We are not alone

We have had two days now of hard frost, following the weekend’s snow. Keith is trudging stoically up and down with barrows of logs, manning the fires and the cats are, as ever, keeping the bed warm. With Lachlan in Edinburgh, filling in time til his exam by acting as our remote shopper (today IContinue reading “We are not alone”

December Dilettantism

Oh my, I have been remiss! First post of December and it’s almost half way through! In my defence, it has been just a little frenetic the last couple of weeks. A quick catch up follows and I shall return to the usual beat of dog walks and hedgerow watching tomorrow. The first few daysContinue reading “December Dilettantism”

Another year, another project

Just a quick garden update for those who like that sort of thing! Work on the new shade bed is trucking along steadily. I have now rehomed all of Raymond Next Door’s unwanted hostas and potted up the broken bits to act as possible fillers elsewhere next year. I think there’s space in the nutteryContinue reading “Another year, another project”

Dropsy

We are still somewhat sweltering in the late summer heat. Evenings of light rain have lessened the stress on the plants a little, but it hasn’t really penetrated and a few centimetres down it is still dry and earthenstone hard. After a burst of enthusiasm getting four of the new peonies in, taking some “insurance”Continue reading “Dropsy”

The Dog Days are over

Since coming back from Glenelg we have been gently crisping. The Dog Days of Summer had definitely arrived and the heat has been intense, settling on the garden like a lambent halo by mid morning and intensifying relentlessly to a late afternoon inferno. With the help of mum and auntie Lois we managed (just) someContinue reading “The Dog Days are over”

About time

I’ve never got to grips with relativity (the scientific type, not the study of second cousins – in which I am well versed). I abandoned physics shortly after the ticker tape machine because I hankered after Art. Consequently, I have no sensible explanation for why time speeds up, seemingly exponentially, mid June. One minute thereContinue reading “About time”

It’s all gone Pete Tong

Where to begin….. We set off for the Isle of Wight primped and prepped. Our little party was staying at the Grand, where an ongoing ambience of being in the middle of a Hercule Poirot adventure coexisted slightly uneasily, but in a good way, with the breakfast mix tape of 70s funk classics. The weddingContinue reading “It’s all gone Pete Tong”

Open season is closed (for a bit)

Finally, or at least for a month, we have the garden to ourselves and license to ignore it or appreciate it from a sedentary position, as the mood takes us. The annual garden open day took place last Sunday, on the coldest and windiest (but thankfully not rainiest) day for ages. The cohort of stalwartContinue reading “Open season is closed (for a bit)”

From the sublime….

It has been a busy few weeks since last I sat down to post. With help from Mum I have been weeding up a storm with a view to the first substantial gardening opening of the year last Thursday. We had a party of about 27 from a local group in for a look roundContinue reading “From the sublime….”