To Me My Hoe... Together we will move the Earth.

 Best garden tool ever, It's work has been piling up. Now the onions are out  I am feeding the ground with half rotten grass and straw mulch mixed with well rotted and composted horse and donkey manure. Over a season the action of gravity, the venturi effect of sub terranian water combined with atmospheric pressure as well as the mineral consumed by plants, causes the ground to slump.Over time a naked hill can become flat, eventually the surface may become concave. The collapse squeezes out the air ,the ground in turn becomes like lifeless concrete, vulnerable to surface erosion when the deluge of rain or snowmelt will strip the soil of the fines. Not good. The viable growing surface is washed down into ditches pouring like chocolate sauce, wasted fertility . Many examples in this region, some parts of Brittany it is said are losing as much as 50 mm. a year.  Commercial interests take precedent over a caring cultivating conciergerie it would seem.
My principle is to reverse the "spillage".  Salvaging what mineral is left after over two centuries of cultivated service to Man's needs. The work has given me renewed life, no shortages of pollinators, several species of lizards and salamander. Toads, renet in the bushes, grass snakes and slow worms, there is a chance that the garden has vipers . Some rodents  and moles. Visits from squirrels and many species of birds.  Hawks and owls oversee our little patch. Occassionally we see partridges or pheasants struggling to escape our sunken pathways. I don't trouble them, as they are more intent on escape than on feeding. Rabbits haven't been a trouble. Composted straw enriched with rabbit droppings from Marie Therese's animals may be acting as a deterent against wild rabbits.  The wild rabbits can sense the occupied territory of a strong "clan" by the smell.The wild ones keep their distance, safer to glean the open fields.   Just a theory? Try it and see. This area is host to thousands of wild rabbits; they don't come in my garden.
 For all the many creatures the field is accommodating without detriment to our vegetable crop. This years results so far are stunning.
 A fat row of white climbing beans will be planted along the centre of the bed. Support sticks clipped from the hazeltrees are in plentiful supply. The job needs doing anyway, the plant can then direct energy towards it's crop of nuts. I will sow cabbage seed in the gully by the time the beans are up the seedling brassicas will be ready for transplanting. They will occupy ground vacated by coco beans. You'll see.

 Not quite tidy, I'll rake it smooth tomorrow.  I gave it a good soaking, little water has been put in the bed in the last weeks of the ripening onions.  It had become bone dry.  It will get another good soaking once it is covered by grass or straw mulch.

Global Warming Flees Alaska

Django Reinhardt NYC Festival 2004 Sweet Georgia Brown

Some music to cheer you up after reading some of the sad stuff

Django Reinhardt New York City Festival - Dark Eyes

I can't help myself... The urge to share a little of the pleasure is too great.

 White climbing beans filling up fast...

A new flower opens, taller than the first...

I'm loving the form...

Second pumpkin more on the way...

My raised beds elevate the exsisting earth to a former state of grace... why plant a row of boxes with imported soil . Leaves your garden looking like a graveyard, or with bought in bins reminiscent of garbage cans. Here the ground rises to meet us. Gradually developing a beautiful personality of it's own. We encourage it... It works better in a not for commercial profit context, Long term mutual benefit assured, looks prettier too...

Iz being has beans...

Nietzsche on how to spot Hypocrites - Jordan Peterson

To my darling daughter Emma Grace...

