The Year of the Saskatoon

In an earlier entry, in February, I introduced you to the new "Super Food" the Saskatoon, as supplied by the Scottish artist and gardener John Stoa. See details here if you missed it: http://www.johnstoa.co.uk/saskatoon.htm

John contacted me recently to introduce me to his new blog. John writes a gardening column for a local newspaper and has archived the series of articles which can be found at Scottish Artist and his Garden: http://scottishartistandhisgarden.blogspot.com/

John has sent over 3000 plants around the UK this year which will start to flower and fruit next year. He is confidently predicting that 2011 will be the year of the saskatoon. I will, of course, keep you informed.

I also had a missive from The Welsh Bard, EvansAbove, which included this ode inspired by my last entry:

Allotmenteers in Hampshire sing
In praise of Chris, the Kibosh King,
A man who dedicates his life
To giving weeds some serious strife.
The Marestail genus (aka
The Arsenal boss) has had its day
In Cove, where Chris’s new campaign
Has hit the plant like acid rain...

Though Chris’s Kibosh kills the weeds,
It may do more than Baltzer needs,
As photos taken every time
He gets his gong, suggest a crime.
It may be that the Rushmoor Mayors
Quite simply aren’t long-distance stayers,
But some suspicion lands on Chris –
Can Kibosh be their Nemesis?

Incidentally the Kibosh, applied last week, certainly seems to have done the trick and one more spraying in the Spring, if and when it raises it's feathery head again, should see the blighter off for good.

On the footie front it has been a good weekend. Boro are settling down well in the higher division and turning in some good league results. I'll gloss over the disappointing 5-0 hammering we received in the FA Cup replay at Dover, particularly annoying as we should have won the first game comfortably, but an excellent win last week at home to high flying Chelmsford followed by a draw away at second place Bromley on Saturday, has moved Boro up to 8th place, ahead of local rivals Woking and Basingstoke and only 2 points off the play-offs. Back to back wins away to lowly St Albans on Tuesday and at home to Hampton and Richmond on Saturday should see us consolidate our position.

Meanwhile the Super Blues are up into 6th place following a win away to Sheffield United. I am confident that when Kean wakes up and realises what his best team is we will be right up there in the mix.

Sadly, when you read articles like this it just makes you despair:

Connor Wickham row may be costly for Ipswich manager Roy Keane
By Joe Bernstein

Roy Keane's job at Ipswich is under serious threat after falling out with 17-year-old boy wonder Connor Wickham, rated the best young prospect in English football.
Their deteriorating relationship is almost certain to see one of them leave in January with the Ipswich board having to choose between them.
Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have been keeping tabs on Wickham, whose £8million value was boosted by his starring role for England Under-17s when they became European champions earlier this year.
Keane, who used Wickham as a secondhalf substitute in their 2-0 win over Millwall yesterday, has sometimes taken a hard line with the 6ft 3in striker to keep his feet on the ground.
But the 'tough love' has backfired with Wickham upset by his manager's treatment and confused about being left out for Keane signings like Jason Scotland.
Wickham, who became the youngest player in Ipswich's history when he made his debut shortly after his 16th birthday, has been tipped to become England's best traditional No9 since Alan Shearer.

Well I certainly know which one I'd keep, but what do I know?

Mr. Keane's such a nice understanding chap: