Is it raining?

Thats the first thought that has popped into my head every day since my last blog entry. Most mornings the answer sadly, has been Yes.. For those of you that dont live in the UK, our obsession with the weather is currently reaching epic proportions. It wont stop raining! and not just drizzle or the odd shower. Its torrential. So gardening hasn't been top of the list of things I have been able to do for the last couple of weeks. 

Today though, a glimmer of sunshine meant I was quickly outside for a proper inspection and to give the poor chickens house a clean, as I havent been able to do it properly for a while. 

I noticed the other day that Fat Bob and Big Dave the resident pigeons had been snacking on my brussel sprout tops. So I had to throw a couple of nets over them again to try and stop them. 

Luckily they are not interested in the sprouts themselves which at getting to be a nice size, If there is a frost later this week, as predicted, that will finish them off nicely and we can start eating them. 

Hopefully that will also add some flavour to my parsnips, which have now lost all of their greenery and are looking a bit of a mess. 

The Japanese Onions I planted a while back are trying to grow, but I dont think the rain is doing them any good, they have been stuck at this size for weeks. 

The broad beans are trying hard though.. There are now a number of promising sized pods on the plants and loads more flowers. 

Leeks and cabbages are still thriving and are gradually being eaten, but thats about it for the plants. 

I noticed a week or so ago that a rat or mouse was trying to dig under the henhouse and into the run. I filled in a couple of the holes and tunnels they dug, but they keep appearing. I dont want them in the run so today at the farm shop I purchased a nice big rat trap. 

I have some experience with these, as our last garden had a nest under a dead tree. I became very adept at disposing of crushed rats. So it didnt take long to set this one up with some nice tempting peanut butter. Hopefully by next week I can report the problem solve. Don't worry I wont post pictures!! 

And thats it. Brief but I thought I better post something as it has been a while. 

Gibson is up to all his usual things. Here he is enjoying a frozen banana this afternoon in the garden. 

And a couple of nights ago, on the beach in some wild weather, watching the foam from the sea flying into the air.

Finally, even though its November and horrible, the WInter Jasmine by my kitchen window is in full bloom, and makes for something cheerful to look at, whilst I do the dishes..