I’ll start with today’s wildlife diary: A stoat, or weasel, bounding up and down in the long grass at the back of the pond. We only caught a glimpse; by the time I had focussed the binoculars it had disappeared.
By the way, here’s an old one. What’s the difference between a stoat and a weasel?
Well, a weasel is weasily wecognisable, but a stoat is stoatally different.
Today was characterised by a strange, warm, orange orb appearing in the sky, where it stayed all day long without a cloud in sight. Yes, the sun finally made an appearance!
I took advantage of the warmth to finish the fabrication of the polytunnel door, which, surprisingly, actually fitted in the frame. I had to scrape away some of the earth in front of it though; otherwise it would not have been able to open. A final remaining task is to fix some mouldings to the inside of the door-frame to keep the end wall plastic taut, and then the keys can be handed over to LSS. She has already turned over some of the earth inside, ready to receive this year’s first batch of lettuces and radishes.
Some brackets have been affixed to the lounge wall, ready for the installation of a wooden shelf (as soon as LSS has varnished it, that is). We’ll then be able to move some of our books and work-related files out of the bedroom.
Another little project which was completed today was the installation of the garden gate. Yesterday I removed the aged FIL’s contraption of leaning fence posts and chicken wire, and instead re-purposed an old pallet. By sinking two stout timbers into the ground as gateposts, and mounting the pallet on a couple of hinges, we now have a very cottagey-looking garden gate. LSS painted it in the late afternoon sunshine, and very nice it looks too. She has also scraped away most of the mud in the courtyard and driveway, replacing it with the remainder of the gravel left over from the reedbed construction. The entire place is achieving a very landscaped look!