Hours so far at the plot.....20 1/2
At last....the weather and the opportunity were right for a plot morning! DH needed me back by 11.15am, but I managed to dig three more widths of the plot. This bit was dug last year judging by the lack of weeds.....just buttercups....no grass. So it wasn't too bad.
The sun was shining, there was hardly any wind, the seagulls were shrieking, the thousands of ducks at the Wildlife Encounter across the valley were bellyaching for their food, a small plane was circling slowly and doing loop-de-loops.....! All in all a lovely morning! And I was bare armed too.

The elderly chap (50 years of plotting) next but two was grumbling about badger damage to some of his veg. I don't suppose they would be interested in spuds.....hope not. He said "Woe betide anyone who wants to have sweetcorn up here this year." Apparently they are very partial.

As I had to be at home this afternoon, for the dogs, I have mowed the back lawn....first time this year so not too bad....and it wasn't horrendously long either. Now I have a full composter....great!

One of the "old boys" at the plot this morning said he understood from yesterday's Daily Mail that hosepipes will still be permitted on allotments. I'll have to research that to see if it is true. We have a hosepipe ban already here on the IOW...and I understood from someone else that that even includes using a hosepipe for emptying "greywater" from a bath onto your garden. So it would probably apply then to my hoses that link my water butts with my greenhouse and deep bed irrigation.....even though they will only transport my rainwater harvest.

(NB I have just googled and found this.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/04/05/nhose05.xml&sSheet=/news/
2006/04/05/ixhome.html)

Next visit to the plot....hopefully....Saturday...although the weather is predicted to be rain! Oh dear! Perhaps it will be a polytunnel day instead....! I certainly have plenty to do in there too.