getting there slowly

slowly, because although i havent been at work like i was supposed to, i have been off sick, unable to speak and coughing like ive been on 60 a day. So, mostly ive been in bed, drugged out of my head, with only the occasional feeble expedition into the garden.

The pleasent weather has continued however, and so on these little five or ten minute outings ive picked up the rake and levelled off a bit of the potato patch. Its remarkably good for your feeling of wellbeing to watch the soild crumble as its pulled along, bringing to mind old BBC2 programmes about the countryside, and dig for victory campaign posters


another simple thing has been making bottle cloches, using old lemonade bottles, and fencing wire to hold them in place on top of the spring onions

over the last week ive been able to get most of the frames for the chicken run painted with wood preservative, and started up with the wiring. The end panel is now complete, including a foot wide anti-dig skirt, this is shown in the picture below, upside down.

the side panel with the gate is in the process of being wired. The skirt will be added later to this panel, as will the gate. Sam enjoyed helping me with the wiring, holding the wire in place until the moment i was about the tack it on, then letting go, or bringing me the wire tacks one or two at a time

Sams grandad came on sunday, bringing me a sack with about 5kg of Arran Pilot seed potatoes, more than enough for a good crop. I will get these laid out to chit next week.