Logs

Ready for burning on our lovely new Clearview wood burner.

Tiles

Lovely old french terracotta tiles - sadly not very frost proof.

Weekend work

Saturday was a hard day physically. We got up to our annual log delivery. They are left on the road outside the house so Nigel had to transport about 20 wheelbarrow loads round to the back garden whilst I loaded them all into the log store - back breaking work.
In the afternoon we went to the allotment - Nigel removed all the old tiles from bed four. This is going to become the allium bed, and we are going to put a pond in at the back of this part of the plot.
I retired the courgette plants to the compost heap and dug over bed one - pulling out the bindweed roots by the handful! I've got some field beans to overwinter in this bed, to be dug in as green manure in the spring.

Butternut squash!

Courgette loaves

Just got them out of the oven! I'll give them a few minutes to cool down then take the taste test!

Glutney phase two

I can't believe how different the plot looks now to how it was when we first took it on. I've looked back over the old images and am quite amazed by the progress.
Yesterday I made another 8lbs of courgette and tomato chutney, and I have just put two loaf tins of courgette cake in the oven. It smells glorious already. I found a recipe which also includes banana, and as I had a bunch of mushy bananas in the fruit bowl, it has put them to good use.
The recipe was also quite heavy on sugar and oil so I have reduced these quite significantly, and included some soya milk as extra moisture. I think it'll be ok, but the proof, as they say, will be in the eating!

Pumpkins and knitting

Nigel and I took a break at Towersey folk festival this weekend. We had never been before and it was thoroughly enjoyable - if slightly windy for the first couple of days. We came home yesterday so that we got a day back at home to relax before going back to work on Tuesday.
My day started by cooking a 'Claire mega veggie breakfast'. I then started on my autumn knitting project - a coat in a merino/cashmere mix yarn which arrived whilst I was away. I only got as far as 11 rows though, all done on 9mm needles, as I discovered that my 10mm needles were not really long enough, so I'll need to get some more - what hardship!
Then off to the allotment...weeded around my poor old leeks who were in danger of being choked and redug the area where I'd taken the sweetcorn up ready for some green manure when the courgettes have finished. I'd planned to pull them up today, but they're still productive so will leave them for another week. This afternoon it's time for another round of glutney making if I can find some where to get some extra jars.
The best thing about the allotment at the moment are the pumpkins and butternut squash which are coming on a treat. I'm very excited as I've never had the room to grow pumpkins before. Will mark their progress in pictures on my next entry!

Glutney

The courgette overload is well and truly underway. Nigel went and picked some more this evening (I am feeling sorry for myself with flu-like symptoms).
The great news is that I have the best courgette chutney recipe ever thanks to Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall writing in the Guardian magazine a couple of years ago. My vegetarian sensibilities used to be offended by him but I have developed an increased respect for him - especially over the last few years.
So thanks Hugh, the preserving pan awaits!

New border

In the mid-day heat, as most other people were relaxing enjoying the annual Ip-Art 'music in the park' festival, we spent three hours at the allotment.
Nigel, who is such a star, removed the old frost damaged tiles from bed one and built a new wooden frame.
I spent my time digging out root upon root of bindweed and pulling up mares tail.
We've been so knackered since that we've been virtually incapable of speech and movement.
A sign of how bad we are is that we have just been sitting watching 'The long kiss goodnight' on Five- its a pretty awful film, only made bearable by spotting actors who now appear is the various CSI franchises.
However, I digress. I also planted curly kale in the brassica bed - after removing a cabbage white who had found its way in.

List of things to take tomorrow

Strimmer
Drill and bits
Lump hammer
Screws
Spirit level
Curly kale plants (for planting)
Water (for drinking)