Carrots And 2 Cats

Cat had a girls dinner today on the patio.I had watered the garden last night,and spent this morning tidying up the debris and rearranging the pots to show off all the flowers.The table was moved to the centre, and the Pelagoniums neatly arranged on place mats.I left them to it and went to the allotment.The Asiatic Lily's looked like Jewels.

The black Kitten (who is still nameless) came into the garden during the dinner, and went to sleep under the Butterfly Bush.He also correctly sat on the grass near to where the Mole burrowed up.He must have either smelt or heard the tunnelling mole.There was a small pile of dirt on the grass when I came back.The jury is still out on various organic,non lethal methods of controlling Moles.

It is the 28th of July now,so we are nearly three quarters of the way into the growing season.The allotment has produced a mixture of highs and lows.

The Borage is growing away happily with its cucumber scented flowers.The Bee's and flying insects are drawn to this flowering herb.The flower is nice frozen in an ice cube,to flavour a summer drink.I have grown both Vegetable plants and flowers at the allotment side by side.I liked the idea of a French Pottager.

The Poppy is growing besides my raised bed.The reclaimed timbers hold the soil in just,and the Carrots,Borage, and Sunflowers are growing in harmony.I harvested a half dozen Carrots today which is brilliant.Picking Vegetables grown from seed is the most amazing high.A sense of pride, and completing the cycle.From seed,to seedling,to planting,tending and watering,to harvesting,and finally to eating the produce.Our supermarkets have driven us away from this process.School Kids can think Carrots come in plastic bags from the Supermarket.That they are uniform in size,colour, and shape.I do love the wonkiness of my allotment grown Carrots.Their uniqueness,scent,& great taste are what matters to me, not the aesthetics of how long they look.

The Sweetcorn has not grown very well.There are a few ears forming but my plants are not as big and upright as some of the others at the allotment.The Onions and Garlic have not grown as well as I would have liked.My Cauliflowers have been decimated by pests.I do not know if it is slugs,snails,rabbits,or pigeons.Most of my Brassicas looked like green net curtains earlier.Some of them have revived a bit,so they might produce edible Veg at the end of the season.

The Pea's I picked eaten from the pod have been amazingly sweet, even in the raw state.I love eating them at the plant.You need to grow double what you want so you can have one for you,one for the pot.

The Courgettes have been very productive.The Pumpkins are growing steadily.I have about six at the moment.I want one to turn into a Jack O Lantern at Halloween.

Having an allotment,or even just growing your own veg in pots makes you want to find ways of cooking and eating your produce.I have lots of cookery books to give me ideas.

A day of brilliant sunshine,flying Butterfly's,Carrots,and Cats.We are going to York tomorrow my fave City after London.