The first frost

Friday 4th December
It was such a lovely sunny morning that I couldn't resist going down to the allotment. I finished digging over the ground between the fruit bushes, and hopefully removed the last of the bindweed. Fat chance!
The dahlias are finished now, and are blackened due to the frost earlier this week. I know some people leave theirs in the ground but I've decided to dig mine up. Partly because they're too close together, and partly because I'd like to re-site them. I was amazed at just how big the corms were underground. There's an allotment I pass on the way out where the owner has grown rows and rows of dahlias. Each one has been carefully staked and labelled. Apparently he hasn't grown them for the flowers - they've all gone on the compost heap, so I presume he's growing them commercially. I can understand why when I see how much growth there is underground.
Peter came down to join me for coffee and had a go at starting a fire, but everything was too wet.
I dug up some weird and wonderful parsnips - can't understand why some are long and straight, and some look like a heart with blood vessels coming out in all directions!
Down by the old bath tub - which is incidentally full to the brim - there are some unusual looking fungi growing. Peter thinks they may be ink-caps.
I had people for dinner this weekend and made a lovely red onion and beetroot marmalade. The beet was home-grown but I had to buy the red onions. Found the recipe on the internet and it was delicious. Served it with some home-made pate.