Socks...
The silliest plan. My friend and I have driven to Ashburton (only 60 km away) to buy socks. As one does. They are called 'life socks' and are the best socks in the world. So a trip to the factory shop (plus a cafe for lunch) was in order. Hee hee. Our sock mission was most successful. We looooooved the factory shop. So much so that I spent three hundred dollars. Yes. $300. On socks. Yes. I bought socks for everyone I could think of, not just me. My friend spent $200. Two silly big sock spenders, hee hee. Yeay! Birthday socks!
Lots of Socks...
When I got home, still buzzing with sock-thrill, I did my bonfire, cleared lots more mess, trimmed Miscanthus and Calamagrostis grasses, and even found more roses which had missed being pruned. Then, taking two steps backwards, I collected and burnt yesterday's mess, and the day before's. Found the prettiest variegated - Carex? - lounging underneath a dull brown Phormium en route to the bonfire. Must relocate it. And now, if you will forgive me, I am going to lay my new socks out on the table.
Wednesday 22nd August
Good morning. It's frosty, and I am about to take the dogs for a long walk around the orchard. We usually flush out the odd rabbit, plus a honking pheasant (the boys are so beautiful). I reckon I have at least five breeding pairs on the property. Pheasants, that is. Sorry, not sentimental about rabbits. They are nuisances.
Daffodils
And then - hee hee. My first sock deliveries! Am feeling slightly sheepish - I seem to have purchased twenty-two pairs. Oops. I am oversocked? This almost beats the early August seed order (oops again).
Jester Flax Repotted
Potting
When I get home I will pot up my first vegetable seedlings - spring onions, kale, little lettuces, pal choi, and rainbow beets. Must make sure they are protected from the frost, though. I like them to be handy, on the patio. My proper vegetable garden (on one side of the Herb Spiral) is full of flowers, anyway, so I should replant four or five rescued roses around the edge of it. Then there won't be a conflict of identity...
Much Later...
After distributing socks to all and sundry (as one foes), I've done the veggie potting. I've also repotted the coarse green Carexes and Phormiums (dotted around the Glass-House Garden). And rescued two roses which were hidden at the back of this garden and replanted them out front in the sun. And weeded, and forked out dandelions. The bonfire has reignited, and I'm off to choir. Tra la la...
P.S. Remind me why I like Camellias? It's easy. Because they seem to like me. They like my garden, too - particularly the wee border behind the Stables.
Spot the Tree Man
Thursday 23rd August
Oh boy. Oh joy. The tree men are here. My dogs, naturally, expect their frisbees and tennis balls to be thrown. This is what visiting men do. But it would be X-treme multitasking - a chain-sawing tree-man does not need this type of distraction, so we all have to stay inside. I hate to say this, but it might be a good morning to do housework... Aargh!
A bit later...
Thump, crash, kerplunk. And that's just me doing the vacuuming. Am going to put the dogs in their kennels and meet Non-Gardening Partner for lunch. There's nothing doing for me in the garden today.
Much, much later...
Four of the biggest, gruntiest gum trees known to gardening woman are down. Just one slight casualty - a branch of the big flowering cherry tree was in the way. No Camellia damage whatsoever, and the shelter hedge is intact.
The dogs and I have been out walking taking photographs and marvelling at the extra light. And shivering a bit, because it seems to be rather cold. Wow. Now another great log clean-up can begin.