Vegetable Matters


I sincerely apologise for the lack of veggie related posts lately. Unfortunately I've been unable to do anything to the allotment since returning from Bruges as I've aggravated an old back injury and my osteopath has banned me from doing anything strenuous like training for The Moonwalk, gardening, allotmenteering or anything involving stooping or carrying anything too weighty for a while.

This has resulted in me taking a rather inventive approach to gardening, such as finding ways of doing it whilst lying down. Having a raised central area to the garden has also helped me to continue at one of the busiest times of the year. My friend C from choir has told my osteopath what I've been up(?) to (she's the receptionist there), who finds it all rather hilarious. One of the more bizarre aspects of this whole episode - apart from the imagined sight of me gardening in a prone position - is my treatment involves being pummelled around a lot whilst staring at walls festooned with signed England football (soccer) shirts: the practice owner is their osteopath. I also have a long list of back strengthening exercises to do several times a day: it feels a bit like being in a continual yoga session.

Unfortunately such inventive measures can't be applied to the allotment, where the weeds must be as high as an elephant's eye by now. There's an awful lot of clearing, digging and planting to be crammed into April at the earliest. Threadspider of course is well ahead of the game in her quietly efficient way. So, to make up for the lack of vegetable related bloggage, I thought you might like a look at the total butternut squash harvest from last year. I've just found it at the bottom of my vegetable basket whilst clearing out all the old onion skins. It's posing next to a 10p coin for scale - yes, that does mean tiny ;)

I promise a full return to vegetable related matters as soon as possible.

Comments

  1. Rose29 March 2009 at 15:52

    So sorry to hear about your back, VP. But I must admit it's conjuring up some strange images of you in the garden right now:)

    I'm catching up on a couple days' posts right now and was wondering what was going on with your sidebar. All this technical stuff leaves me feeling ignorant; if I ever have to do any of the HTML code to publish a post, I'll be in trouble.

    Your previous post about "minding the gap" (an expression my students loved when we visited London several years ago) is very timely. Every year I want to fill up some "empty" spaces only to remember later that there was already a plant there. I am reminding myself to exercise more patience this year.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown29 March 2009 at 17:33

    Never mind the lack of veg-related posts, Veep, we just want you to heal quickly and well. Anything you want to write about is always welcome. Relax and think healing thoughts and hopefully you'll be moonwalking in the garden soon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Soilman29 March 2009 at 17:45

    I think the butternut squash may merit an entry to my Heroic Failure awards (coming in the autumn). Don't delete it!

    Sorry to hear about your back. I have this problem, too. I've recently discovered that I have no pain if I dig backwards, ie leaning forward and digging backwards between my legs. Unfortunately I look a plonker doing it, and people rush over to see if I'm all right. So that's a no-hoper, too.

    Hope you get better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gail29 March 2009 at 17:59

    I am really sorry to hear about your back...I have been there a few times. I have a yoga mat that I use to lie on when shooting photos! Maybe something like that would help you gardening while prone! My physical therapist suggested I garden lying down. Digging large holes is difficult from that position...I suspect she isn't a gardener! I loved your gap post in fact linked to it in my last post!

    Take care and let's all do our back exercises in unison! gail

    ReplyDelete
  5. Zoë29 March 2009 at 18:02

    Like the new layout.

    Hope Your back is on the mend soon, understand about horizontal gardening, done it a few times when mind is bad, although I do most mine sitting down in the mud as it's that way or not at all! Long handled hand tools or short handle normal tool are a boon!

    Shame about the Moonwalk,suspect you would have had a riot. My reflexologist is doing free massages and stuff as a volunteer to help all the walkers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Linda29 March 2009 at 18:06

    Get that back better ... I can relate. The new blog layout looks good but I have a feeling you might be tweaking it a bit more yet.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Victoria Summerley29 March 2009 at 18:35

    I'm so sorry to hear about your back. You're the third person I know who has come back from holiday with a back injury. Travel may broaden the mind, but it seems to have a rather disastrous effect on the spine. I hope you make a very speedy recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  8. garden girl29 March 2009 at 19:08

    So sorry to hear about your back VP. Hope you're feeling better very soon.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anna29 March 2009 at 21:26

    Hope that you are soon on the mend VP - make sure that you don't start doing anything strenuous until you are properly recovered - those weeds won't go anywhere. Take care !

    ReplyDelete
  10. VP30 March 2009 at 08:21

    Hi everyone - thanks for your good wishes. I'm feeling much better now and I'm towards the end of my 'banned from doing stuff' time.

    Rose - 'Mind the Gap' is one of NAH and I's bery long running gags with each other.

    Jodi - that's very kind :) I would find it very difficult to keep just on gardening/allotmenteering!

    Soilman - Ooh, Heroic Failures awards - I can't wait! And I'll definitely not delete this!

    Gail - thanks for the mention in your post I really enjoyed it :)

    Zoe - long handled tools have been a godsend. Interesting stuff about your reflexologist. I'm feeling sad about not Moonwalking this year though - I was going to put your name on me somewhere.

    Crafty Gardener - you were right! Thanks very much for the link - it was a tremendous help :)

    Victoria - it started before the holiday. It was me thinking I was unfit and that by walking more I'd get through the pain. I should remember that pain = stop!

    Garden Girl - thanks

    Anna - those weeds are going somewhere - upwards ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Zoë30 March 2009 at 19:37

    Awww what a sweet thought, Frances did the same when she did a walk last year, the thought of a stranger doing it and thinking of me reduced me to tears!

    Lovely thought, thank you xx

    ReplyDelete
  12. Flighty30 March 2009 at 19:39

    Sadly back problems are the bane of gardeners!
    Take care! xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. VP2 April 2009 at 17:20

    Zoe - it's the least I could have done. I'll do it next year.

    Flighty - thank you and what rotten timing eh?

    ReplyDelete

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