12th - 13th May

12^th May

The wind continued but the rain is not here yet so I went to the allotment where today I started making some upright poles for the protection system for the brassicas. Dad had acquired an abundance of 2x2 poles of decent length and with an axe I made points on them. This was not good for my right elbow which I twinged a month or 2 ago whilst forking for the first time in the year and have felt little pangs or worse on and off since then. Clenching an axe, lifting it and forcing it down really brought it out in pain again. Anyway, like the stubborn chap that I am, I completed the pointing and got most into the ground using a lump hammer which further aggravated the elbow. By the time I got home after cycling uphill into the strong wind I was rather worn out.

13^th May

No wind to mention and only a very light rain, a drizzle really. I’m beginning to think that maybe the forecasters have not got it quite right – can that really be the case? It meant though, that I could complete posting at the allotment which I did. I then tore up a lot of the long grass around the compost bin and generally in the wider area between sections 8 and 9 so it looks tidier and feeds the compost. I found a lot of wooden sticks and batons that I have laid across the top of the compost bin and collected up all pieces of wood that are not really going to be of any use and put them in Dad’s incinerator. In not a great deal of time this week I have got to the point of being ready to put up the netting for the brassicas, then I will lay down the membrane after we have had some rain (presuming we actually do!) then I can plant out the brassicas that are ready. Then I can get some manure down for the squashes and peppers, put membrane down there as well and be all ready to plant them out so that all there will be to do will be carrots and leeks and watering and sit back and wait for the harvest to start rolling in. Funny, something tells me it won’t be quite as simple as that.