----------- Kayle Garkut's Blog ----------- Allotment - Computing - Music & Misc.

Darren, Lauren and I went looking for fossils on holidays.
Here are some pictures of what we found.
Most are Ammonites but there is a 'Devils Toe Nail' that Darren found.

Kayle Garkut.

Sent from my PDA

no more blog posts for a week or two.

Unless I can leech someones WiFi with my PDA ;-)


View Larger Map

Labels: Misc

This morning, after awaking from my recurring, horrible dream of all my teeth falling out into my cupped hands I felt a little disconnected from my surroundings and generally strange.

It was then around 10:45am when Louise called me in work telling me not to worry but she was on her way to the hospital in an ambulance with Mia because she had fell asleep after her morning bottle of tea (which is not like her at all) and after a while, started to have, what can only be described as a mild fit.

Worry of the highest order naturally occured, then about 7 hours later, (still in the hospital), it is confirmed to us that Mia most likely suffered a Febrile Convulsion and will therefore have to stay in overnight as this is the policy of the health trust for children that have these for the first time.

We were also told that a Febrile Convulsion normally affects children betweeen the ages of 6 months to 6 years, that it is caused not by a high temperature reached but by the speed of a which a high temperature is reached and that she may suffer from them again in the future in the case of illness, especially ones that cause a high temperature.

As you can imagine, lots of driving, packing clothes, driving again, picking up kids, buying chippie food and then organising stuff ensued (though not in that order). My main focus is now ensuring that tomorrow morning goes smoothly, getting Darren and Lauren off to school before going back to the hospital to (hopefully) collect Louise and Mia to bring them home after the pediatrician gives the go ahead.

That brings us to here.

Does this post make sense?

What a day...

Labels: Family, Misc

At what length does stubble become a beard?

Labels: Misc

Not the most exciting title for a post but neither is the content. I just fancy wrapping a few things up...

The car is finally fixed after about two weeks having to put up with the eye opener that is public transport. Turns out the ECU was faulty after all and had to be sent off for repair. Overall cost: £350 approx. I will not forget those bus journeys for a while I can tell you.


(Click for bigger)


Managed to do a bit around the plot last night. I transferred some Tom Thumb Lettuce, hoed between the onions again, re-filled the slug traps with Morrisons bitter that only cost 97 pence for 4 cans! and scattered some slug pellets.


The rhubarb leaves that have been breaking down in water for nearly a week now absolutely stink and look awful. I'm really not sure about putting the stuff anywhere near my veg. If anyone has tried this as an organic slug pesticide and knows it is safe to do so, please let me know.


The beans are now on day gawd-knows. I looked away, looked back and this has happened:

(Click for bigger)


The damn things have gone a bit mad. I'm not even sure if they are edible at this size, especially with the little leaves they have developed within their own eco system in a jar. This is the last picture of beans I promise.


I have seen on quite a few allotment blogs lately, pictures of the bloggers allotment from Google Maps. Well, here is mine in Risca:

(Click for bigger)


And finally, Louise and I are off to watch Richard Digance tomorrow night at Newports Riverfront Theatre. Should be good.

Labels: Allotment, Car, Photos, Risca

Woohoo - what a day!

I managed to get a fair bit done again and feel VERY pleased about it despite the sunburn (cant actually remember the sun shining) AND blisters :-/

Stuff done:
More Radish and Spring Onions sewn.
I had some Shallots given to me so I got those in.
Turned and fed the 2 bean lines and got the poles in place.
Sowed 3 types of beans.
Tidied up the place and fully replenished the water in the two butts and constructed a little surface for the propagators to sit on, up away from the slugs.


(Click for bigger)

The spuds are now looking well established:

(Click for bigger)

This is my little experimental, organic slug repellent using Rhubarb leaves and water. Its only been 2 days and already the leaves are starting to break down and have made the water murky.
(Click for bigger)

Last and least, beans day 8:

(Click for bigger)

Labels: Allotment, Photos

Spent some time on the plot today and achieved this:

Sharpened 2 x hoes then hoed between the onions and strawberry plants.
Turned over the salad bed and mixed in some growmore pellets for good measure.
Cleaned out the tool bunker that I have been meaning to do that since last year.
Planted some sun flowers in pots for now.
Planted 8 x Kohlrabi.

This evening, Louise picked some rhubarb to make rhubarb crumble and with the leaves I ripped them up, placed them into a large bucket, filled it with water and then placed a brick on the leaves to weigh them down.
Apparently, after the leaves have broken down and fermented, the water can be used as a pesticide against slugs. Try anything I will.





(Click to enlarge)

Here are some shots of the mini green house thing and some of its contents:


(Click to enlarge)

Lettuce (Tom Thumb):

(Click to enlarge)

Pumpkin (Racer) that Mia planted:

(Click to enlarge)

The beansprouts (Adzuki) have not changed much since last time I looked at them. This is day 6 I beleive.

(Click to enlarge)

Labels: Allotment, Photos

Not much to see I'm affraid. They have swollen a bit more and some have teenie little white shoots coming from them.

Labels: Photos