Alan Williams's Blog, page 55
July 6, 2016
Swimming With Dogs (Redux)
Off to the beach this afternoon, to take the dogs for their first summer swim. Water was quite warm (for the time of year), but not so that we could stay in for very long. Still we had a good play, and came home again feeling refreshed but tired.
The video below, is from the last time we went.
July 5, 2016
Quick Links 5th July 2016
Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.
Today is exactly 8 years since I signed the first contract on my allotment – here’s to many more.
Currently Reading:
July 4, 2016
Allotment Update 2nd July 2016
I spent a bit of time on Saturday morning recording the above update from the allotment. I achieved most of the tasks I wanted to, but primarily I wanted to dig my early potatoes. Although I didn’t weigh them, I’d estimate around about 15 to 20 kilos of spuds (including what I’ve already harvested), which is a good harvest and should keep us going for a while. The second earlies and main crop aren’t due to be ready until the last week of August, but I’ll keep and eye on them and in particula...
June 30, 2016
Second Quarter Review 2016
Each year for the past few years I’ve been doing a year end review; books I’ve read, films/tv programmes I’ve watched and other things related to work and the allotment. You can read the end of 2015 here, if you’re interested.
This year I’m trying something a little different, and am splitting my year into quarters and trying to do a review at the end of the quarter. It helps me remember stuff more easily, and is more up to the minute than waiting to until December and trying to do the whole...
June 29, 2016
Potting Shed Update (28th June 2016)
I shot this quick video yesterday in the potting shed. I’d been meaning to do an update on the tomatoes and peppers a while ago, when things were looking a little better than they do now. Things started off well, but the slugs have ravaged the peppers, completely destroying the Lipstick Peppers that were in the first trough, and I can see they’ve been nibbling else where too. So far there is very little in the way of peppers, and also the tomatoes, which also started off well, have stalled a...
June 28, 2016
Quick Links 28th June 2016
Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.
The Week In Wildlife – In Pictures
I’m a little bit lost for words over the brexit vote at the moment, although you’d be hard pushed to escape the news about it and the speculation about what ha...
June 26, 2016
Fruits of Summer
It’s that time of the year when the soft fruit is ripening, and there’s an almost daily supply of fresh loganberries (a cross between a raspberry & a blackberry) and gooseberries, it’s one of my favourite times on the allotment. Last night I made loganberry ice cream, and tonight I’ll be making gooseberry ice cream. Tomorrow, there will probably be more to make something else with.
This week has been extremely unpredictable weather-wise. It’s been hot and sunny one moment, and then we’ve had...
June 21, 2016
Quick Links 21st June 2016
Each week I’ll try and post quick links to things that I’ve seen, read, inspired me or just sparked my interest in the previous week, with a little background and my thoughts and other things that I’ve been up to in the previous week. Mostly gardening, cooking and environmental stuff but not always.
Ace & The Desert Dog
National Geographic story about the above video here.
It tickles me slightly that the new Independence Day movie goes on general release in the UK on the same day as the EU...
June 20, 2016
Allotment Update 18th June 2016
I had a really productive weekend on the allotment. I’d been itching to get down to the plot all week, so was pleased when Saturday came around. It’s odd, that as I work for myself, I shouldn’t feel guilty about going to the plot during the week, assuming that my “paid” work is up to date and I’m not letting a client down by being there, but I guess some habits are hard to shake and being on the plot Monday to Friday still feels a little weird. Maybe if I did it a little more frequently it wo...
June 15, 2016
Planning a Mini-Adventure
Work has been quiet this week, so I thought I’d take myself and the dogs off on a little trip perhaps tomorrow or Friday.
A few weeks ago we walked a very short bit of the Titchfield Canal, but looking at the map there’s an approx 4km round trip we can do. So the plan is, that if the weather stays reasonable, i.e. not too wet or too hot; we’re going to give that route a go. It looks to be fairly flat and not too taxing, so should be a good trip. Something different.
