Steady as she goes!

   All right! The pace quickens to get outside jobs done before it either rains or freezes! I have  finally been able to get out into the garden for a reasonable amount of time. I have been busy tidying up. Jobs that should have been done last autumn are finally getting done. Gusts of wind have taken down my bean poles so I have cleared them away. I need a new set. They should have been removed before now. The weather has been kind enough to allow me to fork and weed so I have been busy. The soil in places is on the heavy side but it is workable. Lots still to do but if I can  get on top of it now then I might be ahead of the game. I continue to pull carrots, swede, beetroot, leeks and cut cabbage and pick sprouts. The cabbage is coming to an end but they have been a good crop. Certainly the sheep like them! The carrot critters have returned for another year attacking my carrots. They are very clever. They attack the carrot from underneath and hollow it out. When I go to pull the carrot all  I get is the top and a hollow carrot!
   No change on the animal front. Three chickens are laying quite regularly now which is welcome. It is good to get eggs with deep yellow yolks rather than those pale ones bought from the supermarket. The rams are having to be feed hay twice a day as there is little grass for them. The ewes are managing in the big field.
   The river overflowed its banks last week. I have never seen it so high but of course it could have been as high in previous years. I just would not have seen it!
  Fingers crossed for continued drier weather and mild temperatures. I can then crack on with preparing the vegetable plots.

Normally you would see standing stones here

Critter attacked carrot

Blown over bean sticks