Rhubarb pie, plum blossom and a bucket full of artichokes.

A large bucketful of unearthed Jerusalem artichokes sat spilling over onto the grass beside me. As I raked the soil on a just-cleared patch of ground I heard a voice call, "What you be doin' with those?" "I'll take 'em home with me, if you don't be wantin' them!" I turned to see Lou, peering at me from behind my tumble down fence. "Oh, hi Lou" I smile and say. "Help yourself, there's plenty for everyone." He walks over, picks up the bucket, and walks off, leaving me with the stragglers on the ground. At that point I learned that with Lou, that you always have to say exactly what you mean.

So, when he ambled over later, asking about the fallen arch hiding in the long grass, the freshly cut boughs of plum-blossom and the pile of wood leaning against my shed I knew exactly what to say, and Lou knew where we stood. Though throughout the rest of the day I smiled at imaginary conversations with him, my closing line always ending with - "...you'll be wearing it as a hat."

John, an allotment holder and committee member for 35 years came over later to ask me about the sprawling plum tree at the bottom of the plot. "Are you intending to keep it?," He asked, "As it's well above regulation height and needs containing" He had helpfully brought his wife and chain saw with him.

Later, as I stood surrounded by severed branches and littered blossom I looked at the skies and thought of frost. I could see a projection of summer with a mournful fruitless tree and I felt sad and oddly guilty, though i knew it had to be done. To cheer myself I collected some rhubarb to bake a pie and carrying the shortest branches with me, walked slowly home, plum blossoms drifting gently in my wake.

Rhubarb and Apple pie

• For the Pastry:
• 225g plain white flour
• pinch of salt
• 100g butter
• very cold water

• For the Filling
• 2 large Bramley apples peeled cored and sliced
• 5 large sticks of rhubarb
• 80g-100g caster sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• few drops of vanilla esscence
• a little milK
• caster sugar for sprinkling
  

Pastry

1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
2. Rub the fats into the flour. When the mixture starts to resemble damp breadcrumbs, sprinkle over 4 tablespoons cold water over the surface of the crumbs.
3. Using a long, round-bladed knife, start mixing, cutting and pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl. If the mixture still looks crumbly add a very little more water. Use your hand to knead the mixture round the bowl until it leaves the sides more or less cleanly.
4. When you have a smooth ball of pastry, wrap it in foil and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes before using.

Pie

• Set the oven to 200C, gas mark 6.
• On a lightly floured board, roll out half the pastry to form a circle and line the pie plate with it. Moisten the pastry border with a little water
  
• Place the apples, rhubarb, sugar cinnamon and few drops of vanilla on top of the pastry.
• Roll out the remaining pastry and cover the fruit. Press the edges together well and scallop them with your fingers or crimp with a fork.
• Roll out the trimmings and cut into decorative leaves. Stick the leaves to the pie top with milk and then brush the entire surface with milk. Make 2 slits in the centre of the pie and sprinkle with caster sugar.
• Bake for abour 30-35 minutes until crisp and golden

Best eaten on the day it is made, or store in the fridge for 2 -3 days.