Categories: uncategorized
Date: 26 June 2004 18:48:40
...but don't worry, the gardening continues. I've just found out who wrote the Elements Song, and have found it animated on the web. Brilliant! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, follow the link left.
So, back to the garden... Well, it's been a bit wet in recent days, but as that has followed three or four completely rain-free weeks it's probably a good thing for the garden. At least I don't have to worry about having to water, or using precious tap water to do so. I am now contemplating some sort of water-butt system, as I have all known receptacles of a reasonable size outside collecting water (including the wheelbarrow, but that was accidental - still, it holds lots of water) and they're all full. At least if we had a couple of plastic dustbins I'd be able to emptythe buckets etc into them. I want to try a siphon system, so that the water gets from where most of it is (the house) to where most of the veg is growing (the far end of the garden).
We have also harvested our first potatoes :-D! They are Red Duke of Yorks, and when they say red, they mean it. The smaller ones look like radishes. They taste fantastic, quite buttery, and we are looking forward to the rest of them. The strawberries are also coming along though they are still green at this stage - I strawed them yesterday (well, I say strawed, it was more like papered as I've used shredded junk mail etc - it's free).
I have also taken up a new form of exercise: skating. Not the ice kind, which I have enjoyed at irregular intervals since my teenage years, because that is expensive and a long way away. So I thought, what is like ice skating, and could possibly transport me from the station to work, whilst being light enough to carry if necessary? The answer is of course in-line skates. I've never tried these before; they are great fun, but there are a few subtle differences between in-line skating and ice skating: 1. Ice rinks are flat; 2. Ice rinks have a hand rail all around the outside; and 3. Ice skates have brakes on both skates, at the front. Still, I'm sure with practice I'll get better. I have to find somewhere to practise though, as currently I'm confined to the only flat piece of pavement I can find in Royston, which is less than a hundred metres long and next to where all the teenagers hang out (I'm sure you can imagine the embarrassment as they whizz past on their skateboards). It has also occured to me that I am unsure as to which of the following is more environmentally unfriendly: my small share of the diesel to run the bus that I usually take from the station to work plus the impact of that on the ozone layer, or the importation of ingredients, especially flour, and the electricity required to make the extra slice(s) of toast I will require for breakfast if I am to skate. Hmmm.