Not bored yet...
Jerome the Mouser
Ha! It's the third week of January. I'd usually be on holiday, if I wasn't semi-retired, so nothing feels different yet. I'm not bored yet with the garden, which is just as well.
Thursday 15th January
It's garden maintenance of a strictly boring nature today - I've completed the initial clean-up of the steep side of the water race, and started cleaning up the large strips of gum tree bark which are scattered all over the gardens and lawns. Do I love Eucalypts at this time of year when the winds blow? Humph...
Friday 16th January
I got "moused" twice last night (i.e. Jerome the cat brought in two mice, separately, and woke me up to see each - I rescued both of them). Consequently this morning I am really tired. What shall I do today? It's going to be hot again.
Drought Report - Canterbury is officially in drought. There has been no rain. Rain is needed. Trees are dying, water levels are low, fire danger is extreme. The Frisbee Lawn is like straw. I have piles of tree rubbish which I can't burn (I hope our neighbour will visit with his chipper).
Lunchtime...
I have weeded the vege garden, staked the slow but healthy tomatoes (I think they are Red Russian heirloom plants), and now am inside to cool off. Crepuscule is madly flowering again all over the Pergola - it's an amazingly easy rose to have in the garden. Another hot and sunny day in paradise.
Crepuscule in Second Flowering
Saturday 17th January
I have been a gardening fraud these last few days. Take today - I have been pottering around inside and it's 10:30 am, on a beautiful sunny summer's day. Now I am ready to go outside to garden. I will probably complain quickly that it is too hot, and slope back into the house. Hopeless! We'll see - I will report back.
Hmm... Have done two separate sessions, tidying up the Pond Paddock gardens in the shade. I am fairly pleased. I have also been responsibly watering and shifting the hoses every 45 minutes. Everything is looking good - the flax leaves are shining and shimmering in the sun.
Tree Rubbish for the Chipper
A rather sad thing happened when I re-read my diary for this time last year. I am doing and saying exactly the same things! Even Jerome's mouse-catching is merely a repeat of last January. My diary could be redundant - after all the only thing that changes is my age. I am coming up to the one year anniversary of my health problem, and this makes me very nervous (I'll try not to get too maudlin).
Sunday 18th January
Petulantly I might copy out last year's entry for today and then see what's different. My goodness, can my gardening life be so very predictable? I need to be more daring, adventurous. Mind you, the chipper is coming this afternoon, so at least that will be new! I must write huge paragraphs about it, take a folio of photos, so I can have something unusual happening in my diary.
Fern by the Water
Later...
Right...The chipping is over, and it has impressively reduced my huge burning pile to a modest mound. I've already spread some of the results over some horse-poos on the new gardens by the Willow Tree. It's great! I cleared and weeded for three hours without stopping while the chipper roared and the tree rubbish was slowly converted. I am now apres gardening in a white linen shirt and my new long Ferrari shorts (don't ask!), feeling good. I have regained my gardening integrity, as well as looking quite stylish (I think).
Monday 19th January
I had the day off. Hmm... Suppose this was OK. Blame the Ferrari shorts which I am wearing - no good for gardening in.
Wednesday 21st January
Yesterday I had another day off! Eek - hope this is not the start of a trend. Mind you, it was raining on and off all day - not enough really for drought relief, but welcome moisture. Today I have already done a two hour session - shifting the start of the Hump path and clearing strips of gum tree bark from the lawns. I think I need a major project soon - I seem to be doing little soul-less things. How about that second pond? Hmm... Anyway I am going to return to the garden to do more clearing. If I do another two hours, I will be rewarded.