Not being able to sleep is the absolute pits - it leaves you feeling so shabby the next day. OH had a bad night last night too.  But it is a glorious day and he is about to cut the grass at the front and then I can plant the dahlias (from seed - they've been outside for a while) in the border without flattening the grass.
Hadn't realised I hadn't posted this morning. Must have been because the plumber came. Plumber has gone now. Shower looks good but it needs the builder to do some sealing around something. The utility room sink, which only had a cold water supply with a tap that didn't work very well, now has a new tap with hot and cold water and a shower fitting. There are now working radiators in the study and utility room, not that they are needed today, it's very warm.
I've done quite bit of pruning and cutting off lower branches of pine trees and I've pruned the lilac and the yew bush that was spreading out too much over the drive.
Was just typing that when it clouded over and started to rain so I rushed out to put my pruning tools and gloves away. Wasn't forecast.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
It's been fine today which is good as OH and I have been to a "fĂȘte des voisins" lunch. It's a French thingy to promote good relations and connections between neighbours on the grounds that if you can eat and play together you can help each other too and have a closer community.  There was a brief shower as we walked there at midday but other than that it's been pleasantly warm and sunny.
Very pleasant afternoon and one of the older couples who have a 2nd home just up from us also does ballroom dancing but in Nantes where they still live till she retires in 2 years and they're keen gardeners.
Possum did not come with us but did venture outside on her own for a bit of sunbathing. She let the chooks out to explore but after a while realised they'd gone quiet.  She found them all herded under the big conifer being watched by a feral ginger cat and feeling nervous so she led them back to the potager, clucking all the way, and gave them a tin of sweetcorn. Â
We have been doing No Mow May at the front @didyw. It has yielded plenty of daisies and red clover but mostly just long grass with purple flower heads.  Looks a mess too now.
The lawns were only laid last autumn @Obelixx and, judging by what we pulled out when preparing the soil I think we would only get ground elder coming through, so best kept short for now. Your "fĂȘte des voisins" sounds amazing! How lovely for the community to come together to share food and experience. The cactus mixed dahlias are in! As well as some other things that look tiny, like the first years starting school and surrounded by sixth formers.
Many thanks for that weather website recommendation @Dovefromabove. We've had quite a busy day as well. Walked to shops as usual and picked up medications from local chemist. Read the papers and ate a naughty doughnut for elevenses. My excuse was that I'd had breakfast very early. Finished edging/weeding flower bed which took longer than expected which meant lunch was late and so was I for our friends Plant Sale. Took along my spare plants which they didn't need after all, bought a Harts Tongue Fern (I think) and had a long chat. They are members of our local Garden Club and they said half the Club/village had been there this morning. I was sorry to miss them all but at least I wasn't in a crowd.
Their garden is lovely, the house is a detached Georgian 3 storey one in an enviable position - one to die for! Think cast iron veranda/wisteria/roses etc. She majors on perennials and roses and he likes tree ferns, hostas and greenery. A very nice couple who actually met each other at the Garden Club in later life.
OH has put the bean sticks up so that's another job to do tomorrow, the beans are waving at each other on the patio table. I seem to have lost all my carrots, apart from a few, so will have to sow some more.
The end of your house renovation is finally in sight it seems @Busy-Lizzie - hurrah. How's your daughter-in-law doing? The timing's going to be tight isn't it. My son and his family are part of the hordes tearing down to Cornwall today, they've hired a house with some friends for the week. Wonder if they've got off the A30 yet!!Â
Yes @steephill. Much excitement in local press and FB groups. It's certainly been cold enough thru April and May for him not to be missing the Arctic weather!  Might get a bit warm now tho.
@Busy-Lizzie it does indeed sound as tho you are getting yourself well sorted out in your new home.  It's been such a dark and gloomy winter and spring I rather lost momentum on painting and decorating here so am behind a notional schedule. Concentrating on the garden now tho.  So much to do.
Busy day today. Conifer cut in half, sweet peas now have teepee supports ( NOT wigwams )Â 10 waterlilies added to the lake , both tunnels watered and some grass cut.
Evening. Tired after trying to keep up with little niece zooming around the garden. She loved pond-dipping for tadpoles and newts. Fairly warm today - reckon warmer out than in.
