Cat company...
Frida the Dog
Have been very family preoccupied over the last few days. I need to get back into my garden. But what to do first? I'm honestly not sure.
Wednesday 17th April
Need to re-energise thoughts and body. Maybe shock myself into gardening by getting into the cold water and trimming more Gunnera. Not silly.
But that didn't suit the mood. Instead I cleaned up the mess I'd left on the lawn after my last session, with Red Fred keeping me company by the water race.
Then I weeded the garden by the pergola. It was quite soothing pulling out little weeds, digging carefully underneath the dandelions, and so on. Came inside to listen to my talking book and play Solitaire (AKA Patience).
My house and garden are so quiet - family visitors and the brown dogs Escher and Frida went home this morning (they'd been staying since the weekend).
Within an hour of the car driving away all my cats re-appeared. Beautiful black Buster relaxed on the patio table, sunbathing. Brown dogs? What brown dogs?
Thursday 18th April
Only three gardening hours today. First I weeded the top of the Island Bed. Red Fred turned up again and spread himself out underneath a Phormium. Had to be careful where I put my hands. Then I moved around to the garden behind the Stables. I just weeded. Found it difficult to settle.
Red Fred
If I was cat-sentimental I'd say that Red Fred senses my low-spirited mood. It is most unlike him to park his furry body exactly where I'm gardening. And later, having afternoon tea on the Adirondack chair, he arrived to sit on my lap. He must be happy that the brown dogs have gone home?
Friday 19th April
Today Red Fred appeared on the Frisbee Lawn when I was having lunch, and helped me eat some cheese. He purred, he miaowed, he bunted, he sat on my lap. He's thanking me for spending over one thousand dollars on vet treatment for that possum bite? The fur on his back has almost re-grown.
Rosa Woodsii fendleri :- This once-flowering rose has its own rose page with photographs.
My gardening was very purposeful, and I paid attention to smaller details, working for four hours in the Hump Garden. I seriously weeded, removed creepy grasses, trimmed Scrophularia, re-aligned (again!) the path, dug out pink Phlox and several suckers of the beautiful Rosa woodsii (all popped into pots). Being productive feels good.