15-Jan to 21-Jan 2012

Sun 15-Jan: Chicken coop cleaning time this afternoon, a fortnightly task. Here's the inside after completion. The chickens are elsewhere on the back plot, wandering around looking for tidbits. Not had an egg out of them for some time... maybe get some additonal chickens in the Spring.

Mon 16-Jan: Managed to get out for an amble this afternoon. Never one to do things by half, decided to try a new 10 miles walk from Abbots Ripton to Wood Walton. Starting as late as 14:30 with the sun already past its best meant as I walked the last few miles the colours were bleeding from the landscape, features shrunk to the few yards around me and I found myself in complete darkness walking past deep dense woods full of rooks settling in for the night. At one point I had to use a foot crossing across the great northern line. The sign said beware, trains speeding at 100mph. Stepping inside the gate I looked carefully both ways in the dark. To the south just green and red signals. To the north the same with the addition of one white light. No indication of anything approaching, no sound, no sign the white light was getting bigger. A few seconds later a train hurtled past at top speed. Now I understand why people get killed at these crossings. The walk took 3 hours, arrived home with aching feet. The image is a view north across the fens towards Ramsey and Peterborough.

Tue 17-Jan: A rather brief visit to the allotment at midday... it was flippin' freezing! So just replenished the chickens' water and food and collected the poo for compost. The pond pretty solidly frozen over. But even on the coldest day of the year there are stong signs Spring is on its way... the rhubarb has started sprouting! Can't wait for lots of summer fruit recipes.

Wed 18-Jan: The usual mad hour with the grandsons this afternoon for what's supposed to be the weekly squash session. Always a battle to keep them focused. I'd already got my own back on them blacking me out in the toilet on Fri 25-Nov. Having loudly announced I was just popping to the loo and they should practice their squash shots, I left only the light on round a far corner in the changing room toilet, leaving the approach through the changing room in semi darkness. Sure enough a few seconds later they came creeping in... and just as they got to the corner I jumped out. Didn't see Sammy again for about five minutes! This image is when we got back to Becky's. The pair rushed up to the toilet and locked the door... a sure sign of something afoot. 'What are you doing up there?' ... 'Comparing our muscles'. So I crept up and snapped them through the window above the toilet door. Their reflections in the shiny waste bin apparently made them both look like muscle men.

Thu 19-Jan: At last managed to get the allotment greenhouse cleared out ready for Spring. So out came the tomato and chilli pepper plants that had still been producing before Christmas, in went fresh woodchips and up went the shelves ready for seedlings in a few weeks. Hmmm... that roof could do with a clean. And the shed looks like a tip. Never mind.... it's going to be a good year!

Fri 20-Jan: What a miserable day! Grey, grey, grey and rained throughout. Managed to pop out to The Dolphin to meet Becky & Beth for lunch and do a bit of shopping before the rain really pelted down in the afternoon. Peered out the study window when the rain was at its heaviest and noticed the abutilon had another flower. The plantpots on each side are peas, just planted.

Sat 21-Jan: Seems almost every visit to the allotment reveals another sign of the forthcoming Spring. This afternoon big excitement... the peas I planted in late November, slightly later than I should have done and thus causing me to wonder if they would ever grow, have popped their heads up! First time I've tried planting that time of year. Result! And if you're wondering what the creeping mass of greenery is in the background, it's the sweetpeas I planted in September. First time I've tried that as well... usually struggle to grow them overwinter in toilet roll holders, but this time they're creeping all over the place. Another result!