No clay club yesterday! A breakdown in communication as the lovely lady who runs it is away for half-term. Her mum and dad - who live where the studio is, opened up for us, but we, and the other lady who also turned up, decided we didn't want to do anything without Sarah there. So I went back to my daughter's for coffee and found myself having a good old vent about all sorts of things I didn't realise I was upset about. Felt good.
The afternoon was spent planting out the summer planting for our In Bloom group. Hard work - 60-odd plants planted but much mixing of compost, trips to the tap with my watering can, pushing the wheelbarrow over the rough grass in the churchyard to get at the planters on railings, and round the back of the war memorial to get at the planters there. But a good feeling knowing while I was doing that the rest of the team were working on the planters by the library, on the church railings and in the little commemorative garden and the border along the other side of the fence by the car park. It took 3 and half hours for me to do my planting. Next weekend the hanging baskets go up - I'm not involved in that, thankfully.
Right - off out to see what compost I can get out of the dalek.
Poor Nanny Beach. Hope you are feeling a bit better today. Breakfast and a gentle stroll at the Donkey Sanctuary this morning. Dog sitting for half term, she is getting old and tired and likes to walk slowly, very suitable for me at the moment. We had a couple of rests on convenient benches, and admired the new leaves on all the trees. Wonderful scents from the hawthorn flowers. Stopped at Waitrose on the way home for a couple of bits and pieces, and a lot more stock on the shelves today. I also got a voucher with my receipt, £5 off a £30 shop in mid June, and a line stating, sorry if you couldn’t find everything you wanted today. Very good bit of PR, I thought. Im now sitting in the shade with a cold drink. The garden looks pretty good if I don’t get too close! The rhododendrons are having a bumper year. The previous owner was a big fan, and had planted some wonderful varieties. Thankfully, they take very little work, although the straggly ones I pruned right back have done very well, a better shape and some decent flowers this year. If I stay back here in the shade, I can’t see the ivy and brambles running riot underneath! I might take my lightweight ‘scissors on a stick’, and snip some of the bramble growth off. Goes against the grain to leave the roots in situ -and pulling them out is one of my favourite tasks- but don’t want to undo any of the surgeon’s hard work. A glorious sunny day here, but we also have that chilly wind to take the edge off the heat.
Afternoon all, sunny here but with a stiff breeze and a lot cooler than yesterday. Not doing much as I woke up at 3 am with a totally unexpected and unwelcome raging sore throat. No idea where I've picked a cold up from but thankfully it's not Covid, just tested negative. Dosing myself up and just pottering today. I've washed the kitchen/diner floor and then applied more patio cleaner to the paving on the west side of the house whilst it was in shade. I'm trying to do a bit each day, there's a lot of paving to do. Haven't got the energy or strength to get the presser washer out.
Your rhodos are gorgeous @Ergates and is that a river I can see in the distance? I've got a small raised acid bed with a yellow azalea and a pieris in but that's all.
You're doing a grand job @didyw, I bet all the planters will look beautiful in a week or so when the plants have settled.
Stitches in the gums must be so painful @Busy-Lizzie, hope the end result is worth it for your OH. Very handy to have a son who is a dentist! I'm not surprised you want to relax, you had such a busy day with the children over the weekend.
My son has just been signed off by his consultant and can start driving again much to his relief. He's apparently got a long scar right up the middle of his heel and up his calf which is making it difficult to wear proper shoes.
Thanks, @Lizzie27! No river ( might be the sky in the first picture?) although there is a small stream across the road and hidden away beyond the neighbours garden. We have acid soil here, so this time of year we are spoilt with all the rhododendrons, azalea and pieris providing tons of colour. In another few weeks though, everything will just be green, apart from the hydrangeas ( blue, of course!)
@raisingirl don't give up on the dahlias yet. Mine is about 5 cm tall resurrecting from a very hard Luxembourgish winter. I put sticks around it to protect it from OH big feet.
I've rootled around - they're dead. Rotted. It's just too wet, even in pots and with shelter
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I’ve Caught up with the month’s chat on here, so I’m feeling rather pleased with myself 🙄. you’re all sounding busy with your spring gardening chores.I’m a bit envious but my turn will come in six months I suppose.
I had an uncomfortable day yesterday. I somehow managed to get a dose of MSG in whatever we ate. Aching all over as usual. Since Hubby has been doing most of the meal preparation since I caught Covid last September, I’ve no idea what little tastes he has added. He, of course denies using any additives, but something got into whatever I ate.
🤬. Anyway, it’s obviously been cleared out of my system today,so back to knitting a bonnet and bootees for Hubby’s sister’s new great granddaughter. Nearly finished so it can be posted to Newcastle (Oz) tomorrow when we go town.
Posts
The afternoon was spent planting out the summer planting for our In Bloom group. Hard work - 60-odd plants planted but much mixing of compost, trips to the tap with my watering can, pushing the wheelbarrow over the rough grass in the churchyard to get at the planters on railings, and round the back of the war memorial to get at the planters there. But a good feeling knowing while I was doing that the rest of the team were working on the planters by the library, on the church railings and in the little commemorative garden and the border along the other side of the fence by the car park. It took 3 and half hours for me to do my planting.
Next weekend the hanging baskets go up - I'm not involved in that, thankfully.
Right - off out to see what compost I can get out of the dalek.
Breakfast and a gentle stroll at the Donkey Sanctuary this morning. Dog sitting for half term, she is getting old and tired and likes to walk slowly, very suitable for me at the moment. We had a couple of rests on convenient benches, and admired the new leaves on all the trees. Wonderful scents from the hawthorn flowers.
Stopped at Waitrose on the way home for a couple of bits and pieces, and a lot more stock on the shelves today. I also got a voucher with my receipt, £5 off a £30 shop in mid June, and a line stating, sorry if you couldn’t find everything you wanted today. Very good bit of PR, I thought.
Im now sitting in the shade with a cold drink. The garden looks pretty good if I don’t get too close! The rhododendrons are having a bumper year. The previous owner was a big fan, and had planted some wonderful varieties. Thankfully, they take very little work, although the straggly ones I pruned right back have done very well, a better shape and some decent flowers this year. If I stay back here in the shade, I can’t see the ivy and brambles running riot underneath! I might take my lightweight ‘scissors on a stick’, and snip some of the bramble growth off. Goes against the grain to leave the roots in situ -and pulling them out is one of my favourite tasks- but don’t want to undo any of the surgeon’s hard work.
A glorious sunny day here, but we also have that chilly wind to take the edge off the heat.
Your rhodos are gorgeous @Ergates and is that a river I can see in the distance? I've got a small raised acid bed with a yellow azalea and a pieris in but that's all.
You're doing a grand job @didyw, I bet all the planters will look beautiful in a week or so when the plants have settled.
Stitches in the gums must be so painful @Busy-Lizzie, hope the end result is worth it for your OH. Very handy to have a son who is a dentist! I'm not surprised you want to relax, you had such a busy day with the children over the weekend.
My son has just been signed off by his consultant and can start driving again much to his relief. He's apparently got a long scar right up the middle of his heel and up his calf which is making it difficult to wear proper shoes.
Enjoy the rest of the day folks.
night all.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I started to relax, watched an episode of Chelsea then felt restless. Did the ironing, finished weeding the shrub bed.
you’re all sounding busy with your spring gardening chores.I’m a bit envious but my turn will come in six months I suppose.