Summer by Christina Rosetti

Summer

By Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)

Winter is cold-hearted,

Spring is yea and nay,

Autumn is a weathercock

Blown every way.

Summer days for me

When every leaf is on its tree;

When Robin’s not a beggar,

And Jenny Wren’s a bride,

And larks hang singing, singing, singing

Over the wheat-fields wide,

And anchored lilies ride,

And the pendulum spider

Swings from side to side;

And blue-black beetles transact business,

And gnats fly in a host,

And furry caterpillars hasten

That no time be lost

And moths grow fat and thrive,

And ladybirds arrive

Before green apples blush,

Before green nuts embrown,

Why one day in the country

Is worth a month in town;

Is worth a day and a year

Of the dusty, musty, lag-last fashion

That days drone elsewhere.

It's all blooming marvellous

I'm my extremely incapacitated state (very heavily pregnant) I tottered to the plot today to do some harvesting. It's been about a week since my last visit, but wow what a difference since all this rain! Everything is lush and blooming, all the gaps filled , buds bursting, it's generally looking very heavy indeed. I almost feel like this is the end of my allotment journey this year, as I know when my baby arrives, time will be precious and I only really planned my plot to get me to this point. So far as I can say it's been a huge success this year and I'm really pleased with everything... (well perhaps not so much with the asparagus and rhubarb, but you can't have it all). So before I disappear into a pile of nappies, here are some pics of the plot as I left it.

Broad beans, feta and chorizo from the Weald Smokery

It was a day of true celebration, I was able to formulate a meal around one of the star ingredients of the plot, broad beans. I have eaten many permutations of this dish in various restaurants, but it really is so simple to cook and tastes wonderful. On the way home from my allotment I visited the Weald Smokery for some chorizo slices and some beautiful local goats cheese with a lovely chalky flavour. All that was needed was a little walnut bread to soak up the pan juices and you have a lip smackingly good meal.

Just fry the chorizo in a little olive oil to release the juices, for about 5 minutes

Depod and wash your beans

Add to the pan with the chorizo and put a lid on so they steam gently in the juices

Meanwhile chop up your goat's cheese (or feta)

When the beans are just soft, add the cheese and stir so that it begins to melt, then serve with the bread

Perfect with a green salad and a glass of elderflower cordial or pear juice.

Fresh flowers

Popped to the plot today to see what I could harvest, everything looks fresh and lively now the rain has been. All the pea and bean pods are swelling and everything else seems to have sprung into flower in celebration.

Poppies

Potatoes

Courgette (Jemmer I think)

It's raining rain, allelujah

Yes at long last we have had an afternoon of continuous rain, who would have though I'd ever be so pleased to see it! Closhes off in celebration!

Curly carrots

Do they make your hair curl?
These were transplanted from my greenhouse...

Tasted good though