Thursday, 22 December 2022

Ring Out Solstice Bells

Work is over for the year (for me) so I went into town yesterday morning and enjoyed wishing everyone I bumped into a Happy Christmas.
After posting a couple of cards to friends houses we walked up to the allotment. The weather wasn’t too cold and the Sun appeared a few times but the site is very soggy as we’ve had so much rain since the arctic blast moved on. This is the data from our plot thermometer which we left outside the polytunnel, in the shade. You can see we had two nights where temperatures dropped below -10° And then rose to about 7° in the day.
Temperature Chart
Unfortunately my remaining squashes in the polytunnel don’t look to have survived that extreme temperature - I should have protected them more 😔 But we’re pleased and surprised to see that the broad beans, which were flattened by the frost, have managed to recover. They can stay in their little cloches for now.
Broad beans after frost
We were even more pleased to see a ‘charm’ of goldfinches on the teasels - that was our main aim for growing them on the HAHA Wildlife Plot. I hope to get a photo at some point. There were lots of other birds around including what I think were redwings. I really wish I’d taken my big camera so I could have zoomed in.
Brassica cage
We’ll need to visit again before Christmas to pick some sprouts, otherwise I’m not intending to move very much. Good news re our allotment tools that were stolen - it seems the site insurance will cover the cost of replacement! That was rather unexpected but most welcome from HAHA’s NFU Insurance.
A decorated house in Hungerford
Here’s a photo of some Christmassy pea & garlic soup I made with Christmas Tree toast … well, everything is Christmassy now isn’t it. 😊
Pea soup with Christmas toast
So, that’s the shortest day celebrated with a bit of Jethro Tull. It’s all up from here… MERRY CHRISTMAS, I hope your Christmas is a happy and healthy one.

4 comments:

  1. The Christmas tree toast looks fun. It's not very encouraging to move far from the fireside at the moment but it is Christmas so who cares!

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    Replies
    1. Exactly. Soaking out there so I’m staying put 😊

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  2. That's good new re the insurance. We get lots of goldfinches on the sunflower hearts on out garden. They are beautiful birds. Have a lovely Christmas

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Belinda