Jubilee allotments!

All lanes lead to the Enchanted Village. As Ms Tagalong begins her fifth month in the old country she is gradually feeling that she is being allowed back into her former life. Villagers don't suffer 'strangers' gladly and it takes time to ease one's way into the antics and goings on of this very special place. 

All thoughts of local produce and gardening had taken second place to the fervour and fevered run-up to the Diamond Jubilee weekend.

Ms Tagalong felt very honoured to attend a local book club evening this week where the highly-spirited conversation about 'Made in Britain,' developed into conversations about allotments and stuffed corgis.

Unlike most other villages, allotments here seem to be available but not readily allotted (excuse the pun).

'Well, when I asked I was told there were none available,' one disgruntled member commented while another recounted how difficult it was to garden on the steeply-sloping site and yet another that they be sold as a building site and a more suitable location found.

'I just couldn't find a stuffed corgi anywhere,' floated down from the end of the table as Ms Tagalong's ears pricked up. A plethora of royal scarecrows with accompanying corgis had caused this unprecedented dearth.

But back to allotments and the Jubilee. Did you know that produce from allotments is not allowed to be sold commercially (cover your ears NNUTS) and that of course organic status cannot be certified due to possible drift from other plots?

That said, the allotments dressed themselves up in tidy rows and flags; one of the vacant plots became the venue for the lighting of the Queen's Beacon. ' Good job the nation's security doesn't depend on it', muttered a bystander and later for the startling firework display. Certainly startled one or two of the youngsters as a catherine wheel look-alike careened down the furrowed rows before exploding around them.

With stars in their eyes the villagers made their way back to the square checking that the allotment stall had sold all their produce and seedlings. For charity not profit of course!