10
May
Happy
Birthday to my 3 kitties, born a year ago with the help of their own
midwife ! All flourishing, despite the plague of ticks biting
into them…. tick numbers are up after the mild winter? Honey suckle
coming into flower, a bit later than last year finally. The golden
oriole has been in full song the last few days, but alas, no sign or
sound of the nightingale.
7/8 May
Another
successful ‘rocket’ event. A lovely group energy learning about
how to build a rocket stove, and some fantastic finishing touches on
the sauna rocket, and rebuild and snakey ornament of the barn rocket.
Well done again Mika and ‘Lisières’, and many thanks Fanny. Now
preparing for the construction of rocket 3 in Rose cottage…still a
couple of places available if interested?!
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| Sauna Rocket Stove Oct 2015 |
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| Sauna Rocket Stove May 2016 |
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| Snakey barn rocket |
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| ABC Rocketeers |
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| Rocketing salad with wild weeds and Japanese wineberries |
4 May
Helped
to collect a swarm, a first for me to spend 30 minutes in a mini
tornado of bees! The experience was just more awe inspiring than
frightening, my legs were quite jelly afterwards. Thanks Pascal for
all your help and guidance. The ‘mother’ hive looks strong and
healthy, already building a significant reserve of honey.
29
April
A
lovely day with sweet people, sauna and cake. Blossoms continuing and
surviving despite the frosts, a pretty pretty time to be born!
26
April
-3°C
this morning, forgot to take basil seedlings in, all frost bitten.
Pears, peaches and plum trees in flower, hopefully that’s not the
whole crop lost. Chill nights around 0°C in March and April have
slowed down growth rates, so not so much is growing in advance after
the mild winter…
19
April
Sichuan
pepper seeds germinating, and first time I’ve noticed the akebia in
flower. I’m curious to see what the seed pods look and taste like,
after nearly 10 years of growing! Modest little redcurrant flowers in
abundance, and the May berries forming nicely.
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| Akebia Chocolate Vine |
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| Redcurrant Flowers |
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| (unripe) May Berry 1st Fruit of the year |
10/11 April
An
action packed couple of days with many hands and hearts helping Le
Blé go forwards. Various building and gardening projects advancing,
and the first 3kg of Charlotte potatoes in the ground, well mulched
with cardboard and straw. A time of rich exchanges of skills and
experiences, great networking. Big thanks to all who participated.
29 March
Heard
the cuckoo for the first time this year. Getting the mower and
strimmer back in action, another noise heralding spring growth. 2
great advantages of the mowing action; keeps me in touch with the
whole garden each week, and obliges a good clear and tidy up of
things left lying on the grass through winter, logs and branches in
particular.
Nettles
growing well, making soups, beer and drying for herb tea. Wild garlic
pesto chasing away winter bugs.
Cleaning the algae off the polytunnel plastic makes a significant difference for letting more light back in!
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| Hommage to Roger Philips |
Cleaning the algae off the polytunnel plastic makes a significant difference for letting more light back in!
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| Spring clean |
