Hours this year.Me:130 He: 120

We have started getting frosts - so we thought it better we high tailed it up to the allotment to do some harvesting whilst we can.

The sunflowers are at the end of their life

But they have been stunning and I will certainly grow this variety again.

You can see where the frost has killed off the leaves of the pumpkins - so we have just managed to harvest them in time.

They are quite a rare variety which I have tried out for the first time this year.   I only had four seeds in the packet, and three of them germinated.   They have been left to fend for themselves throughout the drought, and have still produced a nice crop

They are called Blue Hubbard - and I can't wait to taste them.  The others are a small green variety - sadly I lost all the details of the varieties when I lost my website - but again - a really good crop from a couple of plants.

We intended just to gather the squashes and pumpkins as it was raining and cold and windy - but as usual we got side tracked.  Here is some of my Russian Kale - under netting to keep the pesky pigeons off it - this is for winter use, so not being picked yet.

I did harvest three Hispi cabbages, and left a few in for later.  The caterpillars have had a bit of a feed on the outside leaves - but they have left the hearts for us to eat.  The bantams will have all the outer leaves which they love - so nothing goes to waste here!

I love the colours and texture of the mini sweetcorn now that it has finished, and the frost has coloured it.  It makes a wonderful sound in the wind - and sways beautifully.  Can you tell that I am easily distracted?

I had a lovely surprise in these beds - I discovered some little courgettes.  The rains of late seem to have brought on a flush of growth just before the frosts.  So its free food!

It wasn't intentional, as I am choked up with a cold still, but the fresh air and being up the allotment made me feel great - so we dug up another couple of rows of potatoes.

Well Patrick dug up half a row on the left - the last of the second earlies, and I dug up the row on the right, of the first of the main crop.  He did some weeding on his row - I decided the weeding on mine could wait.

It was pretty dark for mid day wasn't it.

A bit better over there though

Whilst Patrick was putting the tools away and loading up the car, I continued to harvest.

Just a few parsnips and carrots. And more free food, a dried pea must have self sown from the early summer and I had a plant with mange tout on it.  The ground was like concrete all summer, so I wasn't able to thin out the carrots and parsnips, so was pleasantly surprised at the size of them.

Over the fence - one of my neighbours plot.

I feel pretty pleased with my plot and what I have achieved despite my health setbacks.

This is over the fence at the bottom of my plot - the part that used to be mine but I gave  up.

At one time I did feel a bit sad that it had gone to 'pot' after all the hard work I put into it over the years, but it doesn't bother me now.  I am happy with the remainder of my original plot and it has taken a lot of pressure off me trying to keep a quarter of an acre in tip top condition.

Reluctantly I had to pack up and go home - empty tummies, and aching backs!

Back home - just time to unload our car before the rain started up again

But first I had to take out the tomato plants from the lean-to.  Put back the staging, and pile on the pumpkins.

I can't wait to start cooking them

The bonus crop of a late flush of runner beans and more baby courgettes - I am going to have a great cook up over the weekend.

Some more tomatoes to ripen off.

Oh I had such a wonderful time today - out in the fresh air - feeling so alive and happy - Perfect!

It's good to be back blogging about the allotment again.