Caution - first batch of Stinky Brew mixed and set to cook

It's April! It's Easter! The growing season is beginning at last - so it's time to feed the soil.

Of course, following Mr Dowding's recommendations and topping up my veg patch beds with compost gives the soil a good start, but this year I'm also keen to follow Georgie Newbury's suggestion to feed the soil throughout the growing season with Compost Tea in order to bulk up the beneficial bacteria and nutrients using ingredients which are completely free.

So here's my first bucket of mix, set to 'cook' for 48 hours, after which time hopefully it will be activated and bubbling:

My first try at a batch of Georgie's compost tea recipe

I used a handful of fresh chicken manure, a handful of fresh horse manure (not strictly necessary - the chicken poo alone would do, but I had just collected a fresh manure supply today so thought I might as well), a handful of my own homemade compost, and a handful of fresh nettle tips then topped up with water. I put it by the back kitchen door, as it needs to be stirred every couple of hours and there I will pass it regularly and not forget about it.  My only fear is that a child (or indeed husband) will randomly blunder into it and create a Stinky Incident of International Proportions...

Hopefully it won't be too stinky in use - as her advice is to make a batch and use it every 2 weeks through until the autumn.

Meanwhile, while my back was turned, the Engineer took a jig saw to the plywood cladding of the existing steel I-beam in the lounge:

...leaving me with this handy sized hole - somewhere to hide the Easter eggs, perhaps?

Apparently the Structural Engineer told him to do it.  That's what they all say...

But yes, he needed to find out the size of the I-beam hidden inside, so that he could calculate if we could get away with replacing it with a much smaller beam, and so spare Leo numerous head injuries in later years (as the Engineer only just clears it at 6 ft, and we expect Leo to be taller.  Really though, it is quite an oppressive presence in an already low ceilinged room - I hope to paint the black over with white in here eventually, but a smaller beam would work wonders too.

Now - do I keep the hole as a handy place to hide the TV remotes from the children? Or attempt to block it up with something again for the intervening months between now and whenever we eventually start building work?  Answers on a postcard, please.

Unfortunately the pleasant sunny Easter weekend that was forecast last week has materialised somewhat mirkier and mislier.  Quite warm though.

My bench planter display is coming along nicely, with the narcissi I salvaged from accidental digging up last year, flowering well, whilst the forget-me-nots are just starting to think about putting on some decent growth around the feet of the daffs.  Wallflower 'Vulcan' is moments from erupting, but I worry that my sage plant isn't recovering from it's funny turn last year, and not much regrowth is visible from the base.  I may have to grit my teeth, chop it all back and see what happens.  And then I might have to admit defeat and buy a new sage plant...

The bench planters in early April - looking promising, even if the weather isn't 

I wanted to capture this scene of the encroaching evening today.  The light was wonderful, and the disappearing sun illuminated Crooks Peak in the distance.  When things start getting a bit too much for me, I need to be reminded that I am very lucky to be in such a beautiful place.

April sunset over Crooks Peak

Another of the mystery camellias flowered today - and revealed itself without a doubt to be 'Jury's Yellow'. Quite lovely, a definite candidate for careful relocation to a pretty container in the courtyard garden by the front door, once it has finished flowering.

Camellia 'Jury's Yellow', by the oil tank

The Engineer took pity on the poor children who had spent the whole of their first week of school holidays essentially cooped up at home with me because of the awful poorlies we have had.  Evie has already begun to bounce back (much quicker than me, that's for certain!) and so he decided to take them on a shortish route march up Brean Down.

But it looks like the view from the top was worth it:

This view probably hasn't changed that much since our Bronze Age ancestors stood here and wondered at the beauty of the earth.