Swank swap

There I was upended in the potato patch up at the top of the vegetable bed at 715am when I heard a shout: it was Jean Daniel. Would I fancy a tray of figs? Clatter. Down tools and I scrabbled up in an instant.

His brother has a glut. So I am on the benificent list. And in exchange I handed over a big bucket of flowers for the house. Not a bad swap.   So instead of digging up yet more potatoes I have four kilos of figs and sugar sitting macerating in a big jam pot wating for me to find time make the fig jam.

It was an early start today as I had to plant so many of the seedlings. Lettuce – romaine and appia – and pak choy. Way too many of each as they all germinated so well.   And where to put them? There isn’t a lot of shade in the lower vegetable garden.   But I have hidden them under large swiss chard plants, under the towering sunflowers. And I have done lots under cloches which are now covered in white dust sheets.   My painting is almost done in the house, so the dust sheets can serve a more practical purpose for a few days.