It’s Sunday Again

I think my idea of taking it easy on Sundays just isn’t working. I generally remember it is Sunday half way through the afternoon by which time it’s a bit late. Today was a little different, the weather is due to break from tomorrow and rain is forecast so I wanted to be outside as much as possible.

The aim was an early trip back to Gamm Vert to get the things I forgot yesterday. I’d also acquired another jeton so who knows I might win one of the big prizes this time. The early start was thwarted by a flat battery; I’d managed to leave the ignition (and radio) on yesterday afternoon. So I spent a couple of hours serping the wood on the front lawn while the battery charged.

I just made it to the shop before it closed (it is only open this Sunday morning as part of the inaugural weekend) and bought amongst other things the petrol can I needed. However by now the local petrol stations had closed so I still don’t have petrol for the lawn mowers. Did I win another prize – yes, another packet of the same seeds!

For the afternoon I decided to do something I’ve always wanted to try and that is make crystallised violets. There are quite a few growing in the lawn and they are only going to end up in the grass collector sometime this week. Additionally there are quite a few patches of them around the farm such as these growing in the ditch on the drive.

Having finished the violets I decided to have a look at the fruit I planted over last year. I’m a bit concerned that some of the trees have failed to establish, they don’t seem to be producing buds yet but I shall give them a bit longer. The poor old quince tree that spent all last summer in a pot on the patio does seem to be fine and is already to burst into leaf.

At the top of the fruit garden the alpine strawberries are already in flower, they only stopped fruiting in November. The kiwi fruit plants whose bed they share are showing signs of growing as well. Having bought the extra poles to finish the kiwi supports and to make the raspberry ones I made a start on those. They are only lightly in just using the lump hammer. I’ll get them in properly with the post rammer during the week. Then I’ll sort out the straining posts, put the wires on and plant the raspberry canes.

Finishing up the day, two more photographs presented themselves. Firstly, when I took the lamb granules down to feed the alpacas, I stopped off to get some more hay. Cid decided they were just what he wanted. Cats do have strange tastes don’t they. Snowy is very partial to Cantal cheese, but so am I so she has to fight me for that.

Then on my way in I spotted this dandelion, I counted five flower heads fused into one stalk.