Well, another busy few weeks with some decent progress here in Tipperary. March has excelled itself in its contrasting weather. Always unpredictable it has already given us nighttime frost and freezing temperatures, cool evenings and several most unseasonably warm days. All this has left the plants and trees rather confused and I think had driven the birds crazy. The songbirds are all over the wood and the orchard now and they are a delight. They are also eating from the (hopefully) rat-proof feeder and seem quite unconcerned when the dogs go out into the garden. One morning last week I woke very early and heard the dawn chorus for the first time in years. Walking in the woods they sing along and often hop into the trees next to us.

For several years we have been collecting the hair Jacqui brushes out of the dogs and putting it into one of the bird feeders in the spring and summer. There are a lot of birds nesting in the hedge, the trees and even in the lean-to and we hoped it would make a warm and secure lining for their nests. When we did it the first time nothing happened for several weeks and then suddenly it was half-empty. I suspected a rat (I always suspect a rat!) but put out some more anyway. We never saw the birds (or rat) taking any fur so didn’t know if the experiment was successful until Fergus, our tree man, felled a damaged tree and commented he found a nest lined with hair. He and Tom, his assistant, were debating what sort of animal it had come from. Well, now you know.

The biggest bit of decent progress is the erection of the polytunnel behind the house. Donal cleared the space last year and we tried to assemble it several times but my useless shoulder and Jacqui’s dodgy knees made it impossible. And we had managed to lose the instructions, which didn’t help. With the growing season upon us we were despairing of ever getting it ready. Enter the indomitable Andy who has been such a wonderful help and support over the past year. He arrived with Lorraine and together they put the whole jumble of bits together, clearing the weeds and setting it up ready for use – in half a day. To say we were impressed would be an understatement. Some very decent progress indeed.

Jacqui is now sorting out the interior, fixing tables and putting tubs of gravel and compost around the sides. These will weigh it down but also serve as planting areas for mint. Lots of mint. It is a greedy plant and needs to be enclosed as otherwise it spreads faster than malicious gossip but apart from its herbal properties in has one very beneficial quality. Rats hate it. Hopefully it will act as a natural deterrent as well as attracting bees and butterflies. Inside we will have all the seedlings and cuttings and, of course, tomatoes. Both of us had fathers who grew tomatoes in home greenhouses and the smell and taste of these always bring back family memories.

In the recent warm spell I ventured out to see if the mower would start after a long winter and much to my surprise it did. We had ventured down the wood to the fallen tree that blocked one of the paths earlier in the week but the ground was a bit rough and uneven. It was the work of a few minutes to zip along, cutting the grass and weeds and smoothing out the path again. We can now get down much more easily and as a bonus the mower has a small flat front to carry tools, logs and anything else we need for the job. Getting the path to the pond cleared would be very decent progress so here’s to some warm, dry days.

The signs of spring are all around us now with buds threatening to turn to blossom on every tree in the orchard. Despite the horrendous Storm Eowyn last month every new tree has survived and the wood and orchard are flourishing. It is a testament to Donal who prepared the ground and planted them 12 short months ago. The quality of light has changed too with lovely golden sunsets that light up the willows and surrounding land. Our friend Noel once said our kitchen window is the best TV in Ireland and it is hard to disagree some evenings.

Next week I should see the physiotherapist who will assess the damage to my raggedy shoulder. I’m hoping there are some exercises that might strengthen what is left of the ligaments, (which isn’t a lot) and maybe help develop some new muscle. I’ve had to do this once before and I expect it will be slow and probably painful at times but I made decent progress then and I’m determined to do it again. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Tomorrow is a public holiday here in Ireland as it is St Patrick’s Day, of course. We’ve had some quiet ones in previous years and one rather noisy day featuring a digger and a shotgun but here’s to everyone having a happy and peaceful time.

Cheers to you all, thank you for reading and I hope to see you again in a couple of weeks.

Jennie.