under starters orders !

finally been up to inspect winter progress.



Well the good news is .. erm, will have to get back to you on that.

We've had more snow in Sheffield - in fact there are still big piles hanging around in supermarket car parks etc from Christmas time. Fortunately it only lasted a day this time, but the pond and water butts have several layers of ice and it's still bitterly cold. The ground is saturated and it's pretty miserable really.

I wonder if it will ever dry out enough for my bonfire to burn...



Sadly no bored burglars have broken in and dug over the lottie ... I do look to have had a few bored foxes playing in the onion bed. They've probably been laughing over the state of them. They are still alive though ... and green. Not so much healthy. But still ... they are there. They are ... therefore they will :)

... which is more than can be said for my broadbeans - as suspected the meeces have have been enjoying some gormet breakfasts. It's difficult to be cross with them, as we had snow on the ground for about a month ... ho hum. Back to the shop LOL. They arnt' ... therefore they won't !

The garlic looks a little better - I should have fab cloved garlic this year. They love the cold temperatures.

The snow & winds have flattened the cabbage cage. I've put the netting into the greenhouse to dry out. I think this season I'll just have a fence type arrangement rather than a 'roof' too - it should make it easier to access and weed. Of course that means easy access for the butterflies too ... oh well, at least they are pretty.



Under the top layer of ice in the pond is water and then more ice - it feels solid. Hope my froggies are tucked up somewhere safe.



Now what about that good news - oh yes, the seed order has arrived ... hurrah ! that definitely means that Spring is just around the corner :)