Busy here and tomorrow (Mother's Day) mad, mad busy, I've had to turn away so many with our capacity limit. Stressed to the eyeballs. Happy to report CdeG has been entered into a Best Floral Restaurant competition..... Final judging day 28th June. Judges can only assess from outside the property.... tricky but we'll do our best. All good publicity.Â
Thinking of you all. Xx
âCoffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?â âBetsy Cañas Garmon
Posts
But it is a glorious day and he is about to cut the grass at the front and then I can plant the dahlias (from seed - they've been outside for a while) in the border without flattening the grass.
Hadn't realised I hadn't posted this morning. Must have been because the plumber came. Plumber has gone now. Shower looks good but it needs the builder to do some sealing around something. The utility room sink, which only had a cold water supply with a tap that didn't work very well, now has a new tap with hot and cold water and a shower fitting. There are now working radiators in the study and utility room, not that they are needed today, it's very warm.
I've done quite bit of pruning and cutting off lower branches of pine trees and I've pruned the lilac and the yew bush that was spreading out too much over the drive.
Was just typing that when it clouded over and started to rain so I rushed out to put my pruning tools and gloves away. Wasn't forecast.
Our hosts offered the apéro, we all took our own meals and shared all the desserts. 4 couples in their 60s, 4 in their 30s and 2 in their 20s. The younger ones are all in new builds on a corner of the crossroads and have been swapping help and support depending on their trades which include a carpenter/cabinet maker, a landscaper and a child-minder.
Very pleasant afternoon and one of the older couples who have a 2nd home just up from us also does ballroom dancing but in Nantes where they still live till she retires in 2 years and they're keen gardeners.
Possum did not come with us but did venture outside on her own for a bit of sunbathing. She let the chooks out to explore but after a while realised they'd gone quiet.  She found them all herded under the big conifer being watched by a feral ginger cat and feeling nervous so she led them back to the potager, clucking all the way, and gave them a tin of sweetcorn. Â
Hope you get a better sleep tonight @Hostafan1.
We have been doing No Mow May at the front @didyw. It has yielded plenty of daisies and red clover but mostly just long grass with purple flower heads.  Looks a mess too now.
The cactus mixed dahlias are in! As well as some other things that look tiny, like the first years starting school and surrounded by sixth formers.
We've had quite a busy day as well. Walked to shops as usual and picked up medications from local chemist. Read the papers and ate a naughty doughnut for elevenses. My excuse was that I'd had breakfast very early. Finished edging/weeding flower bed which took longer than expected which meant lunch was late and so was I for our friends Plant Sale.
Took along my spare plants which they didn't need after all, bought a Harts Tongue Fern (I think) and had a long chat. They are members of our local Garden Club and they said half the Club/village had been there this morning. I was sorry to miss them all but at least I wasn't in a crowd.
Their garden is lovely, the house is a detached Georgian 3 storey one in an enviable position - one to die for! Think cast iron veranda/wisteria/roses etc. She majors on perennials and roses and he likes tree ferns, hostas and greenery. A very nice couple who actually met each other at the Garden Club in later life.
OH has put the bean sticks up so that's another job to do tomorrow, the beans are waving at each other on the patio table. I seem to have lost all my carrots, apart from a few, so will have to sow some more.
The end of your house renovation is finally in sight it seems @Busy-Lizzie - hurrah.
How's your daughter-in-law doing? The timing's going to be tight isn't it.
My son and his family are part of the hordes tearing down to Cornwall today, they've hired a house with some friends for the week. Wonder if they've got off the A30 yet!!Â
Have a pleasant evening everyone.
@didyw it is a very good initiative. Bigger councils encourage people by lending them tables, benches, chairs and gazebo structures for shade. No such resources here but the mayor did pop in and say hello and have some apéro.  We get on well with the neighbours either side of us and chat with ones we see as we go past on walkies but apart from our hosts we hadn't met any of the new ones.
@Busy-Lizzie it does indeed sound as tho you are getting yourself well sorted out in your new home.  It's been such a dark and gloomy winter and spring I rather lost momentum on painting and decorating here so am behind a notional schedule. Concentrating on the garden now tho.  So much to do.
10 waterlilies added to the lake , both tunnels watered and some grass cut.
I hope all are ok.Â
Busy here and tomorrow (Mother's Day) mad, mad busy, I've had to turn away so many with our capacity limit. Stressed to the eyeballs.
Happy to report CdeG has been entered into a Best Floral Restaurant competition..... Final judging day 28th June. Judges can only assess from outside the property.... tricky but we'll do our best. All good publicity.Â
Thinking of you all. Xx