reward for work

Last week has been busy, busy, slowly getting work done on the workshop...floor half painted and new doors gloss painted, free shed to cover the kiln whilst it gets mended collected.  It is just a foot wider than the kiln, but will shelter it enough,then do its proper job as a garden tools shed!

The shed roof is doing its job already....but no, the kiln will be upright to be mended!

The garden is coming along slowly, we may have sun,but we also have chill winds. Nearly all the soft fruit has been potted on, just the rasberries and a few currant cuttings waiting for top soil.  Possibly the next job, apart from planting out the peas and shallots in deep bed number three, is to provide windbreak!

The "lawn" progresses,we are raking more and more moss from it in the hope of giving what grass there is there a chance! There is no point in re-seeding until we can see earth to sow seeds into!

The reward for a week's hard work?    An afternoon out on the bike,of course!
We delivered things to friends in Girvan and near Colmonell before parking in Barrhill.

A showery drive down with dark clouds in the sky did not bode well for a good ride and as we sat in the car eating lunch before riding, neither did heavy rain showers...however by 2pm it had cleared and the sun returned..and we set off up the hill past Barrhill railway station (on the Girvan to Stranraer line).
The roads were dry, the sun shone we saw less than 20 cars in 36 miles.
Over the moors we saw and heard curlews and skylarks, buzzards and possibly a kite (couldn't get a clear sight of its tail).
  

 There was also much activity, wind turbine farm building, excavating and laying power cables...but if we demand electric power....

 On the way down to New Luce we saw this...

late 1950s, early 60s, International crawler tractor made in Doncaster
Who knows when it last moved but we're sure an enthusiast would love to buy it and get it going again...but that isn't the way around here,so much.

Heading over to Knowe from New Luce we were glad of a tail wind. In more sheltered parts we think we saw willow warblers and a yellowhammer and heard many others we couldn't identify.
Then back up to Barrhill turning against the wind..the last five miles were hard going!

We drove home through Barr and over the mountain to Crosshill and home,not wanting to face busy roads after a quiet day.