Green, green green and red Thai curry.

This is kale that has started to flower. Its a really old variety of kale that I got from chase organics a good few years ago. Its really nice.

This is a Thai style chicken curry with chicken wings, chicken breast, broccoli, kale, coconut milk, onion, garlic, lots of spices and lots of chilli. I have developed full blown flu and its gone to my lungs so I'm trying to spice the germs away. 

I had a potter around while I went to feed the chickens and I noticed that my dog violets are looking lovely right now. The oriental poppies have been planted.

And the globe artichoke has started putting on lots of growth now because the sun has come out.

It might not look pretty... And I can't really tell you how it tasted or smelled but it was certainly spicy. I think it would have tasted good if I could taste anything. 

I have a cold. :/

I'm not happy about it as I've got work today until late in the evening and then first thing in the morning the day after. Its not going to do me any good. Troubles unhappy because I haven't walked her. I'm just trying to fight this cold off.

I've dug over three of the raised beds now. I know I was going to keep the flowers in the raised beds for the bees but I really do need to get stuff planted.

I sowed some Kohlrabi behind those lilies that I thought had been killed by the slugs last year. I've left the dog violets for now but I'll be sowing swede on that side of the bed in May.

I'm really not happy with how everything's looking right now. I know its very early but I think i'm going to look into adding some year round colour. I don't care about the lawn. Its only purpose is as a dog toilet. I need to trim the hedge but I'll have to wait for the birds to fledge. I must make a start on some hardy annuals. 

Bit more progress.

 I finally dug over this bed and planted my shallot sets. Its a little late, but it should be ok.

I dug over this bed too as it didn't have any of last years crops in it. It's going to be a squash and corn bed.

This one needs to be dug over, but right now its a rich source of nectar for the bees with the dog violets, dandelions  and bittercress... Although i think the bittercress will be going tomorrow. 

I better get these parsnips up quick as they're going to seed. This is going to be more squash and sweet corn bed.  

I still haven't cleaned up the garden as much as I want to.

I didn't make this nature area purposefully but it has turned out pretty well.

The baby lilac tree I took from a cutting from my dads lilac tree has grown a lot and its looking nice. 

The black current too is looking well

A small raspberry plants growing. 

The artichoke leaves are lengthening nicely and will hopefully grow more than one head this year.  

The poor lawn only just got its first cut and it was quite tall, so it looks a bit naff. I'll try to give it another quick cut when the grass has stood back up.  

The spring bulbs are looking lovely. This one's really cute. :)

This pot doesn't look as nice as I'd like but maybe in a week or so I'll be happier with it. 

I saw the most amazing thing last night.

Now my OH tells me that its not all that exciting, but I thought it was AMAZING! Close to our house we saw this. It's a burst water main and the water went really high. Once we were allowed to drive past the main we got pelted with water. :D I got a genuine adrenaline rush, its the first time I've ever seen something like this in real life.  

The purple sprouting broccoli was going berserk!

I got so many florets from the one plant that I had enough to have a nothing but broccoli and noodle stir fry. :)

It was beautiful! I was eating it within five minutes of picking it! 

I got home after work today to a garden full of chickens. The chicken fence had blown over somehow,  and they'd made their escape. They've been gathered back together and put into a smaller version of their run until I've got help to fix up the rest of the run. 

Some days you just want to give it all up.

Well, this morning I woke up to destroyed work shoes and a very guilty dog... A guilty dog what shows that she is guilty by pissing on the floor... And all over me. NOT a good morning.

I let the chickens out, fed them and gave them new food and clean water. I am at a point now where I'm really starting to get a bit fed up of the constant maintenance and the fact that I genuinely never have the time or money to go out and enjoy myself like a normal person. Maybe its just the time of year and I'm feeling overwhelmed.

I took both dogs for a 40 minute walk this morning and I've just returned from the allotment with the young dog. The third trip this year... Not too bad.

I managed to dig over the legume bed before the heavens opened up and the young dog and I legged it home. We got slightly damp. :/

Next time I go to the allotment I'll rake the legume bed, getting out the weeds. Add the new compost, and create my pea rows (sticks and string) Then I shall sow my peas. Sooo... Hopefully I'll have the first crop in the allotment this week!