A lot of nothing to say...
Strawberry Hill Rose
My goodness - almost a new journal page each day. As usual I have a lot of nothing to say, but writing has always helped me connect, and that's a pretty important thing to be doing at the moment, yes? The hoses are already on, watering the Stables Garden. I've made blackboy peach jam (flooding the microwave, oops). I've transplanted more Agapanthus. So the Stables Garden is replanted sensibly.
And there's more...
I've walked Pebbles the dog, played with Winnie (who is under house-arrest), and done my piano practice (Bach's 48 plus Albeniz Iberia Suite). My jigsaw is oh so difficult - it will occupy me for weeks and weeks. This may be a good thing, as my country is going into complete lockdown.
I'm glad that I'm at home. I'm glad that I'm a gardener. Stay safe, I tell myself, be kind, and behave. And please could Winnie's dodgy back leg heal.
Fantail
Next Day
Today is going well. So what have I done? Pebbles and I have gone for a couple of orchard walks, accompanied by squeaking fantails. I've done my Silver Swans ballet session with Youtube (Winnie sat and stared, couldn't quite believe what she was seeing). Even managed a half-decent Polonaise (walk, walk, swish) around the kitchen.
Then I did a spot of weeding behind the Stables - need to think about the Kronenbourg roses in here. They are not happy - should they stay or should they go? And now I'm about to have phone-afternoon-coffee with my friend. So social, this life of self-isolation, hee hee!
Later...
A gardener who thinks too much gets nothing done. So I went back outside and dug out the Kronenbourg and Royden roses, plus a clump of coral peonies. The soil was awful - like dust. Removed lots of grass weeds. Will go back tomorrow for the yellow Flower Carpet rose. Ha! It's only a small area, but finally it's organised.
Buster in the Rosemary
Wednesday 25th March
Have done my Silver Swans ballet session again. I am always less wobbly on Wednesdays than Tuesdays. Who knows why? But this morning my silver-swanning was much interrupted - firstly by Winnie, dropping her new squeaky ball for me to swish with a well-pointed toe. Then one of the Fred cats decided he loved me to bits, and needed a smooch. Enter Buster, my beautiful black cat, who lightly bit my arm - she wanted to be fed. And then Non-Gardening Partner wandered in. Aargh! I think he laughed at me! My ballet practice is supposed to be private...
Now I'm off outside to dig out that yellow rose, clean up the wee lawn, and bucket water on the boundary Pittosporums.
Much Later...
See something that needs doing, do it. Done. I've rebuilt the little stone wall where I fill my buckets. Some of the flatter stones have gone over to the Laundry path, and I've weeded around them. This is another area that the big irrigation doesn't reach, and is therefore desperately dry. Amazingly though, a new white Daphne shrub is still growing OK. Thought - next spring I will plant some Lavenders in this wee garden.
Hurry Up! Pebbles in the Bridge
I've had the grooviest, calmest afternoon outside, just gardening and thinking. It is, after all, a time for calm thinking. My air is clean to breathe, my water is clean to drink. I can grow potatoes, and easily warm my house. Giving thanks for the basics.
Aconites