Frosty...
A couple of frosty mornings are a nippy reminder to take winter seriously. Face it head on! Shift all half-hardy pots (particularly the pelargoniums) into the glass-house, finish trimming the dahlias, get mulch onto the garden, and so on.
Winter Calendulas
I also have thirty bags full of horse manure to spread. Thirty! Oh joy! Nicely rotted, very wormy, splendid stuff to be adding to my sandy soil. Where to begin? The rhododendrons behind the water race, I think, all busy producing buds for spring.
Frost on Berberis
Hangs head in mock shame. I thought I'd burnt all the dead flax leaves. I boasted about it. It's not true. Non Gardening Partner has drawn my attention to three large piles underneath the hedge. So today is shaping up rather nicely into a wheelbarrow trundling circuit, with a spot of smoky bonfiring thrown into the mix.
Cream Delight Phormium
Much Later...
Nothing finished, but lots accomplished. Only six horse manure bags spread, but it's a start. I also started clearing gum tree bark and leaves by the Hen House. Didn't attempt to finish this - actually, everything was pretty wet, so not so pleasant for the bonfiring person or the atmosphere. But I burnt all the dead Phormiums (they cant be composted) - surely now that part of the winter clean-up is finished. Please!
Monday 8th June
Now I remember what proper winter mornings are like. It's too cold to go outside and garden until 10:30 or 11am. So there's a chunk of early time available each morning, enough for an online ballet class and a bit of piano practice, some dog walks, cups of coffee... Maybe the writing of a list (not too long) or some energetic garden housework (e.g. raking Wisteria leaves on the patio).
Late Lunchtime...
So far so good. I've practiced my Bach. I've raked up six bags of leaves from the lawns behind the water race. I've collected a bag of trimmings etc. (cutting down asters and Japanese anemones) from the side house border. I've walked the dogs twice - separately.
Rake these leaves up!
Now the hedge trimmer is working on my roadside hedge, so I'll shut Pebbles inside. Otherwise, she is likely to investigate the noisy machine, bark at the men, and be a total nuisance. When the hedge is done I'll do more garden work. And then - aha! Something completely different with which to end my day, hee hee. Knitting!
Winter Astelias
Knitting!
I am going to try - the word is 'try' - to knit some woolly winter sweaters for the teddy bears. I can knit - well, what I mean is that I used to be able to knit. Isn't it a bit like riding a bicycle? What a hoot. I think I will do a few stripes. Bears like stripes.
Tuesday 9th June
Some bad luck animal news : The hedge trimmer decapitated a snoozing possum. Oops. I suppose it's good luck for the hawk. Next-door's ram has busted through the fence again. Bad luck for our ewes. But not so good - Winnie the dog has had a set-back. This morning she pulled out of her harness and ran off-lead in the paddock. Now she's sore and stiff again - so sad (well, I certainly am).
But some good luck knitting news : I've remembered. I can knit. Lucky Bears...