Too thrilling

My first morning on the farm after three weeks away. And I set the alarm to get up at 630am so I wouldn’t miss a second of the day.

I had rather hoped to get in some watering time yesterday, but an unexpected train delay put paid to that.  We were held up two and a quarter hours just at the entrance to the Channel tunnel on the English side.

Thank goodness we weren’t in the dark.  So it was a count your blessings moment. And Eurostar are getting better at updates and information. It was sunny; I had a lovely first class seat and the delay didn’t get beyond the level of irksome.

I caught a later train and arrived just as it was getting dark. I could see daffodils glowing in the gloaming and all sorts of exciting things to explore.

So on that note, it’s out I go. Camera at the ready.

***

I have a three page list of things to do, but I knew what had to be done first. Watering. We have had very little rain in the past few weeks. So I uncoiled the hoses and set to work.

The hornbeam hedge is fine and threatening to sprout into real green growth.   The grass seeds haven’t germinated in the heat, I watered well and will have to keep it up over the next few days in the hope that I get a lawn again.

The trees in the orchard have all been wall sloshed.

And I heard a plaintive wail as I was watering and found one small elderly Artur standing on the wall waiting to be lavished with as much attention as I was giving the trees.

He isn’t holding a grudge for my abandonment. So it was a happy day. He followed me about as much as he could in between power naps. 

For some mad reason he has a new box in the potting shed.  And it’s the one on the teetering stack in the most precarious position.  I can’t believe he doesn’t topple the lot when he leaps onto the box.

But he is in the middle of the action so I  can pat him and wake him up every time I go into the shed.

All the seeds have germinated in their pots.  The shallots and broad beans are romping away. I need to harden them off now and then get them in the ground.

I seem to have lost half my sage cuttings. And the nasturtiums have rotted in their pots.  But I think I can salvage half.

Pause for a yawn. This has been a long and happy day.  I managed to mulch more beds in the potager – and weeded as I worked.  And snacked on rocket and sorrel that is still growing well.  We don’t seem to have had any visits from the hare or the deer this past month.

I will need about 14 more sacks of compost to do the lot. But it is looking handsome and ready for the season.

I will harvest purple sprouting broccolli tomorrow. And there is some kailaan cabbage still to pick.

Other things filled my day – helping the plumber finish the installation of the bath in our new cellar renovation.

Emptying the last of the water in the swimming pool ready for tomorrow’s visit from the pool repairmen.

The list goes on and on.  Oh, and I picked seven bunches of flowers for tomorrow’s market. I’ve run out of puff and vim to write more now.

Another sunny day is predicted tomorrow.