Battling with weeds

Today a battle which I thought I was going to have to fight never happened and a weight was lifted from my mind.
Yesterday was about another battle. I lost an hour of my life, for I had my annual visit to hospital, my reminder that Mr C always lurks in the background.

They generally poke, prod and peer, so the more sedative they pump into me the better! And yesterday they gave me plenty. So much, in fact, that I don't remember a jot between 6 and 7 o'clock.

Still groggy this morning, and not really allowed to drive or use any machinery, I decided to have a day of gentle pottering in the polytunnel. Outside it was dreary and none too warm.
But my plan didn't last long, as I passed the newly emerging line of beetroots and decided to just pull a few weeds. Well, the ground was so soft that they virtually jumped out of the ground themselves.

A line of Beetroot Cylindra, looking very healthy.

As usual, one thing led to another and before I knew it I had spent a couple of hours weeding. It was good to really see which crops had germinated well and which were a little more patchy. For some crops there is still just time to fill the gaps, either by sowing new seed or, in the worst cases, with young plants which I will raise in the polytunnel for protection in their early lives.

Only one or two gaps in the parsnip rows.

I came back into the house once to document Sue making butter (next post) and once to check on the plumber's progress. For today he finally finished his last job after what has been quite an epic saga.

My only other rest was to admire Gerry's surgical dissection of a rabbit he had caught.
It's a bit gory again, but here's what he left, neatly arranged.

Stomach, intestines, one paw and a tail!

Gerry retired upstairs for several hours to digest, while I returned to my weeding - the broad bean bed, the asparagus peas, the carrots and the brassica beds.
I am now lying on the sofa with a severe twinge in by back. Give me some sedative!