Oh no!
Oh no! I just looked at the calendar. September has ended, pouff! Gone! Just like that. It's been a whirlwind of a month. Having thirty days always catches me out. I'd love some extra secret September days, just to help get the early spring tasks done.
Sunday 1st October
Have so much to do - ordinary stuff, as well as clearing and burning the hedge trimmings and cleaning up and processing the trees that were felled. It seems that I've been talking about these two tasks for a few weeks now.
Fred in the Sun
Yes. That's because I've been doing my best to work at both of them, and at least get some visible results. In my dreams? No - I am making progress. It's all too easy to visualise the end result, not so pleasent to visualise the journey to get there. Hmm...
Much later...
Wow! Non-Gardening Partner helped me, and we both fed the bonfire, which raged all day. Lots of plodding, raking, scooping up. And right at the end I filled the trailer with logs ready for nety winter's firewood stack. It was a long and glorious day.
At the end of the day...
So much better when someone else is pottering around helping. About seven hours work, after which I was very stiff. But very happy and proud.
Monday 2nd October
Have come in after two unpleasant sessions in the garden. Something is making me sneeze, don't usually get allergies to the garden. The big norwest wind is back, and is horrible to work in. There are ominous creaking sounds from the nearby Wattle trees, and the occassional more distant thump. Eek! That will be a tree down somewhere. Please not one of ours - we have enough downed trees to sort out. And please go easy on the blossom.
Kanzan Flowering Cherry
To make it easier on my old joints I've been varying what I do. I do some edges with the edging shears. I rake up the resulting mess with a plastic rake (much easier on the hands and shoulders). I water some pots. Then I sit down again and do some more weeding. But the noise is just awful - it messes with my head - and all I want to do is scuttle back inside the house. Maybe looking for a place of safety? A wind storm is a storm, after all.
Neat edges!
But there is progress. Oh yes. Neaten the edges and suddenly the garden looks magnificent. What a trick! And the first new lettuce leaves are ready to pick. In pots on the patio this year.