Sunday, July 22, 2007

Death in the afternoon, overflowing reservoirs and strimming thru the bayou

We had a sparrowhawk this afternoon, and it had a sparrow for lunch off the pergola (or buffet as it is known in "Talk Sparrowhawk"). No pictures; it happened too fast, especially for the sparrow. Could I train it to take out next-door-but-one's doves? Albino Fat Alberts if you ask me.

And the reservoirs are overflowing. Now I know that isn't very significant in the grand scheme of things or to people with flooding problems but we normally look at these in March, after a wet winter, and observe sagely "Ee lad, there'll not be a hosepipe ban this yeear, unless Yorkshire water lose it all again". And this is July with all three reservoirs in the Derwent valley full and overflowing. By 'eck.

And finally, some before and afters of the allotment, which is in a sorry state. Tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, beetroot, spinach - all just gone or pathetic. Beans have barely moved in a month. Garlic is in danger of rotting and needs sun to dry it out. Onions ditto. Leeks seem OK. Spuds are OK too.
But basically the thing is ruined for this year. And still it rains; Hey Ho. Think I'm going to have to learn Swamp Gardening. Anyone for mangrove?

The jungle before strimming.


And after (at least it's tidy! ish)

Monday, July 09, 2007

Oh Dear

First visit to the plot since before the Great Rains. Oh dear, oh dear. Lots of stuff has failed - tomatoes are v sorry for themselves, cucumbers likewise. In practice, they've drowned. Just overwhelmed with water, so wet has it been. Other stuff, which was healthy, looks pale and spindly and generally 'behind'. It's been just too cool and wet and all the nutrients have been washed away. Curiously the weeds seem still to be thriving.