what a day

We've had non-stop heavy rain all day which is set to continue through the night. Flood alerts are out on local rivers but at least the water butts are full, and half a dozen buckets and four watering cans. I really wish I had more water storage because with all the container-grown veggies I get through an amazing amount in dry weather (what's that!)

I hate days like this because there is so much I need to get on with outside and I'm stuck in the house. After repeatedly checking the seed trays in the propagator in the spare bedroom I eventually decided they'd germinate just as well without any encouragement from me. Actually, in one tray with small pots of squash and melons I noticed the compost pushing up so they are starting to move. Never grown squash before so it would be nice to have a good summer and actually get some fruit.

Most of the home-made compost has now been used up but as the potato sacks and tubs get emptied I can re-use what's in there for follow on crops like lettuce and beans. The french beans will have manure mixed in with the compost in addition to the BFB boost I normally add. And talking of beans I now have about twenty leggy plants waiting for a new home....when I can find space. Another sowing of about the same will give us enough for our own use. The first-sown broad beans are coming into flower so, with a bit of luck, we'll have fresh beans from June to October with any surplus going in the freezer.

No garden pics today but here is a piece of kidney ore. This is a form of hematite, one of the main ores of iron, which was extensively mined in west and south Cumbria until very recently.