Progress and Misery

30 - 31 January 2020

The workforce are hard at it, and by Friday had completed the second bed, which had turned into a heart shape mostly by accident.

 The new walls for the old kitchen garden bed, including a separate section for mint to attempt to control its spread.

 The pond, now topped up to nearly full, with tap water, waiting for plants to arrive, promised for tomorrow

 Because the pond was dug out a little too close to the hugel beds, the front edge of the lower one had to be moved back.  We weeded and tidied while doing this, so it can be mulched and planted.  The hugel beds were based on heaps of rotting wood, which has now mostly turned into excellent soil.  The unrotted wood was pulled out and can be chipped for pathways.  Self-seeded borage plants have made themselves at home here.

 The fabulous curving flight of steps from the house to the pond and lower garden.  Very very pleased with these.  Exactly to spec, and much better than I could have made them.

 The temporarily transplanted mint, waiting for the walls to dry on its new home

On Thursday, we spent the afternoon getting some seeds into pots.  Some vegetables for the annual beds, and these, which are creeping thyme, chamomile and nasturtium to plant around the front paving and walls.  We took cuttings from lavender and prostrate rosemary, too, hoping they will grow roots if kept in water for a while.

All this is good, wonderful stuff for our incredibly lucky life here in Greece.  

But the misery of the title is of course for 'Brexit' - that unnecessary political debacle taking place tonight that removes our rights as Europeans without giving anything back.