Remember when it used to rain?

I have become somewhat of a compulsive weather forecast checker over the past few days. You see, we’ve had no rain in about a month. Or at least, that’s what it feels like. I can’t actually remember when the last time some H20 fell from the sky, but then, I can’t really remember any further back than about 2 weeks ago.

I know I’ve been absent, but to be honest, all I’ve been doing in a Smallest Smallholding-type way is watering plants and forgetting to repot my peppers and chillis. Everything is pretty much getting on and growing quite happily.

I went away for 4 days to Cork in Ireland (with other crazy Harry Potter-obsessed friends and some lovely Americans, who all made for one EPIC weekend of fun and frolics – see pic below, click to enlarge!).

And when I came back, my onions seemed to have grown about half a foot taller, my squash plants had exploded and the beans had scrambled further up their bean poles, and flowered. It felt like I’d been away for weeks, rather than days. A couple of days ago I started digging for gold, AKA digging up my charlotte potatoes. My yield is definitely lower this year, probably in part to the DISTINCT LACK OF RAIN.

Yes, it’s getting to me a bit. I feel more than ready for it to just chuck it down. And when it does (because, let’s face it, at some point it just has to), I’ll more than likely be standing out there, sucking it all up (not literally) like the crazy vegetable-growing vegetarian weirdo harry potter obsessed cat lady that I am. I just feel like it *needs* to happen soon, or I’m going to start getting twitchy. It’s a strange, compelling feeling. Maybe I need to do a rain dance with some bamboo canes.

And whilst you let that image ping about in your brain for a while, I will digress. Last weekend I ate my first ever homegrown raspberry from my Polka raspberry plants. Good grief. Talk about fresh and zingy! I cannot wait for the first proper crop. My plan is to grab some meringues, crush them, add some ice cream, and tip a few raspberries on top. As pretty as they are, I’m not bothered about presentation. It’s all about taste. Pure unadulterated, non-supermarket fare.

Saying that, I may hold back on the ice cream somewhat. I’m in the middle of a healthy eating kick that’s coinciding with my running. Before I went to Ireland, we managed to run for 20 minutes non-stop. For a beginner, that was a big deal. That gives me hope. After a brief 1 week hiatus, I’m back on the training programme and feeling optimistic that 2010 really will be the year that I got a grip and sorted myself out. Seems to be working so far; I no longer have a vampirish (topical!) pallor, my clothes are actually starting to sag in all the right places (meaning I’m toning up, but unfortunately this means extra expense in replacing them for smaller – yes! smaller! – sizes) and I’m no longer walking around with the weight of the world on my shoulders. It’s a strange feeling.

Anyway, best sign off. I have a weather forecast to check. Rain, anyone?

Weight: 10 stones 12

Edit: Have checked forecast. Rain due tomorrow, apparently. HURRAH!

Comments

  1. We need some soon, where’s the typical British summer gone? So many extra hours of watering when I could be doing something else!

  2. Shhh….don’t look now, it’s raining here in Oxfordshire, just a little bit…and I’m thrilled…but on the horizon is a clear sky and it’s brightening up!!

    Isn’t it weird a few years ago I would have completely the reverse about this weather. Please get out your canes and do your little dance for the rain we so badly need.

    My chickens are literally falling down chasms in the ground the cracks are that wide!!

    Sue xx

  3. There was a little rain, just for a second, here in Bedford, but it’s out with the watering cans again I think….

  4. plenty of rain in cork now!!swap?

  5. It’s not rained round my way – the kind of rain that’s worth having, ie that will soak down more than 1cm in the soil – since the end of March.

    THE END OF MARCH!!

    By any measure, that’s a serious drought. Worst one I’ve ever seen. I’ve had a whole early potato crop fail – no potatoes underneath the (tiny) haulms. Extraordinary.

    Well done on the running. VERY impressed. KEEP IT UP!!

  6. MY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABYYYYYYYYY!!!!