pumpkinstrokemarrow

An intriguing factlet, or at least a candidate factlet. In the olden days it was customary to hang one's best clothes in the privy because the noxious smells put off the moths. As a result the word for both was garderobe which might well be translated as wardrobe. The OED, however, puts a slightly differant slant on the whole business. Garderobe was a special, private and possibly locked place in which one kept one's best clothes, and by extension or euphemism a privy. Rather in the way that we use toilet or lavatory. Doesn't mention moths. Which all goes to show that it is hard to be sure the paths through which the meanings of words wander.

And further intrigue on Howell Hill. Yesterday, a lorry, two men and two portable traffic lights assembled around the new speed camera. What were they up to? Unfortunately, this morning they have all vanished with nothing to show for their transient presence.

Of the ten Autumn raspberries moved from Devon, one almost succumbed, shot again and then succumbed again. Maybe slugs. Now buried under one end of a half row of onions. Two at the other end have had their lead shoot taken out by the deer and are not looking very happy. The remaining seven look like they will survive, despite the dry wind we have been having for the last few days. And the peice of green washing line (green plastic covered flex wire) erected about 15 inches above ground level along the side of that part of the allotment seems to be having some deterrent effect. No more footprints in that part.

Having had a very bad leaf beet year last year. I left the few plants that I did get up over the winter, not digging that part of the allotment. The deer fed off them occasionally and now they are rushing to seed - and therefore pretty much useless. Cutting out the seed heads does no good at all. But before digging them up I stripped them - a lot more carefully than one would had they been growing properly - and got enough for two meals. So our first green vegetable from the earth this year. The down side being that the ground is now fairly hard - although still wet enough a spade depth down - and is taking a while to dig. A compensation is a rash of a small red leaved ground crawler plant with very pretty yellow flowers. But not at all sure that it would not have been better to simply have dug the whole lot over in the Autumn.

And talking of seed heads a recent savoy from the Cheam greengrocer had a very powerful, strongly tapered stalk inside, curled over at the top and terminating in immature, purply rotting flowers right at the centre of the savoy. No great pain but not something I had noticed before.

And last but not least we have now taken delivery of 'Our English Coasts', courtesy of the proper Tate gallery via some arty image firm. This last, to give them their due, took their packing very seriously and the picture arrived splendidly wrapped in a large cardboard tube. The frame cost twice as much as the picture but the result, now hanging above me as I type, looks very well. The first time we have had a picture from this crew on our walls. And pleased that Mr Google knows such much about it: give him the title in quotes and the first eleven hits are all the right thing. Clearly he shares our good taste. Next stop Fairlight which should be within reach of the £10 a night travelodge special offer at Hastings.