Scruffy time...
OK. It's Scruffy Time. Hot winds, Campion and Lychnis done and dusted, time to trim them. Falling pieces of gum bark - clean them off the lawns and the gardens. Then tomorrow do it all again.
Gum Bark on the Lawn
And to make matters even less agreeable, my gardening shorts have become far too tight. So I am 'Shaping Up for Life' again. Namely, reducing my daily intake of food. Blast! No more buttery toast, no more naughty food rewards. But it is the stone fruit season, and I am allowed to snack on fruit. Yum!
Pink Pelargonium
Not in the mood...
I've trimmed runners off the strawberries, and popped them into water. I've cleaned up the patio garden and watered the pots. I'm definitely lacking in outdoor gardening momentum, though - the big winds seem to chase me inside. I need to clear the front lawn of debris. I'm not really in the mood (just three apricots and a nectarine for lunch possibly doesn't help). But I need to clean up the mess little by little.
A bit later...
Look, I'm sorry, garden, but that wind was just too noisy, too scary, and too strong. My wheelbarrow kept tipping over, and little branches were falling from the big trees. I tried my best to ignore them, but then the load blew off my barrow. Hopeless. Humph. I will wash my hair, change my clothes, and shift the hose (which is soaking the beautiful rose Crepuscule). Then the dogs and I will walk around the orchard again - they don't seem to notice the noise. Guess they don't feel the wind as an intruder. I do - it invades my head-space.
Next day...
First thing in the morning I collected four more loads of mess. Then the wind came back for another day of roaring and spoiling things. So I went swimming and shopping - as one does. I bought two Choisya ternatas, a fountain shaped red Cordyline and a red leafed Weigela (simply because I love deep red foliage). Came home to a power outage - not surprising in the high winds.
Looking Down the Water Race
Wednesday 20th January
Big plans! Strike while the iron's hot? Strike while the wind's down.
A list!
- Vacuum downstairs. Aargh!
- Clean up children's wooden train tracks. Aargh!
- Hang washing on line. Aargh!
Try again. This is totally the wrong list!
The right list!
- Replant more Agapanthus in Hen World and introduce new chooks.
- Shift hoses watering Allotment Garden.
- Plant Bergenias in the Pond Paddock Garden.
Then collect up more fallen gum tree bark, do some more trimming, while waiting for my piano to come home. Yeay! It's been in the workshop having a make-over (moth-eaten felts, etc.) It has to have sachets of lavender tacked inside it (to stop the moths).
Much Later...
Did all the first list and the first three items on the second list. The wind roared - it was most unpleasant being outside underneath the huge gum trees. Little by little, I guess.
It may be the Time of the Scruff, but it's also the Time of the Shasta Daisy, the Agapanthus flowers, and the Ligularias. Lovely. Lucky bumble bees!