Reflectiing on the year

Last week was Bede's Christmas Fete. It was very  busy...too busy! we sold  everything. I bought a blue shirt.
It's been a good year. I've  enjoyed coming to Bede on Tuesdays and Fridays. I've enjoyed writing my blog in the blog group. It's been a sad year too because I lost my friend Gary. I think about him every day. He died so young and so suddenly.

Christmas wreaths part two.

I finished off my Christmas wreaths  today. I cut some branches of spruce and wrapped the foliage around the rings. Then I decorated then with bauble, stars, and green ribbon.

Cooking on Saturday - my own homegrown squash and potaToes

We dug out our potatoes today - not with a spade or a fork, but with our hands! I also picked my squash. I'm going to cook them at the weekend.

On Tuesday 8th December, Bede is holding its annual Christmas Fete from 11 to 2pm.

  

Christmas Wreaths Part One

This week  we started making Christmas wreaths. We wrap paper  and wire  round a ring frame and I made two today. Next week we will decorate  them.

                                                                                                                               

Peas go in

I haven't much time today so I have to make this  short. we  planted  the peas in  the beds today and we wrote out labels for them.

Stick day

We made climbing frames for the peas to grow up. Harriet and Sue showed us how. Because it's  autumn there were lots of leaves on the ground. We picked  them up, then did a little weeding.

Goodbye to Lou Farrow's

We did weeding at the allotment today and planted garlic in the ground. Lou Farrow's, the café that we often go to on a Tuesday was still closed, so we went to the Pop Inn again for lunch. Chantelle found out that Lou Farrow's is turning into a restaurant. That's a pity, because it was my favourite spot to have lunch...always!    

Picking squash and plantng garlic

We took our squash out today. We planted cloves of garlic. Over winter it will grow into bulbs. We also did some weeding and then put some manure down and turned the soil over to work the manure in. Lou Farrow's, the café I wanted to go was closed today. This is most unusual. Normally it's open. We had to go the Pop Inn instead.

 

Planting in the rain

I planted red runner beans this morning. I didn't need to water them because it already rained this morning. We went to the Pop Inn for lunch. I'm glad we got to out today despite the rain!

Washed out...

 It's been two weeks since I've been to the allotment. Last Tuesday it was impossible to do anything because of heavy rain. Anyway, that meant that a little bit of weeding was needed today.    

 

Early days...

my plan for next year

it was raining today so we did not go outside. so we read about what we could plant for next year.
we looked through a book of herbs, I decided that I want a mixture to make a herb garden.

Harvest Festival

It's autumn now and tomorrow we're showing off the things that we grew in the allotment, so the public can come and see it. I harvested  my onions, my radishes and my squash, and I will put them on display. I'm a little bit nervous, but I am also excited.

One potatoe two...

The potatoes were ready to take home today.  Many are quite small, but they are really healthy  looking (King Edwards). There are about 2-3 lbs in weight and I'll probably have most of them this week.                                                                                                                                      

Changing allotment

The allotment has changed a great deal in the last  year: for example, better defined, raised boarded areas for growing vegetables, making them much easier to maintain/ cultivate. Today I came home with large broad  beans and huge spring onions.

allotment

I did the allotment today and planted some potatoes-8 to10 of them. With the rest of the group we also planted various other vegetables including: spring onions, radish, little gems (lettuce), rocket and carrots. There were three of us working together in total.     

Under cover

It chucked it down with rain today after the allotment group but only for a minute. I was in the café at the time eating my cheeseburger, chips and tea - so I didn't get wet!

Squash day...

Made some changes at the allotment, moving some plants into new  beds. The plants had developed nicely, but of course they now need more space to develop further. The squashes can obviously get  very large so...

Last day of June....

Allotment latest - hardly surprising that we've had to do lots of watering  and  more watering. There is a fixed  water supply to which a hose can be attached. It would  be very difficult without  it. We have to carry all the tools that we need for the job, etc. from Bede.

New face

We had a new person [new to Bede ] called Kimberly!She's joined the staff on a three month placement from the United States. She also  came to the allotment.We worked hard today weeding, watering and turning a lot of the soil over. We should soon have potatoes to take home.

Allotment...

