Sunshine - hard to believe - but yes, sunshine!

Wednesday was our first sun-filled day for so long, so I took advantage of it and cleared all of the area in and around the polytunnel frame so that it will be ready for the new cover to go on once my worker returns from his visit to the UK.  The trailer is now full of rubbish to go to the déchetterie.   

 

 

 

 

Below are the blue ceramic pots I use on my terrace, empty and waiting for the warmer weather to establish before I get them planted up.

 

The following day it was also gorgeous weather so I worked on the veggie area most of the day in the beautiful sunshine.  I planted just nine potatoes which had sprouted in my veggie rack and sowed loads of seeds.   I sowed carrot, peas, beetroot, perpetual spinach, turnip and everlasting bunching onions straight into the ground and then globe artichokes, butternut squash, Moneymaker tomatoes, Gardener’s Delight tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes into seed trays.  I planted a bag of onion sets and dug and weeded all the raised beds through except two. 

I found this wonderful small handtool at SuperU a couple of months ago.  It has two ends, one like a baby mattock and one of three tines.  This isn't a photo of mine, but it's virtually the same.  With this miracle tool,  I sped through the beds like I never have before.  If only I'd started my gardening life with one.

A French couple walking in the lane wandered into my animal/veggie area, they were doing a long walk in the sunshine.  They lived up in the north of Brittany, he worked in agricultural  polytunnels and we stood in the sunshine chatting for about 40 minutes about hens, goats and veggies.  The man described the wonderful computerised set up he has at work for heating, watering etc – my eyes were green as he talked.

Today the temperature reached 22.7°C in the shade on the terrace.  I wasn't in the shade, needless to say, but seriously sunbathing in swimsuit and listening to two weeks of The Archers recorded pocasts - bliss. 

The cats frequently sit beside me while I'm in the garden - here they are on the gravel next to me.  I read almost to the end of my current book - this has been a perfect day for me.  

The chicks enjoyed their first day outside as it was so warm.  I put them in the rabbit are on the grass in a small run 2m x 1m and they loved it. 

 

They are not yet three weeks old but were doing test flights and generally running about, pecking and scratching the ground.  I brought them in once the sun started losing its heat and they'll spend the night in the brooder as usual.

 

 

 

The rabbits seem quite interested in the chicks and I think they enjoy having something different to entertain them when they are not resting - Bert and his dad, Boris.

As I walk up the lane towards the calvaire the song thrush is singing his heart out at the top of a tree.  The song is so beautiful I often stand still and just listen for several minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bergenia is blooming next to the staddlestone and looks lovely.

Three things I like:

1.   I found my Drizabone hat which had gone missing for 16 days – yippee!

2.   The virtuous feeling due to working hard all day and getting lots of stuff done.

3.   Listening to my thrush in the lane singing his song.