Birds and bees and bugs

We do not own this allotment of course. Technically Birmingham City Council do, but in reality that is a nonsense.

The pigeons, bumble-bees, dragonflies, spiders and other creepy crawlies OWN this place.

In the spring, the strutting fat pigeons would stalk across the newly planted veg beds as if to say, ‘shove off sister, this is our patch, and if I want to eat the beetroot leaves, that is my prerogative’. Nice-cycling-allotment-neighbour told me that they stripped her entire mangetout crop plants. Sympathies.

But pigeons are to my mind a bit stupid, for they eat the bitter and sour stuff (i.e. all my redcurrants) but ignore the really good stuff (i.e. the luscious raspberries). That is the prerogative of the bees and the bugs. Made mental note today NOT to go harvesting in short skirt and pumps, and to look before picking. More bugs than flowers and fruits almost. It’s good to spend time up close with the bees.

Walking down the path this evening felt like a recreation of A Bugs Life (film) with a dragonfly superhighway. I don’t know what it is, but some serious business is going down with the dragonflies. Is it the time of birds & bees?

First harvesting of the blackberries, more blueberries, more raspberries, more tomatoes.

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So pretty!

 

Dinner: Spanakopita (chard and spinach with feta and mint, wrapped in filo) and the stick beans braised with tomato and garlic. Wine.

photo

Spanakopita

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