Jammy!

So, here I am, just sat down after making some more gorgeous raspberry jam.  I think I have to admit that it really is probably my favourite - but only if I've made it myself - I don't really like the shop bought ones.  I have been busy collecting the raspberries on an almost daily basis now, as there are so many canes that are just groaning with ripening fruit.  That doesn't bother me though, as I will happily pick and process these gorgeous jewels into anything I can possibly think of.  I tend to make jam firstly, then when I've probably made at least 5 jars, I will then go on to making a cordial for the kids, they absolutely love it, and I firmly believe that it's much better for them, as its freshly made, only lives a maximum of a week in the fridge [it never gets longer than that, as they are like vultures!] and there are no nasties in it.  I will then move on to making vinegars and liqueurs.  These are some of my favourites too, as they can be stored indefinitely in the dry store cupboard, and mature away to their hearts content.
At the very least, out of all these lovely fruits, a raspberry saucy sponge is made.  This is usually made on a Sunday afternoon, when everyone is chilled out and finished with Sunday lunch.  Then I get this out of the oven, and everyone's faces light up.  As I dish into bowls, and dribble with steaming thick vanilla custard, I see that these little beauties are so very welcome, and are very much appreciated in our house!

Summer Solstice

Well here we are! The longest day! I have been looking forward to this day from early spring, hoping that by now our summer would have well and truly arrived, but for where I live, sadly this isn't so.
We have spent the last week or more, knee-deep in heavy rain, or sodden days and ominous black cloud.  I have started to feel quite low in my mood, as usually this time of year helps with this, usually it being bright and warmer, but this year, after a three week heatwave in April, we've had no summer to speak of.
My garden is looking good though, don't get me wrong, as I most certainly appreciate the wet stuff for the good it does to my plants, but even they are getting fed-up of wet feet, I now think, and would love some warm sunshine to their bones! 
The only consolation I have going at the moment, is that I am heading down to Burgundy in a few week's time, to sit and drink good wine, eat wonderfully fragrant and juicy fruit and veg, and to talk late into the night cuddled up with my husband, about plans afoot, and lifestyle changes being made, and to just enjoy some warmth and sunshine, and no constraints of day to day school runs and phone calls and places to be.  I have been counting down the days, sorting out summer clothes to take, and generally getting into 'french' mindset!
As my spiritual home is France, I am thoroughly looking forward to our trip, and of course, the laden car full of goodies, to enjoy the rest of the year  :)
So, for now, I will put my 'longest' day on hold, and re-live it in a more appropriate setting!

A Lucky Find!

Well, what a few days I've had.  Sadly, upon reaching my allotment the other day, I found it vandalised.  My netting fence had been torn off its posts, a large dog had been allowed to rampage about in my plot and trample everything, and then leave its dog mess all over.  Needless to say, I was quite upset by this.  After the initial shock, and clearing up, I telephoned the council, to make them aware, and I was told that the police would be contacted as it was classed as vandalism, and the site would be monitored periodically for a few days, as it is right next to a dog walkers recreation area, but it still has stock fencing all around it, so people shouldn't have even been in the allotment site with dogs anyway, as its forbidden.  I still felt sad and low that this had been done, as no one elses plot was affected, and mine is so infant, so I am now in discussion to transfer or take on another plot at another more secure site across town.
Then, today, I decided to go collecting nettles down the river bank, to make my nettle liquid feed.  There I was in thick garden gloves, snipping away good style, filling up a black bin liner, when I came across a big patch of clover.  A quick scan and a joke that I could do with some luck, produced a gorgeous big four-leaved one staring back at me!  Gosh, how happy I was!  I havn't seen a real four-leaved clover since I was a child, so I picked it and made my husband carefully guard it with his life, while I finished getting my nettles!
Needless to say, the trials of the last few days, all started to melt away, and once home, I put the lucky clover into my diary on the day that I found it.  It will now keep with me always.

It just goes to show, there is always going to be something good come out of something bad, even if it takes a little longer than you may think at the time.

Singing In The Rain ...

Wonderful! It is raining heavy and strong, and the garden is bursting into song!  Nothing is more needed at this time of year, even though the temperatures are rising, and the rain comes here and there, the earth still needs its drink.  As I watch out at the garden from my back door, I swear I can hear the plants' collective sighs of pleasure, as they absorb the water deep into their roots.  Then as quick as the heavy shower arrived, the sun comes out blazing, and arcing across the sky, and then they all smile, and bask in its wondrous warmth.
Day by day, more of the garden is opening up to me; delphiniums, clematis, hydrangeas starting to colour, but also the excitement of seeing the scarlet of the new bean flowers, and the pale yellow of the tomato flowers shyly showing themselves behind deeply lush leaves of emerald green. A firm favourite right now is of course my lilies, regal in their posture, perfect in their palette.  Oh what joy besets me this morn ...

The Grapes Are Getting Fat...

Oh how lovely! Fatter and fatter they get! This red wine making variety 'Marechal Foch' is quite happy growing in the UK climate, as it is suited to cooler temperatures and can withstand down to -15.  What a lucky bunny I am to be able to look forward to harvesting these later in the summer!



So, after a lovely morning on the allotment again, my peas are all flowering and podding up, and very shortly I shall be like a child in a sweet shop, with my trug, collecting the bounty of them.

How does it go?  'some for me, some for the pot, some for me, some for me ....'

Pottering gently...

Well, a lovely few hours were spent at my allotment today, making a sturdy willow frame for a row of gherkin plants, and I happily planted out plugs of peas that I've grown from seed in the greenhouse just two weeks ago.  We are having a mini heatwave at the moment, so armed with a good straw sun hat, and a couple of bottles of mineral water, I lost myself in my patch just tinkering away.  It is so lovely to see everything really happy to be growing away, and for the plot to be taking shape nicely.  All my potatoes are through, and the Jerusalem artichokes have all started to poke through, looking perky and bright, so it doesn't fail to bring a smile to me, that everything is appreciating the nurture. 

Here are my beautiful strawberries

So, off I'll now go into the greenhouses to pot on some purple cauliflowers, with a little nod to the nasturtiums trailing down my steps, waiting to burst into orange delights, begging 'pick me' for a jazzy addition to my salad supper.

Oh Jolly June...

So here we are already.  Heading off into the sixth month of the year.  It really doesn't seem five minutes since I spent the dark nights all cosy in my living room, poring over seed catalogues, and drawing up drafts of how I wanted to transform my small back garden once the better days arrived.  Now I am filled with mental lists for pricking out and sowing on, both for the garden, and now especially, my new allotment which I have had all of five weeks!  I have worked like a demon to get the ground prepared since it was rotavatored for us to start with, and I now have a plot almost filled to bursting, as its all been grown from seed by me in my greenhouses.  That feeling of sowing the seeds, then the sheer anticipation of when their little heads poke out of the soil or compost, is just magical, and it takes you back to being that curious and fascinated child once again.  I am now watching my new violet artichokes coming through, and the delicate leaves of the cosmos as they change from seed leaf to true leaves, are mesmerising.

As the days move along, it will become a riot of colour once more, and we will instantly forget those winter days - at least for another six months.