That's a French shovel. Unlike us hard working British shovellers, the french preferred to put a bend in their shovel rather than in their backs. Also popular in Cornwall.
You know, I have no idea how I know this stuff.
That's a French shovel. Unlike us hard working British shovellers, the french preferred to put a bend in their shovel rather than in their backs. Also popular in Cornwall.
You know, I have no idea how I know this stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzn3KaO2VykOriginally Posted by prendrelemick
Shared heritage - shovels.
Well I'm glad of the bend in it. My back was killing me after digging another bed for my taties. I put another 3K of charlottes in today.
The ground in the new half of the allotment has a lot of couch grass. Apparently the old guys call it twitch, though there's no indication as to why. Perhaps it makes them twitch.
Oh God, I think I know that as well. I have become Eric.
A twitch is a short lengh of rough twisted home made rope, usually made of straw, coiled up round your hand and used to rub down horses. It has other ropey/stringy conotations too.
The roots (rhyzome) of couch grass resemble a hairy rope, or indeed are strong enough to be used as string
Last edited by prendrelemick; 05-09-2011 at 01:41 AM.
That's brilliant. I'll be able to tell the woman on the committee who was wondering about it. They do resemble hairy rope. I've got piles of it where I've dug out the beds.
Thanks Mick.
By the way, have you heard the expression:
"Tha'll go to mass" as a kind of threat? My Dad used to use it, and in the book club we've come across "By the mass" as a mild cuss.
I can taste those spuds already!
Can you use glyphosate on the allotment? A bit of that around the edges will make your life a lot easier!
Crikey, I'd be careful who I said that to!
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
Sex is not the answer. Sex is the question. "Yes" is the answer.
Anonymous
Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine...
I could, although I don't want to. It's hard work keeping the grass and weeds down - and I'm still digging the second bit, so I haven't done that much. I'll get the strimmer on it next week hopefully.
In the long term, I hope to put down that black weed suppressant material with gravel perhaps on the paths. I think we're a way away from that though.
The maincrop is just coming through too. I was chuffed with last year's crop.
Always liked that one!
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
So, we should be ready in about 10 weeks?
Send my dinner invite; I'll get flights organised now!
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
Not tonight dear, is often the answer I get.
It'll be barbie time in England - unless we've had summer already. A few baked potatoes and whatever you want. We'll get Parker to buy a few barrels in.
No doubt he's laying on his little wool kilt, finishing off that spiced rum right now; what say we take our shovels and hoes and storm the shed
Aye, I saw you, you were the furry bloke mooning the cameras
That's why he had his initials shaved on his...ar.....
That beautiful patch of raw earth brings tears to me eyes...I discovered a new tool today - or rather I began to appreciate its fine design. It has a long shaft - rough for a firm grip, with a rounded end that bends at the end. Yes - it's a potato spade. I'd never heard of one before, and wondered what it was bequeathed in the shed. I suspected that the fellow had been of giant proportions, but no I was wrong. Vic - in the allotment shop - informed me that it was a potato spade and very useful.
So I tried it today, and he was right. The bend in the shovel end ploughs the earth over the potato leaves to earth them up in a very easy motion. The length means that I can reach right into the middle of my rows. Brilliant.
Somebody give this man 20 lashes, don't you know you never put "sex" as a question...the earth would still not be peopled
Aye, I saw you, you were the furry bloke mooning the cameras
That's why he had his initials shaved on his...ar.....
:
No that was my face
Would that self-assfacement?
Punching a waiter in the face is never good even if he did try to poison you, and getting bailed out by your Ma and Da is reprehensible. Perhaps the poor guy was simply trying to point out your youthful errors i.e. drinking Jack Daniels. Atheist, standards are slipping. Am I still in purdah, the Teachers reference was badly misunderstood and I am a PALE shadow of my former self? We are not a bad bunch to have on your side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyiLfSHSqds
" There are few more impressive sights in the world than a Scotsman on the make. "
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