First day of Spring and everything's growing

I am not a well woman.  I've had a cold and chest infection since Tuesday last week and feel tired and feeble.  If I could stop coughing I might be able to get some sleep but although the antibiotics have made me feel better in myself, I am by no means well. I visited the doctor twice last week as things got worse and ended up with six lots of medicine - a statutory three items per visit in France!  OK - moan over.

 

While I'm looking at my worst a friend nominated me for a "no make-up selfie" in support of cancer research - not that I wear any usually except for lippie, but do feel I need lippie at the moment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, if anything was designed to make me perk up it is the profusion of spring blooms in mine and my neighbour's garden and the lane. 
 

 

 

Yesterday saw me saying goodbye to my old Discovery which I had bought from my roofer back in September 2006.  It had done 243,000+ miles, 50,000 driven by me, and has been a good friend.  However, it had started leaking badly and if I didn't drive it every day it needed jump starting.  Once going it went on forever and I was sad to see it go. 

After much thought about what might replace both the Peugeot 307cc and the Discovery, I saw an advert for a younger Discovery and went for that.  Here she is in the road by Bon Repos Abbey where I went for a beer in the sunshine and then lunch on Tuesday. 

There was a group of French school children on a trip out who had just settled down to eat their lunchtime filled baguettes on the area by the Nantes/Brest canal - very well behaved.

The coping stones along the top of the bridge wall are linked - a little like a jigsaw puzzle.  I don't ever remember seeing coping done like this before.

The weir water was still rushing over.  There is still so much water draining off the land.

The skies have had unusual cloud patterns this week but we had no rain for about nine days, so lovely after the wet months before.   I love this stripy sky.

The polytunnel has been waiting for its cover and yesterday, while it was sunny and little wind, seemed the ideal time to replace it.   Here are the before and after photos.  I have already got self-seeded lettuce growing in there which I have transplanted to serried rows in the raised bed I wanted it in.  The new metre square cold frames are housing seeds which I planted before the cover was put on and which needed protection.  I am pleased with these cold frames which were on promotion in the local supermarket. 

 

And finally the cover is on  - long may it last!

Three things I like:

1.   Drying my washing on the garden line in the sunshine.
2.   Getting the first two blue eggs from my Araucana hens.
3.   Driving a vehicle which has dry seats.