November on the allotment: sunshine, sunflowers and our memory bench

The weather over the weekend was glorious. There was beautiful warm sunshine & a mellow stillness in the air that you only seem to get in Autumn. We thought we'd make the most of the weather & try to make a dent in the weeds on our plot. The more work we do now, the less back-breaking preparation will be needed in Spring. That's the plan anyway...

I blogged back in early September about our huge sunflowers. They are now way past their best. We wanted to clear the area so we can plant a green manure crop over the Winter. I have never seen sunflowers with such robust stalks. It was like felling trees. Our loaded wheelbarrow was destined for the communal compost heap, but a neighbouring plot holder asked if she could have the seed heads for her bird feeders. Nice to know nothing goes to waste on an allotment...
Magoo helped my Mum to dig up the last of the beetroot & load up the wheelbarrow with weeds. Magoo loves walking back & forth to the communal compost heap, she likes to look at all the other plots. She was particularly jealous of some huge pumpkins growing in a raised bed. They are on our 'to do' list for next Spring...would be great to carve our own homegrown pumpkins next Halloween.


Magoo took full advantage of the wooden bench we've recently installed on our plot. This particular bench is special to us because it came from my Granny's garden. My Gran grew up in a poor mining community in Wales & everyone was far too busy working to take pleasure from gardening. She then spent over forty years living in a first floor flat in Clifton in Bristol. So when my Gran moved to her bungalow in the early 1980s, she was overjoyed to finally have a garden. We would often sit on this bench at the end of her garden drinking tea & enjoying the sunshine. My Gran sadly passed away in late Decemeber 2014 & her bungalow has recently sold to a new owner. I was really keen to rehome the bench on our plot. So now when we want to take a break from weeding or digging, we can sit down & remember how much she loved gardening.

This week I'm linking up with:
Whatever the Weather over on monkeyandmouse.co.uk & www.lifeunexpected.co.uk
How Does Your Garden Grow #HDYGG over on mammasaurus.co.uk
Point + Shoot over on youbabymemummy.com and Snowing Indoors
Country Kids over on www.coombemill.com
Let Kids Be Kids over on letkidsbekids.co.uk

A Year on the Allotment: February

This month on the allotment it's all about the digging. And the weeding.

The plot has been a bit neglected recently with illness in the family and my Mum breaking her arm.

It doesn't take long for weeds and grass to make inroads into the allotment.

There's only one way to prepare a plot and that's to dig it.

Luckily Mr. M is on a health drive and sees digging as part of his keep fit regime...which is lucky as there's tons of it to do.

We all pitched in, Magoo weeded the raised bed & I dug the flower section.

We went prepared with sandwiches, chocolate and crisps and ate a picnic in the sunshine.

There aren't many things that can top a hot cuppa from a flask. Simple pleasures.

We listened to the birds singing and waved at the people sitting on the trains passing by.

We peered at "massive" worms.

Magoo's use of the word "massive" has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

We also went to have a nose at the chickens on a neighbour's plot.

He kindly gave us three fresh eggs, which Magoo carried back to our home as if they were the crown jewels.

When we downed tools, we were dirty and tired, but we'd made some progress with preparing the plot.

I think three sets of muddy gloves and muddy boots are a sign of a day well spent...

I'm linking up with these lovely blogs Country Kids, #ordinarymoments over on www.mummydaddyandmemakesthree.co.uk, The Outdoor Play party over on http://mudmudmarvellousmud.com, #magicmoments on theoliversmadhouse.co.uk, Image of the Week #iotw www.trulymadlykids.co.uk, How Does Your Garden Grow over on www.mammasaurus.co.uk