Maintaining the allotment is a continuous activity- I'm there every Tuesday. Today we had to do a lot of watering, because everything dries out really quickly.Took home some beautiful, huge broad beans last week.   

Drama Group

I do a drama class on Monday at an organization called 3C in Peckham. I really  enjoy it. I've been developing a character called Jack who is a blogger. When everyone has a character, we'll put a play together.

Bowling on Bank Holiday

Yesterday, bank holiday monday, I went bowling in Lewisham with my friends Dulani, Muizz, Joseph and Davion. I got a strike and Dulani won. Then we went for Chinese food. I had rolls and chicken.

A quiet week

We did  weeding at the allotment  today and  then checked what was growing. there were some brad beans, chard, runner beans, onions and potatoes. we watered the vegetables, then went for lunch at Lou Farrow's.

  

Gusty May

It was far too gusty in the allotment  today but we worked then hard nevertheless. We weeded and watered, then went to the pop in for lunch. I had my usual: cheeseburger  chips and a cup of tea.

April draws to an end

I planted runner beans in the allotment today and  watered the broad beans. Afterwards we went to the Pop In café.

Election debate

Richard from Mencap organised the local candidates in the upcoming election to come to Bede and answer questions in a debate.

Simon Hughes of the Lib Dems came, as did Neil Coyle, Labour, and Will Lavin of the Green Party.

I liked it a lot and I am going to vote on May 7th.

photo by southbanksteve

To join Mencap's Hear my voice campaign for people with difficulties, go to: www.hear-my-voice.org.uk 

Fixing the Greenhouse

At the allotment today we had to reinforce  the 
plastic sheeting on the greenhouse - its been very windy and we thought the thing was going to take off!

There's a music festival for people with learning difficulties coming up: check it out! 2015 Music Festival

Cold and blustery

It's cold and blustery out today so we didn't do much in the allotment. I turned the soil in the raised bed and then we went to Lou Farrow's for lunch.

The reason I played cricket today

I came in late today because the 42 bus I get had been diverted - so I took a cab to the Bede.

Because I was  too late for the allotment group, I played cricket instead in the gym before lunch.

The reason for the diversion: an unexploded WWII bomb was uncovered at a nearby building site!

trip to the unicorn theatre

I went to the Unicorn Theatre on Saturday to see a show: Britain's Best Recruiting Sergeant.

It was really, really good, entertaining and funny. I'd like to see it again but it's finished.  

A tribute to Gary

My friend Gary, we lost him because he died so young. May he rest in peace.
He loved Spiderman and Thundercats and at his funeral they played the music from Thundercats.
It was a sad funeral. I couldn't stop crying. I hugged his mum and his dad. The crematorium was packed. There were loads of flowers.
I won't forget about him. He was loved. I will keep him in my prayers.

Plastic Cloches

Today we put a cloche over the seed bed in the allotment. The cloche is made of clear plastic, which lets in sunlight. The sunlight warms up the soil. The cloche also stops the birds eating the seeds.
I went to Lou Farrow's café and had cheeseburger, chips, and a cup of tea. I had a nice day.

Not doing much...

We didn't do much today. We went and emptied the scraps onto the compost, then Tayo washed out the scrap bin. I went to talk to Andrea and Matthew, the staff who work at the allotment, then we went to lunch - cheeseburger and chips and a cup of tea.

Oxeye Daisies

We planted seeds in pots  today - sweet peppers and oxeye daisies. Sarah who runs the group showed us how to do it.

Thyme

To get a better idea of what herbs and vegetables we could plant in the allotment, we went to the vegetable  section  at Tesco. We now have a  good  idea of what's available. We want to try and develop the herb part of the allotment a little more, amongst other things. 

supermarket

My group went to the  supermarket today with Sue and Chantal  to  look at  vegetables. We  looked   at   broccoli,  tomatoes and  pumpkins.

flge day

Today we had a flag raising event for the Can Do Project, who have been working with Bede over the last few months to create four seasonal themed flags ( Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), which will hang outside in Southwark Park. They look fantastic.

  

Christmas

Christmas was good, but it finished too quickly, because I really enjoyed it and was sorry to see it end. The whole family came over. It was a nice relaxed, enjoyable time. I really like to party.