Wednesday (photo heavy alert)

 Good morning, everyone!  The sun is shining, it feels mild, there's a gentle breeze and those wonderful; autumnal colours are starting to shine through the late-summer green.  I've just been out to take a few garden photos.

Everything is looking somewhat bedraggled now, Autumn tatty old!

However, the tomatoes are still producing mightily, both in the bed (these) and in the pots, where the leaves are definitely turning autumnal.  I've been very lucky - despite numerous blight warnings, it's all been fine (so far), both in garden and at allotment.

The ones in the photo are in the bed.

I had decided to have the mini cucumber out but it's sending out some new growth, amazingly, so let's see what it does.

Yesterday I went early to the allotment.  There were a few folk around but not many and it was mild but not warm, so I was able to set to and comfortably do a couple of hours of work.  Everything takes longer than I expect - you'd think I would have learned by now - but in two hours even I can get a nice chunk done.

First of all I tackled the two little raised beds.  They were covered with weeds but, underneath the weeds were a few small carrots plus five strawberry plants, moved from where they have been all summer - two moved, I mean, the other three are runners.

I then moved on to clearing the weeds around the dwarf French beans which we planted at the beginning of August (thank you, Diane and Sue for your advice), and was able to pick about seven or eight little beans for dinner with promise of loads more to come over the next three weeks or so.

Finally, I dug out all the baby corns which were well and truly over.  That was heavy work as they need to have good, tough roots in order to remain standing!

Aren't the beans doing well?  They tasted wonderful too.

Still a mess but this is where the baby corn stood.  I was ready for a break so didn't finish clearing and digging over - that's first on today's list!  I was glad to get them up and dealt with though.

The front strip looks incredibly messy with tomato plants on the ground and courgettes doing their best to take over their world but, after producing a lot of rotting courgettes, they have now started producing properly again so have earned themselves a respite.  Ditto for the tomatoes with loads ripening and a lot more still green.  Green tomato chutney?  Why not, it's good stuff!

One plum.  Just one late and lonely plum on the whole of the tree.  I suspect the rest of the blossom got caught by a frost earlier in the season.  A shame but, maybe next year?  In the meanwhile, the tree needs a good pruning as it's taking over!

And five strawberry plants!  It's nice to have the babies - that's three I won't have to buy (must get round to this).

Then I did the nice bit - the picking and pulling - and came home with . . .

. . . veg - although the baby corn had to go on the compost heap, it was well over . . .

. . . and fruit.

The pears are now well wrapped and in a box to ripen, a few of the apples are now no more (and very delicious they were too) and some others are now sliced and drying because . . .

. . . although the dehydrator was supposed to arrive today, it came yesterday, which was perfect timing.
I spent what time I had yesterday perusing the book I had also ordered and getting the dehydrator ready for use, wiping over everything and giving it half an hour of heating empty, as the manual ordered.

When I came back from the allotment, it was time to dash off to aquacise class which was great, as always.

When I got home again, I had intended to spend some time in the garage but I had a whole load of fruit and veg to deal with which was more pressing.

Tuition went well.

And then I cooked dinner using loads of stuff I'd just picked - a tomato sauce, courgetti, carrots and dwarf beans (see t'other blog for a photo) and then I crashed out as I was so tired!

This morning, I washed, sliced and towel dried some apples and they are now drying in my new toy!  I'll let you know!

It looks loads more professional than the previous one, more substantial, the warm air goes from back to front which is supposed to be the right way (not down from the top or up from the bottom) and it sits nicely on the range while in use.

We will see!

I have ideas - drying oranges and lemons for festive decorations, drying herbs, chillies, maybe even sunflower seeds (if I get any from the flowers), maybe drying more 'exotic' fruits such as pineapple and mango for gifts . . .

exciting!

Today is another pretty busy day.  I guess it is down to three things all coming together - the allotment needs a lot of attention, ditto the garden and there's the garage to get sorted.  The last is pretty much a one off as, once it's sorted, the shelving is up and everything is properly organised, it should remain nice and tidy with just the occasional sweep and sort out.  The other two are annual things and just have to be done but things will sort out and settle down again in a fortnight or three weeks and then I'm off for a short holiday - perfect timing there.

I've cancelled my chat with Chris (I think she was quite relieved too) and will spend the morning in the garage as Kevin comes tomorrow afternoon to look at what I want him to take.  Then it's an hour of personal training followed by a quick lunch (instant soup!!) before whizzing off to the allotment to meet Beth there.

Finally, I have a couple of tuition sessions to finish off the day.  Phew!

It's very busy and full but extremely satisfying but being busy with such positive things keeps my spirits high and happy!  And I'm burning off the calories!  No complaints.

Take care, everyone, and be safe!