Post Olympic blues

I'm having withdrawal symptoms! I'm missing the buzz of Team GB. I want to be watching the tense tactics of the cycling, hear the roar in the Olympic stadium, watch the horses dancing, marvel at the gymnastics and see all the Union Jacks waving. I'm afraid I've been engrossed by the Olympics which explains my lack of blogging, instead I've been watching Mo, Usain, Jess, Chris, Victoria, Louis, Beth and many more of our Olympic heroes. I knew that I'd be watching lots but never imagined that it would be the success it has been, not only in sporting terms but in making people smile and talk to each other. 

Huddersfield had one gold medal winner, Ed Clancy the cyclist so we are proud owners of a gold post box!

Disappointingly I didn't get any tickets for any of the events in London but I did go to watch some football at Old Trafford which was fun. I was also down in London for the closing ceremony gig at Hyde Park, New Order, The Specials and Blur's last ever gig (so they say) which was amazing. Back to reality with two very busy weeks at work 

But things are moving on, I can't believe its nearly the end of August. Walking up to the allotment last night I went past a mass of blackberry bushes which are producing ripe berries already.

I spent a lovely evening there, making me realise that I need to make the most of any nice evenings. So how are things going up at t'plot? Well its definitely more positive now, some crops have been disastrous this year, roots have been a no no. Slugs ate all my celeriac, no beetroot germinated, a few radishes have survived. Peas have not been great, broad beans were nibbled to death by birds. Even onions have not been too great, well apart from the autumn planted ones. But some things are thriving, everything is behind but hopefully on their way now. 

Other berries that I'm feasting on at the moment are the alpine strawberries, they form a hedge along my fruit bed and have been flowering and fruiting since April. When I get to my plot I have a session of picking the tiny fruit some which I save for on my breakfast cereal in the morning!

Best picked when they are really dark and fully ripe. Small but intensely sweet.

My sweetcorn is looking great this year, I sowed two batches and one is a bit behind the other and just starting to flower now, the other hopefully are ripening behind the wrapped leaves.

I love sweetcorn so I've got my fingers crossed for sweet and tasty cobs.

My few fennel that survived the slugs are swelling by the day.

My courgettes are fruiting like mad now, I've grown some round yellow ones this year which are perfect.

I've also grown a variety called 'Trombocino' which has very weird shaped pale green fruit which are just starting to develop. Don't say anything rude.....

My broccoli is growing well now and I'm hopeful that I'll get some crop before the end of the summer. Better late than never.

I've not grown runner beans this year but have some dwarf beans that are starting to develop beans now and I'm growing a purple climbing bean called 'Cosse Violette' which is covered in flowers and has tiny beans just starting to develop. Its very pretty with purple tinged leaves and lovely purple flowers.

I've got lots of flowers on my plot this year, fennel is full bloom and the hoverflies love that.

This is the best sunflower which grew out of reach of the slugs.

Finally one flower that I can't imagine slugs ever trying to eat! Amazing flowers of the globe artichoke. Which the bees just spend hours inside.

The allotment my antidote to post-Olympic blues.....