resist the following photo of Molly. There had been some friendly dispute about which side of the hedge we should be. She was right all along - we should have been on the other side. So we all had to climb through. I warned her that it would appear on my Blog.

The hedgerows were full of ripe haws, hips, damsons, sloes, crab apples, and shiny black elderberries hanging heavily and ready for the picking. We did pass a lady collecting them, near the castle. She was going to make elderberry and blackberry jelly.

On our way back, not far from the castle, we crossed an area of lumps and bumps in a field, where Henry V had built The Pleasance, a banqueting hall (amongst other things) for entertaining, and which he preferred to use, rather than the castle. This was later demolished by Henry VIII. Passing below the castle walls, we then crossed the road and around the lake in the Abbey grounds, before heading back to the cars, where we changed out of our boots. Then it was down the road to a little cafe, for cuppas or cold drinks, and for two of us, some very nice scones with jam and cream.

Last Sunday Mike went to Coughton Park with a group from the parish, to see the Pope. He'd left home at some ridiculous time of the morning, and rang me when they'd arrived at the park, to let me know that he was 'sitting on the hill opposite the stage'. I did watch most of the proceedings on TV and was very impressed with the event. As for spotting Mike - well, as nearly everyone was sitting on the hill opposite the stage, there was no chance. Eventually I made it down to the allotments, to find Nick, Pat and Catherine busy working on John's plot, as he sat watching. I hadn't realised that he'd had more health problems and had been in hospital. I'll be telling him off if he doesn't look after himself. Eventually everyone left, and I spent I spent the rest of the day digging over some of the empty sections of my plot, and tidying up in general. Hazel came down to collect grapes from John's greenhouse, and we spent some time having a friendly chat, then I returned home, laden down with produce. It wasn't long after that Mike arrived back, after enjoying a thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable day himself.

Our friends C & D set off for their holiday on Samos today. Just wish we were with them. We've spent so many happy holidays in various parts of Greece, over the years.

There be monsters

Over to the north-east the sky was as black as night, and the beginnings of a rainbow appearing as we set off down to the plot, late yesterday afternoon. And, sure enough, lurking under those large, spiney leaves were yet more green monsters, some round and others long, with the makings of more to come (but not if we catch them first, before they have a chance to grow much larger). I noticed a particularly giant brute on Jane and Peter's plot. (I haven't seen J & P for a while and am hoping there is good news) Back on our plot, I am pleased that I've found the answer to keeping those 'Hooligans' under control. What hooligans need are a few restrictions and boundaries, so training my particular variety up and over an arch, and others around and up small wigwams seems to be the trick. I can't say this would work with the human variety though.

Back home the grapes are ripening slowly, and becoming quite sweet. A couple of weeks ago they were extremely bitter. From experience I know that they are usually OK around my birthday in mid-October. Along the fence and scrambling through the bushes and trees, the Virginia Creeper has turned ruby red, and in the mixed bed orange and red heleniums, yellow helianthemums ('Lemon Queen'), sedum 'Autumn Glory', and the first of the michaelmas daisies are a reminder that we are leaving the remains of a rather disappointing summer behind. Apart from a good start, when we did enjoy one or two meals outside, my little Greek taverna, outside the back door, looks very forlorn and neglected. Not once have we sat out under the grapevine, on a warm summer evening. The candle holder on the wall has remained empty, and the wet bench looks uninviting. Still, I live in hope that before long we will enjoy an Indian summer, that a jug of autumn flowers and berries will grace the little table, the cushions will be back on the bench, the candles lit, and food and wine shared with friends. My batteries are running low and need recharging.

A muddy good time

Over the years we've spent happy days, camping in a variety of tents, at Fleece Meadow, Kington, Herefordshire, on the banks of the babbling River Arrow. Last week we returned, only this time with all the comforts of our recently acquired caravan, arriving in some very welcome warm, sunshine, so that we were able to sit outside for a while. It was not to last though.

The following day (Friday) the rain returned, so visited the Dunkertons cider museum, buying a bottle of the medium dry, which we decided we preferred after testing one or two samples. Lunch in the car park was a rather elegant affair, as I'd plated it up. No squashed sandwiches and salad for us! We then went off to visit our friend Joyce, who lives in Knighton, within sight of Offa's Dyke. She celebrated her 80th birthday by going up in a hot-air balloon during the period when the skies were free from aircraft, due to the ash cloud. As a result the balloon was able to ascend much higher than usual - up to 9 1/2 thousand feet in fact.

