Unintended consequences ...

There are often unintended consequences to tasks done enthusiasticly, without risk assessment, etc. In creating this veggie patch, two come to mind, neither of which passed through my pea-brain. The cats find that their landscape is constantly changing, that their need for sun or for shade has not been taken into account. I ripped out camellias and gardenia - being mere flowers - when that is what they used to bury within. We whacked up a fence, blocking their way into the next property, which provided the warmth of brick walls in winter, and the shade of the tangled undergrowth in summer. So now they lie in the garden beds, which provide warmth, and shade, and gorgeous aromas all at the same time. Should they give two hoots if I have just planted 20 carrot seedlings ("Little Finger") there! Growing yer own is a little different from a weekly trip to the green grocer where you can buy one of this, two of that and a dozen of the other AND they are all perfect. Perfect colour. Perfect shape. Perfectly uniform, With MY kitchen veggie patch it is either feast or bloody famine, and believe me, them be not perfect in any way, shape, or form. And all this has a massive impact upon the chef. Suddenly there is 5kgs of ripe Roma tomatoes sloughing down before her eyes. She has to make chutneys, or sauces or chilli when that may not have been on the agenda at all, at all. Someone else is calling the shots. And the herbs go to seed so bloody fast, and the gardener lops them all back just when Jamie tells you you must use Thai Basil, or whatever. Unintended consequences, indeed.