Having heard reportage of your doings some years ago, following your disasterous aggressive visit to my temporary home in Ireland. I have had good reason to stick two fingers up at you for your unprincipled misrepresentation of the incident. I hear you claim I broke your fingers... Powerful stuff daughter.  One wonders then... Who the devil broke mine?  Believe it or not Ten percent of people inherit such phenomena. How rare is anyones' genotype. every person may look similar but we all harbour peculiarities specific to our personal lineage.
Some folk regard such pecularities as some kind of sign that denotes special powers or make the host demand special attention. I don't. Your Crooked little fingers Emma is a natural occurence.   Did you get plenty of sympathy for your tale? Claiming that I bruised your leg, is far from true,I merely turned you around whilst you were in the process of kicking crap out of my front door,you were standing on one leg, the momentum of your kick just made you fall over, a victim of your own foolishness. Besides the rudeness you displayed  In front of me. I understand you attended a small party locally. While you were there I hear you spent some time diseminating rumours and slander that I allegedly had sexually abused my son when he was a child. . He was adult by then staying with his Dad, Me.  No one thought to ask him.  It is a complete lie.  Your uncivil and lawless behaviour caused Anne-Sophie, Toby and I to get illegally evicted by a small mob of party goers "Just in case the story was true".. Your Mother cheered you on, you little "Flying Monkey".
I know someone in Portugal is reading my stuff regularly.  If it's not all you then the secrets will fast ooze out into the social network. Not intended to harm or hurt, but recall many years ago I told you that if you refuse to be contrite and voluntarily change your habit the only weapon in my own defence is your inevitable embarassment by public exposure.

 A perfect matching pair... Part of our genetic heritage. Like it or lump it.

So there you are my lovely daughter, I only have one , I am a parent for life Emma. Your mother  could divorce me, you can't. I act within my personal duty of care till I see an improvement. Not just a duty to you Emma, nor your family, nor to my self indulgent person, but the world at large needs to be warned of what may transpire once blinded by love to the order and happiness of their lives. You may analyse for yourself by your own research, or trust that my volunteered postings are relevant. I don't lie. The  Threesome coven in Abercrave harbours the narcissistic entity without care of consequence even now.

The minor details here are just the tip of the iceberg. Exposure of complicity in the letter from your beloved mother, dated 19 October 2010 will be forthcoming, you may sense my reluctance to post the sordid content.  It is dirty shameful stuff alright. I am gradually working up to it. The delay gives you a window of opportunity to put some of the damage, to rights.  That is your sole moral responsibility. 

You may contact me any time, by phone, via email by hand written letter in comment on my blog or, as I would prefer in person. Bring a trusted friend if you are feeling nervous about "handling (it) yourself"...  I'll get back to you. I hope you are keeping well. Distant Love, my daughter . Dad.                                                                                   

First crop of beans , a handfull for our dinner the rest in the freezer. Many more kilos to come...

28/07/2020

Good Morning...

Last of the large greengage plums. Another batch of mixed fruit jam This combination has a sparkling flavour.. Weights and measures? Never heard of them. By visible volume...easily sussed. We have given a load of plums away to friends. They ought to carry a warning. Every ston from a  mature plum that hits the ground whether dropped by Jays or Crows or just carelessly tossed outside, is potentially a nsw tree. Much work ahead grubbing up a score of self sown maiden trees.  Runners from the roots will produce new true to type fruiting stock also.  Root pruning the mother trees  (we have three) is essential. Some of the little trees will be potted on and used to exchange at the "Troc Plante".

  The green has turned to straw. Stringing and trimming next.

 The Mirabelles are turning to gold. Time to fill our buckets folk..

Updating the one eyed camera view of history. Our up to date is on the plate with both eyes focussed on the present. A stereoscopic perspective. You would have to be here to see it...

 A small batch of mixed fruit jam, it'll get labelled dated then stashed away in the dark. Tasting the pectin test caused the hair on my neck to rise with the pleasure...

 The onions are out, preparing for the next tenants. Small tomato plants recently grown from cutting now occupy the stick support, formerly home to peas. After the application of a bit of muck and muscle, cabbage, white climbing beans, Kohl Rabi and a row of parsley.

  Still sticking with it...

 A tangle of purple stick beans; A good cropper, young edible pods freeze well. the mature seed is a welcome addition to our big lump stew or soup.

  "Aren't you tall?"

  Not quite ready...

 Nectarines.  It'll be a while yet, I can wait...

  That Chard is fast growing stuff, we will be cropping it well into winter.

