The day after Monday

I was going to just call this Tuesday, but I see I've already called three other entries by that name, and I like to be original!

I am gutted. Last night, it was cold, very cold. I looked out at 6.30 am and was dismayed to see a slight frost on the grass. Looked at my wall thermometer and at 9am it was only 3c and I could see it had dropped to minus 1c overnight. I was afraid to look at the six tomato plants I have outside. But they were fine. Sadly, my runner beans were not. All of them have had it. I kept looking at them this morning, hoping they would be okay, but I'm just kidding myself. Their little leaves are all withered and blackened. Bugger. It's worse when you have seen them germinate from seeds you have kept somehow. They were climbing nicely up the bamboo wigwam, some were five feet high already. I remember one of the first years we were in Wales, probably '94 or '95, we lost all our runner beans on 5th June due to frost. Poor Barry had planted out two rows of them with proper bean sticks, and the lot were wiped out in one night. I think I shall give up now, I've got the 10 tomato plants and one cucumber plant. The slugs ate two rows of lettuces, two of carrots and two of spring onions. Can't be bothered with it all now.

Well today, I actually cleaned out my aviary. *faints from shock* It's been six weeks and one day since the last time, but to be fair, it wasn't that bad. I hadn't realised how much muck and mess the pair of doves contributed, bless them. They are fine apparently, I emailed the new owner last week. I have also done two loads of washing, hoovered all through, taken Emma round the park, and taken some photos in the garden. Am now knackered. Oh and my eyes are okay again. I have a theory as to the problem, it may be an allergy, and it may just be strawberries. I am experimenting with this, will let you know. Only I grow my own, and have had three bowls for puddings over the past week or so. If it were any other type of allergy problems, then cleaning out the aviary would have certainly not helped with all the husks and woodchip, but the eyes were fine. I used to have a problem with strawberries years ago, they made my mouth kind of burn and feel all ulcerated, but this went away. Maybe it's manifested itself again under another guise. Hope it's something that simple anyway, I will have to live without them that's all. Sob.

Took some pics of stuff in the garden anyway for want of something better to do. A nice little 7 spot ladybird and a couple of my plants. It's clear and sunny and blue skies out there again, but it's bitter cold. It feels exactly like it did in February, in fact I think it was warmer then. So unusual to have such cold northerly wind at the end of May. I suppose it's better than rain though, but only just.