Frosty cardoons

10 January 2025 (Friday)

I thought we’d get out for a walk, despite the bitter cold, though Richard’s not in the mood… and has other things to do.  It turns out “other things to do” includes taking photos of the sunrise and lightening sky by flinging open windows of our office at the top of the house whilst I’m working at my desk - and the room gets cold rather swiftly!

I get on with work work during the morning, and after lunch, and catching up on Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, it’s time to get to the allotments… and on getting to the plot I see even our cardoons are looking rather cold and stiff.

We’ve a Work Social tomorrow morning and I need to get the flasks for boiling water so that we have lots to make warming drinks, as the morning will be cold.  One of the tasks is tidying the communal sheds, though to be fair there relatively OK for this time of year.  I also have a walk to the areas of the site that we’ll be working, checking the areas to make sure the work can be done and is also safe to do… and it’s on doing this that I really feel and hear the crunch beneath my boots.

On walking the circular path, it’s clear the ground's frozen and, despite it being mid-afternoon ice is still standing in areas where we need to work on trees and shrubs.  I decide it’s best to postpone for a week, when the weather is due to be much milder.

You see, the tree work we need to do and the pruning of shrubs and roses is not best done in such frosty weather, and with it being forecast to be around -4° first thing, tomorrow’s weather isn't ideal!  Also, another of the tasks is the liquid treatment of our communal wooden furniture, and the application instructions say it won’t take below 10° so this is another job that can’t be done.  On lifting the tin and swirling it I can feel the treatment’s more of an icy slush than an appliable liquid… so postponed the Work Social is.

Weather:  It’s feeling colder, and is.  Frost remained much of the morning, and on our brick path at the front all day; Fenella (our car) shields the path from the sun.  Crisp still at 3.30pm at the plot… with water butts solid for several inches.

Breakfast:  Bran Sticks, Yogurt, Mixed Fruit & Nuts (new bananas are too green!)
Lunch:  Minestrone Soup (tinned) mixed with last night's leftover pasta.
​Supper:  Lidl Veggie Sausages (discounted), Lidl German Rye slice, Baked Beans and Chips (frozen) - time to start emptying the freezers for cleaning.