And did it rain that night! By Saturday morning the babbling river had become a fast, muddy torrent, having risen about a foot. We were almost on the verge of calling off our visit to the annual Agricultural Show, but after our breakfast the skies began to clear a bit, so we set off to catch the free bus up to the showground. Fortunately we had gone well prepared, wearing walking boots and waterproofs. By mid-day we were wading in ankle deep, thick and sticky mud, which gradually turned wetter, deeper and sloppier. A bit like brown custard. Although I've always regretted that we've never been to Glastonbury, I think we have passed the mud test, having managed to make the best of a bad situation and, more importantly, to have remained upright. There were people slip sliding around all over the place. Fortunately, most of them were wearing wellies or boots, but we did spot some flip-flops (very soon to be lost in the mire, no doubt). The children, in particular, were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, due to the conditions, some of the events weren't able to take place, and there were various restrictions on the remainder. All the same, the rain held off and we enjoyed the friendly atmosphere, but left earlier than usual, catching the free bus back to Kington.

Sods law! The weather on Sunday was wonderful - warm and sunny. After a wasted 25 mile round trip trying to find a particular garden - which had been closed since the end of July (should have checked up first) we spent what was left of a lovely, late summer's day with a return visit to Hergest Croft Gardens. It won't be long before the gardens will be ablaze with the firey tints of autumn, but there were subtle splashes of colour from the cyclamen, colchicums, hydrangeas and japanese anemones. For a while we sat on a bench at the edge of the woodland, looking over the countryside and listening to the birds and the sheep. All very peaceful.

The kitchen garden was full of colourful flowers, and ripe apples hanging from the trees, all attracting a variety of butterflies. We spent some time taking photos. It seemed a shame that so many apples were just going to waste on the ground. Mmmmmm!

Our evening meal was very tasty - and a good job we brought along some custard!

Now we are home again I can see I will be busy, when the weather permits, tidying up the garden, emptying out and cleaning the greenhouse (just a few tomatoes and the chillies remain) and, of course, there will be plenty to do on the plot, which I have yet to visit since our return. Hopefully the courgette glut is coming to an end, although I suspect that we will find some have swollen to marrow size whilst we have been away. There's the last of the sweetcorn to enjoy, and more of the little squashes to harvest. I had one for my lunch - 4 to 5 minutes in the microwave, after scooping out the seeds and adding a knob of butter. Tasty.

Here comes the sun!

How good to feel the sun on our faces, after such miserable weather. At least the children (and their parents) were able to enjoy a couple of days or so of summer weather, before returning to school.

I woke up on Wednesday morning, to the most glorious day. How lucky was I! This was the day I would be leading the St Mary's long walkers and I couldn't have wished for better conditions. We set off from Lichfield, heading for Ashbourne, then on through Alstonefield and Wetton, parking at Wetton Mill. Thirteen of us climbed the steep hill overlooking Thors Cave, where we stopped for our mid-morning break, before continuing through Ladyside Wood to Grindon, then on, across the fields to the little hamlet of Ford. Crossing more fields, we stopped for lunch, sitting on a handy stone wall, with good views over the surrounding countryside. Since I had checked out the walk the previous, rather damp Saturday, the farmers had been, and still were, busy cutting the hay. I was pleased to find too that, on the whole, the wet and muddier parts of the walk had dried out in the sun.

The next village was Onecote, then up and over Grindon Moor, which was no longer a blaze of purple heather as on the previous Saturday, which was slightly disappointing. Down the hill towards the delightfully named Twistgreen, we passed ruined farm buildings, then made our way narrow field by narrow field (preserving a medieval system, whereby families would have been allotted a different strip on a yearly basis) to the bottom end of Butterton, where the ford runs across the lane. The third photo is a view of Butterton from the top of the hill.

We were all becoming rather warm in the unfamilier sunshine, and especially by the time we had climbed yet another hill and negotiated the rather muddy approach to a farm, before the final downhill streatch towards the river, passing a farmer and his family who were busy haymaking, taking full advantage of the perfect weather.

There was an opportunity to wash some of the mud off our boots in the ford at Wetton Mill, before most of us enjoyed a cuppa or an ice lolly, sitting outside the cafe, along with all the other visitors who were enjoying such a wonderful, sunny, late summer day.

I have to thank my son, A, for pre-walking this route with me about a month ago. I'd really enjoyed his help, but more so his company. I'd also like to thank Mike, who met me, by car, in the various villages, last Saturday, when I returned to check out one or two parts of the walk. By now this must sound like an Oscar winner's speach, but I would like to conclude by thanking the other walkers for making it such an enjoyable and happy day.