Thunderstorms and messes...
The Fairy Rose
A very boisterous thunderstorm last night at bedtime, me in the cottage wondering how close it was getting, and if I should be a bit scared (not really, I decided).
Then heaps of wonderful blobby, noisy rain fell for hours. Yeay! My lawns will be greener. My shrubs, trees, and flowers will certainly be happier. I am much happier!
But first, yesterday...
Non-Gardening Partner (bless him) spent yesterday afternoon fixing the big irrigation (it's done, it works). I spent yesterday afternoon trying not to fall asleep, after enjoying a large and tasty Christmas lunch with my friends. I couldn't seem to get going at all. Tried drinking a glass of iced water, tried having a shower. No luck. No gardening.
The cricket (New Zealand playing the West Indies) on the TV was fairly sleep-inducing, too. Almost as slow as my own chaps playing on the back lawn.
The Moosey Cricketers
On to today - the good and he not so good. First, the good. Yeay! We've been to the rose nursery. I've spent some of my Christmas money on rugosas for the garden below the glass-house : Belle Poitevine, Blanc Double de Coubert, and Frau Dagmar Hastrup (two of each).
Senecio
The not so good...
And now for the not so good. Went around the garden with the camera. Things were sort of OK until I tried to use the Hump Garden path. The path was weedy, the mess in the borders on either side was rather distressing. I could use stronger words - 'appalling' and 'horrifying' come to mind.
So here's the plan. In the spirit of 'See something that needs doing? Just do it.' I will put on my shorts, sit down in my very wet (and slightly cold) garden, get really grubby, dig out heaps more Campion and Alkanet, and weed the path. I will keep going until 4pm.
And, if that isn't enough of a scary thing to contemplate, I will also collect up all my mess and dump it by the fence. Oh crikey. How can I possibly live up to my own expectations?
Five busy hours later...
I did it! I am very happy. And not just because of my superb gardening. Australia won its Ashes cricket test match in Adelaide. Yippee!
The Main Hump Garden Path in December
And I 'rescued' a hedgehog from my barking, pawing dogs. Somehow (?) a piece of luminous green plastic twine had got tied around its middle and fastened with a knot in the middle of the hedgehog's back. Poor thing! Removed the dogs, got the sharp scissors, removed the twine carefully, presented the hedgehog with some wet cat food, then went to bed.
And just as it got dark my stray cat Speckles jumped in the window for his food and milk. Hello Speckles! A great end to a great day.