Unusually for me I’ve been sneezing, had a runny nose and a sore throat for a day or two. What with that and the fact that I don’t like it too warm, say over 25C, I went to the plot early this morning and did an easy few hours.

I sowed some more flower seeds, continued weeding and took plenty of breaks for a tin mug of tap water whilst trying out my new log seat which Joe gave me, along with a fewer smaller ones for the log pile.

I’ve let the area at the top right-hand (north-east) corner of the plot get rather overrun with grass. However there are plenty of poppies there as well as some knapweed, meadow cranesbill and other wild flowers. I’m going to leave it pretty much alone until the autumn when I’ll dig it over properly then probably sow a packet of perennial plants mixture.

Some of the lettuce and beetroot that I sowed have appeared, there are some well hidden flowers on the rosemary and two of the roses have the beginnings of flower buds on them. A blue tit put in a fleeting appearance at the peanut feeder and there were ladybirds everywhere.

I hope to be there Tuesday, Thursday and Friday next week when apart from taking it easy I’ll be making good use of the log seat!

It’s good to see that Frog and Jackey bird sort out their previous misunderstanding !

and

Thanks to Glo (Porcelain Rose) for these images.

the following on terrestrial TV during next week.

Wild China is a new series of six programmes starting on BBC2 Sunday at 8.05pm with Heart of the Dragon. It is a wide ranging documentary showing the countries amazing diverse landscapes, wildlife and human cultures.

That is followed by the 2002 film Hero on Channel 4 Sunday at 9.05pm. It is the Radio Times film of the week and is a visually dazzling martial arts fantasy.

Legends:Doris Day is on BBC2 Monday at 7.00pm which features clips from her varied film career to illustrate this biography. This ever popular actress is still the all time top female box office star!

Superfish is the Natural World programme on BBC2 Wednesday at 8.00pm. Billfish is the collective name for marlin, swordfish and sailfish which are magnificently weird, weigh up to half a ton and can swim at speeds up to 70mph!

Have a good weekend!

it looks like the weather here is doing what we want it to do!

I spent the morning both yesterday and today on the plot. Much of the time I was weeding, but even after all that effort it still looks as though I’ve hardly touched it, mind you it seems that I’m not the only one!

Whilst removing the empty plastic compost bags that cover the compost heap I was surprised to find a mouse that decided it didn’t like being disturbed and disappeared down into the far corner. The only other wildlife of note were a number of spiders scuttling over the log pile.

The grape vine is showing signs of growth, and in the same planter are some seedlings which I didn’t sow!

I’ve noticed a few flowers on the strawberries and some of the early potato leaves are appearing

I’ve transferred the sweet peas, the aquilegia is about to flower and the lilies(?), that Joe gave me in autumn, which died right back have reappeared.

I’m letting this tree(?) grow at least for a while, and here’s the first flower on the plant in the stone centre feature.

Birds(?) ate all the leaves on this plant when it was in the grape vine planter but is now regrowing, and I do like daisies!

I hope to spend at least an hour there most mornings during the week when I’m working from now on and should be sowing some seeds each time I’m there, as well as doing a bit more weeding!

Happy gardening, and relaxing lawn lounging afterwards!

After last week’s somewhat perilous idea Frog has had a rethink.

and

Enlisting the help of a feathered friend seems much more sensible !

Thanks to Glo (Porcelain Rose) for these images.

there are actually a few programmes worth watching, although only one is new, and listening to.

Natural World on BBC2 Tuesday at 8.00pm is Spectacled Bears - Shadows of the Forest. Stephen Fry narrates the film on this secretive, and elusive, creature that was the model for the much loved Paddington Bear!

Cha0tic kindly emailed me a reminder that BBC Radio 4 is currently broadcasting the excellent series World On the Move: Great Animal Migrations, which charts the progress of animal journeys across the world. It’s on Tuesdays at 11.00am, and repeated on Wednesdays at 9.00pm.

Two TV programmes that I mentioned when they were on last year are starting repeat showings next week. Michael Palin’s New Europe is on BBC2 Tuesday at 7.00pm and Mountain with Griff Rhys Jones is on BBC2 Wednesday at 7.00pm. I enjoyed both of these, especially the latter, and may well try to watch them again.

Have a good weekend !

Today is even worse than yesterday as it’s been raining heavily all morning!

