pumpkinstrokemarrow

Now starting to pick apples in earnest. A week ago had the last James Grieve which did not ripen properly at all, despite the outer third of flesh of the apple going an odd sort of pale pink. Ate another on site yesterday and picked three more. Three the regular sort of shape, a sort of fat torus without a hole in the middle (where the stalk is) and one heart shaped, fatter at the top than the bottom, taller than fat. The torus was good, albeit with a slightly empty aftertaste. Texture excellent, far better than anything one can reasonably expect from a shop apple. Shape good. Heart rather under ripe although eatable. Both apples mainly a streaky red with the odd large patch of pale green.

Must start keeping records of the performance of my seven apple trees, despite not being completely sure which is which, only having thought to write down their names after the labels had gone missing and the fat book which might have had pictures having been consigned to an anonymous box in the roof. So some permutation of Blenheim Orange, Ellison's Orange, Cox's Orange Pippin, James Grieve, Discovery, Laxton's Superb and George Cave. If I get really curious I can always pay a second visit (the first visit having been during my days in the fancy new, office free, Home Office building) to the RHS library in Westminster which has some very fancy pomariums.

At least that is what I think picture catalogues of apples and pears are called. People used to publish very elaborate ones in the 19th century. But despite the root pom clearly being orchard, even specifically apple flavoured, with a good range of pom words, pomarium does not appear in my OED at all, except in passing, it being Latin for the keeper of an orchard. Maybe another memory defect. And the RSPB buts in with a pomarine, being a sort of skua.

All seven trees are now bearing in a moderate way and now that they are deer free most of the trees are strong enough to take a bit of winter pruning so we will be able to start shaping them up. But no hurry to build the crops up - a few dozen to the tree will be more than we can manage.

This year's broad bean patch now largely cleared. Destined for Bulgarian Wheat and what remains of the onion sets. We will try Autumn planting of both.

Some years ago I had it explained to me that the proper thing to do with a posh bike was to slap a coat of paint on it so that the poshness did not show. We have not taken this advice on board and some of us have suffered in consequence. But had occasion the other day to inspect the cycle of a cycle courier who clearly had. Very cut down machine with no gears, no mudguards, no lights, no carriers and no bell. Frame had been painted a dingy black. But the thing had fancy looking handlebars, wheels and brakes. The wheels being the same brand as my own - Bontrager. The owner also had a serious looking lock. I wonder if he is as play-safe as me and carries spare tube, pump and assorted tools in his bag? And I wonder why he - in common with many cyclists under 30 - has his bag over his back rather than using panniers - which last being a far more comfortable way of carrying things.