Its Getting Better

Hi all,
and Thanks Bri/Plum and Hazel for your comments. Have issued comments to you all regarding same.

I will now try to upload that Picture of mine I wanted to get on.

Well that did not seem too bad, but if it works it is after the tree cutting etc.
I have taken some more piccies and I will endeavour to get them into the blog.

First earlies just gone in yesterday, DUNLUCE and hopefully Hazel they will be fine.
Also put my Comp. Pots in for Reg's competition and have split two potatoes because of shoots.

We shall have to see how we go.
Hazel I shall make the upright as I showed you in my book one for each end and then do the necessary strings. Hope that will go OK as well. Bit down today cus can not get on plot. But I am resting and that can only be good. Made 25 Paper Pots ready for Cabbage and Broccoli if poss will get them in tommorrow.
I shall leave it for now and blog off, and get back soon. Tara all...

Hi all,
just to let you all know we are up and running again. Done lots of work on the plot lately, and have been hard at it. The plot is looking better now and I am pleased for the effort of myself and Roger and others have done to help. Christine on plot 2a has also been down and given her plot a really good going over. It's looking good. We both have been planting some flowers and climbers in the plot areas and we hope to have a nice looking site for any visitor to come and have a look at and also hopefully come back again. I have put some Lillies in around one of my water buts and also the trees have been cut back sufficiently to allow light through. I will try to insert a picture if I can at this stage so hang on here goes.
It appears it did not work. I will have to get some tuition on it and try again. Before and after the trees were cut would be good pics. Menews etc. Roger and I had Bacon Butties yesterday morning, and with the cuppa as well it went down superbly.Met Bula Rice yesterday and she is off to London Wednesday and will be back next Thursday, so we can have a cuppa and get down to the latest news.
Alls well that ends well and I am amazed at young Hazel, her blog and allotment info are very very good and I have had lots of pleasure reading about the things she has done. I will have to pull my socks up and get going again to at least get some resemblance of a good blog like hers. Well done Hazel.

The week on the Isle

Hi all, just got back from the Isle of Wight and it certainly was white.
Had a good time plenty to drink and eat and lots to see. Played Mr & Mrs on stage Tuesday evening, and came last. Just shows how much she knows about me! Ha.

Paid a visit to plot and was dissapointed could not get anything done as snow is still covering it.

Never mind I shall endeavour to bore you to bits with my Recipe for an even warmer winter soup.

First of all get carrotts, onions,parsnip, leek and also cabbage chopped up fine. put in a pan and fry off with a little oil. When happy about the frying off then add 3 large spoonfuls of Rogan Josh, and also a small spoonful of your favourite curry paste. Mix all together and add a sprinkling of
Plain flour. Do not forget to put salt and pepper in. Mix and add some tomato puree, then add boiling water, a little at a time. Get the pan really full and make sure you add 1 oxo normal, 1 oxo veg, and 1 oxo chicken, all crumbled in and stir well.
Bring it to boil then lower to simmering. Add some chopped potatoes and also some mixed herbs and a boquet garni. Leave to simmer away for an hour or so and then add some more finely chopped cabbage. Test for taste and add whatever you wish to get that super taste that you like.

You can seive this through a seive or do not bother and add dumplings or chicken legs to cook in the soup. I use chicken and add it at around halfway through the cooking.
I know you should like this as much as I do if you like a slightly spiced soup, I called it the Johnny Badger Rogan Joshi poshi soup. It tastes great and can fool most of my grandchildren in to eating their vegetables. I have had it for Xmas starter and the family loved it, without the chicken of course. Just a soup and it went down well. My one grandaughter Lucy said she did not like cabbage, so after she had had a bowlful I asked her her opinion, and she said it was lovely and what was the longish pieces in it, and when I said cabbage, she replied can I have some more, it's lovely. The cabbage was cut into fine strips around an inch to 2 inches long. Ha Ha. Try it and let me know how you enjoy it. Got to get some Pork Pies done this week for the Builder Hazel. She has been hard at it making beds on her plot. They look good Hazel. See you all around sometime. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee XX

Hi all, sorry I have not been on lately, kept losing password and could not get on to site also not been to well of late.
But all now behind me. I have been down to my spot and looked at the situation there and after I opened my eyes I was amazed to see it was not too bad just a bit of a mess really, more like me Ha Ha.
Saw Julie down at plot and met Chris and Hazel and Chris's friend Christine. All good stuff. Burnt the ground a bit and dug a little and starting to tidy up my bottom end. Careful with the words badge, Hazel is bound to pick you up on it. Eh she mentioned her Celery wine, wow, I bet that's a winner on TV.
Got lots to do and will get some photos sorted out for next time, but would like to thank Julie for offer of help and also Christine for her comments. Its hard to keep a good young boy like me down you know. I keep bouncing back like the proverbial penny. Trying to refurbish an old clock for the shed, and did some drawing of the plot today looking from where I usually sit and sip me tea and rest between digs etc. I am going to try and get my frame for HotBed set back on the back half of plot and then I can get some muck in and start it going. That's where I shall need help Julie, but have asked Brian of plum fame to help and will let you know when I shall be down to do it. You probably have noticed it perched half on the barrow ready for moving. I shall ask Jodie as well.
Onions I sowed in August 08 have been coming on nicely and have put them into special box in greenhouse. Hope I can grow woppers to go in show. I have been making soups and stuff and also Pork Pies, NO! not Porky Pies Hazel, the edible ones. Ha Ha. Will trully save you one Hazel, hope you will enjoy it. I think I will sort out my special recipe for soups and let it go down in blog for all to try. They taste great and even my Grandaughter Lucy likes em.
Ah well thats a blog an half for now so toodle pip all you allotmonteers and keep planting , digging, and whatever you do. Bye for now JohnieB

thebottomoftheplot: The Bottom end of it all

thebottomoftheplot: The Bottom end of it all

thebottomoftheplot: Monday Aug 18th

thebottomoftheplot: Monday Aug 18th

Monday Aug 18th

Hi all, just catching up on the latest news and things.
Getting things sorted out on the plot and also trying to dodge the rain spots. My Pumpkin is getting bigger and bigger. Thank the Lord for the rain, Ha Ha. The Sunflower is on the brink of 10foot tall.
I am hoping it will keep going although the chances are slimming. Got a first and a second on the show out of four entries so 50% can not be too bad. Pickled beetroot came second to some dodgy looking onions??????? and my 7 Herbs came first AGAIN, eat ur heart out Jason. Its only fun banter so I do not take it seriously, but am going all out to win again next year if I survive in to me 70's. Will take a look at Hazels plot later cus she stole a glimpse of mine and Kieran was a star turnout at the show, His mum really stood her ground for him. She's a fighter that one, eh Julie?
Bri & Plum did not have a go and I would have thought they could have got something out of it, but they really do like eating their produce before we can see it, so who knows? we might cajole them into it next show. Will be blogging again soon so keep an eye and I am enjoying my fresh garden peas and Tommies now they are ripening. Top secret, I have started my onions off for next years show so watch this space and I shall let you know if iot was a false start or not..... Tarra for now XXX for the girls and best wishes for the boys.