We finally had some sunshine this afternoon, so I covered over the two cherry trees in the front garden with a shroud of Enviromesh to keep the blackbirds from pinching the cherries when they ripen. They are just beginning to blush pink now.

A squirrel is getting into the shed, so there are squirrel poops everywhere, and bite marks in everything. DP put some extra wood where he thinks it is getting in, so hopefully, that will keep it out. It made getting the Enviromesh out of the plastic sacks it is stored in a messy and smelly, and pretty disgusting, job. As I was using a stick to push the mesh over the top of each tree, I was going yuk, urgh, pooh!  The roof of the shed also needs to be repaired as, as well as the squirrel, the rain is getting in and spoiling things. Another job on DP’s very long list.

This afternoon, I gave the trees out the back a haircut. All the trees are desperate to grow branches now, and I have to pinch them out every other week or so to keep them the size I want them. I can’t wait until I can get at the garden properly and tidy it up. There is so much stuff put everywhere ‘for now’, I can’t see to it. And of course, weeds wait for no-one!

This morning I made a cracking loaf of bread. It came out of the oven crispy and crackly and I was very patient and left it to cool properly before trying it with some lunchtime soup. And to my huge disappointment and frustration, the lovely crackly crust had gone soft.  🙁   The recipe said to cook it for 8 minutes at 220 degrees, then 30 more minutes at 180 degrees. I had already given it another 20 minutes before getting that lovely crust, it sounded hollow on the top and the bottom and everything! But I reckon it could have done with quite a bit more cooking. I shall crack it one day!