Carexes continued...

 This has a beautifully warm winter colour.
Red Phormium

Continuing the theme of my last journal pages, I am off outside to dig out more coarse green Carexes. What else is there to do on a frosty morning except some hearty digging? Don't answer that! A tiny gremlin in my mind has just whispered 'weeding'...

Wednesday 4th June

A frosty winter's gardening day can't happily start until 10:30am, though, which is morning coffee time. Juggling my drink over the computer keyboard I say good morning to Fluff-Fluff, passionate cat. And good morning to the beautiful sun. I love you best of all in winter, when my toes are chilly and my nose is cold. I promise I will never take you for granted. You light up more than the day...

Five Hours Later...

Oh boy. I've had another big gardening day, and yes - I found plenty more of those Carexes, and dug them out, and scooped up all sorts of burnable rubbish as well. I even took notice of the Gremlin and did a spot of weeding at the beginning of the Driveway Garden. I didn't get bored. However it's a struggle to write anything about digging out Carexes that isn't boring...

 My winter gardening cat.
Fluff-Fluff the Cat

Cat Company...

I had a quick lunch on the blue seats in the Stumpy (AKA Willow Tree) Garden. I shut my eyes, the sun was warming me up, and the water was gurgling gently past. What a wonderful place to be. I let my mind go very still and calm, then kerplunk! Up leapt big Fluff-Fluff, my super-attentive gardening companion cat. Applying the brakes (AKA claws) he skidded to a halt over my knees. Aargh! And ouch.

While I burnt the bonfire he established his home base underneath the red Phormium just along the water. I'd grab the wheelbarrow to get another load and he'd miaow. Where was I going? Miaow! Was I coming back? Miaow! Don't leave me!

Thursday 5th June

I am going swimming and sushi-ing with my friend. There'll be time for some winter gardening afterwards. With photographs, this time. Except that winter gardening pictures are pretty dull. Nothing ever looks finished (probably because nothing ever is, hee hee) and the colours are muted. 'Drab olive green' and 'dull brown' come to mind.

 Winter colour...
Phormiums by the Water Race

But the Phormiums (some weeping, others stiff and straight) dominate visually with their beautiful spikes. OK – so take photographs of them. I will.

Friday 6th June

Yippee! Four hours of good gardening - first I weeded in the corner Frisbee Lawn Garden, where the nasty creeping grass from the paddock is really annoying. I wasn't very sensible, though, pulling some bits out properly and leaving other bits behind.

 Me on the Mulch Mountain
Mainly pine shreddings.

Then I moved over to the new plantings by the Driveway, spreading around lots of horse manure, a bit of bonfire ash, and pine tree mulch. I have three huge heaps of shredded tree mulch destined for all my garden paths - I'm assuming that the pine heap is OK on the top of the garden. This area was weeded only a couple of days ago, so I feel rather thoughtful and well-connected.

 Dear Percy!
Ginger Percy Cat

Where is Ginger Percy?

One thing isn't so good. Ginger Percy was in a prolonged and noisy cat-fight with an interloper last night. He didn't return for his supper and I can't find him anywhere today. I've looked and looked all over the garden.

Percy has FIV. He's been doing really well so far, but if he's been hurt I need to check him over, with maybe a visit to the vet. I hope he's just sulking somewhere in the garden. Please stop hiding from me and come home, ginger Percy.

Later, by Torch-Light...

+10 Yes! I found him by the pond in the Pump House, dry, happy, and totally unhurt (apart from pride, possibly). He was extremely vocal (chirping and 'prrp-ing') and delightfully hungry. I think he'd just taken himself off for a really good sulk. I can relate to that. Hmm...