Last week we managed to get out and about a bit more.
We went to the allotment on three afternoons. The first time was to move another pile of manure. If we leave it, it tends to spill onto the roadway that runs around the site and also means that when another load arrives, there is nowhere to offload it. Another load did arrive on Sunday, so that also needed moving. At the moment, we are having loads delivered whenever they are available and no one else wants any.
Our second visit was to dig our first leeks and a second lot of parsnips. The parsnips were mainly a disaster as although we dug some large roots, most were riddled with canker.
I had a long chat with ChatGPT and its conclusion was that the cause was our really dry summer followed by a very wet November. In summer the ground was cracked and parched and now it is saturated and muddy.
 It came up with some advice as to how to ameliorate the problem next year, although knowing our weather next year will probably be the exact opposite.
From what we learned, we decided that the longer the remaining roots stayed in the muddy ground the more likely it was that we would lose more roots if not all to canker so we decided to lift the rest and store them in the garage which seems to work for carrots.
We didn’t expect to harvest any disease free roots but we were pleasantly surprised.
Most were fine and have now been bagged and popped in the garage.
The leeks hadn’t bulked up despite our efforts with the watering can.
They also have brown streaks which in previous years I thought was allium leaf miner damage but according to ChatGPT it is more likely to be thrips or grit in the soil rubbing the leek as it grows.
Whilst Martyn was moving manure, I cut back some of our buddleia bushes.
For several weeks now we have intended to have an afternoon at Calke Abbey – pronounced Cork – but the weather has conspired against us. Last week we actually made it and Ruby gained the sixth stamp on her passport and was given a pack of treats.
Ruby often is given a treat by the staff when we visit National Trust properties and now expects it and automatically goes into cute little dog mode when we are presenting our cards. She has this down to a fine art and it usually produces the desired result
For a change there was a beautiful blue sky for most of the afternoon.
Martyn updated his phone so I used it to test the camera. It has a better zoom which I tried out.
It did a reasonable job of picking out the building below. Can you spot it in the previous photo?
Towards the end of our walk, as we headed back towards the house we heard what sounded like a very loud cow with stomach aches.
As we neared the sound, we saw that the sound wasn’t a cow but a large red deer stag bellowing as he strutted about checking in his hinds.
Just to end today’s post. I don’t know about where you live but it seems that whenever we are out we are thwarted by temporary traffic lights which popped up all over our area. Often they are guarding a large hole in the road with no signs of any activity but last week when we were heading to the allotments we were confronted by these.
I’m not sure where the four ways were and during one trip, the only cars around were us and another car at the other side of the traffic lights. We were both stopped and both could have driven through without a problem. The only obstruction was the traffic lights!
Moan over, that’s all for this week so as always, until next time, stay well, stay safe, stay warm and stay dry.
Oh, don’t mention road repairs and temporary traffic lights, it seems you can’t move for them these days (quite literally haha), and I wouldn’t mind if the roads actually got fixed but, as you say, there’s never anyone around and the roads are all in a terrible state. Rant over. We enjoyed Calke Abbey when we visited. Dogs aren’t daft, are they, they soon learn what earns them a treat!
Rany away, Jo. Ruby is also good at assessing a likely spot for a game