They say ‘one swallow doesn’t make a summer’ and I’m sure ‘they’ are right, but we saw our first one today and it felt good. To be honest, ornithologically speaking, I don’t know if they’re swallows or swifts that we get in the garden. All I do know is they turn up each year without fail and are a joy to watch.

My first sighting last year was 25th April and the year before 30th April, so he’s about on schedule.

They swoop and dive over the field with consumate ease, effortlessly catching flies and midges. Their eyesight and reflexes are astounding, as they seem to be able to change direction in a split second, which is just as well when you’re sat on the bench and one is flying straight at your head.

I sowed some sweetcorn today, 36 in total with the hope of getting 30. I did 33 of Unwins F1 Hybrid ‘Supersweet’. The other 3 were a little experiment using seeds I’d saved from our own plants last year. I just want to see if they germinate and how they compare to commercially prepared seeds. Watch this space.