A gentle warning

People who pickle beetroot without wearing gloves will be caught red handed

A day out in Kent

We had a lovely day out today when Nick, Katy and I hit the M3 and M25 and head to Tonbridge.

We were planning a day out but I wasn't up to much so it was great to get there and find that it was Tonbride Medieval Fayre in the castle grounds. It was fascinating seeing how people lived, how they ate, how they dressed and how much bigger they were then than they are now. And they say that previous generations were shorter!










It was a lovely event and even Richard turned out and posed for the camera.













The jester was making bubbles using a strap and they were souring high about the crowd, it was fascinating.










We had a trip to the new Slade Community Allotment having taken a gift of some plastic sheeting. It had previously been covering some unused ground at our allotment having been left overs from Brian's foundations so it is recycling the recycling. The site is transformed since we last saw it. At that time it was a bramble patch and I really couldn't see how anyone could even contemplate making it into an allotment. It is fantastic and we will be showing particlar interest in plot 5.









After a lovely lunch we hed home and managed to get to the allotment before dark so I did a bit of harvesting. I picked some leaves for Nick's lunch box,












a couple of tomatoes













a bowlfull of blueberries












and a cat litter tray full of beetroot.

The allotment has been so neglected over the last few weeks that I didn't realise that there was so much and so varied in size.

I think my daily project for tomorrow is going to be pickling beetroot.








I also made the first harvest of fennel seeds. It is crucial to time it right. Too early and they won't dry properly, too late and they will pop all over the allotment.















Talking of daily projects. Yesterdays was refurbishment and reupholstry of the stool I bought at the allotment. This is going to be the stool for the dressing table in the master bedroom and will be covered to match the new curtains (another days project).

I overestimated my daily ability and it only got as far as stripping the seat and getting the old varnish off the legs.

I seem to be better at destruction than creation at the moment.

I forgot to mention that part of the project is converting a one legged stool into a four legged stool. Thankfully it came with three spare legs.

A lovely drying day

As I can't get washing done and it is a lovely drying day, I have turned to beans and chillis.

We have a good stock of chillies in the greenhouse which are turning a wonderful dark purple. I am assured that the darker they get the hotter they get. These are some that I picked and left in the greenhouse. They are now ready for stringing and use throughout the next few months.



There is also a bean feast at the moment. I leave them on the plants until they dry and it seems to retain the colour better. These are all beans grown from seed saved last year and it is interesting to see the change in colour from last year as there has obviously been a degree of cross polination.

Exciting news for September

I went to the allotment this evening for the first time this week and Tracy was coming out as we were going in.

We discussed the Dahlia show on Saturday, how good the pubpkins are doing this year, that there are very few rats around and she just dropped into conversation that the 19th is Pirate day.

Well - I was totally stunned. It transpired that it is actually Talk Like a Pirate day. I am so excited. I think I will have to make it talk and dress like a pirate day on the allotment


Visit http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html for full details


It is amazing what you hear and learn on an allotment.

Nick and Janettes big day out

We suddenly realised that our time of was coming to an end and we hadn't had a real day out so having spent Friday at the auction at Heckfield and brought home two car loads, we left commission bids for the items we were after from Saturday's sale, crossed our fingers that we had estimated well and decided to have a day in Devon.

As there is a direct train to Exeter, we looked at all the stops on route and chose Honiton as neither of us had been. I haven't used my Gold Card free tickets for the last two years so used two of them for the free travel and had my £10 note ready to pay for two first class upgraeds. On neither the way there or the way back did anyone want my money so we had both ways in first class. I love free travel.

The station was a bit off putting at first as it wasn't long enough for the whole train and looked as though it was uninhabited, that was until Justin the ticket office man appeared in his nicely pressed uniform. He was very useful and gave us the return times, which gave us four hours in Honiton. He also pointed us in the direction of the town, which looked as exciting as the station. How wrong can a person be. It is a wonderful place, full of original shops and antique centres. We loved it.

Unfortunately we forgot to take the camera so the only picture we have is taken with a phone while sitting outside the icecream shop where all produce is home made. Nick had Ginger and I had Turkish Delight. They were amazing. I know mine looks bigger but remember the concept of near/far away.

We were soooooo tempted by many items but all we bought was a lovely pot of tea for two with Devon apple cake, the two icecreams as previously described, a small christmas present for somebody who may be reading this and a book on fixtures and fittings on antique furniture.


We had a wonderful surprise when we got back as the floor fairy had been and finished the grout and put a final layer of sealer on the floor. It looks amazing and by this evening we should be able to move in. The utility room is still to lay but at least we can use the kitchen and who needs to do laundry anyway.











Back to the auction. We bought quite a few items. The pieces of furniture to follow, but we bit on a couple of boxes of old china and this is the good stuff. We have quite a bit of Shelly, Susie Cooper, Daulton, Wade, Wedgewood, Royal Worcester etc but it all needs a good wash and categorising as to what we sell on, what we keep and what goes to Kent.












I have finished the chair for the guest room and with Nick's expertise in choosing appropriate fabrics, I thing it fits in beautifully. Not bad for £2 from the tip and a bit of physical labour.













The allotment has been neglected this week but we do at least have lovely dahlias in the lounge.