Wow, a whole month went by and I just didn’t have the extra energy to blog. I think winter can be like that though, don’t you? We went up to the allotment today, even though it was cold and damp, windy and muddy, it felt so very, very good. The allotment is my happy place and sometimes in the darkest of winters I forget that. I might at that point in time look at it as ‘more work’. When really it is my space to be creative, thoughtful, content and happy, even if on occasion I do go home with sore muscles because its that time of year that much needs to be done. I just have to remember to look forward to when the bees are buzzing around my sunflowers, the tomatoes are ripening in the greenhouse and the warmth of the sun is warming my bones to their very core and I look and see lush green plants and ripe berries and smile as to the forthcoming autumn when I can safely gather in again.

Last autumn was good and bad. Everything went well, we managed to gather everything in and process it all. We still have freezers full of apples, pears and tomatoes along with pumpkins and butternut squashes ready to be used. Come November I managed to dig over a section of the plot and then it rained, and rained and then rained some more, until mid December at which point I just gave up on the idea of getting the plot winter ready and got on with the idea of Christmas and all the loveliness that it beholds.

Ravaged by winter and much work to be done, but the bare bones are still good.

Beds to sort out.

A final corner of the plot that needs to be sorted, to be done this year. Wood thrown around by the wind.

The good stuff. Purple sprouting just starting to appear. The month of February is when it is at its finest and most welcome in the kitchen.

Kale springing back to life with new tender growth, which will also be delicious.

My leeks put in rather late are starting to make good growth, I will start using the larger specimens in the next week or so.

And at last my Thyme has put on good growth. I love this herb and so far I have always been sad that I don’t grow enough of it, it looks like the tables have at long last turned.

Purple sprouting ready for Sunday lunch, later in the week I’m thinking the bitter kale with home made pasta, paremessan and lemon, maybe a touch of garlic, maybe a touch of chilli. Decisions, decisions.

Rosemary and Thyme for next weeks suppers and breads.

And this work in progress has at long last been finished. This building has not been in use for many a long year and now after the best part of a years work the developers have made this…

Isn’t it wonderful, a new social club, right next to the allotment a mere few minutes walk from home. We popped in today for a pint. It was lovely, we met old friends, who extolled the virtue of the place, apparently we had just missed the free sausages in a batch. The owners are working very hard to make this a sucessful venture.

And I can just imagine us having a quick sherbert on the way home after a dry and dusty dig.

Happy February everybody.