Three Firsts

The post is about three things I have seen for the first time today...
I went to the allotment today to try to get the guttering fixed to the shed with Pat's help. I found these pink Cauliflower looking flowers growing in the Rhubarb. I asked some of the old men and they said it was because it had bolted. The warm sunny days have made it try to set seed I think (bolting). I only thought things like Spinach and Salad leaves bolted in warm weather. I have never seen these on Rhubarbs.

The warm weather has made the Rhubarb leaves huge like a Gunnera. They have grown onto the path at the side making it hard to get around them without getting scratched by the huge Gooseberry bush. Clearing a path is another job for another day.

The jobs you think that will not take long end up taking hours. Pat had to fiddle about with the guttering, and add an extra layer of the roofing so the water ran down into the gutter. She stuck the tarmac roof down with bathroom sealer, then painted it with a tar mix. I poured water from a watering can onto the roof to see how the water ran. The guttering slopes towards the black bin, and the water made a loud splash as it fell into the water but. I will watch the weather now hoping for rain so I can see how much my guttering will collect.
I always under estimate how long things will take, like weeding, or digging a new bed. I was up at the plot for six and half hours.The second thing today was I heard the first Cuckoo of the year (in fact my first Cuckoo ever in real life, not on the TV).
The third thing was.. I found a deceased Shrew on my raised bed. I have never seen one in real life. They are elusive and lightning quick. He was so soft to touch, and had a little snout with whiskers. Life is too harsh sometimes. I wander if he was caught by a bird of prey and dropped by accident landing on my plot?

Talking of strange things I am making a tyre planter to sit on the corner of my shed. I found it in a rubbish heap. I have filled it today with soil ready for planting tomorrow.
Cat came to pick me up from the allotment and we drive to the garden centre at Hampsons. This crazy duck had made her nest from pot plants on top of a wheeled display trolley. She had decanted the ferns out of the pots and was arranging them in a nest shape. She watched me and cat go plant shopping.
I have a selection to plant at the allotment. I want the Cottage Garden plot to be full of colour if I'm spending a lot of time up there.
I will be back tomorrow to take the Cabbages/Broccolis/ and Swedes up, plant the tyre container, make a cage to protect the juvenile plants from the Pigeons.
I bet it takes longer than I think it will.