Still feeling good...

 This is Elizabeth - or Barbara? Oops, not sure.
Crab-Apple Blossom

'Blossom on a tree - you know how I feel...' Yeay! I'm back for yet another clean-up day. I'm still singing that song, and I'm still feeling good.

Wednesday 18 September

Yeay! Morning tea! Well, actually morning cold fizzy that I don't usually drink. But I'm allowed because I'm doing so well. I fancy a change of scenery, but today's plan is to be staunch, stay in the Hazelnut Orchard, and help prepare the bigger logs for Non-Gardening Partner's chain-saw. Hmm...

Later...

Yeay! Afternoon tea! So whatever happened to lunch? Slurping large quantities of sugary drinks creates the illusion of fullness, that's for sure. Anyway, I'm half-and-half healthy. On the left I have some bright orange fizzy (I never, ever drink this sort of stuff usually, honestly!). On the right, rice crackers (baked, not fried) and hummus with spinach and feta.

I was sooooooooo tempted for my last session to dare to be different. Stacking firewood logs and branches for the shredder (and burning the leftovers) doesn't exactly sing to my soul, but I can do it. Without moaning. Well, perhaps with the tiniest whimper...

Animal Update...

Time for an animal update. Rusty the dog has hurt his arthritic paw doing a 'dog-wheelie', so I'm happy that these clean-up days are boring and slow for him. He needs to rest up, not go barking mad and chase pairs of ducks off my pond.

+10Lilli-Puss has been keeping me company. She's quite unaffected by the strangeness in her landscape - she just loves climbing and exploring all the fallen trees. The way is now completely clear back to the hay barn where she gets fed, so her life (at least) is back to normal.

 I think Nonie Haydon gives talks at Camellia societies.
Camellia Nonie Haydon

Right. I've got clean, shorter hair - I've just cut a wide strip off the bottom of it because it's too tangled. Hint - how about brushing it each day? Too busy! I'm off to Jazz Choir.

Thursday 19th September

'Breeze driftin' on by - You know how I feel...' I'm back for another day of cleaning up. In fact, I've already been at it for a couple of hours, I've pulled all the big pine branches off the corner of the Frisbee Garden and created the hugest pile of medium-sized pieces for the shredder.

 Big Fluff-Fluff just checking things out.
Cat and Pine Tree Branches

There are plant casualties in here, but it's always been one of my 'rougher' gardens, one which I've normally paid little attention to. To weep and wail over the trashed Pittosporums and Cordylines would be a little over-dramatic. Hmm...

 Burning pretty hot!
My Bonfire

Morning Fizz...

It's another morning fizzy drinks break, I'm afraid, and I'm drinking the one loaded with caffeine. Not a habit I should get into. Right. It's bonfire time! Aargh!

Much Later...

I seriously ran out of puff in Session Two, so I got the camera and started taking photographs of pretty flowers and blossom in the garden. I wanted to breathe in the beauty of spring rather than bonfire smoke. Those purple chairs - so inviting! I sat down, thought about all the mess still to clean-up, and felt one of those sniffy, tearful moments coming on. I haven't had one for ages now...

Phew! Putt-putt-putting down my driveway came my friend in her red car, with sushi, gardening gloves, and loppers. Saved from wallowing in the jacuzzi of self-pity by a whisker! We both trundled lots of wheelbarrowfuls of mess over to the bonfire, and I felt good again. Simple, really. A problem shared and all that...

 Looking over to my house.
Purple Seats Under the Cherry Blossom Tree

OK, so how about those photographs? Such pretty things are happening in the garden - it's such a pity to get all hot and bothered and sad. My advice to myself? Open your eyes, look around, and enjoy. Just don't look at the messy bits.