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<p class="has-drop-cap">On Saturday my newly found gardener turned up to start work on the area alongside the drive. After 5 hours she had accumulated a huge pile of weeds and despite some rain she continued until she was satisfied she had found most of the plants worth keeping. I've given her a free hand to develop the area as she sees fit and she is enthusiastically approaching it as a creative project.</p>
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<p>She only has time to visit one day a month and the area is so neglected it will take several months before it looks as though it is managed.</p>
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<p class="has-drop-cap">The <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.orangepippin.com/varieties/apples/coxs-orange-pippin" target="_blank">cox's orange pippin</a> apple tree has produced a good crop however the squirrels, birds and wasps have taken their toll and I've now sorted the good from the bad.</p>
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<p>In past years I've wrapped the apples in paper and stored them in the workshop however this year I've put all the unblemished apples into the fridge.</p>
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<p>The imperfect apples will be cut into apple slices, partially cooked and frozen. These can be used in apple crumbles in the future.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately the Bramley apple tree didn't produce a single apple probably due to the late frosts in the spring.</p>
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<p class="has-drop-cap">With the change in weather it was time to clear out most of the potting shed. I removed the cucumber and tomato plants but left the sweet peppers in the hope that they grow a little larger.</p>
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<p>Next year I will have a proper greenhouse and I hope the additional light will allow my crops to be even better. Watch this space...</p>
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<p class="has-drop-cap">On a dull Saturday afternoon I turned my hand to producing a slow cooked beef bourguignon in the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://crockpot.co.uk/" target="_blank">CrockPot</a>.</p>
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<p>It took quite a while to prepare and 5 hours in the slow cooker however the meal was delicious. Runner beans straight from the garden but no potatoes for dietary reasons.</p>
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<p>There was enough for another 4 microwave meals which I'm looking forward to.</p>
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<p class="has-drop-cap">It has become a bit of a routine on Sunday mornings for me to find the motivation to get on the bike, cycle ten miles, shower and then reward myself with a poached egg on home made granary loaf.</p>
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<p>Having rituals, I have quite a number, reminds me what day of the week it is: curry on Friday evening, croissant Saturday morning and poached egg for Sunday breakfast. Milestones of my weekend. For the rest of the week, at this time of year, it's porridge for breakfast.</p>
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