A Free-Spirited Matron of Nature?
Mowing the Lawns
As a free-spirited child of nature (though 'matron of nature' might be more accurate) I dislike knowing exactly how every hour of my weekend will be filled. I'd much rather flit around the garden bestowing my skill and charm on whatever takes my fancy. And what doesn't take my fancy is bricklaying...
Set in Mortar!
Alas, this weekend's timetable is set in mortar - aargh! I'm singing jazz at a book fair, going swimming, having sushi with my friends, singing a Rheinburger mass in a Sunday morning Catholic church service, and helping Non-Gardening Partner in ways many and various. Not to mention building the brick walls in my vegetable garden. Hmm - that's enough about that for now.
Saturday 29th September
Non-Gardening Partner has told me his plans (and I do like helping him). He is mowing the lawns, and I'll need to shift all the garden seats (otherwise he'll cheat, leaving them sitting in islands of uncut grass). Then all the edges will need to be trimmed and the loose grass raked up and composted, so the lawns and the garden can look their best.
He is also trimming the Olearia hedge around the back house lawn. My job will be to clean up and burn the mess. And first I'll need to lower the pile of ash on the bonfire. Shovel, shovel, rake, rake, shovel, shovel...
Tailing the New Lambs
+5The last of NGP's weekend activities involves the new lambs (only five of them) - it's time to put rubber rings on their tails, and I have to help. One of the bigger boy lambs will be lucky, too - he is destined for 'ramhood'.
Cleaning Old Used Bricks
OK. The bricks. I've been putting off this last item on my to-do-list. I need to start laying bricks in my redeveloped vegetable garden. Ha! I have a bolster (an odd name, that), and I've hosed down the bricks that I've already cleaned (the man in the hardware store told me to wet them). I have mortar, and one of those thingies - I'm calling it a 'slopper' - for putting the mortar on with.
Right. It's time to knock some things off. I'll be getting back to you at the very end of this weekend, when hopefully I'll be glowing with the sweet sense of accomplishment, hugging masses of achievements, displaying a page filled with ticks - that sort of thing!
Later, Sunday Evening...
Aargh! Well, at least the lawns have been mowed, And I've weeded the side house garden, and watered the gardens around the cottage (those new roses need a good spring start). And yes, this is becoming more and more like an unwieldy list of not-so-important and unimpressive things. I haven't quite finished the lawn edges. Actually, that's a big fib. I've hardly started trimming the lawn edges. Oops.
Watering the Garden
And because I over-organised Non-Gardening Partner's weekend, the lambs and the hedge have both had to be put off for a week. Oops again...
Regarding the Bricks...
I've cleaned a couple more barrowfuls of bricks, but I totally chickened out of the bricklaying - just in case anyone saw me getting into a dithery pickle (that is, doing something wrong and silly). For reasons of personal pride, my first efforts will have to be conducted in private.
I know! I'll start the bricks next month. Oops. That's tomorrow... Byeeeee, September!