The small tunnel becomes smaller.

To make a change form the usual posts of blue skies, bees and flowers, or of baskets laden with fruit, here are a few reality photos of the effects of winter storms, and endless rain on our frayed 18 year old polytunnel!

 Even so, this post Will have light at the end of the tunnel.

December 20th.
The small tunnel plastic lasted 18 years until last December's storms...

.... and when the time came to replace it...

The idea came to move it back and have access to the East side of the barn.

Doing any moving or replacing plastic was delayed...

 ...by record breaking rainfall. 

In early January we removed the old plastic, took 3 hoops from the front and put 2 on the back, Hence the small tunnel is now 5 hoops long instead of 6, so only a little smaller.
We also moved one of the peach trees!

On January 19th Angus and I, with help from Tivon, put the new plastic on.

I saved what I could of the old plastic to make cloches with or to keep rain off compost heaps. The scrappy bits are in a bag hoping to be recycled. 

A couple of weeks (of work) later. February 10th.

February 24th,

Alfie digging holes...

  for planting... 

 the early potatoes.

March 10th, Shemmie Sheep wandering past ...

....as Alfie is digging outside the small tunnel.

 

The hens want to be in on the act too.

March 20th Peach tree in blossom, first shoots coming through on the early potatoes, tunnel filling up with plants, all is settling back to normal, ready for a new growing year.

Wishing everyone all the joy of spring.

Frogs and birdlife.

The pond is now a mass of tadpoles, but a few weeks ago...

There were a lot of frogs and spawn!

Angus counted 80 before losing count while I took this photo through the house windows. As soon as one goes outside to look, the frogs disappear under the water!

       

We saw the otter visiting several times for a feast. The heron has been here feasting every day too.

The above photos, February 20th.

Resident moorhen on the big pond.

Zoe's photo of a juvenile cormorant having a bathe in the big pond November 14th. The cormorant was here again today.
The white Egret also visited the water this winter.

A flock of gold finches on the teasels, December 10th.
When teasels are in flower they are great for the bees too.

 

Frequenting the bird feeder along with all the common small birds...

 .... a male woodpecker. This photo January 1st. We continued to see woodpeckers on the feeder throughout January and February.

Late winter garden.

Looking into the big pond, with reflections too, February 10th. 

A few years ago, in one area of the big pond, Angus threw in stones so that the littler critters (especially dragonfly larvae) can hide from the bigger predators.

Alfie made a fishing rod with a bamboo cane and a bit of garden string.  (For play only).

 There was a mound of soil at the big pond, entangled with willow root stumps. We covered it for a year to clear the weeds and willow (which was beginning to grow) and for the last week we have been spreading it to create a path around the big pond that is level-ish. Alfie and I have almost moved it all now. Alfie still loves to dig and dump! Tivon did a bit too, as in this photo.

Snowdrops being radiant February 10th.

Frosted Echium pininana on February 11th.

Crocus on a sunny morning...

and on a frosty morning.

Roses January 11th.

Several (autumn!) raspberry canes still had fruit on January 11th.
 I haven't known them to go on for so long before.

 Frozen big pond, January 11th.

Alfie planting sweet pepper seeds January 5th.
It's only February and we have already planted a lot of seeds. Tivon decided to grow several varieties of flowers this year. Alfie wants to grow "more seeds than Tivon", and I somehow think I can do so much more this year!

Peppers and tomatoes potted on from their seedling trays, February 6th.
The house is filling up with plants, (this is just one of many plant filled windows).

A clump of Crocosmia / montbretia to be divided.


The hens preparing a new patch for summer flowers.

 We have also been cutting back brambles, pruning trees, shredding, dividing and moving perennials  and enjoying being outside!

Honeybees Oct-Feb. Heptacodium, Snowdrops....

Honeybees collecting pollen from snowdrops, February 10th. 

After a winter of wind and rain, with the first sign of spring the bees have sprung into action. 

While I have been quiet on the blog I have been full of activity in the garden, I have paused now and then for a photo and they will follow!  Meanwhile here are a few of the honeybees.

Snowdrops February 10th.

Little" Tete a tete" daffodils with honey bee collecting pollen, February 18th.

Hellebore February 18th. 

The Hellebores grow well in the shade of deciduous trees and will self-seed freely, but some of our plants are more shaded than others. The bees favour the flowers that are more sheltered from the wind and that receive the low winter sun, especially mid-day/early afternoon sun, when the day has warmed a little, so I will be moving a few plants and any new plants to more bee friendly positions!

Crocus, On sunny days every clump seems to have its own bee!

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In the early winter the bees were on Ivy, Mahonia, Rosemary to name a few.... I just have these photos ....

October 1st.
Honeybees on Heptacodium miconioides. 

Heptacodium, commonly called the Seven Sons plant. October 1st.