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- It’s that time of year again….
  
  Posted at 6:37 pm by Kirstie, on Nov 7, 2020
  We have reached the point in the year when the main job at the allotment for most is clearing out the old and spent plants, tidying and clearing up, all ready for next year. It is also a time of reflection, what crops worked well and should be planted again next year, which were not as great as you had hoped and not worth another try. What did you enjoy eating, what do you wish you had tried and will put on ‘The List’ for next year? Maybe even time to look at the layout of the space you have and see if there are ways in which you’d like to change things around.
  
  There are often times I am left wondering why I planted certain things and then what on earth am I going to do with them…
  
  The biggest problem I find is time, mainly the problem that I don’t have enough! But, we get down to the allotment as often as we can, to do as much as we can. Of course, with the weather being unpredictable, you think you have time to weed and harvest, only to be caught out by a torrential downpour…
  
  The view from the shelter where we were hiding out during a sudden and heavy downpour at the allotment.
  
  When the weather was a wee bit kinder we made the most of the opportunity to pick all that was ready, before the weather changed again..
  
  Everything washed and ready to be used, now just the decision as to what to make..
  
  After a lot of slicing, chopping, simmering, roasting, whizzing, blanching and stewing we have yellow courgette and tomato relish, stewed apples and blanched sweetcorn, all ready for the cupboard and the freezer respectively.
  
  Slowly, but surely our freezer is filling up and it is good to think we will have the benefit of all this over the coming months. To my mind, this is the whole point of having an allotment and why the hours of digging, weeding and planting are such as worthy investment.
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Allotment, allotment planting, harvest, weeds
- The Trossachs – Part One
  
  Posted at 6:34 pm by Kirstie, on Sep 22, 2020
  Sadly, due to the Covid 19 situation we were unable to make our usual journey to Crail, but when one door closes another will open and new opportunities arise. There is so much of Scotland still to explore we were open to wherever it would take us, this time it was the Trossachs.
  
  Staying in a B&B just outside of Callander was a perfect base from which to explore. Fortunately the owners were happy to impart a little a local knowledge and on our first day we set off on a walk. Driving to Balquhidder we parked by the churchyard, right by the ruins of Balquhidder church, where lies the grave of Rob Roy who lived and died in the area. Walking round the churchyard there was a path to the back, leading to a river. We took a few wrong turns trying to find the path the map showed – this was despite taking a photo of the said map before we set off, great idea, but unfortunately it didn’t help much!
  
  Of course when things don’t go to plan that doesn’t mean to say they go wrong. In such an idyllic area, with so many red squirrels – a rarity in the South – we were just enjoying being there. It’s true to say that the journey is sometimes just as important as the destination.
  
  When we set off on our walk we were just planning a loop around, we didn’t have a destination in mind, or any expectation as such. As we came up to the river, with the water cascading down through the rocks and squirrels merrily going about their business we knew we were in our happy place. This was as good as it gets, the rest would just be a walk in the woods.
  
  Along the way we met a lady walking her two dogs, stop to let her by and started chatting. It was a daily walk for her and she told us we should carry on along the path to Creag an Tuirc, where there was a viewing point, which we did. Well, she wasn’t wrong, we came to the place, marked with a cairn and a well place bench, and the view was spectacular.
  
  Looking down you could see all along Loch Voil and the village of Balquhidder, stunning. At this point we were so grateful we had a dry and clear day, as you could see for miles.
  
  Then to find our way back down and continue the loop to get back to the car. An easy walk, although steeply downhill in places. The view from the top may have been fantastic, but there is always lots to see on any walk if you just look. Sometimes it’s the simple things which are worth stopping to appreciate.
  
  But then there are also some sights which make you just think ‘how??’
  
  Our first guess was lightening, but I’d love to know for sure!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Balquhidder, Cairn, Callander, Red squirels, Rob Roy, Scotland, The Trossachs
- Time, it’s a funny thing….
  
  Posted at 6:31 pm by Kirstie, on Aug 21, 2020
  Do you ever wonder where the time went? I certainly do, constantly. When you are bored it drags it’s feet like a small child on a shopping trip, when you have loads to get done or are enjoying yourself, it’s more like an Olympic sprinter. Then there is the ‘lost time’, when you sit down to do something you having been meaning to do and then realise how long it has taken to get to that point, leaving you wondering what the hell happened there?
  
