A Fork!

I'm thinking this must be the same ladybird of the other day! 
I was up early to water the allotment in the relative cool of the day. I have accepted the fact I can do nothing more on the plot till this current heatwave ends - it means I no longer feel frustrated when I go up there!
The mystery of how Amy escaped the plot a while ago was explained by the sight of her flying over the fence to come greet me! As a reward I clipped one of her wings! It's ok when she does this to me but if she does it whenever someone arrives on the allotment not so good! 
After watering I picked the gooseberries on the hens plot which neither they nor the wild birds seem to bother with! Unlike the redcurrants on my plot! It's so satisfying to leave the plot with produce - especially produce that took absolutely no effort on my part to grow! 
Later in the afternoon I set to top and tailing the gooseberries and taking the berries off their stems. Luckily I had found a recipe that said how to do this easily - hold the stem and pull a fork down it - the berries just pop off! Well what fun that was sitting in the shade of my gazebo! Wish I'd learnt about this method years ago! 
Some of the gooseberries I froze and the others I poached with some of my elderflower cordial to use in a fool or as a compote to my polenta cake! The redcurrants I made a coulis and some jelly with! I managed to get 2 jars - one I allowed to drip in my wonderful jelly bag on metal supports, the other I squeezed as doing so can make the jelly cloudy - well both came out looking clear and oh what fun licking my fingers afterwards!  I felt very pleased with myself as in previous years I have simply put them in the fridge and by the time I think of doing something with them they have usually gone mouldy!