March...
Eek. The first day of March. The last day of the cricket test match. The morning is quite cool, already feels like autumn. Have just taken the dogs (and one of the Freds) for a walk. I sometimes wander around the garden without seeing anything, far too caught up with the thoughts in my head.
Nancy Steen Roses
So this morning I tried to notice nice things (as opposed to messes of gum bark, weeds, edges which needed trimming, and so on). I saw that the Blackboy peaches are so much fatter. Yum! I saw Viburnum shrubs flowering again (a sign of autumn).
Brown Fungus
Then I found a ridiculous brown fungus in Duck Lawn. Had to get my camera. Silly thing! I found my loppers (yippee!) So the plan is to further dismantle the dead woodshed rose (and cart pieces to the bonfire). But first, I need to sing through the Liszt and sort out my intervals. Tra la la...
Five hours later...
I've done really well (better than the New Zealand cricketers, who have just lost the test match). All of the mess from the woodshed roof has been lopped up and burnt. Just a mound of composty mess along the back wall to sort through. It's full of large pieces of white paint from the rotted painted fence rails, and these go in the bin.
The Woodshed is Clear
I also dead-headed the Flower Carpet roses and cut back Shasta daisies and Phormiums. Pouff went my bonfire. And now I am extremely clean, and very happy with my day. Nothing like prolonged physical work to balance the results of too much thinking.
Wednesday 2nd March
First a swim, then I went to chamber music, and then into town to sing in the Via Crucis concert. And I reckon I did OK - it was a wonderful musical experience being alongside such gifted soloists. Am very lucky (and relieved that it's over). Seems ludicrous that my last solo singing on stage was bluesy Dylan ('Knocking on Heaven's Door'). Musical life is full of surprises, yes!
Lilli-Puss
Dear Lilli-Puss
Then, sadly, I went to the vet. Dear Lilli-Puss is no longer with us. She has been laid to rest in the Hump Garden, with sprinkled petals of David Austin's Mary rose all around. Non-Gardening Partner and I are both very sad, but we feel a lightness, knowing that we did our very best for her. Her fifteen years of life were full of twists and turns, but we're so lucky that she was returned to us to live out her final year in love and in comfort.
Thursday 3rd March
This morning felt sad and strange without Lilli-Puss to look after. Then I spied Black Fred, curled up on the table in my aqua-jogging belt, super-smoochy. Disentangled him, in case he decided to sharpen his claws on the foam belt. Took dogs for a walk around the orchard accompanied by Red Fred, who insisted on being carried. He is sooooo heavy! And last night Speckles the stray sat very close beside me as I hand fed him. Oh, and hissed at me (but didn't run away) when I first appeared with his food bowl. Cats, cats, cats... They do so fill up my life.
Later...
Haven't done much. Went to ballet. Had coffee. Came home and walked the dogs. Walked the dogs again. Completed a couple of Sudoko puzzles. Have had a quiet, miss-you-Lilli-Puss day. But oh so thankful for my vet and her support. And guess what NGP and I are doing after our evening meal? We are going 'silent hiking' on Youtube. Last night we went trekking in Georgia, passing amazing old villages and towers along a valley. Tonight we are off again. Sooooooo intrepid! I think we are in the Caucasus mountains.
Sad news...
Two great Australian cricketers have passed away - Rod Marsh and Shane Warne. Sad news. My concrete chaps on the back lawn have done their own wee tribute.
R.I.P. Shane Warne and Rod Marsh