A little late...

  I am a few days late with this posting, sorry about that. 

Runner bean poles

  In the outside garden I have dismantled and re-erected the runner bean poles. Yes, I know they should have been taken down last autumn but what with one thing and another I never got round to it. Lots of forking and weeding getting beds ready. Early (variety CHERIE), second early (variety ANAIS and BELLE DE FONTENAY) and main crop (variety DESIREE) have been planted. Planting potatoes is always a tiring job. Mark out and dig a trench, put in manure and ashes, cover with a layer of soil, plant seed potato and cover over! Then watch the chickens having a go digging them up! I have also continued to clear a large patch of brambles. The grass is growing like a weed and is in desperate need of cutting. I continue to dig up leeks and swede.
  In the poly tunnel transplanting tomatoes continues with variety ROMA (plum), UKRAINE purple and JENS TANGERINE done. I have also transplanted some thirty EVESHAM SPECIAL Brussels sprouts plants to pots. The seed were given to me by my youngest grand daughter, Evie. She must have put a good luck charm on them as I have never had much success with sprouts in France. Still more tomatoes to do if I want them. Lettuce, radish and beetroot are being harvested from the poly tunnel. The lettuce are now really getting underway.
   On the animal front the chickens continue to lay well. The sheep are being sheep and are being a pain rubbing themselves against fence posts and pushing them down. The ducks are fine but not laying yet.
   Oh, we had a severe storm here. It took the top out of the pine tree that grows outside the front of my house. Fortunately no property or other damage done. I will now need to get it taken down. It will open up the front some what.