Strawberries to take Home!

Strawberries are slowly beginning to ripen, we have not had much heat or sunshine this last few days mainly a relentless wind which is drying out the soil, maybe I should have left the cloches over them ?!
The slugs are diving in and had just started nibbling on a couple of them, I was amazed to see one of the nibbled berries full of ants!I had heard somebody saying they had ants in their house lately.I watered each plant which will probably get rid of the ants but makes the bed more inviting for the slugs...grrhh!
We have spent quite a lot of time on the plot, mainly tidying and making new beds. The Open Day looms in June!
Inside the greenhouse, while the borders are waiting for the tomato plants to move out I put in lettuce and spinach to make use of the space.Outside the glass the 2 artichokes at the end can be seen and along the side the lavender plants are forging ahead, even to brush against the plants releases the most beautiful smell of lavender even though there are no flowers out yet.
Spinach,asparagus and strawberries which accompanied me home!We also have regular pickings of our rhubarb from the plants on the allotment.We are delighted to bring anything home at this time of year.
I went to the Midleton Farmer's market on Sat morning, this was the first market here and continues to be popular and has a lovely selection of organic produce on offer.My 'hen man' operates there and I needed more feed for my hens.
D.Linda met me there with her d.Katie and we spent a pleasant morning.My oldest S.Kevin was also in the area as it turned out, with his son Aaron playing hurling.Aaron is 6 years old and has taken to the game of hurling like a star,he scored 2 of the goals which won the match for his team.
I think we will see him wearing the Cork jersey in Croke park some day!
The hens are laying an egg each every day now which adds up to 4 eggs a day which adds up to 28 eggs a week!Family are delighted to take the eggsess from me!My little egg safe was purchased in a garden centre which had a lot of hen related items on sale, which proves the enormous interest in having hens now, even 2 hens could be reared in any urban setting and provide enough eggs for a family plus highly charged chicken poo to add to the compost bin to produce super compost for the garden!
My salad pot in the plastic greenhouse at home is still producing enough leaves for a few salads and sandwiches, I had planned to sow another one but the lettuce will be ready to pick on the allotment soon and then hopefully with summer on the way outdoor sowings can go ahead.

Sinead received the Sacrement of Confirmation last week, or 'made her confer' to use the vernacular!
Most schools here now use these white 'albs' to wear for the actual Church ceremony as during the Celtic Tiger years some of the clothes worn were totally unsuitable for either the ceremony or the child to wear in Church.