  This is kinda where I am right now with my ramblings. Lots have happened inside my head, but just not made it into text. I guess part of it was a bit of apathy, what with all that is going on. Then there is what to start with?
  
  Well it’s definitely wasn’t going to be about my travels! Due to all that is going on at the moment all our plans, like most others, have gone right out of the window. There was the sneaky week away whilst the boy was off on an NCS residential course, the trip to visit another BCS dragon boat team in Bournemouth, racing in Liverpool, racing in Barcelona, racing in Nottingham, the cheeky weekend away with the girls, even the annual pilgrimage to Crail – all cancelled.
  
  The allotment perhaps? Well, perhaps. We are still digging, planting and growing. Of course we have also tipped into the annual deluge of courgettes and to a slightly lesser extent tomatoes. I keep trying to improve the layout and how I’m doing things generally. But then that too has been affected by outside forces, mainly the weather and the imposition of a ban and subsequent limitation of the use of hoses. Not great when the soil is more like dust. It has at least been an oasis of calm and escapism from lockdown, well at least it was until the inevitable politics of its management raised its ugly head. Sometimes bad times bring out the best in people, but sadly it can also bring out the worst. Personally I am just in it to play in the mud and eat peas and tomatoes fresh off the plants…… and perhaps gooseberries, raspberries, strawberries….. okay anything which doesn’t need to be washed and cooked!
  
  The garden at home also is a work in progress, well to be fair it has been for more years than I care to remember! But, having said that, it has come a long way in the past few months. We were very lucky with our timing, ordering a new shed before lockdown kicked in.
  
  The last shed was being held up by its contents, most of which were not worth keeping. Our flock of chickens was down to one. She was a beautiful hen, but they are flock creatures and to my mind it was sad seeing her in that big pen on her own. We let her out when we were in the garden, but it just wasn’t right. Luckily our lovely neighbours offered to see if she would like to join their ladies, it was an anxious moment when we took her round – they don’t call it a pecking order for no reason, hens can be quite mean to each other. On the whole though she slotted in better than any of us could have hoped. She is a big grey hen and made friends straight away with their grey hen, even snuggling up next to her on the perch on her first night there. She is less friendly to Nugget, she has been told off for such poor behaviour, but diligently ignores us!
  
  All in all these are strange times indeed, it will certainly be a year to remember, for many reasons….. not all bad.
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments
- New year, new start…
  
  Posted at 5:37 pm by Kirstie, on Feb 27, 2020
  It’s been a while since I last put fingers to keyboard, but then I haven’t been down to the allotment as much as I would like. Weather and other commitments have conspired against me in that respect.
  
  That’s not to say I’ve not been down there at all, just that my visits have been more sporadic and not for as long as I’d have planned usually. Back in November I found some garlic bulbs had missed being lifted and started to grow.
  
  After carefully lifting and separating them into individual cloves I’ve replanted them in the hope of getting a whole new crop – hopefully this year I’ll get a better harvest than last years, which was not the best. I also planted some shop bought cloves, lucky I use a fair amount of garlic in the kitchen. Fingers crossed, after this lots is ready to lift, I won’t need to buy any more garlic for quite a while!
  Returning to the plot after any time away will always mean returning to find lots to do, mainly weeding.
  Before and after, the carrots which remain may be no use for us to eat, but next door’s rabbits, Holly and Ivy will enjoy the leaves.
  A few chard plants still provide some tasty leaves for the chickens.
  Both these borders had rogue brambles growing on them, last year they were quite unwieldy, produced some lovely fruit, but picking them resulted in plenty of scratches and prickles.
  With the aim of making this year a little less painful and a little tidier, both bushes had a good prune and I’ve attempted to create a ‘fence’ of canes to train them along. It came at the cost of a lot of scratches and several splinters of thorns, which required digging out with a scalpel blade and tweezers. I’m hoping it will be worth it, certainly at the moment it is all looking a lot tidier, although there is still a lot left to do!
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments
- Virginia Waters
  
  Posted at 8:22 pm by Kirstie, on Oct 22, 2019
  Autumn is well and truly making it’s presence known, the temperature has dropped, the mornings are darker and the colour of the leaves has changed to those beautiful autumnal reds and browns.
  
