Seems to have been a little rain last night. Today very variable weather. Most of day windy, some sunshine but not very warm, a few spots of rain. Then in the afternoon a few flakes of sleet & afterwards about 6pm. a sharp shower of hail. Rolled the grass, gave liquid manure to cottage tulips which are budding, prepared 3 marrow beds.
17 eggs.
Orwell Diaries 1938-1942 
“He rolled the grass.”
Later that evening he fell into a dream. When he awoke, he allegedly said, “I saw a lion and a unicorn. And we conversed.”
He later wrote (at the end of Chapter V, Part I), “Patriotism and intelligence will have to come together again. It is the fact that we are fighting a war, and a very peculiar kind of war, that may make this possible.”
It is very cold in 1940, our weather here was matching his until the beginning of April, since then we have had lovely clear days with top temps reaching 14 degrees C and night time of 4 or 5 degrees C (which is a clear 28 degrees C improvement on mid February).
Where am I, April 15, 2010 – have planted potatoes (Estima), 8 rows of 5 seeds last week, 2 rows of carrots (Nantes), 2 rows onions (White, unnamed), one row beetroot (Detroit), one row radish (Unnamed), two rows of brocolli (Romanesco).
Two days later (17-5-10) I planted a second bed of veg with the same.
Levelled grassy area in garden and resown grass seed, now not resembling relief map of himalayas, only relief map of south downs.
Oversown with poppy seeds, hopefully will have onetime show of flowers before the mower returns it to lawn.
Purchased sweetcorn seeds and peas today, will make first sowing early next week. Have been informed by children that they now like broad beans so I must now aquire and sow them as well.
Have still to build hen house before end of spring
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