Offline!

I've lost myself for three whole gardening days. My garden has disconnected itself - it's gone offline. OK, so the weather has been drizzly and winter-grey. But this is just not like me at all. I miss my gardening self soooooo much!

The week so far...

On Monday I did lots of music writing and mooched around the house. On Tuesday - oops - more 'silly shopping' with my friend, buying things I barely need (merino tops, for example) and eating at cafes. I drank far too much coffee.

 My goodness, the table and chairs have weathered well!
Head Gardener on Winter Patio

On Wednesday it was back to more music writing, manipulating crotchets and quavers on the computer screen. Then I bluffed my way through two energetic music rehearsals. And felt sooooo guilty about my dogs. What boring days they've had to endure.

 What a character!
Winter Tree in Botanical Gardens

Early this morning (Thursday) my mood, like the day, was grey and damp - until I came into the house. Welcome! Non-Gardening Partner had lit the wood-burner for me. A little thing can have a huge impact. Yeay! I leapt into my gardening clothes and went outside all morning, refreshed. The drizzle wasn't going to stop me. I collected pine cones and cleared more mess out of the Hump. And again this afternoon - my 'silly shopping' friend was bored and came to help.

 Chunky logs!
Pine trees for firewood

So The gardener in me is rebooted, so to speak! The dogs and I are much, much happier. My mind has settled back into being the gardening me again. Tomorrow, if the drizzle is light enough, I'll crank up the bonfire.

The Day After Tomorrow...

I've done just that, two days in a row. A rather reluctant bonfire it has been, but I have resisted the temptation to pour any rude accelerants onto it. I've gone for the gentle approach - talking to it quietly and poking and tickling it with cabbage tree leaves. I've showed patience, sprinkling rather than dumping stuff on it. And so all the Hump mess I've collected so far has been burnt. Slowly, smokily burnt.

 In a glass-house in the Botanical Gardens.
Indoor Plants

Oh my goodness, it's good to be back. Now I just need something to brighten up this page. A few camellias are starting to bloom, but I keep forgetting to take pictures. Instead, please enjoy these pretty indoor photographs taken at the Botanical Gardens just the other day (on one of my mooching around in the drizzle days). These colours are very lovely to see in winter, but of course I also enjoy the huge trees.

Trees! Aha! Tomorrow there will be more chainsawing. There will be more mess. And everything that I've finished will start all over. But I'm going to do it cheerfully. I remind myself - I love being a winter gardener.