 Fattening figs, they have the rest of the summer to mature and ripen,No hurry, no worry...

 19 presoaked beans, white climbers, a gift from Marie-Noel. Merci...

It's not all good news... A hard gust of wind flattened the hollyhocks., they aren't dead, there is plenty of growth at the base. No more flowers for now. Lesson learned, next season I will give them some support.

Rod Stewart - Reason To Believe

Home life... It keeps us off the streets.

 A stash of illicit scrumpings, The kids got carried away, The premature harvest will be turned into compot...

 New plants from old stock. Rooted runners await transplanting...

  Just chilling... Haricots jaunes and beetroot.

 Mixed fruit, midsummer jam.

Worth waiting for...

10 Signs of a Daughter with High Trait Narcissism

This isn't my last dance with my hoe...

  I have just put a new handle on the head. It is nearly as tall as me. Should take a lot of backstrain out of the work.

My beautiful hoe...

To Emma Grace and friends, Lisbon ,Portugal...

If it's good for you  then it must be good for them... Right Emma?   A second opinion and discussion with a trusted companion might be worthwhile. My next post will be from Dr. Grande's site. It might take a bit of deep soul searching to get the point. Admitting to ones self that one may know little or nothing of a subject, is always a good start to positive learning. For progress to be manifest towards all good , for all time.  Change must come from within. Not my department daughter.   Without change there may be no progress. It is time for you to do some sober headwork in respect of much regrettably ignored details.
I have not stood in the way of your careering, you may analyse for  yourself, the rights and wrongs of your own past actions. Harbouring imaginative lies to cover as an excuse for our own bad behaviour is not practical. Generating hatred within yourself to make the lies feel more realistic, and to add realism to the tales one may tell those close to us to garner sympathy or cultivate useful energetic  narcissistic supply, never good.  Hatred is never a good thing targetted at people. I reserve my grossest dislikes against things. Stuff I may legitimately change for the better  or legitimately ignore without harmful consequence.  If the moral compass you have chosen to use for most of your life keeps leading to repeats of regrettable incidents, breakdowns in relationships,friendships  it indicates that you are sailing on the ship of Doom. The ship will eventually sink into the sea of your secrecy without trace, without opportunity of rescue.  My moral compass has kept me on track  with my all time vision of the best familial option. The Choiceless one. Granted, the patch of mud we cultivate here may not be enough for hoards of hungry visitors. We are not farmers. nor resturaunteurs, our home garden does not provide any commercially influenced hospitality. Ours is strickly friendly and familial. Domestic life support is all.
Circumstance and incidents in childhood,of which I mean poorly disciplined or deliberately bad behaviours, may well be forgiveable. One never forgets.  Attitudes may still prevail in adult life. They being the devils that needs be addressed. Big dirty lies about your father for instance constructed in your majority, need to be put right.
Big dirty lies Emma are just things I may legitimately hate, I am not sure if that is what I do. I think you would agree it is understandable that I may be hyper critical of what you have done. I've been discretely quiet about  the subject for too long perhaps, waiting in hope that an honest and voluntarily contrite voice might emerge from your domain. So far, no luck. Your choice.
Alienated parents seeks justice from his family Emma Grace.  Get a new compass daughter.  Mine leads me to a wholesome dignified permanent home life.Economic, consistent and morally supportive.  My door is not closed to you, you just haven't found the path that leads in this direction, by accident, design or default is none of my willful doing.  Check your compass, learn to navigate more effectively.
 You can mull over my carefully chosen words. They are not meant to be ambiguous,nor intended to inspire hatred. A more positive understanding would be closer to my goal. The establishment of a higher ethical standard needs the ground clearing of unfounded rumours and deceits. The trail of trash you have left behind you is still your responsibility to clean up.
While the world awaits the marvelous results from your personal efforts, Zoom around the images of seasonally improving permaculture home garden.

