Not a big one, because it sends some of the water down the north edge of my new neighbour-to-be, but enough to mostly drain the moat that was the lower path. The stuff under the water is thick with slimy algae.  In the search for silver linings, I am glad that there is an old road running down the south side of the plot, because now I have enough stones to fill the longer length of the soakaway if/as I dig it further up.

Saw Lionel too – and I must have looked a bit dismal, slipping and sliding around in the mud, so not only did he donate a barrow of small stones he ‘just happened’ to have lying about on his plot, but he also nipped home and brought me a jar of his wife’s amazing rhubarb chutney. He said I needed cheering up given my plot looks like a swamp.

When I read about other sites where people nick stuff and/or are unfriendly, I think I am very, very lucky.

I found a seed saving circle to join too – it’s a really nice idea and I like the idea of getting better at saving seed.

Before:                                                                          After: