Double dash

Here are the results of my second dash this evening. Asparagus for the evening meal.   I had to wait for a break in the rain before I sprinted up to the top vegetable garden for a very fast harvest.

Oh yes, it has been a lovely afternoon of good soaking rain. My favourite. But I do prefer it in the evening when I’m not trying to get gardening done.

My first dash involved the strawberry bed and a bowl. Breakfast nosh.   They are so delicious this year and abundant.

But I will probably remember today not for food, or gardening but the Big Artur Drama.

Well, that may be exaggerating, but if you are not careful I will post the almost 10mm long tick I took of the cat’s neck this afternoon.   It was revolting. And the poor cat was starting to get a bit wobbly and upset.   I spotted it yesterday and let Jean Daniel know. But he was so busy horse riding today I thought it had to fall to me to do the deed.

I’m amazed he wasn’t able to scratch it off. He is a champion groomer when he’s not snoozing in this favourite wine box.   But I had to time it very carefully. I didn’t fancy the lacerations I would suffer if he was lively and tetchy.   So I crept up on him (top shelf) with a handy length of dental floss to Do The Deed.

Dad, you would have been proud of me.   The technique worked. I tied a knot around the huge scary tick and slowly drew it tighter and forced the creature to let go. No poison left behind.

Artur didn’t fuss too much or notice for that matter. And didn’t even raise so much as a whisker when I whooped for joy.   I put the tick in a bag and have photographed it. (Private viewing for professional vets only, with a ruler as a measure.)

Here’s hoping it won’t knock him out much longer. He hasn’t been his usual self.

Mind you, it could have been the weather. It was windy and drizzly this morning and almost thwarted my plans for hardening off the plants.

They ought to go outside for their sun kicks for a few days at least after life in the potting shed.   But today it was more like wind tunnel practise.   The poor things were battered.   But I’m trying to harden off about forty sunflower plants before they form part of the potager hedge.

I brought them inside tonight as the heavens opened around 4pm and haven’t really let up.

I wanted to get more done today.   But I did at least collect all the grass cuttings from the mighty mowing session yesterday.

It’s amazing how hot they were in the heap.   I packed them into the mighty Ikea bags and wheeled them all the way to the top vegetable garden where they will serve a great job of hiding they eyesore of the weed proof fabric.

Some went on the new hedge extension – which needs a bit more work.   But at least I can keep it weed free for a bit.

One thing I did manage was to sort out the potting shed a bit. I can’t believe I have so many plants in there still.   But I can pot on the calendulas now. Marigolds.   Some look like they are trying to flower which is great. But they can go up one more size for two weeks.

I have run out of room. Well, there is plenty of room on the shelves at the end of the shed.   But Artur needs a pretty wide launch pad if he is to leap up to the top shelf six times a day.   And his landings have been tick assisted of late.   Wobbly.   I don’t fancy him landing on my precious plants and scattering the crops.

So the plants have to go on the floor. That way they can harden off at the same time.