At last!

We made the decision to go to the allotment yesterday rather than leave it until today. What a great decision that turned out to be - given that it has been pouring with rain ever since we got up this morning.

It felt really good to get out and muddy, the birds were singing and snow drops and crocuses have finally forced their way through.

Our little mad cat Gladys certainly had the spring in her tail yesterday and was running about in a crazy fashion all day.

Nigel put together a new bed and I got two of the other beds thoroughly dug over - and even managed to plant a couple of rows of spinach! The bindweed roots were lurking ferociously but I got an entire waste bag full dug out. There is a load of sand on top of the new bed because this is where we put the soil from the pond hole. It needs a hefty amount of compost digging in.

I was intending to take a load down there today to get it worked in, but that is going to have to wait until the weather improves slightly.

Ice cold rain

I went to the allotment this morning in the hope that I might be able to do some digging. The ground was still frozen though - so were my fingers by the time that I had been there for five minutes, as the rain was ice cold.

I harvested the last of the purple sprouting broccoli and took down the brassica cage so that the pigeons can pick away at what is left. If the ground is defrosted next weekend I'll pull up what is left of the plants and dig that bed over ready to get in some broad beans.

I've got some early potatoes that are ready to go in as well, so need to get their bed well composted too.

I came home and cooked some breakfast and have just been out in the garden moving some garlic that had come up from some bulbs I didn't get out last year. I've planted each one now individually in a new bed. It was raining so hard that I have just had to come and in to change out of my clothing. I even had icy rain running down the back of my jeans!

Yesterday was a taste of things to come. We had to get up early to sort out our log delivery (thigh muscles feeling it today!). We had some great sunshine and the greenhouse was really quite warm despite the frost outside. I got chilli, aubergine and leek seeds planted.

I also put together the ladder-style outside shelving system that I'd ordered from the Organic Gardening Catalogue. It's going to be a great place for herbs and pot plants this year. The cats think it is a new place for them, and they have been climbing all over it.

Frustration - I wants

I want to get down to the allotment.

I want to get the edging on the beds finished.

I want to get the beds manured.

I want to sort out the paths.

I want to plant broad beans.

I want the ground to stop being frozen.

I want veggie toad in the hole for tea. (I can do that one!)

I want a glass of wine (..and that)

I want ... (Nigel has agreed to that)

I have been in the greenhouse and planted tomatoes and peppers so I do feel like I have done something, but I am longing for a little bit of spring to fill my soul.

Norfolk chill out

We have a strong connection with Norfolk - it is our neighbouring county; Nigel was born there; we had our honeymoon there; we've had many holidays there and I can trace my family to about 30 square miles of Norfolk for over 400 years.
So where better to go for a weekend of 'getting away from it all'. This was my Xmas present to Nigel - a weekend at Cley Windmill B&B. Lovely location, beautiful room - with a bath!! Vegetarian catering not so hot though... it amazes me that some places still think that it is acceptable to provide us veggies with a cooked breakfast, but just without the meaty bits! However, overall it was a lovely weekend with a spooky mist hanging over the marshes for nearly all day Saturday.
We detoured on our way home to stop at an animal rescue centre in Norfolk that we are considering getting a new rescue dog from. We both finally feel that it is time now for us to be able to start to think about getting another dog. We both miss Stoofer a great deal and much as we love our cats, it is not quite the same.

Baby in my baby