Life Update

I have been busy. I am stressed. I wanted a challenging job and I sure got one. Six months in and I have successfully passed my probation period! This week I have started a wildlife pond project and I am quite excited to get going on it and to see it develop over the next few months. Next steps are to cover the liner, plant up the periphery, and install fencing around it.

Crochet-wise, I haven’t been doing much. I have caught up (sort of) on my Temperature Blanket so am now working on the June backlog. I am still making squares for my Battenberg Blanket and the end is nowhere near in sight for that. I haven’t done amigurumi for ages and haven’t had the inclination to start again.

I have started painting and David treated me to a set of gouache paint and new brushes which I am enjoying using. I have a painting in progress but it isn’t finished, therefore no one can see it yet.

I am stocking up on polymer clay – I even have a new clay box (it is pink & sparkly) – so that I can start clay work again. I find with clay that I have to be really motivated to set the time aside to have creative brain thoughts and then turn them into things, and I have been lacking in brain time lately. Crochet can be picked up and put down, and painting can be set aside, but I feel that clay has to be worked and baked in a day else it risks being squished and ruined.

Recently I have learnt how to pump up a car tyre using the auto tyre-pumper-upper-thing in the boot, but now I’ve had a new tyre put on so I shall soon forget how to use the thing.

Gardeners World was fun, long, exhausting and wet, and I didn’t meet Alan or Monty so I am sad. Must try harder next year.

David and I have been together for two and a half years now, which is something I never thought would happen. Truly, truly, truly, he is the best thing that has happened to me. He looks after me, knows when I need a snack or a nap, keeps me calm, and helps me fix my car issues. What more can a gal ask for!

He bost his hand.

We had a day trip to Ironbridge and saw a beautiful display of wildflowers right by the bridge.

I have shattered my phone screen and it needs replacing but I have to send it off and I don’t want to lose my progress on my dinosaur game because if I do, it’ll mean David will be ahead of me and I can’t have that, so I am procrastinating getting my phone sorted. Also I don’t have £300 so that’s another reason why.

Allotment Life: May 2019

Some further projects have been completed this month! I have built new raised beds around the raspberries and wineberry bush, dug a new bed in a previously un-dug part of the plot and made a cage with turnips in it, and the trough planter in my compost bin was sown with flower seeds.

Cardboard weed suppressant

Pebble mulch / decoration / further weed suppressant

The square foot gardening bed has taken off and now needs clearing –the rocket and spinach has bolted and I have some weeds coming up (I think the compost was contaminated as it was all virgin compost but has the same weeds popping up everywhere).

The brassica bed is absolutely heaving and now I’m wondering if the cage is tall enough! I allowed around 1m height for growth but I am not sure if it is enough now. The leaves on the cabbages are HUGE!

I have pulled my first garlic and onion; I have left the rest so far to give them more time to swell but the onions are looking fab. I have been harvesting spring onions, lettuce, spinach, rocket and chives nearly every week.

Due to work commitments I haven’t spent much time up the plot recently as I have been far too tired. I did three days at Gardeners World Live as well as four normal volunteer days, and two corporate volunteer days so I am pooped.

rainbow radishes

new compost bin is filling up well