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An empty bottle marks the plot well...

I haven't posted in a couple of days but that's because I've been really busy down at the allotment.  Lots and lots of digging has been done but it still doesn't look like I've actually achieved much.

We had a couple of days where it rained over night which meant some of the compacted areas that had been used as paths were very wet.  This meant it was extra hard to try and clear the grass as the soil was to hard to shake from the roots.  I left some of the really bad tufts turned soil up on some of the already dug areas to let the sun dry them out a bit. 

Before we could go too far with digging the area I had to go round one of the raised beds that were there and pull out the rotting cane border.

As you can see from the picture below, one day's digging didn't look like much as it was so hard going.

After one days digging...

It was at this point my mum suggested we sort out where the compost was going to go, that way we could clear the area and arrange how it was going to be made.

 So we cleared a patch in the back left corner of the plot and used some of the planks of wood from the old raised beds at the back to make a frame.  At the moment it's only a rough framework as I need to get some longer stakes and some nails to fix it together properly.  The photo below is how it is at the moment. 

The compost

It'll be built up to around 3 foot high with the front planks slotted down and held in position by stakes, which means they can be lifted clear whenever I need to get into the compost.

Today I dismantled a bit more of the old raised beds so I can clear the back and get it ready for new raised beds.  I'm not sure whether to get a little shed to put in the other corner so I have somewhere to sit if it rains but even if I don't, I will at least put a few slabs down for a little 'patio' area for sitting.  Between the compost and the seating area will be the raised beds with a shingle path running between them.

Liner... A gardens waxing strip...

 The old raised beds had some black liner in them that I had great fun pulling up.  It was rather nice pulling it up with grass and weeds attached to reveal a nice patch of mud below.  It's a shame the whole thing wasn't covered in liner, it would have been much easier to get most of the grass up!

We also did a bit more digging at the front of the plot, where we had already started before.  This is the area we want to try and get cleared ready for planting potatoes.  It's slow progress, but progress all the same.  I can't wait till we have it ready to start growing veg, although that's a way off yet.

Slow and steady progress

The Best Laid Plans...

Today didn't go exactly as planned.  Actually, it didn't go at all as planned. 

It rained.

All day.

And rain was not in my plan!

The wet weather meant my trip to the allotment was postponed, hopefully tomorrow will be better weather for digging over the ground and getting rid of roots.

Dennis begins...

So today I decided to work on Dennis the Dragon instead.  He's named Dennis because my mum swears she used to read a book to me called Dennis the Dragon and that I used to love it.  She even googled it to prove it existed because neither me or my dad could remember it. Even faced with this proof we still can't remember it though.

Anyway, Dennis is my second knitting project.  The first was a cardigan that is currently being sported by my bag, Larry the Lemur.  I don't think he's that keen on it, cardigans are not good for a lemurs street cred.

I have to say, I'm quite proud of how Dennis is turning out considering before I'd knitted the cardigan I didn't even understand how to read a pattern, or how to increase/decrease/knit/purl etc...

Dennis so far.

At the moment I have another wing, another leg, his claws and the tip of his tail left to make.  He's a bit wonky (his arms aren't even and one of his ears flops a bit) but I think that adds to his charm :)

With any luck I'll be working on the allotment tomorrow but if not I'll hopefully be able to finish Dennis!  Once he's done I'll get some good photos.

Foxes and Fields and Weeds, Oh My!

It's a jungle out there...

Yesterday I signed on the dotted line for an allotment and got a shiny new key for the gate.  The 38'x24' weed infested plot you see before you is officially mine!

Ok, so it currently resembles more of a field than an allotment but at least my efforts in restoring it to veg growing perfection will be noticable.

My first task is to define the edges so I can actually see my plot and so we get a nicely formed path around it.

My second task is to get started on clearing the couch grass.  It's going to be slow going to make sure I get all the roots out.

There are also some raised beds hidden among it that I'll need to get rid of as they're falling apart.  The fox who has his shortcut straight accross the middle of the plot is going to start wondering what on earth is going on!

Hopefully I'll get a nice start made when I head over tomorrow morning.

Yes, morning!

If you know me then you will know I must be keen if I'm willing to surface before 11am, lol.

I'll keep you updated on my progress :)

Maybe I'll Write a Blog...

I'm the Maybe Girl and like most years this year has started with a lot of maybes. 

Maybe I'll loose weight.
Maybe I'll finish writing something (anything).
Maybe I'll start an allotment.
Maybe I'll write a blog.

I've thought about writing a blog for a while now but my past attempts at keeping one going have failed dismally.  So far I've started to lose some weight and I've just signed up for an allotment... considering my current maybe conversion rate I figured now would be as good a time as any to start writing a blog.  

So here it is and with any luck, here it will continue to be for a long time yet...  

Maybe.