The global attraction of Grandpa Southwellski's garden!

It's been an eventful couple of weeks (or more like three weeks since I last posted) and for the Southwellski household it's been visitors, visitors and more visitors.

Cool!

Now don't get me wrong because I like it when people come to visit and stay, but I also enjoy that refreshing dash across the garden in the morning to let the chooks out in me boxers and slippers.

It's not a sight for the faint hearted or weak of constitution.

So, after what seems an eternity, today I can dash, nay amble (weather permitting of course) across to do my duties in me undies.

I'm feeling check pattern boxers to match my check pattern slippers, any thoughts?

Our recent visitors have come from far and wide, New Zealand, and Leighton Buzzard to name but two places of origin.

Of course that's not to say that our regular visitors aren't important, they most definitely are, but New Zealand and Leighton Buzzard have that certain exotic feeling to them.

Okay, maybe Leighton Buzzard doesn't have that feel but you will see as you read on why it warrants mention.

The West Lynn Ferry - Oooooooh!

Julie and Ruud came over from Whakatane in NZ for a catch up for Jules and a first visit to East Anglia for Ruud.

So what do you show someone from the country that provided the film locations for Lord of the Rings, home of Jonah Lomu and of course Daniel Vittori?

The West Lynn Ferry of course!!!!!

I have to be honest and say to it  means little to me  but evidently to Nanny Southwellski and Julie it has a lot of memories so I will respect that and add only that it safely transported Julie and Ruud back to the metropolis that is King's Lynn safely and totally dry!

After King's Lynn it was off to the coast, Sunny Hunny to be precise, for the uninitiated that's Hunstanton.

The cliffs are amazing, we all agreed on that.  What we disagreed about was the fish and chips.  Julie raved about the chips, I thought they were some of the worst I have ever had but hey what does it matter in the grand scheme of things.

I should have gone back to the chippie the next day and asked for some rubbery chewy reheated chips and a piece of grey fish in soggy batter and when the guy says "We don't serve food like that here!" I could have said "You did yesterday!"

But, I was hungry so it filled a gap, but they weren't great!

So that's what that lever does.....

So Leighton Buzzard........

I know nothing about Leighton Buzzard so I googled it and hit images and this rather interesting picture (right) came up.  Not sure what the relevance to Leighton Buzzard is but there you go.

Any ideas? Mary? Juliette?

Mary and Juliette came to stay for a few days as wwoofers (see my blog of 15/11/2011) and made huge inroads into getting the garden ready to be productive again.

Juliette also dug countless holes in the paddock in search of rusty nails she had detected with my metal detector, and I mean COUNTLESS holes!!!!!  Even the mole felt intimidated and has now left.

It was only when we were play Bananagrams, a word game introduced to us by Julie, with Mary, Juliette and Percy and Parsnip that we suspected there was more to Mary and Juliette than met the eye.

Maybe it was Mary's constant inclusion of the words 'Vet' and 'Zoo' that gave it away in the first instance but it eventually came to light that 'Mr Mary' is a vet at London Zoo, how cool is that!!!????

Now for me that is on a par with being the former Bolivian Ambassador to the UK.

Don't do that again Blossom! Or else!

Mary and Juliette worked extremely hard in the garden and planted the remainder of the potatoes, shallots, garlic and weeded a lot of the vegetable plots for us as well as prepping a bed in the polytunnel.  Thank you both very much.

It wasn't all work, when she wasn't digging holes, Juliette showed a real talent for dog agility and took Blossom over some short but nonetheless challenging agility training courses.

Another clear round

Blossom was exhausted afterwards, which in itself is no mean feat.

After our most recent wwoofing experience the few days Mary and Juliette spent with us restored our faith in the programme and we have another helper lined up for a few weeks time.

If you ever want to come back.........

On the gardening front its been a busy time, the grass has had it's first cut of the year and is ready for it's second already.

Add caption

The battle with the mouse in the potting shed continues and as fast as I plant the seeds it digs them up again but I WILL win in the end!

In the meantime I have brought a few seeds indoors especially the 'Duchy' sweet peppers.

£4 for 4 seeds, that's right 4 seeds!

There is no way I'm letting a mouse get his mangy little paws on them.

Safe and sound and warm.

And what's more, if I ever find out that Prince Charles and Camilla haven't personally put the seeds in the packets I will not be very happy!