And rather uninspired by the garden.
It is the end of things... It's cold out there. No frost, but distinctly chilly and damp. Not welcoming.
When I do go out it is usually to pick caterpillars off the romanesco broccoli that Dude insisted we plant. They start out as TINY seeds, and in one season look what happens! Hope we actually get something to eat from all that!
And yet, things are still happening. Our tomato plant has been great this year! Amazing, really. I grew it against a south-facing wall, so I guess it soaked up a lot of warmth that way. Which is good, since my attempt to give it a plastic version of a green-house did. not. work. Rather TOO windy. Oh well. It still managed to produce loads of tomatoes, which are ripening mostly outside, and then being brought in to sit in a brown paper bag with a friendly banana to finish ripening.
The chili pepper, which you can see next to the tomato plant in the grow-bag came up trumps too! Came back from holiday and it had 2 red ones and 10 green ones on it! After a sample Garden Boy decided that they were too hot to eat as they were, and so he pickled them... and after a month he has a verdict - very good! He is now planning to pickle chilis from the supermarket since his home-brew is just like the ones he can get 'back home' in Oklahoma... he's a happy boy now.
We have had two of our three apples. The Redsleeves was picked at the right time and was just right. Crunchy, sweet and appley. Not really enough tang for my taste, but a lovely texture and a good apple.
The Saturn got blown off or something. Anyway, it was on the ground and still too small. Which is a shame. A pretty little thing, but definitely not ripe.
The Crispin is still on the tree and is due off at the end of October.
I think it is quite interesting and surprising that I chose them because they all flowered at the same time, and so could cross-pollinate each other... and yet Redsleeves ripens end of August, Saturn end of September and Crispin end of October. I am quite pleased with this staggering since we won't be swamped with apples all at once, but it was certainly luck not planning!
We have been feeding the birds again, and you know what? I think they missed us. Or the food. Cupboard love... But look, here's a picture I took the other day (should have turned the flash off first - apologies!). I count around TWENTY goldfinches! That's excessive from anyone's point of view...
