Mistral madness

I thought we had had all this in March but the gale force winds are back and have been all week, the garden is being buffeted 24/7 and it's too exhausting to be outside - notwithstanding the sideways rain that accompanies it! My poor weeping pear is almost horizontal somedays and will need some new staking if it's not to be permanently damaged! As for the Globe Artichokes that I was so proud of last week, I am afraid they will be wrenched from the ground and sent flying across the veg patch - the large garden umbrella went for a short flight today! The irony of the local water supplier applying for a more severe drought order than the current hosepipe ban is somewhat lost on me! Just looked at the forecast for the next two weeks and not a lot looks like changing. Michael may yet be right that we can't really justify the beach hut!

Yesterday I finally go hold of my chestnut poles with which I am going to weave low hurdles around a flower bed- this involved meeting a man in some woods near Ashford, who I had only contacted online so Michael came and chaperoned me! It had been raining torrentially all day and was still going when we arrived so M and all of the kids stayed in the car whilst Mouse and I got totally drenched lugging wood back and forth - never wear jeans in the rain!! We drove home with our booty and I have to say I needed a full change of clothing when we got back, now all I need is a small break in the weather so I can start my crazy project - thankyou honey for indulging my passion for madcap adventures!!

I had a wonderful long walk over towards Abbeyfields at the end of the day and we had the striking lighting you get when there are breaks in the cloud for short periods so everything in the foreground lights up and yet in the backgound the sky is dramatically black as the next wave of weather heads your way. I absolutely must remember to take my camera with me when I take the dog out, because yesterady there was an inspiring scene to be filed in "things I want to paint one day". I took this one on my return and it's pretty good, but not as amazing as it was to the naked eye.

Darth gallery

Raff was given a rather cool Darth Vader helmet for Christmas which many visiting Grown-ups seem to like playing with - so we have started a rogues gallery - watch this space for new additions

Darth Rutty

Darth Stan and a storm trooper

Darth Uncle John

Darth Polly

Darth Raff

Darth Doeese

Darth Uncle Kev

Darth Stan

Darth Daddy

Darth Dan - the true Darth!

May in the garden

I am having such a lovely time at home at the moment, the garden is looking beautiful, the sun shines most days and the kids are all happy. I long for more space to grow veg, but that will come as soon as I can persualde M to wield a lump hammer and smash up the old pond....don't hold your breath. Georgia's miniature gadren is looking good - Sasha asked for an update so here is a recent snap.

We had along weekend in Devon last weekend satying with Penny and saw the following oddity on the way - chickens at a busy M25 service station! It was great to seee Penny and Charlotte and to see Penny's wonderful new studio, what an inspirational space. Also the kids had fun working on the allotment just across the road. Georgia is developing a real interest in gardening, helped by some work they have been doing at school, so I now have to enlarge her growing area in the garden too - it's never ending, but then as someone said at the weekend, if your garden was ever 'finished' then you would just be a park keeper. I am particulary proud of my garden at the moment beacuse parts of it have really matured and feel like they are all my own work. This bed in particular is a triumph, now I just need it to look okay in the winter too!