Walking around Alledal this weekend, I noticed the only trees not in leaf were the ash, which put me in mind of the old rhyme:

If the oak before the ash, the world will get a splash
If the ash before the oak the world will get a soak

Like many old doggerels it refers to the weather. If the oak buds burst before those of the ash, the summer would be fair and dry; if the ash came first the summer would be wet.

Serendipity has to be one of my favourite words in the English language, and this last weekend was serendipitous indeed.

 The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
and sorry I could not travel both,
and be one traveler, long I stood
and looked down one as far as I could,
to where it bent in the undergrowth.

I suppose it’s possible [there may be some deluded and bored people out there who read this drivel] some of you may know that I am a beekeeper and that a couple of weeks ago I got my first beehives in Sweden. I did my first inspection today, but more of that later

The last few days have been planting time, don’t you just love this time of year. We have almost filled all the veggie beds I’ve dug. We’ve planted onions, garlic, carrots, beans, chard, beetroot and parsnip so far – I think. We’ve also made some additions to the orchard adding red and blackcurrants, gooseberries [red and green], raspberries and rhubarb. There’s plenty more still to do, good job I like being busy.