  After a very wet week we have been very lucky with a dry and bright weekend, making the most of the Saturday to get some work done down at the allotment we decided to have a family day on Sunday and go for a decent walk. At ours son’s request we headed out to Virginia Waters, a loop around the lake is about four miles, enough to blow away the cobwebs without leaving you pooped for the rest of the day.
  
  To begin with the paths are busy with couples, families, people on bikes, others with dogs. There were dogs of all sizes, from the beautiful, shaggy Irish wolfhound who made a small girl screech by merely loping past her, to tiny little chihuahuas and a Dachshund being carried in a specially designed bag, with just his head poking out.
  
  As we reached the totem pole, the path branches off to the left, in the hope of avoiding the majority of the other enjoying the weather we hope we are taking the path less travelled.
  
  When you do escape the madding crowd you can start seeing beyond the wood to the trees and more.
  
  There are trees growing as much horizontally as they are vertically…
  
  Trees growing out of trees…
  
  Fungi growing out of trees….
  
  Evidence of romances past – I do hope these two are still together…….
  
  Flocks of parakeets….
  
  Then you look down and there is an amazing array of fungi growing all the way around the five mile walk…..
  
  There are also the picturesque waterfalls, once people were allowed to walk all around them, but now they have been cordoned off, health and safety no doubt. Annoying for a teenager wanting to rock hop, but it makes it a lot easier to take a photo without people popping up in the background.
  
  All in all, if you are after a good walk, to blow away the cobwebs and enjoy the fresh air, then this is definitely a place worth visiting – there is even a nice place to stop for a coffee and a bite to eat.
  
  Just be aware of the swans…
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  Posted in Travels, Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged Autumn, autumnal, fungi, mushrooms, surrey, toadstools, totem pole, Virginia waters, walking, walks, woodlands
- The Vyne
  
  Posted at 8:36 pm by Kirstie, on Oct 13, 2019
  I was full of cold and feeling really rather grotty, so no Saturday paddling for me. Whilst I would have loved to curl up on the sofa with a supply of hot drinks and a few good films the weather was holding off and I didn’t want to waste the chance of a family day, especially with winter looming.
  
  Not wanting to venture too far we decided to dig out our National Trust cards and try somewhere relatively nearby which we have never been to before. I’m not sure why we’ve never been to The Vyne, it’s under 15 miles from us and a beautiful property with plenty to see.
  
  The grounds leading up to the main house are beautiful and I can imagine they would be packed on a warm summers day. With a river graced with elegant swans and deck chairs on the lawn to use, it would be easy to just sit, relax and let the world go by whilst soaking up the sun and people watching.
  
  Despite the seasons changing and the beginning of the autumnal colours, there were still flowers blooming, brightening up the borders. I was particularly looking forward to the walled garden, but I think they are undergoing a bit of a make over at the moment as they were not as spectacular as you would usually expect.
  
  Of course the buildings as a whole are beautiful, but often you need to look a little closer, to see the detail, the funny little bits and pieces which add character to a place.
  
  We all have different things we find interesting, with a place like this I think you could return multiple times and each time find something you failed to notice before.
  
  When entering the main house the first thing that struck me was the ceiling. I remember a minister once saying to look up, that people forget to look up enough. That was many years ago, but I think with everyone burying their heads in their mobile phones nowadays, it is more important to remember now than ever before.
  
  The route you take through the building winds through the various rooms, each one has a guide who can tell you so much more than just a casual look around would afford you.
  
  Whether it was the chapel, with its wood panelling and stain glass windows
  
  Or the orangery with the selection of children’s toys and various carved busts
  
  At the front of the house you have an impressive set of stairs, but personally I much prefer the stairs at the back. More likely for the use of the servants, but beautiful with the turns and that dark wood.
  
