Wall pheasants!
I have wonderful news regarding my collection of retro wall ducks. A new pair with a touch of blue on the wings has flown down in the post, together with a trio of wall pheasants, all safely packed in disposable baby nappies, hee hee.
Wall Pheasants
I've never seen wall-pheasants before, and they are beautiful. It occurs to me that they don't need to fly into the oil painting of a pond (like my retro wall ducks in the cottage do). Pheasants are grassy paddock birds - well the live ones on my property are. I'll see if I can find the new arrivals a paddock painting to aim for.
Wall Ducks in the Cottage
Wednesday 7th January
I wish that the arrival of flying ducks could somehow be a drought-breaker. Not that our drought is anything as serious as other parts of the world. Ten weeks here without rain is a worry, let alone ten years. Parts of the garden are looking rather sad. Some plants are definitely stressed. Not me, though. I just accept it, put my little hoses on, and try to look after everything.
I'd Love Some Rain!
The big whooshy irrigation runs on some part of the garden most nights now. I'd love some rain! The Allotment Garden, where Non-Gardening Partner has agreed to put up some posts and help me build a rose swag, is one of today's target areas for the little hoses.
Then there's the Welcome Garden where I've just planted some bamboo on the boundary. This could be my biggest garden mistake ever, if it's invasive. On the other hand, it may be dead (I liberated it, root-bound and dry, from a dry pot yesterday.
Later...
I've spread lots of mulch, and I have a lot more to spread. Life is simple, really. But I do wish it would rain.
Yellow Pokers
Thursday 8th January
OK, so my garden may be in constant need of water, and the countryside around parched and dry, but there are many brightly coloured flowers to enjoy. The larger daylilies seem to be going really well, and now the blue and white Agapanthus which I've mass planted on dry banks are flowering. They're so tough, and really suit my gardening style. Or lack of...
Welcome, Escher the Dog
We are dog-sitting Escher the brown dog for three days. Winnie the puppy is in heaven - a new dog-friend whose gums and teeth she can lick. This must be so annoying! So summer holiday life continues with three dogs - visiting the dog park, going for walks in the orchard, wandering down the fenceless boundary... 'Three dogs' is pretty much the same as 'two dogs', but they do like to spend a lot of time outside. Fair enough!
Escher is such a nice dog. He squeaks and quivers with delight when he sees the kittens. Neither Buster nor Tiddles show any fear of him or his nose snuffling their tummies. And now he is more mature he can be trusted more. For example, he used to eat the horse manure I put on the garden. This was a bit unpleasant.
Escher the dog :- Escher is a large German pointer Chocolate Labrador cross.
Escher is nice to garden with, following the wheelbarrow endlessly back and forth. I've been spreading more mulch onto the Welcome Garden, and, unlike Rusty, Escher doesn't think I am at all boring. That's a nice feeling! And he doesn't get bored, either. Meanwhile Winnie the puppy digs holes in the mess next-door. Oops. Good girl, Winnie!
Rusty and Winnie
Later...
We've just been out for a country dog walk with another dog-friend. It's hot, and back home I'm more inclined to finish the Christmas jigsaw than do any gardening. The dogs all have raw meaty bones to keep them happy (except Rusty has pushed Winnie off hers and taken it). What goes around might come around when Winnie is fully grown. For now, she meekly defers to Rusty's seniority. He always pinches 'her' tennis ball, and refuses to give it back.
Friday 9th January
Blast. It's been too hot again. I was planning to do some serious gardening at dusk, but then I forgot and slurped down two glasses of sparkling wine in about two minutes. Bad idea. All I can manage now is to wobble my way carefully over to the cottage and bed.
