Tuesday 24th September 2013 – Parsnips

Yesterday was proof that it is possible to get excited over a vegetable. As I’ve told you over the weeks the organic vegetable growing has been close to a disaster. The broccoli was infested, the cauliflower eaten to skeletal existence, the peas yielded 2 small portions, the blueberries were eaten by the birds before they even ripened and the carrots are too small to even describe as ‘baby’ carrots. The blackberries did ok, except the one the gardener cut through the bramble at the base thinking it wasn’t supposed to be there and we did get 4 dishes of stewed apple from the apple tree. Oh there was a single pear that was split and rather unattractive too. That leaves two things. There’s the fennel and the parsnips. The fennel I’m sad to say really seems to have gone wrong – there’s a good root but then the bulb bit you eat doesn’t seem to exist and the middle is so hard you can’t even cut it.

parsnipsHowever, all is not lost. There are the parsnips. My Mistress pulled the first ones and was staggered to find they actually look like real parsnips. She was thrilled to have roast parsnips for tea and they tasted delicious. I was unimpressed as she ate them all and wouldn’t share anything with us, but I’m hopeful that as she works her way along the line she might get fed up with the novelty and be prepared to share a little with her best friend.

Shadow is getting more and more playful. It is driving my Mistress nuts. She bounces everywhere and won’t stop playing with Aristotle rolling over and over when I’m trying to sleep. I’m glad I don’t have to go through those sorts of hormonal changes. It must be very confusing.

Alfie’s Diary – the Book is available at Amazon UK –https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00583ZGSA

You can find short stories to read at www.alfiedog.com