Clear Paving

H is still away today. She was in Manchester completing the Shine Walk, click HERE for the website. Whilst H was away I had the morning to find something to do. I decided to go to the lottie and do a few jobs. I needed to sweep the paved area to clean up the last of the stone and dust from the wheelbarrowing yesterday. The weather continues sunny but with a cold breeze. Half the dust I dislodged with the brush blew away. I got another half wheelbarrow from the sweeping which I dropped into unfinished path.

Since I had moved the black compost bins a few weeks ago the contents of the bins in their original positions where still piled up like sand castles. I drew the wheelbarrow near and forked the compost stack into the barrow. I riddled the compost as necessary. The old black compost bins yielded six barrow loads. I tipped the barrows onto the top end of bed1. This where the Sweet Corn will be planted in due course. I was left with the green bin.

I had intend this bin which is 600mm square to be place in the free corner by bed4. I had to make a stand to provide a level footing for the bin. I found a pallet from which I could cut out a stillage. A few minutes with the saw and the stillage was ready. I found a couple of the bricks the level up the stillage then it was just a matter of reassembling the bin on the stillage. The green bin yielded another three barrow loads. I dropped these barrow fulls on the end of where the peas and bean trenches are to be dug. The compost was over a year in the making and was worth the wait. The compost was made from all the weeds from the plot. It was out with the brush again to remove the last remnants of the compost.

Which all this was going on a resolved to get rid of the bale of spoiled hay I had been given over a year ago. The hay had been getting in the way since then. I had left it on the paving for a few weeks to dry out. I got the brazier out fluffy up the hay and filled the brazier and set a match to it. it set alight but it burned slowly. During the morning a steadily fed the brazier as it burned down. The stiff breeze fanned the burning hay which did not get above a fierce smoulder but it was getting through the bale, if slowly. I had intended to put the ashes into the big compost bin but it had burned out by the time I had to leave although it was not far off.

I had one other job to do. I had brought the six bins I use in the greenhouse at home that I use for tomatoes. I got them out of Degsy and tipped them into the big compost bin. Then I went over to the muck heap and three quarter filled each bin with manure. After that back in Degsy with the replenished bins.

During the morning I managed to have a brew. I sat in the back of out of the wind but also out of the sun. I decide not to start weeding the top end of bed2. I just have half of bed2 to weed then the whole plot is cleared. I had time to have a walk round. I went over the back of the plots to have look round. Everything is getting established even though, in places, the soil is very poor not even soil really. You can see the difference in the quality of the soil in the growth of the plants.

Steve came down en famile to do a bit. The youngest, Miss M, got tired of weeding and came over to talk snakes. After Steve left John came down. We had a chat. He seems to have recovered from is illness. He was telling me he is really enjoying his plot. I have to say the paved area is looking great. It is good to see an expanses of clear paving. I have an idea to put in a flower bed and have some seating. I have not figure how it is going to work yet.