So I take the kids down to Gatley Carrs for their task day yesterday (the rain wasn’t too bad and looked like it might even stop).

Over to the pond and I was asked to have a stab at hacking down some himalayan balsam – a plant with nice flowers, but it grows to six feet tall in no time at all and blocks out everything else.

Having laid to it with a spade, I was making good progress when it seems I disturbed some wasps.  Not good.   Several stings later Ihad to retire from the field of battle to nurse my wounds.

Not my most impressive contribution (last year’s flower planting and path laying seemed a lot more productive) – let’s hope I can do better next time.