  Whilst I love the grandeur of these stately homes I much prefer the ‘back of stairs’ side to the properties. I guess this is because this is an area you can relate to, you can imagine trying to cook and run a household in the kitchens without all the mod cons we take for granted, no refrigerators, cookers which produce instant and controllable heat, washing machines and tumble dryers to ensure a regular supply of clean clothes.
  
  Unfortunately this tends also to lead to the secondhand bookshops which a lot of the National Trust properties seem to have, this time I managed to escape with only two new additions to my already overloaded bookcase.
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  Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments | Tagged autumnal, Basingstoke, chapel, family day, national trust, orangery, swans, The vyne
- Lulworth Cove
  
  Posted at 10:13 pm by Kirstie, on Sep 19, 2019
  Sometimes you can plan everything, other times you just have to wing it. Saturday mornings are now taken up by dragon boating for me, after an hour or so on the water and then the time it takes to put the boat away, stretch and have a cup of tea and a natter with the team that’s the whole morning gone and I wont get home until lunch time, by which time half the day is gone.
  
  This Saturday was one of those days, but having had a stressful week and with my boy away doing his Duke of Edinburgh Silver award trek and husband just back from working away for the week, staying at home cleaning the house was not an appealing option. So, on the spur of the moment we grabbed a bottle of water, couple of bananas and some crisps and jumped in the car and drove – just like we used to twenty years ago.
  
  Okay, twenty years ago we wouldn’t have thought to bring any snacks or quickly book a table for dinner, but I guess that’s what happens when you grow up… a little.
  
  After a mere two hours in the car we arrived in Lulworth Cove, on the Jurassic coast in Dorset. Late afternoon and it is still beautifully warm with a clear blue sky, the car park is busy, but I suspect not nearly as busy as it would have been earlier in the day. The area is so beautiful it attracts a huge number of visitors, each wanting to take in the beauty of the place and the atmosphere.
  
  From the car park you have to walk down the hill, past the tourist traps and expensive ice creams, past some pretty wee cottages, which would be a dream to live in, if only you didn’t know you’d have so many tourists wandering past you window all the time….
  
  It is all worth it when you reach the sea, the cove is idyllic and the light is just perfect.
  
  The beach is mainly the rounded pebbles which don’t hurt your feet, but make it hard to walk as they move under foot, they also make a gentle whooshing noise as the water that has moved in pulls back out, taking some of the stones along with it. Time spent just sitting and listening to the noise of the water is time well spent…
  
  The bet was then on, who could find the first fossil, failure would mean paying for dinner. To my mind this was highly unfair, hubby is a keen metal detectorist with a love of all such things, whereas I am probably the most unobservant person you could meet. It also felt, with all the rounded, almost uniform pebbles, it was a lost cause. Sure enough, as we reached to far side of the cove another couple came round and the woman asked whether we had found any fossils. She was convinced they would be just tripping over them and was disappointed to have not seen a thing – I wasn’t holding out for much more luck.
  
  Once we reached the larger rocks I took the chance to sit and just take in the surroundings, on the water the boats of varying sizes, people swimming, kayaking and snorkelling. On the beach the teenage girls taking selfies, parents with small children paddling, a group of young lads listening to music and clambering down the steep hill, one slipping, laughing at himself and carrying on to the beach.
  
  Then, as I looked down I noticed some more unusual rocks, oh yeah, I found the first fossil. Then, once I had seen one I kept finding more and then before long we had an entire selection of them.
  
  Slowly, as the light faded the people started to drift away the place actually becomes more beautiful.
  
  As we wandered back along the beach we found another interesting stone, I suspect this one was man made…..
  
  To finish off a perfect afternoon we head to the local pub, an hour earlier than our reservation, but they managed to seat us.
  
  Of course when eating by the seaside you have to have fish and, to be fair, they did a lovely fish and chips with the best onion rings I’ve had in a long time.
  
  A lovely meal, with someone I truly enjoy spending time with proved to be the perfect end to the day.
  
  This is definitely somewhere we will be returning to explore further, we took the low road this time, but there is still the high road left to climb…….
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  Posted in Travels, Uncategorized | 1 Comment | Tagged dorset, fish and chips, fossil, fossils, jurasic coast, Lulworth, lulworth cove, lulworth cove inn
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