And she's at it again!

I've been asked to help build a little writer's retreat for friends. I love mud and the chance to work with it. They are organizing a ten day workshop and I will be showing how to cob.

But first we had to get the site leveled and earth piled up and the trenches dug.

I was allowed to have a go! It's not that easy for people who get their left and right mixed up. Those two wee knobs do a lot of different movements.

The trench that the digger dug is rather rough and not in the right place, so some of it will have to be dug by hand anyway.

It's a very pretty site.

Meanwhile, on the hill at home it has got very hot, suddenly. 33 degrees. I have done a bit more mud plaster in the loo, but the wren (what an exquisite little bird it is) gets rather anxious if I stay in there too long.

The artichoke is even bigger, but the flowers are disappointingly small. Not worth picking to eat. Perhaps they need poorer soil.

The strawberries are loving the drip irrigation. Every morning I pick a handful. I've made some sorbet ice lollies using strawberries, lemon juice and honey. Yum. For the grandchildren... if they come soon.

The fields are being cut and hay made. I love the sounds and smells of haymaking.