April in the potting shed

730pm and I am finally indoors.

That’s seed sowing in spring for you.

Not much time for fripperies like lavish meals, housework or anything inside.

The only indoor work right now is in the potting shed.

The walk up through the barn garden is just glorious. But I have very little time to tarry, I’m usually carrying a cup of tea in one hand and a box of seeds in the other.

Seed sowing in April? I have been sowing since January.

But when you go away for short trips at this vital time of year and the storms are from the south…. this can happen.

Which is a bugger. Even the poor Galah was blown upside down. The main windows blew open and I lost trays and trays of beauties.

Luckily there were plenty of seedlings on the other side which came out unscathed.

But I have had to resow the courgettes and cucumbers which is annoying. And I have a few mystery trays which may or may not be climbing French beans.

And some seedlings get trampled by Creature. But I do try and leave spaces in between the trays so she can leap without incident.

But I do shriek if she goes anywhere near the hardening off staging outside.

Today I spent what felt like hours pricking out basil seedlings. Why on earth did I get a rush of blood and choose so many varieties back in the depths of winter in front of the fire?

But it’s a gorgeous task. Talking book in my ears, purring cat not crushing seedlings nearby, and a warm spring day out there to admire whenever I lift my head and look.

(No view of the glorious scenery for you … I haven’t cleaned the windows.

The Saharan sand storm of last month still lingers on every pane of south facing glass.)