Feral Raspberries

I picked these from the edges of the allotment site. There are lots more in the nearby woods. I just love the idea of "escaped" plants, as these most probably are...

Summer's here...

I picked my first little courgette today!

Just been watching River Cottage, in which Hugh sliced and fried baby courgettes with a bit of garlic and a lot of mint, and ate them on toast with a yoghurty topping. Must try...

Speaking of mint, I added some of the wild stuff (water mint I think) to some homemade lamb burgers. They were nice... even though they tasted like toothpaste. Next time I will add slightly less! :)

Lunchtime forage (yesterday)...

Mixed cherries, from hedgerows by the Thames.

Allotment update

Lately I've been harvesting peas, broad beans, potatoes, a few tiny strawberries and the usual leaves and herbs. This evening I would also have dug up my garlic but I accidentally injured myself whilst collecting peas (chopped my finger with scissors!) so I went home early...

I'm getting excited about the fast-approaching runner bean and courgette glut (loads of flowers on both already). My onions, tomatoes and beetroot are all looking promising too. Some would say it's a crime to pickle beetroot but I can't wait (never done it before)!

Unfortunately I seem to be failing with the carrots again, which is a shame because they're one of my favourite vegetables. And no, it's not because I'm trying to grow them in the sky...

Meet Liz...

This is my lizard!

Actually, it's a wild lizard who lives amongst my carrots and beetroot. I think it's a lady because since the picture was taken she's become very pregnant-looking! I had baby lizards on the allotment last year and they were very cute (also fascinating to watch) - I'd love to see some this year too :)

More lizard photos (including some from last year) on my flickr, click the photo for a visit...

Squirrel Pie and other delicacies...

I just stumbled upon this news article. A while ago I saw a TV programme about Paul Parker and he came across as a scary squirrel-nazi (it was genuinely quite disturbing!) but I *am* intrigued by the idea of trapping common wild "pest" animals and eating them for my dinner. This would include rabbits and American crayfish, as well as grey squirrels.

The thing is, I'm not convinced I could actually kill a cute furry animal. I realise, of course, that I do this by proxy every time I buy meat - I'm just not sure I could do it with my bare hands. Perhaps I'll start with a crayfish license and work my way up!

Any advice on such matters, particularly in terms of legalities, would be much appreciated...

Recycled plastic bags...

This is my very first attempt at crocheting with plastic carrier bags. It doesn't look particularly amazing but I think this little gathering basket will be very practical - it folds up when not in use, and although it's breathable it's also waterproof so it won't get soggy or stained when I fill it with fruit!