Life Under The Cloud

My aim with the young tomato plants my sis-in-law gave me, was to keep them alive. It was possibly a little late in the season to have any hope of red tomatoes by the end of it, but non foosty plants, and green living matter seemed a worthy exercise and would encourage me to get them started in a warm house in March next year.

I forgot that the things growing outside the poly tunnel over many years - things I hadn’t planted or planned - should have been dealt with at the same time.

I took the photos because I was loving the brooding light, forgetting the vital ingredient for my tomatoes - as much sunlight as possible.

I was pleased to get lots of flowers. I thought flowers meant tomatoes. I didn’t realise it wasn’t that simple. You need lots and lots of warmth and buzzing bees to pollinate. If there’s not enough bees I was to flick the plants at midday to release the pollen and encourage it to float about the place in a productive manner. This was slightly more than the modest plan I had to just water them every day and feed them once a week. But I have a new energy and determination so I persevered. Flowers died appropriately but left no little green bud of a tomato. This was most discouraging. My plants were alive and hadn’t gone foosty, but I’d at least hoped for a green tomato here and there.

It wasn’t just the foliage outside the tunnel. The heatwave across the rest of the country has been messing with my tomatoes. I’m blaming the Jet Stream and the resulting origraphic lift which puts us under the clouds and makes the clouds drop rain on us while the rest of the country boils. Yes yes. I’m very grateful for all the water.

Walking the dog on the 8th of August was a blast! This is just an example. One doesn’t tend to reach for the camera on days like these.

Spook had some great cycle days with the boyz. Lots of green and lots of water.

Thanks for the photos Darragh. Further North West.

A mini Honeymoon break for the newlyweds and brief respite from the London heatwave had Mikey doing exactly what all the Munros have done before him. It was an instinct that kicked in immediately he arrived at the Munro’s favourite pool on the river Spean.

His wife brought a fresh approach unseen in these parts, but with some success.

Crouching Tiger, followed by a powerful….

Spinning monkey. This takes many years of practice and shouldn’t be attempted without a thorough warm up first. It’s good to have new blood.

The rain supported many flowers if not tomatoes.

All from dog walks along the canal when we weren’t battling rain. I resisted boiling them - for the most part….

It’s just too hard to resist completely.

Spending time with one’s beloved is important and I decided a romantic day out at Glenfinnan Highland Gathering was just what we needed. We took the train from Banavie to Glenfinnan which takes 26 minutes, costs £5.05 return with the rail card and involved us crossing the viaduct - bargain!

The last time I was anywhere near the games was at 1am when I went to pick Spook up after a day of competing in sporting events and enjoying drinking the winnings in the beer tent - many moons ago. We had a left hand drive Citroen and as I drove out of Glenfinnan, having poured Spook into the passenger seat with great difficulty, I was assailed by a blue flashing light in the rear view mirror. I pulled over and waited as the police officer strolled slowly towards the passenger side, already pulling the wee black book out of his top pocket, licking the end of the pencil in delighted anticipation.

Spook had wound down the window to chat to him. I don’t know if the Officer actually said “well, well, well. what do we have here?” as a glaikit, giggling and very charming Spook smiled up at him - possibly hiccuping. I had to wave my hands to get his attention and I swear he looked really disappointed when he saw that I had the steering wheel.

Many a very happy day has Spook spent at these games but clearly the years have not been kind to us, when the young woman selling tickets on the gate asked if we were old age pensioners. I did reply that I WAS a pensioner if she meant in old money. At 62, had we been in the olden days I’d have been a couple of years in. Thankfully the Government decided to keep us young and fit by having us work until we are 67. She decided we looked pretty knackered and let us both in for half price. Bitter sweet but you’ve to take the wins when you get them.

Then Spook had to cope with the fact that the field has shrunk (I’m assured it hasn’t,) there wasn’t as much going on as he remembered,there were too many posh voices and he couldn’t see the local worthies he’d hung out with in the past. For a man who got in for half price I feel he was being a little harsh. And maybe there were just as many posh voices back then but he was more distracted in the past.

We had plenty of time before our train home so I suggested we join the tourists at the viaduct and wave to the steam train. This is not the day out at Glenfinnan of old, but by all accounts it would seem we are no longer in the flush of youth.

Onwards to the station where there’s a lovely cafe in an old carriage with a deck for the precious moments when the sun might appear.

Looking a little more comfortable at last.

Being a tourist for the afternoon, with nothing else to do was very pleasant. And it wasn’t 1am which was a bonus. We went to get off the train at Banavie where they only open one door of a 6 carriage train, so you have to be at the right door. We weren’t. So the £10 we saved at the games became £15 on a taxi back from town to our car at Banavie. Karma perhaps.

Meanwhile, I got very very excited in the polytunnel….

Would you look at THAT!!!!!

YES!!!

Who needs sunshine?

Hmmmm. Us. Just a wee bit would be nice.