Neglected

Despite gross neglect the dahlia bed is looking cheerful. I’ve bunged some water on it, but done nothing else for weeks. Yet somehow the flowers are coming out and the plants are filling in all the gaps. I’ll give it some attention later in summer when it starts to look sad, but for now it’s going to have to carry on looking after itself.

Bean has told me by means of being curled up in the tightest of balls that today is much colder than any day of late. It reached a heady 18C mid afternoon, that’s all.

I’ve been indoors braving the creation of new Camembert cheeses. I managed to keep the ceiling free of whey as I flipped it the first time today, but it was still an extraordinarily messy business. It has to be done one more time before bedtime and I’m bracing myself. Bean will be on standby for droppings.

In bartering news I have successfully nurtured the soap-maker and came home from our walk this morning bearing two beautiful-smelling bars which he gave me in exchange for a couple of raspberry canes and young blackcurrant plants. We have agreed ongoing bartering for whatever works.

I also carried home 2kg of early plums from another friend’s orchard. He is swamped and none of mine are ripe yet. He will get a chunk of cheese tomorrow.

Bean busied herself tidying up windfalls beneath the tree while I picked. We may have plum bum later on…