Milder days

A spag bol is plopping away on the hob. For once I'm making it rather than the Fox. Mine is a more traditional one. I'm using minced lamb for a bit of a change. There's also some bacon in it. This means there's some bacon fat to put outside on the stoop for the birds. It's a while since we've had much to put out. The fat stayed there a while. Then I heard the familiar cry of a black-backed gull. He's standing guard on the garage roof, letting everyone know there's food below. No one comes & he flies off without even stopping to feed.

A little later Mr Blackbird turns up. He's far keener on the idea of some bacon fat. Now it starts to disappear. I'm always pleased to see the smaller birds getting a look-in. The gulls are great bullies & rarely let the other birds get a feed.

I've decided today is sufficiently spring-like for me to start hardening off the herbs that have been in the kitchen over winter. It's still too early for Basil Bush. He doesn't like the frost & we're still having some heavy frosts at night, even if the days have become considerably milder than they were. The mint & the coriander can certainly start hardenng off. The plants already in the garden are showing new growth now. I reckon if they can survive, it's time for these pampered plants to get used to colder climes & have a drink of rainwater for a change. I'll keep bringing them in at night for a while, but later in the months I intend to plant them out in the big wide world, along with a tarragon plant I bought at the last Farmers' Market. On the whole I'm pleased with the way the herb garden is filling out, with new, stronger growth, this year.