Grand Designs

We missed having somewhere to hang the hammock, and based on a design we'd seen at Preston Park children's playground, had always fancied a hexagonal pergola.

A lot of the logs we'd been left for firewood remained uncut, so we decided to use some of them for construction rather than combustion.

With the help of Leo, one of our neighbours and his digger to dig the post holes, construction began.
Just the 2 of us heaving logs about - some expletives were uttered, but in the end, the frame was up.
4 of the 6 sides will eventually be trellis with bench seats

Potato bed

At last - the mound of earth we discovered concealed beneath black plastic and old pallets has become.......


a potato bed.




Planted Charlotte (salad potatoes) and Cara (maincrop) in it
This is in addition to the Arran Pilot growing in the main plot which are just starting to show above the soil now. Yay !!

Another visitor

Joanne, Ellie's babysitter from Easington Lane comes to stay for a week. She finds there's not much to do in the middle of the field, but we manage a couple of trips out - shopping and to the pub.

And of course the mind-blowing experience that is Galway Airport !!!

Photo of Ellie in her Camogie gear

...as requested by Jack.

PS - recognise the hoodie ???



managed to upload a short video onto YouTube as well... watch it HERE

My legs ache.....

430 of the 500 trees are now planted - just a spot more ground clearance to do before getting the rest in...

Hard work - very good for the shoulders and upper arms though.

Can't wait till they spring into leaf now - it'll be interesting to chart their growth (as long as the deer don't eat them first !!!)

More trees...

Despite snow when we wake up, it goes pretty quickly and we go out and plant another hundred or so trees.

The wind picks up and it gets cold at lunchtime so we come in to listen to the FA Cup semi final

Come on Barnsley !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(edited to add.... sorry Barnsley....)

Camogie

It's the girls version of Hurling... a Gaelic sport consisting of hitting a hard ball with a hurley (kind of shorter, fatter hockey stick)

Considering that full face, American-football-esque helmets are mandatory for players under 19, gives you some idea of the pace and viciousness of the game.

Ellie went to her first training session at the GAA field in the village - a little apprehensive but after an hour session was very enthusiastic and wants to continue.
Training 2 sessions a week, plus they also play and are coached in school starting this week.

She has a hurley and helmet though the school so we make the trip out to buy Camogie boots (studded football boots), shinpads and extra-thick socks.

More about Hurling and Camogie here

Trees.

Our trees have arrived today - 450 Alder and 50 Hazel (well... we had to didn't we ??)
The ground needs clearing of reeds, brambles and long grass for the new trees to stand a chance so Steve attacks it with the brushcutter....

Before....
and after....

Plus - all the existing ash trees that have been nibbled by the deer have to be shaped (have their side-shoots and branches removed to promote upward growth) so we set Ellie to work... Only a few hundred to do - should keep her busy for an hour or so...

Raspberries

Having cleared around the fence at the back of the polytunnel and repaired the fence-wiring, the idea springs to mind..... raspberries (like y'do...)

Seeing as we had to leave our raspberry canes behind, a quick word with our neighbours Terri and Alan and they show us their raspberry plot. It's huge and spreading and we can take as many canes as we need from it.

Marvellous

We plant what we think are 12 summer fruiting canes and 12 autumn fruiting canes which we trade for a bag of kale, some purple sprouting broccoli and a dozen eggs.


incidentally - the mound of earth behind the raspberries was, until last week, covered with black plastic, nettles and old pallets. Out of curiosity we uncovered it and found all that topsoil.
2 choices - do we move it ? Or do we leave it where it is and grow potatoes in it.

Potatoes will go in in a couple of weeks !!!

A new job

In my search for casual work, I've managed to get a job as the cleaner at Dromindoora School. Not highly demanding, but a regular source of income nevertheless.

This is in addition to being the school gardener. It's a monopoly !!!