Robins and Gooseberries

I watched the Eurovision Song Contest last night. Never again I swore last year but the flesh was weak. Did I imagine it or was it even tackier than usual - to quote my son “What a boring yawnfest”.

I am not surprised that we lost but I astonished that the young lady who performed her song as if in urgent need of the lavatory won so convincingly. I voted for Belarus which shows what I know about such things. Enough of this frippery, I managed to get into the garden today,everyone was out for the afternoon so I had a lovely solitary lunch in the garden,well not quite alone, I had a pair of very attentive robins for company.

They have a nest full of young in an ancient nest box on the orchard wall. Whenever I am in the garden they follow me, diving after grubs and small spiders the moment I begin to disturb the soil. They are so trusting sitting on my boots waiting for crumbs during lunch. Their are four nest boxes on the old wall well covered in ivy, two are empty and one houses a nest of wrens - tiny birds but what a noise they make. Greater spotted woodpeckers visit the bird feeders regularly all the year round and this morning the Nuthatches reappeared,we have not seen the since March,they too must have young by now.

The Badger left the vegetable garden alone last night thank the Gods, although I love having them about they are the very devil when they take over the garden, they arrive apparently with a JCB looking for chaffer grubs.We have had a fox earth at the bottom of the orchard for years and play full cubs have caused some damage in the past, even our cat occasionally sabotages seedbeds while

scouting for a latrine , I've replanted the lettuces so often I may put them on elastic to save myself the bother next time!

The jam making season has arrived as the gooseberries are ready to pick. I note this with a degree of trepidation as thanks to bad weather and minor surgery I am note quite ready for the fray. I shall pick the large ones and freeze them, I add them to strawberry jam as they have lots of pectin and help the jam to set, you have to pick them while they are green as the more ripe they become the less pectin they contain. I am confined to my bedroom this evening as there is a party going on downstairs, my son's friends come here to celebrate their birthdays and I tend to leave them to it and spend the evening watching a film or two.

I think that's enough for now,one thing is certain, if I am going to do a lot of this I shall have to get a softer seat, my poor bum is completely numb!