Little things...
Little things have a big impact. Like my new merino winter socks which I love. It's so easy to love socks.
Winter Prunus Blossom
And the first of the winter-flowering Prunus blossom, the palest pink. So tiny, so insignificant, easily missed in a brown and green garden.
Cat antics...
And the cat antics that make me smile and warm my heart. This morning's breakfast on the cottage verandah - Speckles my wild stray cat rubbed against my body, smooched my leg, and gurgled (his version of a cat-purr), while Buster my black cat spied on us from behind a pot (I caught a flash of her black tail).
Black Buster
Later, when I went out to start my gardening, she streaked across the house lawn in front of me. Silly cat! Buster, cat of mystery, always on a mission...
Phormiums in the Island Bed
Enormous Phormiums...
At the moment the Phormiums in my garden look enormous. Oops. When did that happen? Maybe they've always been enormous, and I haven't noticed them in the 'colourful busyness' of the other seasons. Yippee for the Phormiums in winter!
Enough gushing. What did I do today? I filled another barrowful with cut-down dahlias, and cleaned up the edge of the Hump Garden near the Shrubbery. I threw Winnie's tennis ball fifty times (an estimate, but it gives you an idea of the scale of this task).
Have identified several scrawny Pittosporums which need to come down (chainsaw tomorrow?) and a discovered a wee path which is totally hidden by Periwinkle (clear it tomorrow?).
The tiniest of grouches : I'm not sure I like the way Periwinkle spreads into the lawn and climbs up into the shrubs. I wish it would just be a well-behaved ground cover and stay on the ground.
Sunday 28th May
So I'm a bit early with my welcome to winter. A weather expert on the radio told me that I can choose from two dates : 1st June, or the shortest day 23rd June. Well, so be it. I'm choosing my own date. Anyway, this morning my plan is to reacquaint myself with the perils of periwinkle on a woodland path. Garden tool of choice : my trusty breadknife. And no more moaning.
Gardener and Dog
Much later...
Great work! The wee path is semi-cleared, though I haven't quite finished (nor have I picked up all the mess). It's a sweetie - a cute little path which wiggles into the Shrubbery, goes around in a loop, then wiggles out further down. I dragged myself along on my bottom for three hours trimming and dealing to the Periwinkle (which I still love).