Ramblings

We have been back from Cyprus for a few days now, but are really only just getting over the trip back. I think we may have experienced some jet-lag as we have had that wading through treacle feeling that jet-lag gives. I find it hard to believe that it could be real jet-lag after just a 4 hour flight, and only a two hour time difference, but we have not felt great. Perhaps it is just our age!!!!!

I did feel an urge to do some gardening, even though it has been a very chilly wind for two days. I am a bit soft from spending mornings sitting in the sun(64deg) around a beautiful pool, under palm trees, but didn't want to get cold so this afternoon was spent in the polytunnel re-arranging things. I decided that I would abandon the deep bed arrangement in the tunnel this year as it is so difficult to keep it adequately watered. By just having ground level beds I can set up an irrigation system that will be gravity fed from the water butts around the house, and mean I don't have to carry water any more than necessary.

I have almost completed the task and will post photos of the finished article tomorrow....hopefully. The new arrangement will have the back 2/3 of the tunnel as one huge bed......10ftx10ft with a narrow beaten earth path through the middle to the back door of the tunnel. The first third of the tunnel will have the staging either side of the door.

I will soon be able to get in there to start the new season's seed sowing. I am itching to get started as I read my new issue of Kitchen Garden Magazine whilst on holiday and got very enthusiastic about the coming year on the plot and at home. I was able to give it much more attention than usual as I had time to read. I made notes on post-it notes (the yellow neon ones) as markers for things I must do. As it was the March Issue I have time yet to get it all done.

I bought a recipe book from Cyprus and read in there that Purslane is very much loved in salads in Cyprus. I bought some seeds from a garden centre out there and hope they will grow here for me. I will sow some in the tunnel and some in the back garden. I looked them up when I got home. Apparently there are two types....Summer and Winter. I think I must have the Summer one...it is not hardy so it will have to be sown every year. I'll have to save seed.

One of the other blogs that I read daily (Musings from a Stonehead) has warned that he will be posting less frequently now that his busy time on his croft is coming up. It is a sad fact of blogging that when there is more to blog about there is less time to do it. My blog has been rather quiet during the winter as little is done to report on with an allotment in winter. Now the spring is almost here and work starts it will be more and more difficult to find time to share the experience......!