Back again...

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After a couple of weeks, I thought it was time to add another entry. It’s been a strange fortnight. I had a couple of interviews, but neither worked out – I suspect deep down I was hoping not to get the jobs, so that I could concentrate on gardening…

I’ve been working at a house about 25 miles away, which has about an area of land devoted to paddocks for alpacas. Strange creatures, but quite endearing. I’ve been clearing the paddocks of the winter harvest of sticks, leaves, pine cones and acorns; the alpacas love to roll on the ground, and end up looking like mobile compost heaps if the ground isn’t cleared. The next job is to clear a triangle of land which is completely clogged with brambles, bracken, nettles, thistles and foxgloves. Unfortunately, the foxgloves are poisonous to the alpacas, so they have to go. This is a bit heart-breaking as they would look fantastic in the summer, but I’ll salvage a few of the bigger plants.

At home, carrots and leeks are in the ground, and broad beans, peas and sweetcorn are happily sprouting in the conservatory, ready for transplanting next month. Outside, the ground has been transformed, with the crocuses and snowdrops dying back to be replaced with daffodils, of several varieties. Self-sown lupins are sprouting up in clumps everywhere. It’s a time of optimism.

I’ll add a few photos shortly.

• 23 Mar, 2009
• 8 likes

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