Squelch!

    Ok I know we needed a lot of rain in this area of France. There was a long period of drought last summer and there has been concern that the aquifer's were running low. The major city, Guéret, was pumping water from a recreational lake at one time.Yes, I know that  it takes a lot of steady rain and time for a geological feature like an aquifer to refill but man there has been a lot of steady rain and the ground has once again turned almost liquid and in some patches in my vegetable garden IT IS! No doubt come summer I will complain of lack of rain. Anyway, rain means higher average temperatures and thank goodness there has not been any serious frost or any snow (yet). Still time I guess but as we head into February it is unlikely to last if it happens.
    In the garden I managed to dig up some parsnips and cut a few small white cabbages. The cabbages maybe small but they suite me to be honest. One lasts me two to three meals and that's fine by me. I have another variety of winter cabbage which has not yet hearted up but it is getting there. They are going to be a lot bigger than the white ones. Then there is the early purple sprouting and despite the chickens efforts are eating them are starting to produce some shoots of purple sprouting. Not my most desired brassica I must admit but it has its use and this lot of plants have done exceptionally well. My over winter onions and garlic has stood still for a while now. I do not think they like the saturated ground much and I had to rescue an onion the other day and replant it! It has been washed out of the ground by the rain. Another issue is that now winter is well underway and we are on the downward path to spring the stored vegetables need to be eaten up. I have noticed potatoes and onions are sprouting. As long as they stay firm they will be edible but will I mange to eat them all in time? Man!

Standing water in a bed

Broad beans in flower