At one with nature

Normally, when someone says that, they are refering to being surrounded by natures beauty, not the viscious hand to hand fighting i find myself engaged in with tree roots and stones, armed with only a spade and a grim determination. Saddam Hussein said they would fight 'the mother of all battles', hes obviously never tried double digging.

I was up, maybe not quite at first light, but still around 8 this morning, and worked on the plot right through to last light. The mound of earth has reached epic proportions, but at last i have been able to start digging in an ordered sequence - first spades depth, thrown onto previously double dug area with leaves in; middle section cleared of earth; next section double dug and leaves incorporated. The patch looks like a scale model of an open cast mine, but its a third of the way complete.

My arms, legs, body, head all ache, and i just know tomorrow im going to be moving like a knackered old man.

Sam and me have planted some cress, here it is just starting to sprout

the herbs in the pot are doing nicely, all except one, which has failed to germinate. Trouble is, i didnt mark which was which so i dont know which one it is

Sams cress is coming along nicely, a few more days and we can start cropping it for sandwiches. Must get some eggs...

and the mushrooms are doing well, three of them growing up and several more 'pinheads' waiting

We had the first sprouts out of the garden for dinner today, picked and cooked in half an hour, now thats fresh! I ate a ton of them, and very tasty they were, even though im of the 'eurgh! Sprouts!' school of thought,

everything else is doing alright. Ive still to plant the fruit bushes, once i decide exactly where. Im going to build a poly tunnel for the spring cabbages. Julie ordered a rug and then decided she didnt like it so its gone back, but there was some poly packaging left over, a long poly tube that will make a great little tunnel.