So we find ourselves in the garden most days battling with the brambles, collecting walnuts or adding to the bonfire pile. There are a number of projects we have finished, many still on the go (eg the bramble busting) and many yet to start. A minor project finished today was making a small pond down towards where all the veg will grow (very big project yet to start!). The idea is that it encourages slug eating creatures (aka toads) to come out and keep our greens nibble free. So a small hole was dug (by me – not a tractor in sight!) and then over the three days of downpour filled with rainwater. Nothing is to be added, apparently the plants and toads will arrive all by themselves! Well, I was chuffed:

Richard, meanwhile, has been working on the big pond. Now that has been dug and covered in black plastic it seems there won’t be any rain for a bit so we have to wait for that project to be ticked off.

You’ll notice that Richard is sporting a snazzy new pair of bright blue overalls (the top not on as digging a hole is hot work). We had been looking for some work clothes for sometime and then found these in a shop yesterday. Unfortunately, they only had the one colour so we look a couple of twerps in matching outfits but at least they’ll keep us cleaner (and perhaps stop the brambles from snagging our clothes). I’m looking forward to the next garden projects: one is picking the black olives and then either turning them into oil or bottling them, and the other is picking the quinces and making quince jam. Saboroso!