Today 9th May

As usual have left it a tad late today I planted more leeks and tried some carrot tape I wonder if it will come up. Put broad beans in one of my raised vege gardens and tomorrow I have some curly Kale to put in that should do us for the winter.
I had a lovely visit with Alex Brooke and Heidi she is surely a little trick does not seeem to miss a beat.
Struggling with the book club book Corrrections all too disfunctional for me.
Trying out Paradise duck breasts tonight

Scotty

Life in a small area is thwart with preferences which I took on board when we first arrived here. In Greytown we have a very upmarket butcher which has all sorts or gourmet and organic goodies. These come at a price of course, this was my butcher for the first 12 months here. I accepted that Scotty in Martinborough was evil and his meat was bad. I even agreed with this thinking back to a large chicken I purchased which had legs like a much larger creature. I was never going back.
As I got to talk with people that lived in Martinborough I learned that Scotty was revered and his meat was good. So being a fair minded person I decided to give him a trial. One main reason being that I am in Martinborough more than Greytown.
Scotty is a big meaty fellow with grey buzz cut hair around Christmas he sported a black eye. He has all the butcher banter an answer and a word for all his customers.
Friday nights are busy for him as the weekenders have arrived and are in town getting last minute supplies I have watched one of Scotty's young workers deal with an inordinate number of customers with the utmost speed. There are two of them and they in their own ways have fierce faces but have the manners of angels.
So this is Scotty's Meats at Martinborough and he has my custom now.
What is missing from here is a photo I will have to see if I can get one when I am next in town.

Back in Print

Hello world
It has been a long time since I have written here. Now winter approaches one has time for more indoor activities.
Already the garden is starting to look wintery. I have got most of my winter veg in and the Lavender garden is about to be created. We have rationalised the flower garden and two flower gardens are vanishing one to lawn outside the back door and one to a water feature in the front. The bush pond Jack Cherry's hole has been cleared and when Steve was here he and Graham rebuilt it - it is looking very good and has wonderful reflections.
Can't find photos of pond but here is Graham on new brick terrace which we enjoy.