Fingers and brain...

 By he house.
Daffodil

Weeding and playing the piano are two wonderful work-outs for the fingers as well as the brain. Yes, one does have to think when weeding - otherwise all the pretty little self-seeded flowers would be pulled out and the nasty grasses left behind.

Monday 14th August

So I've had another amazing piano-playing and gardening day - one hour of Schumann, Bartok, and Bach, followed by four hours of serious weeding in the Hump Garden. Pruned lots more roses.

The Saga of the Bread-Maker...

In the morning I had baked a loaf of bread in the bread-maker, and left it on the bench. After gardening I went inside to cut a thick slice. Oh dear. The bread was gone and Winnie the dog looked very guilty. She'd eaten the lot. Then remembered that the metal mixing paddle was still embedded in the loaf.

 About to sing...
Winnie the Dog

An expensive loaf of bread!

Oh dear! Searched and searched, couldn't find it anywhere. A bit alarmed now, so rang the vet. Bundled Winnie into the car for a stomach X-ray. Phew! A hugely distended stomach (filled with bread), but no metal. Later that night I found the paddle (licked very clean) on the carpet under my piano. One hundred and sixty dollars for a loaf of bread. Hmm...

Tuesday 15th August

Schumann and Albeniz for my piano practice. That's three days in a row. No gardening - visited the new baby and then did some more assignment editing and proof-reading instead. No bread-making.

Wednesday 16th August

A southerly front with much rain and hail blew in just as I was driving home from Chamber Music. Lit the wood-burner, then got stuck on a Sudoko which was only rated 'medium' (humph). Absolutely no gardening today, no apology needed.

Thursday 16th August

So I have fifteen bags of rotted horse manure to spread over the garden. I have my ballet class to go to, lots of good books to read, and a new jigsaw if I feel so inclined. Am still stuck on that Sudoko - a sign of aging? Better not be. It's going to be a 'Do my garden and use my brain and fingers' day.

 Lots more bags to go.
Horse Manure in the Garden

Later...

Yes. I used my brain and fingers all day. Firstly playing Albeniz' beautiful piano piece called Rondeau, then prancing around at ballet doing a gorgeous enchainment. 'Prancing' might be a bit of an exaggeration, but trust me - ballet uses the brain as much as the body.

Three solid hours!

Then I did three solid hours clearing the edge of the Hump Garden and spreading horse manure. A barrow load of weeds etc. out, a barrow load of horse manure in. Didn't get very far, but I did a lot of thinking. Yes, friends, one can think a lot when digging out Periwinkle and Lamium. Mainly about why the heck did I let it spread so rampantly, hee hee.

And I thought about the beautiful flowering shrubs in my garden - the Daphne, the early Rhododendrons, the Camellias, and the first wee yellow daffodils. I gave thanks, and I felt really, really good.

 By the driveway.
Cornubia Red Rhododendrons