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My Way in the Garden
The suns rich rays gently warmed the ground,
The gentle buzzing of bumble bees were the only sound,
As I made my way slowly down the path, admiring my crops,
I thought look at all this beauty, it really is the tops.
How the gladioli look ruffled, exotic, and tall,
Just look at those dahlias, beaming, against the wall,
That wonderful perfume of the sweet-williams fills the air,
It feels like my piece of heaven just to be here.
Today I think that I will be working with my hoe,
The weeds are looking very smug, and will really have to go,
I hoe among the lettuce, and hoe among the beet,
It's warming up right now, but I don't mind this type of heat.
Hello, I think that I will hoe my onions now,
They are getting quite sizable, and you think 'wow.'
Oh no, I must have been dreaming, just look at this lot,
I've hoed up some of my prize onions , oh, I'm such a clot.
I carefully look round at anyone who might see,
Of course my brother is in the next garden, looking on with glee,
I thought that you were in a world of your own, he said,
Come away from there before you ruin your whole onion bed.
Why don't you go and sit on your old garden chair,
Make us both a nice cup of tea, and I'll meet you up there,
As we drank and chatted that this was how life was meant,
We felt that our peace in the garden really is heaven sent.
By David Patmore. 2008 ©
As we exit out of Autumn David comes to remind us of the days behind us - and what is yet to come!

Autumn into Winter on the allotment

To begin with the days are just getting a little shorter it seems
I notice that there are not any more flowers on my (past it) runner beans
The crops are getting older and most things are not at their best
The year has flown by and the green fly has not been the only pest

I have been troubled with black fly, whitefly and goodness knows what
While when I had all those lovely lettuce the slugs had eaten the lot
The snails have played havoc with most of my crops you see
All I ever wanted from my allotment was enough food for my tea

The weather is turning colder and Jack Frost will soon be nipping our toes
If it is as cold as last year we will all have to dig out our old winter clothes
That keen wind and cold rain is sure to keep all but the hardiest off the plot
As the cold days drag on and on you think is it worth giving up, I hope not

For as bad as the Autumn and Winter are sure to get this year
You know that after Christmas the days will get longer and spring will be near
So let us not give up just as we are suffering with frostbite and runny nose
Look ahead to those warm salad days because this is what we all chose

Rochford Allotment Association
Don’t just think of allotment owners as gardeners. David Patmore, the chairman of the Allotment Association, was asked some while back by Maureen Vince, to produce a piece of poetry for a  church service that celebrated the community. Here is what was David’s offering for that time. (Anyone else want to write some stuff for us? ) Also below is his “Autumn into Winter on the Allotment” - and now “Winter”
Winter

The snow lay like a white blanket covering all
As I crunched across the path trying not to fall
A cold, eye watering wind started to blow
It was ankle deep as I thrust my way in the snow

How wonderful to see all allotments looking good
This is what we want as they really all should
To have the cold wind nipping at my nose and ear
I will not be stopping for long I fear

The snow had started to fall as I trudged along
A lonely red robin slowly started into song
As he sang out louder at the top of his voice
It reminds us that in all things we can rejoice

Snowing quite heavily and by now its time to go
As I wend my way still crunching through the snow
I turn to look back at this surreal white scene
Glad I had the pleasure of where I have been

By David Patmore. 2011
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