Storm clouds over Plot 23

Summer is starting to wind down and the nights are closing in fast. Evenings are my favourite time of the day to spend at the allotment; I will usually get down there for about 5 or 6pm and stay until it begins to get dark. It's a satisfying way to wrap up the day, and the cooler temperatures at this time makes it easier to do any jobs.

Larkspur

 

Sweet pea

The flowers are starting to look a little tatty around the edges now. I'm still deadheading my cornflowers and cutting sweet peas, but less and less flowers are coming back each time. It will soon be time to collect seeds and tidy up the borders, ready for the colder months ahead.

Ruby Red

Tall Lemon

Bumblebee on Tall Lemon

Ruby Red

The sunflowers had a bit of a late start in life, as I took my time digging over the beds, so they are not as tall as I would have liked. The flowerheads have finally opened, and they are delightful to sit next to and look at. The bees adore them too.

Runner beans

I have more runner beans than I can possibly use, and my efforts to palm some off on friends and family are failing miserably. Not many people seem to like runner beans; shame they are so easy to grow!

Squash bed

Baby Pam pumpkin

Pumpkin and squash

The pumpkins and squash seem to be maturing nicely; having never grown them before, I wasn't sure what to expect. Yet plenty of compost and watering seems to be doing the trick.

Outdoor tomatoes

Marigold

Cinnabar moth caterpillar

The outdoor tomatoes have started to ripen. I have been drowning in tomatoes for weeks now, giving bagfuls away to family and friends. These outdoor ones are a variety called Tigrella; quite attractive-looking with green stripes on the fruit.

Cabbage bed

Hiding amongst the rhubarb

Quite a few weeds have rather annoyingly snuck in under the cabbage netting, despite digging and weeding the bed for two weeks before transplanting the seedlings and putting the cage up. Never mind; at least the plants are nice and healthy looking, and caterpillar free!

Shortly after snapping these pictures, myself and the canine had to retreat to the greenhouse to dodge a huge downpour. I was tidying up the pea supports when I glanced up and noticed an ominous black cloud was dominating the sky. Sybil needed no encouragement to retreat to shelter, and we stood and waited until the worst of it was over. Between showers, I managed to snap the following photos:

There were the beginnings of a glorious sunset in the west, whilst to the east the storm was still moving off, leaving a rainbow in its wake.

At one point lightening lit up the whole sky, sending Sybil running to the gate just as thunder boomed in the distance. This storm was no match for my collie-cross, and retreated to the other side of Rotherham as Sybil ran back to my side, victorious and proud.

With the evening drawing to a close, we set off home across the fields despite the rain trying to hold on. After all, someone once said life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain. We may not have been dancing, but it was fantastic to see a display of nature like this.

My water-phobic collie-cross