May 2026 Video Diary
09 May 2026
Did our potatoes survive the cold nights?
We had a couple of cold nights this week with temperatures falling to almost 0 °C. This usually results in our potatoes getting frosted down at the allotment. We have covered our early potatoes with environmesh this year, hoping to give them a bit of protection. We decided on a morning visit to check on our potatoes. It would also give us a chance to see if the flowers on our strawberries had been blackened by the cold nights.
10 May 2026
How many cygnets are there this year?
The cygnets have hatched, but it is very difficult to be sure of exactly how many there are.
11 May 2026
A Sunday afternoon at the allotment
A busy afternoon at the allotment, earthing up early potatoes, planting more brassicas and covering our strawberry plants.
16 May 2026
Nostell Priory National Police Dog Trials
A search of the Internet gave this information about PD Lightning.
PD Lightning is a general-purpose police dog with West Midlands Police and works with handler PC Lisa Phillips. The pair have represented the force in the National Police Dog Trials, including the current event at Nostell Priory and also the 2025 national trials hosted by West Midlands Police. From photographs released by the force, Lightning appears to be a Belgian Malinois, a breed widely used by UK police forces because they are:
- extremely fast and agile
- highly trainable
- excellent at tracking and suspect detention
- suited to long operational shifts
General-purpose police dogs like Lightning are typically trained in:
- tracking suspects
- searching buildings and open land
- locating missing people
- criminal apprehension
- officer protection
West Midlands Police say their dog teams attend more than 1,000 incidents each month across the region.
17 May 2026
Cygnets are out & about – there are eight this year
On last week’s visit, the swans were still on the nest, and it was difficult to know how many cygnets there were. This week, the cygnets were out and about. Will they all manage to survive.
20 May 2026
Did Ruby make it out of the car? This week’s visit to Temple Newsam
Monday morning was showery, but none of them was particularly heavy, so we decided on an afternoon visit to Temple Newsam. Ruby can have a good walk and a game of chase the ball. However, as we approached Temple Newsam, the skies darkened, and the rain began to pour down.
27 May 2026
How’s our potato crop performing? 11 different varieties
A look at our potato crop towards the end of May. Luckily, they all survived the late frosts.
31 May 2026
A look around our plot at the end of May 2026
A look around our plot as the main growing season gets underway.