I went to the plot for a quick, and rather sodden, walk round as I’ve not been there since Friday. Everything is certainly growing especially the grass and weeds! When it does get dryer and warmer it’ll all be well away.

Anyway I thought that as I needed a smile then perhaps you’d like to share these make-me-smile images.

Here’s one for cat lovers, I think that Daffy will smile at this one and I’m thinking of changing from FlightBuff to FlightRuff!

A combination of continuing unsettled, wet weather and working extra days/hours in the bookshop has meant that I’ve not managed to spend as much time on the plot as I would have liked.

This updates happenings since my last Plot 124 entry Rain stopped play two weeks ago!

On the vegetable areas I’ve planted my well chitted maincrop potatoes and as you can see put the canes up for the runner beans

I’ve got the varietyPainted Lady which has white faced flowers with bright red lips. I won’t be sowing the seeds until around this time next month.

The comfrey which died right back over the winter is now growing well again

The strawberries that John gave me last autumn not only died back but rotted away in the wet ground. Joe noticed that they’d gone so kindly said to help myself to a few of his. This I did and have planted these in a different place where he thought that they should grow okay. You can see them at the front of this photo The light coloured area is where the raspberry canes are, most of which are now showing good signs of growth. The blackberries, top right, are also growing well.

Because I’m going to to grow more vegetables than I originally intended I’ve sown the packet of mixed herbs in an area that I was going to have flowers.

My single Iceberg rose has woken up at last but has a long way to go before it looks like this!

Dotted around the flower patches are this aquilegia

, several clumps of this , some daisies which are growing at the left hand end of the log Note the self-seeded poppies growing along the edges of the wood chip path.

Ladybirds appear to have colonised my original log as I’ve seen several sunning themselves on it recently. As you can see the mild, wet weather has certainly made the grass grow. I clipped it where it’s growing down the plot edges but left it long the pond, wild flower and log pile area. I also left any of these for the bees but will pick them before they get the chance to do this!

I had a good look under the shed on Friday and there’s no robin’s nest there. I’m glad to see that there are still a few tadpoles taddling in the pond. It was also good to see some of these fluttering around.

It was a really nice day and there were quite a few fellow allotmenteers there who all wanted to chat, which I was happy to do. Today it’s wet yet again, and the forecast is the same for most of the coming week. I don’t mind too much as I’m working extra in the bookshop again so won’t have time to do more than take a stroll there for a quick look round. However I do hope that it improves for the Bank Holiday weekend.

After lunch I shall be settling down to sofafly with a cup of tea, some biscuits and a copy of Sally Hinchcliffe’s first novel Out of a Clear Sky. You all know her better as Disgruntled Commuter/City Exile.

I must apologise to Frog for getting his name wrong!

Please note that it’s Frog Newton, which I should have realised as the plot, with his pond, is on the Newton Park East Allotments Site.

Glo (Porcelain Rose) has been kind enough to revise the incorrect images and I’ve corrected the previous Frog Pondering entries, and comments, where necessary.

Rest assured that Frog decided on a much better, and safer, idea as you’ll see next week.

That’s right there are no wildlife programmes at all on terrestrial TV next week!

Since I guess that I can’t get away with Plan C again I’ll have to go to Plan D!

My last Plot 124 entry Rain stopped play! was almost two weeks ago since when I’ve done very little as I’ve either been working or the weather has continued to be unsettled. I had hoped to do something today but the combination of the ground still being too sticky and the weather has put paid to that idea. I hope to do something tomorrow and Sunday, and will then do an entry.

Here’s a poem about a bird that I nearly always see when I go to the plot. On Sunday I saw it go under the patio by the shed, which I’ve seen it do before, and I wonder if there’s a nest there. If there is it’ll be difficult to see probably tucked away in the corner but I’ll have a look and let you know.

My Little Friend by Brian H.Gent

When I take out my rake and hoe,

My little friend just seems to know,

Some tasty morsals I’ll provide

As soon as I start work outside.

He watches me without a sound,

Perched on my spade stuck in the ground,

Small wonder that our spirits soar,

Such is our simple sweet rapport.

With red bib shining in the sun,

A special magic spell is spun,

We work together side by side,

From morning till the eventide.

No truer friendship could be stirred,

Than this between a man and bird.

The next Frog Ponderings entry should be on Saturday morning as usual.

Have a good weekend !