I spent the whole day outside preparing the beds, for it won't be long before they start to fill up. The day started out sunny but with a chill breeze, enough to send me indoors for a while. But by late morning it was a beautiful spring day. I slogged my guts out, mostly taking advantage of perfect soil conditions to do the weeding before the rotavator comes out.
Now whether I subconsciously heard them or not I don't know, but I got to thinking about when the swallows would return. This would be a perfect day for them to start trickling through. Not five minutes later I had my answer as a swallow chattered above my head.
Now one swallow does not make a summer, but what about six?
The swallows don't head straight for the stables. They may not even be 'my' swallows, though they always linger a while over the farm. It makes me wonder if they scout out their breeding site for a few days. And I always wonder just how many of last year's birds have made it back. Do the young return with them, or are their numbers augmented by new birds?
If only I could ring them, so many questions would be answered.
Anyway, important thing is that they are back.
And that means it's time to really get going with the growing.
So this evening I dusted down all the wooden plant labels and gave them a scrub.
 |
| I could end up playing pick-up-sticks with these! |
