Blackberries and a cunning Mummy

I managed to get the boys out to pick Blackberries this week which they were excited about. Then as I pulled up at the allotment gates, Lou hit his head with his hand and said "Oh man" in the full knowledge that I had sneakily not mentioned the Blackberries were at the place he both loves and hates!

I managed to keep them both happy by letting them take turns in driving around the plot on my lap in the driver's seat! They loved picking the fruit, Lou particularly gets so excited. He hates Blackberries but is so excited when he sees a load to pick. Sammy reckons he has gone off them but we picked loads to freeze as we know Daddy likes a crumble.

After this I managed to persuade them that a quick stop at the plot was necessary and I cut the grass with the shears as it has grown so long. The boys were very happy using sticks they found to "destroy" and "kill" weeds. A life with boys, who would have known................. Everything was going along very smoothly until eldest monkey decided he needed an urgent Poo. That's the end of that then! Til school starts and Sammy will do only afternoons. I shall endeavour to go most days and really get on top of things. Well I shall need some practice as yesterday I enrolled on a one day a week Practical Horticulture course so come on Jo you need to get hands on!

Raspberries and Dad

Mum and Dad came for lunch yesterday with a trip to the allotment planned afterwards. Mum stayed at home and Neil took the boys to play football. Dad and I went up to put in the supports for the Raspberries. Dad had prepared some metal stakes and wood to screw into them and eventually place wire along for the Raspberries to cling to.

It was hot work and when we got there you could definately see I haven't been for 10 days or so!!! Holidays are the worst ironically as the boys are not interested/too busy doing something else to want to go up. Anyhoo, Dad did some wonders and got the supports up and then had to dash off to get ready to go away.

I stayed longer and tidied up a bit, cut grass, weeded, picked some green beans (our first) and dug up some lovely red potatoes. There is so much to do and it was warm by 6pm with a breeze, I could happily have stayed til dark but it was time to potter back with my goodies and see the boys before bath time.

I enjoyed it so much I want to go again now but we are off to visit Grandma for a week so it will have to wait!

Neil and Sammy had been up two days before to literally water and come back as it had been super hot and they took some pix of Sammy with the chickens at the next plot up. Bliss!

Grandma we love you......

Grandma we do, Grandma is visiting at the moment and so we popped up with the monkeys as I wanted to cook Courgettes for supper. Miraculously we had quite a few and they were delicious too. The Pumpkin has produced something that looks like a gourd and so I got that one wrong! The Artichokes are really tall and the Cabbages are having a go.

We trimmed and weeded and pottered for a bit. No need to water with these showers which is a relief I have to say.

Lou had a go at being a photographer and took some great pix. He is also taking pix and saying things like "this one is quite abstract Mummy" (!!!!!). Sammy helped Grandma with his Dustbin Lorry and very good he was too.