Yet more garden gnomes...
Yet more garden gnomes pop up on the online auction site, and a brand new gardening plan pops into my head. I want to build a tree house on the willow stump, overlooking the water. Let's rephrase that. I want to encourage and help Non-Gardening Partner build me a tree house, hee hee...
Saturday 28th May
Aargh! Ten more garden gnomes have independently popped up on the online auction site. In fact, there have been sixteen gnomes available in the last two weeks - and we all know whose garden is currently home to six of them, don't we? I do not need all these new gnomes. The latest offerings are two decent retro concrete chaps, and eight ceramic Disney Dudes with cartoon faces. This could be a real test of my willpower - and good taste?
Rusty the Winter Dog
Gnome-wise I have outrageously high auto-bids on the two retro gnomes, and that is all. Garden-wise I predict a big day. The weather forecast predicts rain. We are diametrically opposed (a gorgeous phrase) and I know I'll be proved right - there's blue sky. But first, a swimming breakfast.
Histeria Cat in the Willow Stump
Lunchtime...
I'm trying to organise Non-Gardening Partner to do some chain-sawing for me. He says that I obviously need a winter project of my own to concentrate my energies on (and thus leave him alone). Winter gardening doesn't work like this! It's the perfect time to trim unwanted trees, and put their smaller branches through the shredder. The winter bonfire, almost as exciting as the autumn one, then takes the rest of the mess. I will have to smile sweetly and ask his advice (that usually works).
Later...
Chain-sawing down the willow branches has been a long, untidy job - they are seven years old, according to their tree rings. And many have been landing in the water, causing me to get my feet wet dragging them out. I've cleared half of the mess into three piles - for the shredder, the bonfire, and long bits to be chopped into firewood.
But what a wondrous afternoon! The big willow stump would make a perfect lodging place for a tree house, or at least a small platform. It would be reached by a small wooden ladder, with a hand-rail around its edge, and enough floor-decking space for a table and chairs. I would love it to be turned into a garden feature. And I saw NGP's engineering brain responding to the construction issues. Hee hee! Maybe I have found my next big project after all!
Late Rose
Sunday 29th May
Blast - a head cold and a singing performance (anonymous sneezing in the alto section) have cluttered up today a bit. I've got an hour to deal to the willow branches and hope that the headcold drugs kick in. This afternoon's performance is by my so-called 'stuffy choir' (which oddly is a term of endearment) and must not be turn into a 'sniffy choir'. And a real wake-up frost this morning, to kick-start real winter.
Twitterthoughts...
And some Twitterthoughts - Twitter encourages someone with too much to say to use and choose their words. So technically it encourages a verbose rambler (me) to think in terms of poetry? I have a lot to learn about the Twitterverse, which I love, even the jargon tweets like:
@mooseysgarden likes http://bit.ly/jsfwqx and @lilysunshine.
- 'Give the short version of yourself a go on Twitter.'
- -Moosey Advice.
I love Facebook too, but I always try and be the real me on it. I still don't like advertising myself - I don't have anything to sell, anyway. Twitter is well designed to be quick and easy. Give the short version of yourself a go on Twitter, I say!
Monday 30th May
Aargh! May is nearly over, and that really means winter. I have lots of web-pages to catch up on, and that dodgy head cold to keep me company. Nose - please stop twitching, etc. I do not want my writing to be drippy. Luckily it is not disrespectful to appear amongst ones plants and trees spluttering and snorting, so I will be going outside as soon as the temperature rises.
Late Hydrangea Flower
Today's plans are mild. I am to finish the willow branch clearing. But I have some terribly exciting news. NGP, probably feeling sorry for me and my bad cold, has instructed me to google tree houses so he can see examples of platform construction. Hee hee - so my latest plan, to have one such built over the willow tree stump, moves up a miniscule notch. It will not be weatherproof, may not even have a roof, and is not intended for sleep overs (like Pond Cottage).
Spot the Willow Stump
OK. A cup of hot coffee might be nice. But will it make me feel better? Better than what, hmm...
Many Hours Later...
Firstly, on the personal front, I have just picked up my new spectacles. My goodness! Hurray for the advances of lenses in the last five years - everything is awfully clear and sharp, and it doesn't seem like I'm looking through anything at all. I will definitely not be wearing these in the garden - the truth could be brutal!
Plans for the Tree House...
Secondly, I have worked for three hours and the big willow tree trim is now totally cleaned up. I've burnt all the rubbish, and raked all the paths, and peered closely at the big branches coming out of willow tree stump. It should be easy to cut tiny chunks out of each for the tree house floor supports, says Moosey, Non-Engineering Partner...
Tuesday 31st May
My head cold makes me feels really muddled, but I'm still going to do some gardening. Five bags of horse manure need spreading underneath Middle Garden's rhododendrons, and there's more gum tree rubbish from behind the pond to burn. But first of all I'm off to spend a nursery garden voucher. Back soon.
Much, Much Later...
I am absolutely thrilled with my day - and myself. Unimpaired by the sniffles I've worked hard for five hours. I've cleared more ground behind the pond and planted seven Pittosporums (properly) to screen the neighbour's distant house. I've gathered up rogue Anemanthele grasses and planted clumps of them along the side of the path. And I've made a good start raking rubbish from the new garden by the Chestnut tree.
Bonfire 2010 :- Bonfires all look the same. You've seen one, you've seen them all!
Then at the end of the day I burnt all the gum leaves and bark mess - oh dear! I would definitely win the Bonfire of the Month Award, as the smoke seemed to go absolutely everywhere - even over the road (which is a long way away). I kept expecting a host of cross neighbours to appear with pitchforks and water buckets. Phew!