Rediscover...
It's time to rediscover my new, energetic, go-gardening 2022 attitude (which didn't last very long, methinks). I will modify it to be weather related. Go gardening according to the 'pleasantness' of the weather. Do inside stuff when the weather is dodgy - too hot, too wet, etc. Makes sense.
Cotinus in the Driveway
It is early morning, and drizzling at the moment, which is why it's OK to be writing in my gardening journal. Have already taken the dogs for a short walk, ducking underneath the dripping Cotinus. So pretty!
Fred on a Blanket
Trimmed!
My social life is about to be trimmed a little, anyway. Am going to take extra care of self while Omicron rages through the country. My dogs agree - yeay! More walks for us, yippee! And more sneaky bowls of cat food, say the Freds, one cosy in a chair on a woolly blanket, the other cosy on his bed. Bringing our breakfast to us - such a good plan!
Aha! As well as trimming my swirling social life I an trimming the Lychnis. The flowering is over now. Yesterday I pulled out the oldest plants from the Hump and trimmed the fresher, newer ones with the kitchen scissors. I scraped more weeds up off a one of the paths, and dug loads of potatoes out. Then I wandered up and down the Allotment garden (which is rather dry), removed the old Lychnis, and replanted all my iris pieces. Half-heartedly, I must confess. Suspect I am not deeply attached to my irises. Indifferent? Maybe just a little.
Friday 28th January
The last two days have been wonderful, full of personal wellness ticks, so to speak. I've done Albeniz piano practice, walked and swam, enjoyed some great gardening, almost got the grass sorted in my jigsaw, read a groovy book about the ATA (The Air Transport Auxiliary), hand-fed Speckles the stray cat... All the things that I love doing. I've gone back to my ballet classes (seem to have lost about thirty degrees of turnout, oops). And have been making bread (as one does, in these Covid times). I feel very proud.
Animal News...
Winnie's cut paw-pad is healing, but now Black Fred has a swelling above his eye, another abscess which is nearly ready to pop. Took him to the vet the first time this happened - it popped while we were there, the vet cleaned him up, gave me medicine (which Fred refused to eat) and the bill (which was quite chunky). Hmm... He's very cheerful, and eating well, so am just keeping a home eye on him.
Compassion Roses
Sunday 30th January
Aha! Have been thinking about getting some sort of cleansing solution for Fred when his abscess bursts. No need. Oops. Last night - oops - Pebbles the dog licked his face clean. My friend's old nanny swore that dog saliva was a great steriliser. Knowing what my country dogs sometimes eat, I can't quite believe this!
Yeay for today!
Yeay for today! Am looking forward to living through it. Not sure exactly what I'll be doing, or the order in which I'll be doing it. But thinking ahead (always a great idea) I'll start by putting a load of washing in the machine, taking the dogs for a walk, and making the bread.
Much later...
Played my Albeniz piano pieces for over two hours - a mildly mind-numbing experience. I've found some errors in the printed music : missing changes of clef, accidentals missing or wrongly positioned. Have to trust my ear in this. But it was still too hot to garden, so we went off in the car to pick up my new mountain bike (gifted from a friend who has gone electric, so to speak). My new bike is bumble bee coloured : bright yellow with fat black tyres. Looks very sturdy. Have to buy a helmet. Yeay! A new hobby!