More Sunshine, We Have Lintels.

Yesterday and today have both been lovely again. Gosh, how long can this weather last? Jim started to stain and protect the sleeping shed as it hasn't been done since we moved here. It was looking very unloved and uncared for. Here it is, Jim having just started it:
I have been flitting about doing all sorts of jobs. Yesterday I weeded our 3 round beds in the front garden. The bulbs are all coming up so quickly, if I leave it, the weeds and especially grass gets so big, if you pull the grass out, the bulbs come with it. I just about finished the beds and they look all spic and span. Below is a photo of me looking most unglamorous weeding the beds. My splendid motorised wheel barrow in the foreground.To finish a lovely day yesterday, there was an amazing sunset:We were up with the lark this morning as a plumber was arriving around 8am to give us an estimate for the radiators, etc, which will be required fairly soon. Sure enough, this Irish chap Seamus came as promised. He talked so quickly that I could hardly understand a word he said. Luckily Jim worked most of it out - estimate promised for Monday. The second plumber was supposed to come at 11am but didn't turn up! Hey ho.

Jim has been carrying on with the shed and also pruning the shrubs around it. Then he painted one of the old ploughs that we have and finally one of the garden gates! That's what happens when you get up early. So many hours to fill.

I did some weeding around the sleeping shed and also swept the veranda of same. It was full of leaves and dirt and sticks so took some sorting out. One of the shrubs Jim pruned was a red dogwood, it's in the photo above. It had lots of rooted 'babies' around it, which I took down to the wood at the side of the arboretum and planted there. This little wood is next to our road that the neighbours use for access to their land, so I'm planting lots of things down the edge as it's very open at the moment. It will look good too, so that will be a double benefit. I have also planted some on the bank I've recently cleared at the side of the vegetable plot.

Finally, I had a go at the muddy path I mentioned in my last blog. Once I started to clear the weeds, a ghastly smell pervaded the air. It was so wet and the water had gone stagnant and the mud smelt foul. I scooped the weeds off the top and as much mud as I could. Yuk, not a nice job. Having cleared it all, it does look much better already and the smell is definitely sweeter. Unfortunately the bottom section then filled up with water again. Discussions ensued and we've decided to put some more drainage in to prevent the same thing from happening again. So I can't build this bit of road until we've sorted that out. My back knew I had worked hard and is still throbbing a bit.

It's odd not having any workmen around as it's the weekend. Jim took this photo of the cottage and extension, now with lintels over the windows and patio doors, from the road leading to our neighbours' cottage.The room nearest to the camera is the sun room, which will have patio doors and large windows.
Let's hope we get some sun this year.

Jim also got a bit excited about the catkins around Doorus, so here are his photos:They are so pretty. The one of the whole tree really needs to be clicked on to appreciate it fully.

Just to remind everyone of my husband Jim's new blog. On a botanical theme, do go and support him.

http://livingwithtwistedwillow.blogspot.com/