plot taming … on hold!

…so after my mum’s valiant weeding efforts over Easter we made it back to the plot to plant our onion sets and sow some carrots.  That was weeks ago and after the downpours we’ve had I suspect they may well have drowned by now as we’ve not made it back since!  Never mind, E had a lovely time being walked around our patch, admiring Daddy’s hawthorn hacking handy work and meeting our allotment  neighbour Pat.

Operation Plot Taming

So it’s old news now but as planned my folks came over just before Easter and we went to work at the allotment. George took a saw to the hawthorn tree and Dad wrestled with the spiky branches.  
Mum and I were on weeding duties until E woke and needed attending to so I got off lightly really! What sterling workers

oh, chit … again

You’d think I might have learned my lesson about how not to store seed potatoes after last years shoot sphaghetti episode.  But did I?  No, I was too busy being a hippopottowhale as I was affectionately nicknamed during my pregnancy.  I didn’t heed Hazel’s advice to store the potatoes in brown bags to delay their sprouting until March.  I did have copious amounts of shoot spaghetti on the spuds that were unceremoniously dumped in egg boxes in the cellar.  Again!

Anticipating rationed allotment time this year I only saved a few of last years spuds for re-sowing.  Our favourite red skinned Robinta and white skinned Nicola, some Gloucester Black Kidney (a heritage variety I’ve not come across anywhere else) and some Peruvian Purples (for the novelty factor of purple potato salad).

Last years post about sprouted potatoes generated lots of helpful tips which included Choclette’s husband suggesting the long shoots could be potted up and would take root to form new plants.  And that burying the potatoes with all their tentacles might produce a better yield anyway.  Sadly I didn’t remember this before pulling them all off so I can’t put that theory to the test (so much for my blog being a reference guide for improving my gardening skills year on year)!

What I did remember was Rebsie’s affirmation that even the most shrivelled looking potatoes have enough life in them to thrive.  A theory I shall be putting to the test as I only saved the very smallest Robinta potatoes, (the ones I couldn’t be bothered to peel if I’m honest!) because we enjoy eating them so much.

The Charlotte and Nicola potatoes were bought from Wilkinsons and rather than buying as many as I think we’ll need I cut the larger potatoes in half –  a ‘Dig for Victory’ tip I picked up from my visit to the Imperial War Museum a few years ago.

I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed for fine weather next Thursday when ‘Operation Plot Taming‘ will commence with the help of my Mum and Dad, without whom last year’s harvest would have been rather paltry.

allotment visits now we are 3

Sunday was a very special day, not least because it was my first Mothering Sunday, but because we made our maiden visit to the allotment as a family of 3.  We intended to just look, sigh heavily at the mass of weeds and ponder what to grow this year with minimal effort and maximum cropping.  But when have we ever been able to just look and walk away?

When I say ‘we‘ of course, on that particular day, I mean dear G who cut back the raspberry canes for me when it became apparent that 2 months is still not enough time for my body to cope with gardening tasks.  What greater gift could a new Mum want on her first Mothers Day than some muscle for her beloved allotment – beats chocolates or flowers!  

E helped out too by remaining blissfully asleep the whole time we were there.

heart filled hand-made

The arrival of a new baby and a steady stream of cards and presents seem to go hand in hand.  We’ve been overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the gifts we’ve received for E from family and friends, some of whom we’ve only seen a handful of times in the nearly 14 years since our wedding.

Being a wanna-be-crafter I’m especially touched by the hand-made gifts as I appreciate how much time has been invested in making them.  Many hours of time that whisper ”we love you too precious boy”.  It’s a pleasure and a privilege to have the creativity of loved ones shaping the play space we’re creating for our son.
Most importantly Euan is enjoying them too!

Giraffe Mosaic by Merci, quilted playmat by Bilbo, Noah’s Ark cross stitch by Nanny M, Baby blanket by Nana H, quilted playmat by Charlie’s Nan, mobile by Aunty Catherine, knitted cardigan by Marian.

the best reason for not blogging

Someone I was introduced to yesterday for the first time asked me what I do for fun and looking down at Euan I replied ”oh, there’s not much time left for anything else when you have a baby”.  My answer reflected the fact that my previous pastimes of gardening, cooking, blogging and knitting are on hold at present but I realised as soon as I said it that it might have sounded like life as a new mum is without fun. And of course that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I smile and laugh countless times a day in the delightful company of this gorgeous boy. 

look what we made!

… a beautiful baby boy.  Our beloved son Euan.

Born the day after my last blog post (written to distract me from the contractions that had started a few hours before) I wonder now how no-one guessed I was carrying such a whopper inside that enormous bump.  10lb 2oz of whopping great loveliness.  The extra 12 days cooking time Euan had served him well in recovering from the difficulties of his delivery and right from day one he’s seemed more like the age he would have been if he’d been born on his due date.  It’s brilliant for us as it means our 3 week old bundle of joy is really alert and has been giving us lots of smiles and makes hilarious squeaks, coos and grunts to let us know what he needs.

First photo – 3 hours old. Second photo – 2.5 weeks old.