Fourth day on the allotment

Weather at the plot today: 13 degrees at 12 noon, 16 degrees at 4 o'clock. Light breezy south wind. Mostly sunny.

Fourth day today, taking advantage of the fine early Autumn weather. What was done at the allotment plot today:

* Carried the spade up to the plot, from home. The Sweet Chestnut tree in the park I walk through is dropping its nuts, but sadly they're not fat enough to eat.

* Harvested what I thought was the remains of some garlic, which had been strimmed. But it turned out to be mostly onions — with just a few garlic cloves...

A very well-fed and healthy pigeon arrived shorted after I'd finished grubbing these up with the fork. Possibly it was expecting I'd planted peas or beans, and was after the seeds? Pigeon pie may be on the menu...

* I finished digging and weeding what is now a side 'herb' border, which sits against a little south-facing wall. Took out nearly all of the weed roots there. It seems suitable for herbs, so I put the sage and the lemon balm there. The remaining space will be for other varieties of herbs, as-and-when. Laid down a couple of access planks for it.

* Found that the older wooden boards — which I stacked alongside the path in the middle of the plot yesterday — are a perfect slug magnet. All I have to do is pick up the one leaning board, and there are all the slugs, ready to be carried up to the "altar" and destroyed.

* Partly covered the bonfire pile with a "rain-hat" of heavy folded-up old carpet, to let it dry off. It'll also serve to compact the pile, making space for a big pile of dried-out weed roots.

Found a vole-hole that goes under the roots of the oak. Here's the very lair of the wee timorous beastie...

The first funghi have appeared on the plot, under the apple tree...

Spotted an air-blimp off in the distance, on the other side of the valley...

Yes, this is urban Stoke-on-Trent. We're just a very green city.

And finally, here's a photo of the public path-facing side of the shed. Still needs a couple of brambles cutting out of it...

Possibly some potential for chalk-art here...