Wind

Over the past few days and nights the wind has been relentless. Fortunately, unlike many we haven't had the accompanying heavy rains, but nether the less it is becoming tiresome.

The continuous back ground noise gives me a headache, it's too windy to open any windows, doors bang, it's a waste of time trying to hang out the washing and it winds the dog up !

The poultry hate it, especially the hens who struggle to walk in a straight line. When cleaning out the houses I seem to end up with more straw outside than in.

The garden is a mess. Normally I prefer to leave the seed heads and the bare stems of plants over winter. They provide food for the birds, look attractive on frosty mornings and protect the newly emerging shoots in the Spring, but this year they have either been blown over or are just a black soggy mess. I did start to cut them back at the weekend but seemed to be doing more harm than good to the grass bordering the garden, so now half done it looks worse than before I started.

On the positive side, the ground is slowly drying out and it will be so peaceful when it stops!