Oh, my giddy Aunt

After my lovely, sweat inducing gardening session on Thursday I've only done the teeniest of blogs, frankly because after tackling the ironing pile directly after a day's gardening  I was so tired it was all I could do to fulfil my promise of blogging something before falling into bed. Yesterday was all work with a last minute project that had to be in by 12midnight and although starting it at eight in the evening, didn't get submitted until twenty nine midnights to twelve so there was no chance of a blog yesterday. Today I am off to work in fifteen minutes, I've enjoyed a solitary cup of hot tea on the deck whilst reading the Christmas (can you believe it?) catalogue from the RSPB and watching the antics of the young blue tits. That garden is never totally quiet, there is always a far off honk of geese or the call of a song bird. For good measure there is often noise from the chickens who, knowing us to be their captures and likewise their releasers, whinge on until I give in and let them race out for the seeds strewn across the lawn by the messy feeders in the tree above. This morning they have had four lusciously ripe cherries and some yogurt which they love. The cherries, like tiny tomatoes and grapes, often end up on the end of their beaks as they race away from the other one so as to enjoy the spoils for themselves. This is a comical sight, with CoCo the clown 'noses' on, they barge and dodge the beak of the other. The fact that there are more then one fruit to share seems to pass them by and they'll chase after the other's prize.
I have just time to send this off, clean my teeth and head off for seven and a half hours of work but tomorrow is my day of rest and hopefully that will mean a day in the borders. 

Day's end.

I am tired out. My ironing pile is higher than it's ever been, I've just trampled dirt throughout the house after nipping into the garden to lock the hens away before I pick up Luke from work. I always kick my shoes off before I come through the French doors but this time I didn't and now I've footprints in the hallway, up the stairs and in the bedroom. Nice! I have had a lovely day though and although I had a midday dip in enthusiasm I soon bounced back when I dug up some potatoes, those lovely jewels of deliciousness soon got me in the mood again. . I had a whole bucketful although I left six plants in the ground as they'll be fine underground and I didn't want the veg patch to look too bare. Because I had turned and levelled the ground it soon encouraged the chickens to scrabble onto my cleared patch which I had no problem with but later on regretted by indulgence towards them when I found Shakira nipping the tops off all the feathery carrot tops. Each and every one has lost it's leaves. They knew they were in the wrong when I told them off and they scarpered through the potatoes to escape. Naughty girls and naughty me for taking my eye off them for a moment. I've got lots of jobs done today but am so pooped I can hardly concentrate. I'll be back.

Half way through.

I've just come in for lunch and a break to ponder about what to do in the garden this afternoon. So far I've weeded the vegetable patch, inadvertently pulling up three onions! Oops. I've mown the lawn and visited the garden centre. I didn't want to spend money (then why go to the garden centre? I hear you cry) and thought I'd just clean the edges of the borders but the lure of the garden centre is too great. I've bought two plants at half price (I bought three of the same plants at half price last year too) and one - shock, horror - at full price. I've also got some veg seeds (half price, almost too late to grow most veg from seed)  and will today plant up some beetroot, dwarf french beans, pak choi and salad leaves which can be grown under glass anyway. I've got twenty minutes to have a rest before I need to get out there and get cracking. Photos to follow....