All of a sudden we’re having summer here in Shropshire, and it’s a case of catch-up at the allotment – not only with the jobs that could not be done over the cold, wet thrice snowy winter, but also trying to keep up with spring-sown plants that are romping every which way and need to be put somewhere. The ‘somewhere’ inevitably needs more preparation than I’d realised, and more digging than I’d hoped to do, given my no-dig pipe dream objectives. I’m beginning to think our Silurian Clag really needs total soil replacement – as in complete interment by a foot of decent loamy earth. And if that’s down to me, then that means making humungous quantities of compost. It could take years.
Yesterday I did five solid hours of labouring under the sun. The new plot by the polytunnel was alive with bee-hum. The bees were whizzing by with such greedy intent among the raspberry flowers, I could actually feel the air move as they passed me. Bbbzzzzzzzzoom. And then the birds were singing their hearts out – loud, louder, loudest – especially the blackbirds. Which reminded me to put netting over the strawberries. I ate my first sun-warmed strawberry yesterday – the best strawberry of all – that first one.
The five hours slipped away. Gardener’s time is of course quite different from everyone else’s. He Who Waits At The Farrell Establishment never knows when supper is happening. Also when I do decide to head for home the light is usually so diverting that I have to start taking photos. Besides, the raggedy old allotments are a wonderful place to be at sundown – when you have put the spade away and shut up the shed – the wide views over Wenlock; the scents of growing; the quietness of plants.
copyright 2018 Tish Farrell
Tish Farrell 
Lovely late-day image, Tish….And your bees are talkative – Bbbzzzzzzzzoom!!
They did have a lot to say 🙂
oh wow what wonderful views . . .thank goodness the allotment keeps you busy as otherwise you could be staring at these views all day! You live in such a gorgeous part of England.
Thanks a lot, Becky. It’s definitely too easy to do too much staring 🙂
Oh, Tish, this sounds wonderful! I love the description of you feeling the bees whizz past! I am yet to have my first sun-warmed strawberry – I think we are a day or two away. The blackbirds are the loudest here too. I can recognise lots of their repeated refrains now – I wonder whether they share songs, or whether these phrases are individual?? I love Gardener’s Time! I have a repertoire of really quick meals using whatever veg is in the garden – omelette, pasta. stir-fry, salad – wonder if every gardener is the same?
Thank you, Ali. As one cooking gardener to another that sounds very much like the Farrell menu, otherwise it would be breakfast time before supper happens 🙂
Beautiful landscape there! Very inviting. You also have bees buzzing nearby, and birds and strawberry. That’s a nice place. I haven’t seen any bees or heard their buzzing in a long time. But I heard that, apart from the Standard Gauge Railway and the Southern Bypass, the government is constructing an additional road through the Nairobi National Park. One day there will be no park, and all the animals will die.
Hello, Peter. Lovely to hear from you. It’s sad about the park. It’s such a treasure.
Breathtaking!
the second photo is like a painting. beautiful.
And we will be treated to pics of all your hard work in due course, no doubr?
Yes the ”no weed” thing is a bit of non-starter down here as well, sad to say.
Doth Senor Shed Man not knoweth how to cooketh supper?
Tsk Tsk ….
🙂
Made my first ever Jar of home-grown Cape Gooseberry jam. Superb! Wish I could share some on toast. You’d love it.
Home grown is where it’s at.
And I have to be on the lookout ‘cos some people seem to be sneaking to the fridge and helping themselves with a spoon!
Pics will indeed be forthcoming, Ark. And no Monsieur Le Shed does not do cooking! Your Cape Goosegog jam sounds wonderful – just dribbling into keyboard over thoughts of it on thin pieces of perfect
crispy toast. Yum!
*Smile* He doesn’t know what he’s missing. Of course working at home makes it a bit easier time-wise, I suppose, and I used to be a non -cooker to my bones: ”I’m a great appreciater not a great preparer.(sic)”
These days, it’s great fun, and just because the wife considers it her domain (traditional I guess) I’ll step in when invited or feeling like doing something in particular. It eases the workload as well.
As you probably know I’m a vegiesaur, but I’ll still cook a roast or chicken a la king or whatever for the meat-eaters in the family – savages!
Also, if I pretend I’m Floyd I get to drink a glass of wine or two whilst whizzing around the kitchen.
I think that sounds just the job – some wine and some kitchen whizzing. One day I might get Graham to cook something.
And the pics look nice. Especially the top one.
Thank you, Ark. The fields of Wenlock over Callaughton Way.
Beautiful shot in the evening light, like a painting, Tish!
Thank you, Peter. It did look like a painting even before I took the photo 🙂
And it was avery good day.
It was indeed 🙂
A good day all round it seems. And yes, I know the gardener’s meals well. Salad anyone?
You have allotment to be thankful for! 😉
Ha! Indeed I do, Stephen 🙂
The bounty you experience only comes because of your hard work, Tish, so you can enjoy it later or, in the case of that first divine strawberry, right now! Lovely shots, too.
janet
Wise words, Janet. Thank you.
Gorgeous photographs! 😀
Thanks very much 🙂
I really like your look on the first photograph. It is a very pretty picture
Merci, Yoshimi 🙂
Oh yes “gardeners time” when you just mean to pull one weed!!! The village and church look as though they are spotlit from within, gorgeous time of day
Wenlock does put on a good show at sunset 🙂
Sure does
Wonderful! So, the plot has thickened? (Well, someone had to say it). We too have been enjoying an unusual opportunity to get on top of the estate. Can HWWatFE get his own supper? He’s welcome to my recipe for beans on toast 🙂
Beans on toast. Ha! That he can do 🙂 🙂 Cheers, Mike.
I find the secret is in the grated cheddar cheese on top… 🙂
Oh now that is a special extra!
Oh what a wonderful contented post with a sense of well earned fatigue at the end. I liked the idea of the first strawberry the best – reminds me of storybook Ramona who reckoned the first bit of an apple was best and tested the theory on the apples stacked in the cellar. Parents were not pleased!
That’s a great tale. I once ate my way through a row of barely developed peas with similar results. I hope you’re feeling better now?
I’m better and home, as of yesterday. But oh the loss of twins!!!
Oh dear! That time went so fast. Commiserations 🙂