Oca 2015

Just dug up my oca crop. I find them to be really beautiful objects with their intense, luminous colour.
If only I had protected the foliage in time, before mid November when we got 2 days of light frost, they might have bulked up a lot more through this unusually mild December*. Just by putting a few back in each year I've been getting a good supply. They don't seem to be affected by any pests or disease (so far) and are happy to go on growing in the same corner year after year.

(click on picture to see it in close-up splendour)

* The average daytime temperature on the winter solstice was the same as it was on the summer soltice!

Communal Bath

A daily event in their social calendar.

December Fourteenth

I've been in the garden today cleaning up and doing a little transplanting. So Mild! I found a few strawberries that will never turn red now, what with no sun. November was officially the dullest on record. It doesn't look like we'll be getting a white Christmas this year, maybe a lighter shade of grey if we're lucky...

Eggplants

I never got around to posting this picture of the only variety of aubergines that I grew this year. H, after 9 months working on a farm in Lewes that specializes in Japanese vegetables, has convinced me to grow 'Kurume Long Purple' next year.

And, on the subject of eggs, 3 more again today! The hens haven't yet slowed production for the winter. Possibly because the weather has stayed so mild.

Pomegranate

This year for the first time I had some blossoms on my pomegranate bush! It was a gift cutting from Dr. K back in 2012. They fell away before forming any fruit, but, hey maybe next year...

Voice On Record

One of the many great radio shows to have been broadcast on ResonanceFM over the years is Voice On Record with Sean Williams. It still gives me great joy to replay these podcasts on occasion while I'm working. Most especially the wildlife recordings and episodes 35, 36 & 38 featuring Peter Scott are ones I'll never tire of hearing.

Ripe Strawberries!

Detail from William Morris design 'Strawberry Thief'

A Recipe For Gruel

I never did post a link here to my little animated film based upon a piece of prose by Frank Key. It's done the rounds of festivals and is now on line for all to view. (Hopefully not on your iPhone.)
You can watch it HERE.

3 Eggs

Colossusses

Loads of chard in the garden right now and some of it quite remarkable in size ( Fordhook Giant).
I've put the book there for an indication, but they measure 28 inches in height and the stems are nearly 3 inches across!

Whiskey Galore!

Last weekend we made a little detour to Rye to see friend Paul Bommer's exhibition of prints now on (for another week) at the Lion Street Store. And I bought this beautiful new edition of Compton Mackenzie's 'Whiskey Galore' with cover by Paul.

Choices, choices...

... a bit like the ballot paper.
(Photo taken down in Selbourne area - Gilbert White's neck of the woods)

Pole Beans

Yesterday I got my bean poles up. That always feels like a major achievement to me. Suddenly the garden starts to have some structure, some backbone (back-bohnen?).
Anyway, they will lend support to this year's crop.

Crannies

This time of year as I'm sowing seed and potting on, I get all my 'Rootrainers' out of storage and cleaned up. And not only are they great for propagating but they seem to make a fine winter hidey-hole for all sorts of beasts. One must be very careful not to put one's sweet young seedlings into a tray that is harbouring a fat slug (see bottom left).