Sorted (until the next time)

Well I have finished digging the couch out of the new bed. It took me over a week doing a couple of hours work as often as I could. This bit of ground had not been dug for at least ten years and I was still finding loads of bits of plastic, bags, ties, labels.

While digging I have been watching the Great Tits going to and from the nest box. Perhaps after last years upset they will be left alone this time.

I am now going to soak my aching muscles in a bath full of Radox

C - OUCH Grass

Next Tuesday we will have had the plot for three years. There is a small bit that has not been touched and as it is covered in couch grass I have been putting of digging it. I bit the bullet last weekend and made a start. It really is evil stuff , it only goes down about six inches but some of the roots were at least two feet long. I have probably missed some but if I had rotorvated it I would eventually end up with more than I started with.

Last October Barbara talked me into joining our local Slimming World. I had a massive heart attack a few years back and gave up smoking then and started putting on a fair bit of weight. We go every Thursday and yesterday Barbara had lost a stone and a half and I have lost just under 4 stones. There is no way that I could have done so much digging this time last year.

The whole of our site is looking the best it has done for a long time and we even have a waiting list for plots.

I took both my grandchildren to see Peter Pan on ice which was performed by The Russian Ice Stars. It was probably the most impressive show that I have seen on stage. The skill and speed of the skaters in such a small space really was breathtaking. If it comes to a town near you do yourself a favour and go. Barbara is going to see it with a friend at Croydon on Sunday. I shall be digging.

Where did March go?

I really can't believe that it is now April. March seems to have passed me by. In my defence for not updating the blog for ages my laptop has been a bit temperamental but fingers crossed it is now back to normal.

Here is a picture of the plot taken a week or so ago and it really does not look much different so I shall take another this Easter weekend, as the blossom on the plum trees has really come out.

We found a real bargain at our Sainsbury store. A ladybird house and a bee house (for friendly Mason Bees) both for £3.99. They are really well made and I shall post some pictures of them at the weekend, when I will write a lot more about what has been going on on the site.

February Picture

We thought that it would be an idea to take a picture from the same spot once a month to see how the plot changes through the seasons. This is the first. All looking a bit bare and bleak, will post another on the 24th March.

We are going to leave this pile of logs in among the plum trees to see what wildlife might make use of it.

Woodpeckers Only

Barbara and a friend spent 5 hours in Ikea at Croydon yesterday !!!!!!!!!

Three hours shopping and two lunching. She came home fluent in Swedish and won't stop singing "Mama Mia"

The shopping amounted to one lamp, and some industrial strength crispbreads that even Jaws would break his teeth on. I was going to compost them but decided to see if the woodpeckers which visit our plot could handle them. I shall go back tomorrow to see how they got on and dish out some asprin.

A Three Year Wait Ends

After waiting three years for it we decided our compost was fit for use. Barbara used loads of it to mulch her herb bed and to cover the rhubarb.

I just love having bonfires but we always have to be very careful which way the wind is blowing so as not to upset our neighbors. This week was OK and managed to burn loads of wood that had been collecting on the plot. The larger branches I cut up and have piled them in among the plum trees to try and attract more wild life.

Today has been so frustrating as the weather has been perfect for gardening but I have had more pressing work related things to do. We can go tomorrow ( cue gales and blizzards) and try and get on top of things again.

Wishfull Thinking

We came across this chap recently
at Portland. He seemed to know that
the shop was about to open but as he was
on his own hadn't bothered to tell his friends.