Making the most of our summer holidays

I wanted to post daily whilst on my summer holidays (time off, not actually away anywhere) but life doesn't always link in with what we plan.  We have had a lovely few days since I last posted.  We've had family days out, picnics, fun, sea, sand, dogs, friends and then at home, more weeding, fixing, cooking, baking, animals and general playing.

This bed took a lot of fixing, actually it was pretty much all replaced.  We decided to do it properly and buy new boards, then putting the yellow pipes in place which will allow me to put the mesh, fleece or net over them once we start again.  The intention is to do this for all of the beds and eventually we will get cages around the fruit too.

 

I weeded it and then Ste took over.

 

He did his thing and this is the end result.

 

Although some things haven't worked this growing year, others have.  This squash has doubled in size since I started my holidays.  These photos were taken a week apart.

 

I spotted some courgettes that had gone unnoticed, so they will be going into a chutney maybe.  Any others ideas welcome.

 

This golden zucchini has been a staple of our summer - they are delicious.

 

I harvested the tomatoes which are ripening thick and fast now.  I'll be doing something with these tomorrow when my son has his friend over for the afternoon.  I'll need to be close to them but not in the same room, so a cooking afternoon it is.

 

The piquant peppers are a funny old shape, but are starting to turn in colour.  A slight red tinge on the top there.

 

 

We have also managed to cure and dry our bacon.  It's tiny but it's ours.  The pigs were so lean that we ended up with bacon medallions, but my word were they tasty.  They also didn't shrink when we cooked them. 

 

We went to Whitby which is just over an hour from our place.  We took the kids and a friend of Grace's, plus the dogs.  Buster laid in my footwell in what looked like a very awkward position but he obviously liked it.  Rodney was sat with the kids, very proudly too.

 

 

 

In Whitby, I treat myself to 4 new mugs, one of which has an allotment theme to it which made me smile.  Perfect.

 

There is a Millbry Hill, agricultural store, near Whitby so I popped in and bought the little pony a fly rug as the flies are awful here and he's been plagued by them.  He looks a bit scary with that and a fly mask on, but it's worth it until the season is over.

 

 

I've been making lots and lots of home made food and really got my mojo back there.  I'm enjoying it so much.  Bramble and apple crumble....delicious.

 

The onions have dried out nicely and are ready to hang.  I practiced plaiting on the ones I lifted in the Spring/early summer.

 

I'm pleased with how they turned out.

 

 

I also harvested a giant swede!

 

And plenty of other things.

We've had scotch pancakes for breakfast along with our own bacon and bread.  What treats!

 

Its our last day of the holidays for Ste and I tomorrow and the kids are back to school on Friday here.  So back to it.  I'm feeling organised though, everything is done that I wanted to be done in time to go back.  I've a list to get through tomorrow, including picking more brambles !