After years of listening to my daughter's nagging I have finally given in and allowed a little bundle of fluff to enter our lives. This is Archie. He's a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and he is fourteen weeks old today. We got him last Thursday and he's settled in really quickly. What a pest he is in the garden though, pulling the heads off my flowers and picking up stones and eating them, as well as chasing the rabbits when they're out in their runs. I'm intending to show him the virtues of having a nice garden rather than a garden full of headless plants, and I'm looking forward to having him down at the allotment with me. I think he's going to need a lot of training before he's at that stage though.We're picking more and more beans now. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm really impressed with the Sonesta dwarf French beans. They're a waxy yellow bean and are full of flavour, as well as being a heavy cropper. I will definitely grow these again next year. I'm enjoying seeing the splash of yellow on my plate.
I harvested the first of my cavolo de nero this week. I've never grown this vegetable before but this is another that will be a regular on my allotment from now on. I really enjoy green leafy vegetables and this one has a delicious flavour. It's actually a winter vegetable so I'm hoping that I'll get many more pickings over the coming months.
Archie is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteMy sister's dog used to eat stones when she was a puppy and it can cause a problem so she was advised to give an ice cube as a substitute. It seemed to worked and she (the dog) still likes to crunch a cube - makes my teeth set on edge!
Archie looks a real cutie, and I'm sure that you'll have lots of fun teaching him how to behave in the garden!
ReplyDeleteI like the sound of your dwarf French beans and will add it to my list of new things to grow next year. Flighty
Hello Archie...come over and meet Basil, we got him on the same day as your Mummy got you!!! How funny! He is 21 weeks old now. I think a home is a happy home with animals and children all mixed up together...so we have hens, bunny, cat and now dog, plus the 2 boys all friends together. Love it!!! x
ReplyDeleteP.S. You're gorgeous! x
Quite a cute pest though!
ReplyDeletePicking Cavalo Nero here too - one of my favourite vegetables to grow and eat, we get a crop off the plant for a good 8-9 months usually. Certainly last years crop was still being picked this year in April/May.
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Archie looks very cute Jo, best of luck with the training!
ReplyDeleteHe looks absolutely adorable, and I'm sure is very intelligent so will be easily trained! Su
ReplyDeleteSome adjustments will happen, to make life tolerable on all sides... ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteThat must be the cutest pest I have ever seen!
ReplyDeleteI have harvested all of mine cavolo de nero and just sowed a winter crop of it. It is a great vegetable, it can be grown all 12 months of the year.
Wow - Archie is so handsome. Our pup is just 12 weeks too and we discovered shes a digger - as we saw her bottom protruding out of the soil! Look forward to hearing more about this chappy!
ReplyDeleteArchie is adorable..and i bet you love him just as much as your daughter...glad you're getting plenty of pickings...i intend on having a good session down the plot tomorrow no matter what the weather!!!!
ReplyDelete*swoon* how adorable! very jealous :P
ReplyDeleteoo, i will be adding those beans to my list for next year... thanks for the tip :)
He looks very cute - enjoy your training!! My french beans haven't done very well this year, but then I's not sure I watered them enough during the dry period.
ReplyDeleteOh but what an attractive garden pest Jo - beats a moullusc hands or should I say paws down any day. You are tempting me to try 'Sonesta' nest year :)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the world of doggy blogging vegetable gardens Archie! There are quite a few famous veggie-eating dogs out here!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Green Lane Allotments. The ice cube idea is genious. I've already tried it with Archie and it seems to work, so thank you. I know what you mean about your teeth setting on edge though.
ReplyDeleteArchie is cute, Flighty, and I'm looking forward to getting to grips with his training. I hope you have as much success with your beans as I have if you do decide to grow them next year.
Basil is gorgeous, Claire. I've only had a quick peep at him so I'll be back to read all about him later. We've always had animals as the kids have been growing up, cat, hamsters, guinea pigs, marine fish, goldfish. At the moment we've got a tank of tropical fish, two rabbits and Archie.
He is one of the cuter pests, Dawn. I hope I have as much success with my cavolo de nero as you've had with your's. I didn't have much in the way of winter crops last year so it would be nice to have something to harvest through the colder months this year.
Thanks, Damo. I think I'm going to need a lot of luck with his training, he seems very head strong.
Thanks, Su. I read that Cavaliers are supposed to be easy to train but only time will tell.
Adjustments will definitely need to be made, Bangchick. I suppose my Sunday lie in is a thing of the past now.
He certainly beats those slugs hands down, vrtlarica. This is the first time I've grown cavolo de nero and now that I know what I've been missing I wish I'd grown it sooner.
Thanks, Freerangegirl. I haven't seen Archie do any digging yet, but I suppose as Pearl is a Jack Russell that was to be expected. It will be good to compare notes as they grow.
Thanks, Tanya. I think once you've got a pet then they become part of the family and everyone loves them. I hope the weather stays fine for you today. We've had a downpour here but it's brightening up again now.
He's a heartbreaker, Steph. I'd definitely recommend Sonesta. I hope they do well for you if you do decide to grow them next year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mark. My French beans have hardly been watered at all. We don't have running water on our allotment site so I'm very careful about what gets watered and what doesn't. If it doesn't need it then it doesn't get it.
Thanks, Anna. I wish all garden pests were this cute. Definitely give Sonesta a try next year.
Thanks, Matron. I shall be popping over to your doggy blog to pick up some tips.
You've convinced me with the Sonesta Jo - they are definitely on my list for next year.
ReplyDeleteArchie looks a real character and lots of fun. It's difficult training pets not to destroy the garden - I have my hands full with Jess and Bobbi! Good luck with the training - I look forward to seeing more pics of his antics!!
Have a great weekend.
Jeanne
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Oh-ho Jo!
ReplyDeleteI have a dog. The only condition when he was rehomed was that I would NEVER EVER have to have anything to do with him, as he was my daughters...
...now he's my" dog!
He looks lovely - my boys are campaigning for a dog - so far I am resisting!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy the Sonesta, Jeanne. I had more with my tea yesterday and they were delicious. I'm sure there will be many more pics of Archie's antics, he's full of mischief.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are many people just like you, Mal. Isn't it funny how our hearts melt at the sight of those pleading eyes. My son wasn't really bothered for a dog, but he's already smitten.
My daughter has been pleading for a dog for as long as I can remember, Allot Of Veg. I always had a valid excuse not to get one whilst I was working, but that excuse fell by the wayside when I gave up work.
So sweet, and he will settle down - in time!
ReplyDeleteHe's very sweet, Linda. If you put your face close to his then he'll give you a kiss. He's at that puppy stage at the moment, but that will soon pass.
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable little chap!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol, we think so.
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