Last week started in much the same way as previous weeks. We went to the allotment and cleared and tidied up more beds.
It was bitterly cold and so we needed to do something energetic and digging certainly fitted the bill.
With even colder weather forecasted, Martyn decided that he had better increase protection for the dahlia tubers in the plot greenhouse and so they were covered with a huge pile of hessian sacks and enviromesh.
This was a good decision as by the end of the week things certainly took a turn for the worse. The temperatures dropped and we actually had snow! We don't usually get snow in November so it was a bit of a shock to the system.
It looks as though this may have put paid to anymore work on the allotment, that involves digging, as the melted snow is likely to have made our soil unworkable. On the positive side the frosts should help break down the clumpy soils that are a feature of some of the beds.
We managed some walks with Ruby before the snow came. All three of us wrapped up in warm coats and managed a shortened visit to Nostell.
Ruby then had to content herself with gazing out of the window, which I don't think impressed her very much.
At least it was warm and cosy inside, the poor birds had it much tougher. The bird feeders were very busy.
I'm afraid the photos that I managed to take are of rather poor quality. The light was poor and I was shooting through our leaded windows. The birds didn't tend to stay still for long either, and who can blame them?
On Monday we brought a few leeks home from the allotment. I found a tiny bug in one of the leeks and some on the leeks have brown streaks on the white shafts which I hope isn't a sign that the allium leaf miner has made it to our area. I have looked up information and I don't think this is the case. Fingers crossed. Soon we will be at the stage where everything that we grow will need to be covered!
Some of the leeks along with homegrown carrots and parsley were added to turkey when I made a pasta bake. More leeks, along with some of our pink banana squash, small potatoes and parsley were used in a chicken and vegetable casserole. It was based on this recipe but I used apple juice instead of cider. The photo makes it look very oily but it wasn't. More pink banana squash, onion and green beans from the freezer went into a Thai curry. Some coriander that I had frozen also was used in this meal. Here's hoping that the snow doesn't hang around. Keep safe, well and, if you have freezing cold conditions, keep warm. With power outages in some parts of the UK we are lucky that we still have heating, lighting and can cook a warm meal.
This week I am once again joining in with Dave’s Harvest Monday collection of posts over at Our Happy Acres 
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Wow! We don't have snow in November and that is strange for us. The turkey pasta bake sounds yummy. I love leeks, but don't have much luck growing them.
ReplyDeleteThe weather god's satnav had gone awry and sent your snow in our direction, Bonnie
DeleteWe hardly ever have snow, even when the rest of the UK is blanketed. We had plenty of hail, though, and got properly clobbered with Storm Arwen.
ReplyDeleteWe shouldn't have snow now Deborah. Arwen wasn't any worse than normal gusty winds here.
DeleteBeautiful photos of palms under the snow and birds. I love goldfinches, cuddly birds. Yes, it snowed early, Sue. We also had thin snow, but the temperature dropped to -7C. It's cold for November. Hope your dahlias won't get hurt.
ReplyDeleteThe goldfinches descend in flocks to the feeders, Nadeezda - they queue up in the trees.
DeleteLovely photos of the snow and birds.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue
DeleteYou are better than I for getting out and digging in the cold!
ReplyDeleteIt's all come to a stop for now, Dave
DeleteOh some great photos of your feathered visitors on a snowy day here Sue! Snow here on Sunday which is unusual for us. It came on the back of storm Arwen which bought the worst gale which we have seen for years. I hope that your garden and the plot escaped any damage. Ruby looks rather pensive 😂
ReplyDeleteArwen wasn't anything special here. It was windy but we have had worse. In fact the winds were stronger after Arwen had left the scene.
DeleteGoodness, snow! It has turned bitterly cold here too. I do feel for all those who have been cut off for a week.xxx
ReplyDeleteI feel for them too, Dina. I guess it's going to be something we all will need to get used to with the worsening problem over fuel! I couldn't believe that we were having snow in November.
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