Bonfire preparation...

Have spent the last few days doing bonfire preparation. Better to condense these smoky days, rather than burn every single afternoon, I reckon. Don't enjoy it at all - but have little alternative. Hello, gum tree leaves and bark. Nice of you to drop by. Or, should I say, drop down...

 A stunning David Austin rose.
Autumn Rose - Lady of Megginch

The chosen garden area has been the interior of the Dog-Path Garden - near enough to my burning heap for all the mess to be easily wheeled out. No excuses! I've been trimming Pittsporums and Viburnum suckers - superficial, so far. Viburnum tinus is such a nuisance shrub, for me. OK. Now the Viburnum roots need to come. Yeay! No more suckers. No more silly root systems - room to plant nicer shrubs.

 Cornus Florida.
First Dogwood Autumn Leaves

Where is my axe?

But I can't find the axe, which I need to attack the bigger tree roots. Where oh where have I left it? Out mouldering underneath a bush somewhere, no doubt. Ridiculous.

Have just Google-searched my online journal for the phrase 'using the axe'. Latest entry 2019, March, location on the edge of the water race between Middle Bridge and Willow Bridge. Can the axe possibly be three years lost? Will take my cup of coffee and go for a wander. Bright yellow handle, should be visible, yes?

Later...

Am still axe-less, but have successfully trimmed more tree branches, shovel-dug some Viburnum roots out, removed more Pittosporums, and pruned Pseudopanaxes. I like these to be low and shrubby, not turn into lanky trees. Right. No bonfire - have to go out to do some scary singing. One cannot be smoky when appearing in a (paid!) public performance. Tra la la...

Much later...

My sing-out went really well. I loooooove singing Byrd and Vittoria. When I got home I went back into the Dog-Path Garden and sliced out ferns. I now have heaps and heaps to burn.

 Lots of airy gaps.
Looking into the Dog-Path Garden

And a garden which looks much less cluttered, and lighter. And a soul filled with wonderful music.

Tuesday 5th April

So finally today I burnt all the rubbish, adding four more barrow loads of gum bark collected from behind the pond. Then I sat on the damp grass with an iced water and watched the end of the bonfire to cool off. Nice. A hot shower and dry clothes would possibly be even nicer.

 The Dogwood by the water race.
Autumn leaves - autumn bonfire

The autumn flame colours in the bonfire are the same as the autumn dogwood leaves. A rather beautiful colour echo.