Late Spring Bank Holiday

It's that rare thing - a sunny hot Bank Holiday weekend! And nature is celebrating to.

* This morning I walked across a field full of buttercups. Buttercups as far as the eye could see (a bit of poetic license). Boots coated with bright yellow pollen. From the top of the hill - a shimmering haze of gold.
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* Through the buttercups - dragonflies darting. I think they were Brown Hawkers (see picture above). I checked on the British Dragonfly society page - well worth a visit - it has great photos & descriptions (http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/aegra.html).
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* Me & Mr PoppyM spent the morning digging over a patch we have been loaned. It is/was covered in nettles & couch grass so requires a fair bit of work to change it into a veggie patch. The soil is really good quality tho - the early potatoes we put in a while back are looking brilliant. A row - perfectly straight as "he who must be obeyed in digging matters" insisted - of early carrots.

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* I've found a great place to buy our veggie seeds - the old fashioned way - by weight (http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/index.html). So it's just a matter of choosing the varieties & getting them planted in the lovely new plots.

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* The hens - one in particular - really enjoyed scratching out almost everything we put in the wheelbarrow. She was joined by a few friends & we didn't have the heart to stop them - such simple pleasures..

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* Many hens spent the post-laying part of the morning sun-bathing & dust-bathing. Even Alfie the "I'm very important" cockerel sun-bathed for a bit. And the broody hen popped out from her nest to partake of the rays for a few moments. Great contentment in the hen-pen.

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* Mr PoppyM & me are divided on how to increase our flock. I want to give a home to a dozen hens that are due to be culled from a commercial, free-range flock not far from here (12 for £5.00 - what a heart-breakingly small sum for hard-working hens). Mr PoppyM would rather buy day-old chicks & raise them. There are pro & cons for both routes...time will tell which path we take. And of course in the mean-time out broody hen may raise a few her self.

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* Back home - the "Heath Robinson" cold frames I have "constructed"from old sheets of plastic roofing, string, bits of wood & plastic sheeting are holding together surprisingly well: no nails involved. The veggies growing in them seem to be appreciating them & look great - the 1st lettuces will be ready any day now. I have high hopes for pumpkins, squashes & courgettes & a bumper crop of tomatoes.

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* Yesterday the California poppies burst into flower giving the pots & containers a much needed boost. The spring bulbs are almost over & I can barely wait to get the summer bedding flowers etc that I have GROWN FROM SEED (very proud I am to) into the pots. Mini-sunflowers, asters, black-eyed suzies, lupins, nasturtiums, evening primrose.......

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