Fern focus
Funny how the waterside ferns suddenly come into focus. I don't notice them for years, they grow and multiply, then boom! The day arrives when I decide they are all too messy, with far too many dead bits, and out they must all come. Poor things!
Fern by Willow Bridge
Yesterday started in a lovely girlie sort of way. Went swimming, then bought a pea-green apres-gardening shirt at the Op Shop. Naturally I put it on when I got home - it's pale and flouncy, a bit frilly, but hey! It matches my light pea-green Salewa shoes.
Rhododendron Alice
Flounced outside to take photographs, noticed a forest of scruffy ferns growing along the side of the water race, spoiling the view of the Willow Tree's rhododendrons (all of which are late to flower). Ha! Back into my blue gardening shirt and waders, and armed with several knives and hand saws I started slicing the ferns out (the kitchen bread knife is my favourite).
Lilli-Puss Following Pebbles
Dear Lilli-Puss and the dogs followed me along the water's edge. It started drizzling. The dogs got quickly bored and went back inside. We (the cat and me) soldiered on. Eventually we both got too wet, so I'm back in frilly pea green and she's enjoying some tasty fresh topside mince.
Azalea
Teaching Miss Lilli...
I am trying to 'teach' Lilli to smooch. When she jumps onto my lap I capture her, cuddle her softly, tickle her chin, and run my hand along from her nose. Yesterday she bunted me back and purred very quietly - yippee! We must be getting somewhere. I suspect she has suffered a head injury - possibly from a seizure? Will never know.
Wednesday 27th October
OK. Woke up still feeling rather moochy, so have taken action. Have been swimming, done my piano practice, and spent over two hours in the water race slicing through more ferns with the bread knife. I've definitely made progress. But...
Rats' nests?
I've found a couple of what I think are old rats' nests, scoopy hollows in the base of an overgrown waterside grass, lined with poo and old hazelnut shells. Yuk! Am attempting to slice this grass completely out, but it's difficult, since one of the rhododendrons has grown through it. Couldn't get the spade or the axe in, so yippee for my trusty bread knife. Wore my gloves just in case...
Aargh! A Rat in the Gunnera!
Moochy and cross...
Am moochy because my country has gone a bit silly. Its Covid rules are becoming divisive, and people are being selfish and misbehaving.
Sort yourself out, world...
And then what about the world climate change problems? These look more and more gloomy. Sort yourself out, world!
And am cross with the thought of well fed rats carting hazelnuts from my orchard to munch in cosy nests in my waterside garden. Humph. I don't like them. C'mon, you two Fred cats - hunt them down for me!