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I had them netted originally but took the net off for a spot of weeding and mulching and stupidly thought they'd be OK till my next visit as there was surely other stuff still around for the pigeons to eat- how wrong. They have been stunted by plenty of pecking and I reckon are past resuscitation. Keith did tell me: "If you don't net it, you don't get it", and how right he was.

It's at times like this though, that others come to the rescue. Ken gave us a whole stalk packed with Brussels, and Keith gave us eight fabulous eggs from his chicks plus some parsnips and turnips. Thanks chaps. I had one of the eggs on toast for breakfast this morning and it was in a different class from most you buy - absolutely delicious.

I forgot how wet the soil gets up there and am glad that half my raised beds are full to the brim with compost and I'll get onto the others when the next delivery turns up. They'll drain freely and warm up quicker in spring. I'm looking forward to some dry days to dig over the soil, build a frame for the summer raspberries and make some more structures for climbing plants with off-cuts of wood I've been saving up. Things are fortunately slowing down, which for me is a very good thing!