Rain!

Cold rain..but still, rain.
The garden will really benefit from rainwater.
 I have been filling the waterbutts from the tap, making sure that the water flow hits the inside as they fill, then leaving the lids open for a day or more, to try and evaporate the treatment chemicals. It is not ideal, but saves the plants even though growth is inhibited until they get rainwater.

The lawn, however is already sodden! Ground level earth changes quickly from brick to sponge, which is why we are making more and more deep beds of differing heights.  Plants can grow roots down to the water without being waterlogged.

The soil that is here is impoverished and will take many years of adding compost and manure. But seeing how Daughter's and The Carpenter's gardening is progressing means I must have shown them a good example at home and in my allotments to teach them by doing.  Now they have respectively a garden and allotment and are growing well.
Incentive for us to carry on here!

Still gardening

 Where else does a cat sit when the humans haven't opened the front door?
There is also a good cat door in the back door..but that is only used when no humans are there to open doors....

It was too windy to get out on the bikes yesterday..even driving was a little challenging!!  I made more gardening progress instead, working around the house to keep in the shade, clearing weeds out from the brick paths.
The wisteria has been well pruned as it was attacking the house at roof and ground level

quiet Sunday

All was cold and foggy this morning, so our bike ride started later..but still the clouds were flowing down the Girvan Valley. We turned right at the old Tollhouse after Wallacetown and followed the lanes up the hill into the sun.
Looking across the Clyde the far side was still obscured by cloud.
We dropped down to Turnberry where a certain Mr. Trump has already started revamping the golf course...starting with the putting green!
To Culzean Castle for coffee, then home skirting Maybole on the Covenanters' Road and back into the Dyrock Valley and home. A gently taken ride of about 30 miles.
Then tidying up the veggie garden, clearing the bean haulms and club rooted brassicas. Enough Runner and Borlotti beans to save seed for next year and runner bean beans to steam for two meals from the beans that ,got away'!!