A Day's Digging

March - things are starting to grow. Daffodils are shining in the heart of the garden and in the vegetable patch there are greens to eat. There's last year's kale and shoots of garlic and onions. Today I spread lots of black compost from the heap all over the vegetable and herb beds. It was a good feeling to dig again and turn over the soil. 

All through the winter my spade has stood in the shed. I cleaned it and oiled it - but tools like to be used. The wooden handle warmed up in my hands as I dug and the blade rang as it hit the soil. A robin came over to see what I was doing. He had been singing so loudly in the cherry tree this morning it was almost as if he was calling me to work. I expect he was hungry for worms. Rufus enjoyed the sunshine as he went round the garden carefully smelling everything and making sure he knew who had been to visit.














MINT
In the Herb Garden, a lot of mint had been growing. Everywhere I dug were long white roots like worms! I dug them all up and took them back into the potting shed and cut them into pieces to make into new plants. Even though mint takes over the whole garden, it is very useful. Mint tea after a meal helps you digest your dinner or if you have a stomach ache. If you haven't cleaned your teeth, you can chew on some leaves. We make mint sauce with verjuice (wine that has turned to vinegar) to go with fatty meat too.

Midsummer Day

It was Midsummer Day, the 21st June, and Brother William made his way down to the wild part of the Monastery Garden.

There was a loud buzzing sound as the bees visited the foxgloves.

Brother William had an important job to do. He had to pick some flowers.

Luckily as it was June and the sun had been shining it did not take him long to gather a bunch or two.

Then he found a shady spot and he wove four circles out of grass and flowers...

and he used them to...

decorate the farm animals!

Cow, horse, sheep and goat felt very proud!

 When I went to some other gardens...

This is Brother Barnabas and I playing hide and seek in the broad beans

When we arrived at Acton Court, it was a misty evening. In the morning we looked out of the dormitory window and saw a barn owl gliding past the trees. He had a creamy colour front so he showed up against the trees. The rain was plopping into the gutter under the window and some white doves stood right outside and looked in on us - coo, coo they said. After we had had some breakfast of freshly laid eggs and a glass of milk from the cow, the sun came out and we went into the garden to pick some broad beans. They were so tall that we could hide behind them as if we were in a forest. First of all I hid and Barnabas counted to ten and then he had to try and find me behind the big leaves! Then it was his turn and he went to hide right at the other side. They were such big strong stalks it was difficult to push my way past. It was cool in there, away from the sun, and the bean flowers smelt nice. We were having fun, even though it was too early for any beans to be ready. Then Barnabas said, 'Where is Rufus?' Outside the little walled garden was a meadow with apple trees in it and Rufus was chasing rabbits in there - woof! But he didn't catch any - they were far too quick for him.

 

The meadow with Apple Trees

Apple Blossom in May

Today on a fine sunny morning I climbed up one of our apple trees to inspect the blossom.

Lovely view from up here!

Have you ever really looked at an apple blossom flower? What colour is it? How many petals? Do any bees come to visit the flowers? When do the petals drop off? What does it grow into? If there are no flowers, will there be any apples?

Apple Blossom Flowers

Visit to Lewes Priory

Brother Barnabas and I were invited to Lewes Priory on the 19th April. We had fun exploring the Abbey together and looking at their Herb Garden! It was a nice peaceful place and there was even a bench for us to sit on.

Brother Barnabas was very excited about all the rosemary he could use in his cooking!

April Vegetables

These are some of the vegetables I grew in my garden over the winter and I am going to be eating them today!

A Blowy Day

The March winds certainly blew this week! Rufus and I spent two whole days picking up sticks because the big trees threw them all over the garden. There was a bitter wind from the North so I was glad of the wooly hat and gloves the other monks made me last year.
Rufus loves picking up sticks! Sometimes he doesn't bring them to the pile but runs round and round the garden. Sometimes he brings a stick to me and asks me to throw it. I tell him, 'Rufus, we are supposed to be collecting sticks not throwing them!'

Tonight we will have a lovely big fire with all the sticks and eat fish stew and oatcakes.