A day in the life of the autumn garden...
One whole journal page devoted to a day in the life of the autumn garden (and gardener) - my goodness, something special must be going on. It's Thursday 14th April, by the way. All day!
Not a Moment to Lose!
There's not a moment to lose. In a delightfully random mood I'm going to burn the trailer rubbish immediately, just after breakfast. Usually I potter away inside for an hour or so, writing - and twittering (or tweeting?) when the mind is fresh and the wit sharp. I may be the only tweeter who uses the apostrophe and tries to be thoughtful, but hey! I'm thoroughly enjoying myself.
Sharifa Asma Rose
Another thing is happening today - I am attempting a serious rescue of my original garden gnome, Bach, who slipped deep into the Moosey pond last September. Retrieval has been impossible until now, when the pond is luckily half-full. I think I mean half-empty! I sincerely hope that Bach hasn't dissolved.
Late Morning - Success!
Submerged in cold pond past my waist, I painstakingly dislodged and rescued two large stones from the muddy, silty bottom. Aargh! On attempt number three my shoe felt a gnome-sized object, well and truly stuck on the bottom. My cold toes prodded and prodded, down went my arm and - yippee! Up came my garden gnome, looking a little pale and grubby, but features intact!
Gnome Rescued From Pond
After the nicest hot shower I've had in years I've rushed over to my journal to report the good news. My gnome rescue only took ten chilly minutes. Phew! It was meant to be. And I was helped enormously by an encouraging friend who held a rake out for me to keep hold of - so I didn't float away.
Not Even the Slightest Bit Dotty?
And, what's more, she didn't 'bat an eyelid', as the saying goes, when asked to help. My friend doesn't think I'm at all mad, not even the slightest bit dotty - now that's what I call a friend!
Minimus Cat on the Path
Eek! It's the Mouse Catching Season...
There's been a slight house problem with Tiger the Senior Cat, a mouse, and me, draped precariously in my apres-shower towel while trying to wield a kitchen broom. Luckily Rusty the dog arrived to 'help', so dignity (plus clothing) could be restored.
Robusta Roses
Tiger is such a tease with rodents. She gets bored easily, and will nonchalantly wash her white furry belly, leaving her mouse to scuttle towards the safety of the pantry door. Eek! And young Minimus's mice are banned from Pond Cottage, for obvious reasons. I do not sleep well with mice on the bed. Eek again!
Much Later...
Several autumn photographs later... Lilli-Puss (my grey Stables cat) and I have had our bi-weekly smooch, sitting on the Stables Seat. Then Minimus came for a walk around the back of the pond, while I gazed in awe at Pond Cottage and tried to create suitably descriptive phrases. It's the cottage's first autumn, such a lovely sight. Have I mentioned before that I love autumn?
Autumn Roses
I love autumn's roses. And the softer daylight which makes them look so hauntingly beautiful. My new Sally Holmes roses are reflowering again, and I am thrilled with them - they are recycled from a friend's garden, and came to me with huge woody stalks and not much else.
Sally Holmes Rose
Other roses pop up here and there in different gardens, adding to my list of beautiful autumn bloomers. There's the strident Oranges and Lemons McGredy rose at the back of the Birthday Rose Garden, the rugosa Robusta living up to its rather prosaic name behind the pond, and Sharifa Asma, most wonderfully fragrant Prince of the David Austin Pastels.
David Austin Roses :- I have a number of David Austin roses growing in my garden.
The roses in the autumn garden have inspired me to do a make-over of the Moosey-web rose section, starting with the David Austins. Many of my early rose pages were pretty shyly presented.
OK, I still don't know so much about the roses that I grow, but I have so many lovely photographs now. And many more roses to talk about! And more experience as a rose grower? Hmm...