Friday at last - anyone doing anything interesting?

[Matthew1980]

Hey all,

Well, I think it's high time I got my bicycle out and had a ride through the countryside and got some country air in my lungs, that and a nice meal in a pub somewhere that serves real ale ;) I deserve it!

Cheers,
MRb

[wheel]

Friday night, archery lessons with my son. A couple local fellows provide free lessons for both adults and children.

Saturday and Sunday, we're on a course to get our hunting license so we can put those archery lessons to use.

I wish I could get my bike out this weekend. Another 3-4 inches of snow today, so it'll be the trainer for me.

[ectect]

Not very interesting but I'm spending the weekend at the allotment - preparing the ground for planting in March / April.

Often wondered, is there an allotment movement in the US?

[wyweb]

I'm trying to close a deal. Negotiations are kind of wierd and it's not even that much money but I've been phasing out adsense lately and need this thing to go through.

We got 5 inches of snow last night too. I'm no stranger to snow but the older I get, the less I like it.

[wyweb]

is there an allotment movement in the US?

I've never heard that phrase.

[wyweb]

There is guerilla gardening though. Is this similar?

[wheel]

I suspect that allotment gardening is for urban dwellers, where they're alloted a small portion of land to grow stuff on.

In suburbia, we use square foot gardening. I've got an 8X4 foot raised bed garden I do every year with my son. Sit's in the side yard.

That's the other thing I have to do this weekend. Retap the maple tree in the yard so we have maple syrup.

[Matthew1980]

>>There is guerilla gardening though. Is this similar?

Does ye jest?

>>is there an allotment movement

Round by me (Wrexham,North Wales (UK)) there are a few allotments, and there are little collectives that look after them, but personally I haven't the patience for doing that sort of thing.

Well done to anyone that does that though, I may even place an order ;p

Cheers,
MRb

[jmccormac]

I'm currently effecting a regime change. [1] :)

Regards...jmcc
[1] Voting in the National/General Election here in Ireland.

[jecasc]

I am helping a friend move.
Note to self: Next time if someone asks if you already have plans for the weekend - run!

[piatkow]

Tonight driving over to my late mother's house. Tomorrow picking up a hire van and filling it with furniture for my daughter's new flat.

[Matthew1980]

>>Note to self: Next time if someone asks if you already have plans for the weekend - run!

Apply the same logic to the person who comes into the office on a Monday morning to say:-
"Excuse me, this should only take 5 mins", it took me virtually ALL flippin' week. Grr!

Everyone have a great weekend anyway.

Cheers,
MRb

[engine]

Saturday, driving (5 hours there and back) to see an elderly relative and doing various maintenance jobs around their house. It's a tiresome roadtrip, but it's good to see the 90-year old still in reasonable health. Arrive back home and chill out.

Sunday, not in realtime order, off to help prepare a field for allotments we're setting up for the local community, shopping for food for the week (yawn), tidying up the mess in the house we made in the in the previous 7 days (double yawn). Anything else that crops up, then, I might get to sit down for a bit of chilling out on Sunday evening.

Suddenly, it's Monday again.

[wyweb]

Does ye jest?

Often. I usually tell you in advance though, or make it so obvious there's no mistaking it. So you won't take offense.

We have allotment gardening here in Kansas. Saying "collective" brought it into focus. There is a 5 or 6 acre space not far from where I live used for this purpose. Lawrence, Kansas has something going on too, but I can't cite anything or quote anything because I'm just not that familiar with it.

I'm an avid gardener. I've lived in the same house for 10 years and till my entire back yard up in the spring. My gardens are legendary. Everyone eats when I plant. It's a rule. My favorites are tomatoes and peppers, cucumbers. I also do strawberries, although they don't do well in my ground and I have yet to figure out why. I think it's a PH issue but have not confirmed it yet.

[Matthew1980]

>>Often. I usually tell you in advance though, or make it so obvious there's no mistaking it. So you won't take offense.

Sarcasm is a lost art to many people, so I am please as some people are keeping it alive!

>>I think it's a PH issue but have not confirmed it yet.

Well it's not going to be the climate, but from everything you list, strawberries and peppers sound nice.

>>Suddenly, it's Monday again.

There is that! I have just been asked to Drive to Derbyshire to pick up my brother so that we can go and see our dear 'ol mom! Should be a nice trip out. I'll just close my eye's when I fill up with petrol..

Cheers,
MRb

[tbear]

Well, saturday I'll be working to nearly finish a terrace I'm laying, with my construction partner, for a friend/client.
Gorgeous weather here on the Costa Blanca, Spain, so apart from the labour side, we'll be enjoying the sun with our shirts off! (just hope John doesn't break out the shorts under his beer gut belly)

On sunday I'm off to the next village (15 minutes) to congratulate my 6 year old grandson on being showcased at school,for being the first one in the class to learn to read.
He is also one of the best in his karate class. Since I am/was a black belt Jiu Jitsu sensei, I feel just as proud as his mum and dad!

Then, monday, back to the terrace, yawn.....

[ectect]

"Allotment movement" - I didn't word that very well, should have said an interest in allotments and grow your own.

Not sure you need a lot of patience, it's just a productive way of getting a bit of exercise, knowing what you eat and getting the kids involved (they still won't eat broccoli or brussel sprouts but the strawberries and raspberries don't last long). We keep a few chickens there for eggs and meat, a pond and bird table for the local wildlife and a few compost heaps for recycling. It's a great escape from the office.

[ken_b]

So "allotments" are sort of community vegetable gardens, where you are "allotted" a small space to plant, grow and harvest your own vegetables, etc for your own use?

Do you rent these spaces?


.

[weeks]

I WAS going skiing is West Virginia but the weather has gotten warm and it's raining. It was a pretty good season, and we had some luck, but it's obvious that it's over now.

So, what to do...?

I am married to a gardener. Raised beds, very pretty. She loves it. This year, for the first time, she is not growing many of her plants from seed. She thinks she has found a good source of interesting bedding plants. I hope so, because we don't have greenhouse and the trays take over every sunny window in the house for weeks.

For years I was tied into some of the major firms in the seed biz. In the US there is not much interest in growing veggies. People have discovered that it's work and you cannot be stupid to have any success, so Americans are saying "to heck with that." Still, there is a base of those who hang in there.

[ectect]

That's about right ken_b. Generally they are rented out in the UK by the town council for a pretty nominal fee, typically around $60 / year. Some have been around since the 1700s and demand for them at the moment is quite high.

In Spain though they are generally privately owned land and tend to follow the rivers or streams on the outside of town and villages.

[wyweb]

Sarcasm is a lost art to many people

Yes sir it is. It will allow you to make someone look really stupid if the occasion arises and they may not even know they've taken a hit. If you're quicker and have more depth than they do anyway.

So "allotments" are sort of community vegetable gardens, where you are "allotted" a small space to plant, grow and harvest your own vegetables, etc for your own use?

That's correct. I had to look it up this morning to get up to speed but that's my understanding of it as well. The term "allotment" is not used widely in the US though. Hell, we don't allot anything. We'll give you something though. Up to and including a place to drop some cucumber seeds.

The widest audience this attracts is apartment dwellers.. people with no land who still want to taste the fruits of their own labor. If you have a house, as I do, you have your own ground to throw seeds in.