Perfect birthday presents...

September is my special spring birthday month. Gale force nor-west winds are not quite what I'd had in mind, though! How about some warm, windless days, and gentle overnight rain? These would be perfect birthday presents...

Early this morning in the cottage the wind just got too noisy and nasty, so I scuttled over to the safety of the house. I have several things to do before I go gardening :

  1. Wash the sheets on my house bed (they smell like a cat's bottom, thanks Fred).
  2. Do my piano practice (Albeniz' Jerez).
  3. Hang the sheets on the line.

The nearby Daphne is flowering, gorgeously fragrant, so that last task will be a pleasure.

 Having a stretch.
Red Fred

Fred!

I've had to throw out one down duvet and two pillows which were impossibly soiled with muddy cat prints. This is Fred's winter bedroom - he comes and goes through the window, and he's made a real mess.

Later...

Spent two hours in the orchard, mainly deconstructing the rambler Chevy Chase, which I bought from a reputable rose nursery as suitable for an archway. Oh really?

I dragged and barrowed lots more mess over to my mess pile. Trimmed more Hazel tree branches, and collected up four more big bags of chopped up wood pieces (for kindling next winter). Too windy to start up my bonfire.

Then sat on my bottom by the pergola for some gentle weeding with my new hand scrapers. Pulled out lots of what I used to call 'October weeds', now renamed 'September weeds', no idea what their proper name is. Shepherd's Needles? Shepherd's Purses? Thought about what to plant in the gaps. Some of my spare daylilies?

 One of the weeping trees in the Driveway Border.
Pink Prunus Blossom

Up above the wind raged around noisily, and I sent vibes of support to the spring trees. Please hold on tight! Don't let your beautiful newly hatched blossom get blown away! The bees need it, and so do I.