Gardening friend helps out...
Yesterday a gardening friend and I finished the path behind the Shrubbery, moved an older park bench in by the fence to be the path's destination, weeded the gardens alongside, cleared out the rubbish, sawed down offending branches of pine trees - and planted the cutest little row of Renga Renga along the path edge.
Tuesday 22nd February
It's a leafy place, with soft pine needle mulch underfoot, a couple of gorgeous big pine trees (wonderful bark), and a great country view of the ram paddock. Then we sat to enjoy the views and congratulate ourselves. My gardening friend liked the seedheads in the paddock grass. I liked having someone to talk to who wasn't furry!
Dahlia Life
Right. One word will describe why this morning I'm inside writing instead of outside doing garden work. It's 'procrastination'. But, as the esteemed Benjamin Franklin said, I 'may delay, but time will not'. And I have many things to do, which a damp day should not hinder. After all, 'nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task' (William James). And as for the moochy gardener who has nothing better to do than Google-search quotes on procrastination - the less said the better!
White Cosmos
New Plants, New Bulbs
Hee hee. Yesterday I picked up the hugest clump of Agapanthus which somehow I jammed into the back of my little car. But there's more - I have 450 mixed daffodil bulbs, all dug out of someone's mother's garden, plus 50 Erlicheer daffodils and a cerise peony. I love plant recycling. Nothing needs to be wasted.
So I need to change my ridiculously non-gardening floating white cotton shirt for something rugged, grab my spade, and start splitting the Agapanthus up. It's all to be planted in the Hump where I've taken out paths.
I need a reward? Hmm... Maybe after I've planted everything I could have a lovely hot cup of coffee and go to the rose sale. I need more roses? I DON"T THINK SO!
Later, One O'Clock in the Afternoon
Oh dear. We've had another earthquake, but this one's epicentre was much closer to the city. This is terrible. Parts of my city are trashed, and there are people trapped in broken buildings.
I was under the trees in the Hump when the shaking started. I stopped and held onto a Cordyline while the ground rolled and swirled, and the pheasant in the next paddock honked and honked. But this is just terrible. People in my city have been killed. I can't stop crying. And now we are getting more aftershocks. The pheasant honks again, the house rattles, the ground rolls for a bit longer.
It's all just too sad. I've heard from my family (they're OK), but not many of my friends yet, as the phones are down. I need to hug Non-Gardening Partner (he's on his way home from town) and Son of Moosey (he's on his way, too). I need to take my dog for a walk down the road. Small thought - the Russian spammer who has been pestering the Moosey Forums with rubbish, and bugging me in the process, seems like nothing. Getting things in perspective...
Pink Roses
Wednesday 23rd February
Oh dear. I seemed to be awake all night processing (or trying to) and feeling quite lost. It rained a lot and little Minimus the cat became a kitten again, zooming around the carpet chasing nothing (well, I hope it was nothing). The 'Gardening-Life-Goes-On' thread kept popping into my thoughts. This rain - so good for my newly planted Agapanthus. My revamped path network - it really seems to work well. Then reality surged back in over everything. What can I do to help? Non-Gardening Partner has been called into the city early this morning to work on the electricity supply problem.
Thanks to All My Web-Friends
Well, I guess it's going to be a slow, puzzling, thinking day. Rusty the dog is already bored with me, and all the cats (except Lilli-Puss) are relaxing in cat baskets. I'm going to wash my hair (a tiny minor normality) and then mend my crochet afghan rug. Huge thank-yous to all my web-friends who have written and sent their thoughts and prayers.
Rusty Dog Waiting
Late Afternoon...
I've just wandered around the garden and taken some flower photographs. Some roses are now flowering again, which is a very cheery sight. I've also seen some weeding work which I'm starting tomorrow. Also I'll be driving over to son's house to help his clean-up. No more sitting around. In the often heard words (?) of Rusty the dog: 'Let's dooooooooooooo something!'
Thursday 24th February
No gardening today, just cleaning up Son's house, reached after a very slow and sometimes bouncy drive around the edge of the city. I saw lots of residents out cleaning up, groups of volunteer students clearing the footpaths, and trucks rumbling past laden with sandy mud. There was no sign of Kaya the black cat at the house, but we've left food, and as soon as fuel supplies are back to normal we'll go back and try again to find her. Kaya - we trust you to know what to do.
The realities of the earthquake aftermath make my little garden world seem so safe. I will do some work in it tomorrow.