Today's fine weather produced a flurry of activity which was both rewarding and exhausting,with breakfast over my garden became the focus of my attention. Standing in the midst of knee high grass and surveying the storm damage it was,for a moment a daunting prospect but with my tame robin already sitting beside me on the bench begging worms for his growing family I gritted my teeth,and began.
Grass seemed to be the most pressing problem as the weeks of rain have encouraged a lush long growth which if left much longer would defeat my tiny hover mower and unsteady on my feet as I am long grass on the pathways can be dangerous. Tackling the front garden was my starting point and I mowed out and edged up the grass pathways which separate the various beds and at once the garden looked so much better.
Strimming the orchard paths had to wait as was feeling shaky after my exertions. I took the scooter out and headed for the river and my luck was in with bells on, posing like a professional a huge heron strutted his stuff within just a few feet of the scooter,delighted I took shot after shot.
Back at home and with strimmer at the ready I wobbled down the overgrown pathways and began to cut,damn me it was hard work and I had to keep on stopping so it took ages. Beneath the trees are bluebells and foxgloves, primroses and bugle and in these areas no strimming is done at this time of year,once the paths were cut these little areas of wilderness looked even more enticing and a few minutes resting on the swing seat allowed me the time to enjoy the sights and smells of a warm spring afternoon for the first time this year.
Underneath their covering of fleece the strawberry plants are flowering and in spite of the covering bees are making there way under the edges of the fleece to collect nectar and thereby pollinate the plants.
My last job in the garden for today was a sad one I finished what the wind had begun and demolished what was left of the green house,at least afterwards the kitchen garden looked much better. Divided into three beds the kitchen garden supplies many of our needs,one of the beds however is full of wild flowers and at the moment is covered with the blue mist of forget-me—nots,adored by bees and butterflies alike. Today cabbage whites,holly blues and a few peacock butterflies joined the army of bees and hover flies in the spring feast.
Twiggy spent the afternoon asleep on her favourite bench while I worked, from the nest boxes on the orchard wall the strident calls of hungry fledglings was constant as the parent birds flashed in and out with bugs,grubs and small flies. All too soon it was time to go indoors to prepare dinner, the pot roast was already in the oven but there were roasted potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and mushy peas to do,duty called. I packed away my tools and returned to my kitchen
Dinner was much appreciated by the boys and we had something to celebrate, the Estate Manager has agreed to the planned improvements to the cottage and so the work in our stair lift ,walk in shower and down stairs lavatory is to begin soon, three rousing cheers went up from three very relived people and we added to the celebrations with a chocolate icedcream each to end the meal.
Tired now and rather sore I feel that things are coming together nicely and the garden looks so lovely in the soft evening light that I cannot be sorry for the days pleasure in the garden in spite of the pain in my shoulder,I love my garden far too much to ever give it up and I mean to carry on until I drop, then the boys can compost me! Night night all,sleep safe and sound.x
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