While our friends down South have been sweltering we have had a mixture of weather with bouts of torrential rain alternating with beautiful clear spells. All of that has meant that the garden is lush and the grass is growing apace. Fortunately the new lawnmower (after a false start and a swift trip back to the workshop!) is equal to the task and it is a relief to have a machine that doesn't collapse after only twenty minutes or so. I am slowly getting used to the fact that the seasons are about six weeks later than we are used to and that planting and harvesting has to be adjusted accordingly. We are just collecting strawberries for example whereas they are probably finished now down South. We have had the first of our new potatoes, mange tout and courgettes and have just harvested a good crop of garlic and onions which are drying out ready to be plaited when I return. Jam making is in full swing with strawberry and blackcurrant jam and blackcurrant jelly already made. A neighbour gave me a lovely bag of gooseberries, one of Richards favourites, so apart from gooseberry fool I have made a batch of gooseberry and clotted cream ice cream to join the strawberry and banana ice cream and blackcurrant sorbet already stashed away in the freezer - mouths watering yet?
Three of the outside raised beds are now planted up and netted against the marauding pigeons, chickens and rabbits and the polytunnel, while not complete is on the home straight.
The chickens are very good at hoovering up any fallen berries in the fruit cage and I am wondering if we will start producing blackcurrant flavoured eggs soon!
Unfortunately, having got to the point of fixing the ventilation nets and roll up sides, we realised that part of the winding mechanism was missing so work has ground to a halt again while we wait for it to arrive. We have a good supply of manure from the farm on the estate so I am looking forward to getting those beds planted up in the next few weeks.
Meanwhile Pete has been busy constructing the turkey hotel ready for Richard to pick up the poults next week. It seems predator proof but we will see.
At this time of year there seem to be endless games, festivals, concerts and parades, one of which we witnessed on Saturday when not only the piped band but also the local troops marched through Inverness on route to the Highland games.
Work on the house has still not started, much to our frustration. The hold up seems to be that due to the size of the job a new loss adjuster has been appointed and so it has taken a while for him to familiarise himself with the details. Richard is meeting with him this afternoon so hopefully we will see some action soon.
I have been camped out at Moy with Rhema for the last week enjoying getting an early start in the garden and maximising the best parts of the day ( the midges are troublesome on still days at times and I am on a mission to find an effective detterent. This years fragrance is definately citronella girls! A garden flare planted in the ground nearby worked quite well but there is a risk of setting fire to ones hair.....) I have five nights work in Sutton again now so am heading South once more.
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