Tuesday’s rain is full of woe

Now I know that Tuesday’s child is full of grace, but I really wanted to work on the woe.   I wouldn’t call this rain. It’s more of a limp drizzle. Or as we say in French pluies éparses. But it was a lovely thing to wake up to.   They are promising this will be the weather for the day.   Which does mean it will stop me mowing and probably strimming.   But a good soaking rain it aint.

Never mind. I shall be forced to stay indoors, pot on tomatoes, and clean my office.   A well overdue little task believe me.

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Actually I did manage to do a bit of work in the morning outside.   I strimmed the top terrace – well reduced the weeds from thigh high to knee high.   I mainly went for the thistles which are all in flower and more abundant than i have seen them for years.   Cyclical I suppose.   But if I can get the flowers off, I may have a chance of reducing their volumne next year.

And even had enough motomix in the tank to go down to the duck pond and take off all the weeds there. I do love a green sward. If you squint it almost looks like it.   And if I’m careful, I don’t decapitate the ferns, the hellebores or the honesty.

I even managed to hack into the growth that sits outside the stables.   This is a tall wall of beautiful granite stone completely hidden by ivy, brambles, chestnut seedlings, and about six other plants I can’t even identify. One day, when I have time, I want to redevelop this area.   But for now, just keeping some of the wilderness at bay seems like an achievement.

Once the petrol ran out I grabbed the wheelbarrow (not being used for concrete mixing today I was pleased to see) and picked up all the weeds that were hauled out of the first bank below the pool. It’s amazing the volume you can create in just one weeding session.

Then it was up to the potting shed (it really was drizzling now) to tidy,  play with Artur the cat and actually pot on those tomatoes.

Last year I bought just eight tomato plants of varieties that I really wanted to eat.   A more expensive option than a packet of seeds.   But the reason I did is that I always sow too many.   I can’t bear to throw away seedlings that I have sown myself, and then end up with too many plants. I can’t give the darn things away.   So with about fifteen too many, I’m going to try growing them in the heat of the potting shed this year and see how I do.

The rest I had to get into the ground.   Robyn gave me some fantastic tigrella seeds (well, the tomatoes, and I kept the seeds) so these are in their outdoor positions, along with some beefstreak and a soft variety whose name I don’t know but it was delicious in a salad last year.   Watering in well (while I was being drizzled on from above) and I felt relieved that I managed to at least spread the tomatoes about.