Progress on the goose pond.

Wooden edging going in to stop the grass growing into the water. 

No work getting done!

Abbi and Oscar are here so there is much sitting around playing with toys and not much work. 

But even playing with toys is tiring.

Water is a damn nuisance.

Especially when you are building a dam. Next time I must remember to wait until there is not so much water running in the stream. 

Once the cement goes off I can fill this pond and drain the upper one. 

Progress.

Still working down in the bracken field. There us still a lot of water coming off the hills and down the stream. This is the bypass pipe for the new dam. 

But there is still time to stop and watch the kites circling overhead. 

But there is nowhere to sit down at this end of the field so I have put up a 'seat'.

This is the view. 

Rain,rain go away...

It is rarely too wet to work ( no really it isn't ) but yesterday was an exception. 

Today was not so bad so I did a job that meant I got wet anyway. Pressure washing the polytunnel, greenhouse and all the slabs etc. and the equipment too. 

The difference a few years make....

I was browsing through old blog entries and found this photo of what became the goose pond. 

This is it now. 

More progress in the bracken field.

All cut down now but the hard part is clearing up all the strimmings. 

So for a break I am putting in another weir here which will create another pool that can be informal. 

Progress in the bracken field.

Whipping the willow into shape.

The willow den in the goose field needed its pruning. 

Then the goose pond needed a bit more clearing. 

And while I wait for the materials to do the edging the next task is clearing the undergrowth.

Perfick day!

What a day. Much sitting and just looking happened today. As well as some work. 

This is the view from the gardeners seat. 

And this was the view from the goose field seat. 

By the end of the day it looks like this. 

Before.

During

After. 

 Clearing the grass from the far bank is a problem every year so I am going to put a wooden edging to stop the grass growing into the water. The bank can then be mown like the other side. I can also then plant this pond up with the overflow plants from the big pond. 

Clearing the banks.

Cutting back all the growth on the banks of the long pond and down towards the goose pond. 

The virginia creeper is creeping up the workshop wall. 

A busy day.

First there was planting primroses and bulbs on the car park bank - there are already masses of snowdrops and campion so this will add more early colour. 

And then it was strimming the back of the Cobb. This is left to go wild with all sorts of wild hedgerow stuff but it was very matted so I have cut it back and raked it out. It can grow wild again now but better.

Then it was taking out nettles in the pig field. I have cleared out a section of edge that was very wild and nettley so I have cut it back and thrown some grass seed around so it can now get mown regularly which will kill off the nettles. 

But there is always time to stop and look at the flowers - lovely combination of pinks and blues in this bed. 

Grass cutting.

Today was bright and sunny and the grass was dry enough for cutting. But I also did some planting and moving and potting up cuttings. I also found this beauty flowering in a border. No idea what it is. 

And our pet concrete tortoise obviously thinks it is winter. 

The haywain.

Constable would be proud. 

Apple wine. Possibly.

How much is that doggie in the chicken run?

This youngster turned up in the garden today so we took her in until an owner could be found. Carrie from the village then took her off to return her to her owner. 

Back to work....

After a very pleasant weekend away it is time to get back to the garden. But housework first ( new bathroom light fitting ) then a spot of home brewing. I am attempting to turn apples into wine - I will let you know how it goes. 

Meanwhile .....

On the pond we have a moorhen - we are hoping it settles in. 

I've got a lovely bunch of apples......

Several bunches in fact. 

May have to find out how to make apple juice. Or cider. 

Hundreds of people have asked......

to see the Google Earth photos before and after. I can only find a black and white one but you can see the difference. 

I also found one of the outline plans I drew up of what we could do. 

Not much went according to plan. 

And when I say 'hundreds' it was Bella. 

Making hay....

Not exactly. It was time to cut the flower meadow so round and round I went with the push along strimmer. All day. 

Today we have naming of parts.....

Google maps have updated the aerial photo of our house so now we can see all the changes we have made. 

I have annotated a copy so you can see where everything is.