Three weeks ago I mentioned that I was getting a pair of Canada Geese coming down to the bird feeding area to hoover up beneath the feeder, along with the pigeons, pheasants, partridge and squirrels. Well things have moved on since then. They have given up on the meagre leftover crumbs scattered by the small birds and have come directly to the source. Every day now they are coming to the potting shed and demanding food from the soft-hearted gullible fool that seems to live in there. They waddle through the paddock opposite the shed, duck under the fence rail, cross the track and stand outside the widow craning their necks to grab my attention. I am unable to resist for long and go out with my jar of seeds and toss some on the ground. The goose steps forward and greedily feeds whilst the gander stays back a pace or two and stands guard, always alert, scanning this way and that with neck fully extended on the lookout for possible predators or competitors, though quite what would contemplate taking on these hulking great birds is beyond me. He will not eat until she has had her fill – what a gent. Well, in the past few days I have been getting closer to them – particularly her, and she will now take seed from my hand. I was initially apprehensive, not knowing how aggressively she would peck at my palm, but in fact she is really quite gentle – much more so than our hens at home who have very poor table manners. The geese are now calling for food multiple times a day….so much for dumb animals. I assume that they will appear less frequently if or when she sits on her eggs, but once they have goslings I wonder if they will bring them down to see me?

Bobby Shaftoe has sailed off into the sunset, silver buckles jingling as he disappears over the horizon. This week the random song that I dredged up from the deepest recesses of my mind, dating back to 1974 (52 ruddy years ago) was a novelty record by Ray Stevens called ‘The Streak’. It came out at the height of the bizarre craze for running around in public naked. Many of you won’t be old enough to remember back then, but it was nuts, wherever you looked, particularly at sporting and other events, there were bits and bobs jiggling about, their owners often being hotly pursued by red faced policemen. It even happened at a test match at Lords in 1975 when Michael Angelow hurdled the wicket – extremely brave or very foolhardy. Google it to see him in mid air, it was a very impressive leap. Anyway, the aforementioned novelty song had not been heard by me or registered in my mind for all those decades, until all of a sudden I burst into song while working last week….and I even remembered most of the lyrics, and then couldn’t stop singing them. I am now curious to find out what the next blast from the past to plague me will be. Here’s a verse for you to ruminate on

Oh, yes, they call him the Streak
(Boogity, boogity)
He likes to show off his physique
(Boogity, boogity)
If there’s an audience to be found
He’ll be streakin’ around
Invitin’ public critique

My spirits were lifted last week by getting on the soil and doing some planting. I transplanted a couple of rows of broad beans and some Little Gem lettuce, which I have covered in fine mesh to protect from pigeons and four legged uninvited guests. in the week ahead I will plant some pointed cabbages, and in the greenhouse I will plant the first cucumbers and tomatoes. I did some glass cleaning in there (it makes such a difference to light levels) and suspended some new strings to support the tall growing plants. I also need to begin clearing some beds in the polytunnel in readiness for planting summer crops. Overnight temperatures haven’t been very low recently, but I don’t want to tempt fate by going to soon and risking losing tender young plants that I have been nurturing for weeks. Tonight it’s forecast to get down to just 1° which if it happens will result in a frost, so delay putting bedding plants out for a while yet.

There are some lovely things growing in the wild at the moment, some of which either go unnoticed or are undervalued in my opinion. Forget the blousy tree blossom that gets so much attention, it’s the ubiquitous plants that you stride past, taking them for granted, that I am talking about. It makes no fuss, it’s everywhere, but it’s a lovey plant and one that I admire – red deadnettle or Lamium purpereum. It is an important food plant for early flying pollinating insects, you will often see bumblebees with their proboscis deep into its mauve flowers. I like all of the Lamiums, the white deadnettle is one that when we were children we were convinced that you could drink honey from. Then there is the yellow Archangel, standing taller and more upright than its purple cousin. Celandines line many roadside verges, and are looking wonderful at the moment, and we are now into Dandelion time, and there are Dog Violets and Cowslips currently in bloom. Up beyond Bury there are lots of Alexanders growing by the roadside. It looks very much like Angelica and was traditionally as a plant used for cleansing the blood and for strengthening the stomach.

The contents of the shop continues to dwindle now that the hungry gap is widening. UK fresh vegetable availability is reducing week on week, but we are still hanging on to purple sprouting broccoli, leeks, parsnips, potatoes, onions, beetroot, red cabbage and apples. As things become harder to come by there will be a temporary greater reliance on European sourced produce, probably into early June, with a few exceptions. It’s a tough time of the growing year. Oh, the oranges this week are ‘Alicante Ruby’ a variety with pink flesh.

I can’t finish without mentioning the wonderful Pauline. I knew that she wouldn’t let me down. When I delivered on Friday morning there she was at the door with hot cross buns in her outstretched hands….and she had even warmed them for me! What a woman!

I’ve got a family lunch to go to, so I will leave things here. Enjoy the rest of the Easter holiday, and don’t forget that the bin collection days will be different this week. See you soon.