General Chat

After spending yesterday ridding the house of mud and wet washing and then looking after a friend's four children I have been spending today, in between the usual daily livestock and household chores doing ' nice ' things.

So far I have sorted out the house plants and re potted the aloe vera, sown some marigold, sunflower and nasturtium seeds, planted out the strawberry plants, spent time with the hens, watched the sheep and lambs in the field in front of the house, also the egret in the stream at the bottom of the field and the blue tits popping in and out of the nest box on the house wall.

I know all the flower seeds can be planted directly into the ground but I thought I would try giving them a head start and hopefully they will be able to withstand the slugs a little better....I did say hopefully. The marigold and nasturtiums are part of my companion planting trial. Tagettes are suppose to be better but I have a dislike for them, too Parks & Garden. Sunflowers I just like.

This year I have planted the strawberry plants into a container. Later in the year I will take runners and next year the front garden should be ready for a strawberry bed.

Today the rhubarb crowns arrived, they can go straight into the ground.Things are beginning to take shape.The Ildi tomato seeds have germinated since being brought into the warmth, although I am still waiting for the sweet peppers to shoot. The radishes seem to grow as you watch them and the mixed lettuce are coming along nicely.

The hens aren't such good news. Spalsh is almost back to her normal self. She never showed any of the usual symptoms of a poorly hen i.e hunched up, eyes closed or sneezing, discharge or trouble breathing. I do think her heart is just failing. Her comb still has a purple tint and she is slow and deliberate in her movements, but is eating, drinking and scratching around as all hens do.
Peggy on the other hand is hunched up with eyes closed. I have picked her up,checked her over, no discharge, no smell from her nostrils, no rattling, no sign of being egg bound. I just don't know. I think they are just old and maybe this winter has been just too long, too cold and too wet for them.
The two new ones ,which we have kept separate, TOUCH WOOD, are fine.

I think now I will move the primroses and miniature daffodils from the front onto the hedge bank, not the ideal time to move them but the front is being dug over ready for the fruit bushes and trees.