 Good bread, baked in a wood fired oven, delivered personally by Marc the Baker even through the lockdown.Great taste, fantastic service. A high quality product at a democratic price.

  Preparation for the Mirabelle harvest.Anne-Sophie picked a few kilos to give to a friend today, You wouldn't notice they were missing. The dainty little plums freeze well, good in cake. or eaten as a desert fresh off thr tree or in fruit salad. Add  some to your breakfast cereal ...

  I pulled the pumpkin in a better direction, it was blockin the light to the leeks. A small but perfect pumpkin may now be seen peeping from under the leaves...

  The top row is cauliflowers, the brocolli is centre, they are strawberry plants in the foreground? The sprouts tower over all as if supervising the brassica department.. They are doing a great job.

 Purple stickbeans, have just started climbing the silver birch tree, I am happy with that, We  are grateful for the support.

  The Kale looks just as good from above as it does from the side.

 One eyed photo image may seem a little confusing to some,it meks good logical sense to me. You would have to be here to truly get the point.

Pain free, thornless Blackberries a welcomed sight outside our door. More cuttings will be propogated from this for the "Troc Plante" the gardeners' exchange. Joy to the world...

Jimmy Cliff - I Can See Clearly Now (Official Video)

Iz garden likings...

Onions Iz Good...

Mirabelles.... These are the days sweet Abundance. Almost ready...

I just love the colours...

Strawberries promised for glorious weeks ahead...

 Second patch of Haricots Jaune just maturing. The first patch is nearly spent.

 Japanese onion,it's been growing for a year, I reckon it's up to something. There are a few little friends in the background but this one is bigger than a man's fist. The parsley looks ready for transplanting.

 Kale and corriander flowers.

 Mint Flowers.

 North facing, more soothing to the eyes...

Cool shade, a place to sit and think, enjoy a bit of peace. Inthe shadow, the sand, lime and water for the next phase of construction. The wire leads to a shredder. greenwood cuttings and prunings will turn into compost within a year or so. The larger greenwood sticks will get burned for potash.

Garden Nooz from the Izdom of Iz...

Phew, almost unbearably hot. Slowed me down a bit.  Remembering , steady unhurried nose breathing cools the brain on the intake,expelling the heated breath through the mouth, gentle outward breathing cools the body. Works for me...  I have been harvesting more plums , mostly good for immediate consumption, tomorrow's batch I hope will get bottled, we'll see. The Mirabelles are just starting to fall, this is the season of the plum. The neighbours older trees are breaking with the weight of fruit. The ground around our tree is now covered with a cloth to catch fallen fruit. We will pick as many as possible by hand the difficult to reach ones will be shaken off, A fun day with the assistance of friends and their kids. That should give my strawberries a chance.  I am allowing the runner beans some uninterupted growing time. A lot happens in  a week.. Encouraging the beans to grow to full term , they will go in the freezer. Succulent immature pods will be sliced and frozen as a green vegetable, a favourite of mine. The best full pods will be preserved for seeding next years crop. Stored in dark dry cool conditions the seed will remain viable for several years.Add pepperdust to the storage jars to discourage bean weavel. Never worry about having too much? Even the dry seed stock, if there is too much, may be used in cooking. The older beans can be hard, assist the softening before cooking by steeping overnight in water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
I have just lifted the onions, rather than leaving them on the surface to dry, they are housed in a barrow with the remaining leaf drying in the sun? The vacated ground is now being manured with well rotted horse and donkey  leavings. More brassicas next I think. Winter and spring cabbage? A row of swede perhaps? Seed saved from this seasons broad beans can go in come November. October will see more garlic planted. I have been learning a bit about Japanese onions. Sown from seed. Seed from my experimental patch will I am sure further their good results. Whats next? lifting the schallots I reckon. I will fill the space with a variety of lettuce. That's all for now. Pretty pictures later...

We Are Victims of the Greatest Crime in History

Miles From Nowhere

First crop of plums,..Real sweeties.