New Beginnings in the Garden

neighbour's magnolia tree

Yesterday was warm and spring like so we did some work in the garden.  It took us nearly two hours to get a deeply rooted stinging nettle out of the flower bed; it had wrapped itself around a rose bush and invaded a shrub peony so it was tricky to remove without damaging the other plants.  It was hard work but it was good to be outside.  The birdsong around here is incredible, probably due to the number of blackbirds that are nesting in the hedges.  There seems to be a huge population of ladybird bugs this year, they were all busy bonking yesterday.

bonking ladybirds

  
Earlier in the week we visited the local garden centre and bought some new terracotta pots and a couple of climbers – a clematis (Madame Bouchard) that is very hardy and doesn’t mind a north facing wall and a summer flowering Jasmine to climb over the patio trellis.  Paul has also made a start on a herb garden and planted thyme, parsley, sage, chives and mint.

herb garden

The fence around the vegetable plot is finished and has a smart picket gate.  Rick has already discovered he can just hop through the wooden bars of the fence.

 

Building Fences

What a topsy turvy world this is right now.  Crazy shenanigans in Parliament and a horrific massacre in New Zealand.  Even the weather is crazy, the wind is howling like a banshee outside.

A mere gale is not going to stop Paul working on his latest project.  He is building a fence around his vegetable plot.   It looks like a corral, I just need a couple of horses now.  It is, of course, just a barrier to keep Rick from jumping all over the broad beans and other tender vegetables that we are going to plant there.

Trendy garden clogs, not the best footwear for building work

This wind has been blowing for days.  It has blown a rook’s nest from one of the high trees, a big pile of twigs strewn at the side of the road.  Our neighbour has had their conservatory roof demolished by a falling branch.  I hope it stops soon.  So much blossom being tossed from the trees like confetti.  A magnolia tree in the garden next to ours is about to burst into flower, we just need some nice, gentle spring days now.

"This wind is making my ears cold!"

"Thanks dad, that's better."

Congratulations

My ‘phone went off early this morning.  Sarah ‘whatsapping’ me from Australia.  Alarm bells ring when she contacts us out of her regular time slot.  I knew she had gone to a heavy metal/rock festival on Saturday.  What could have happened?  This is the conversation....

"Good morning.  Have you had a great weekend?"
"It was the best weekend...
And I have news!"

She then sent me two images...

I am so pleased for her.  Almost two years ago she was heartbroken after a 13 year relationship came to an abrupt end.  She was bereft but she fought back and rebuilt her life. For Sarah love was just around the corner. I wish them both every future happiness.

Pheasants and Hogweed

Phil

I just went outside to get the washing in before it starts to rain.  It is bitterly cold today but there has been enough wind to dry my sheets.  As I picked up the laundry basket I noticed our local pheasant, Phil, strutting around the garden.  He is a regular visitor here but hasn’t come face to face with Rick yet. 

I haven’t really been enjoying the weekly art club, the classroom feels a bit enclosed and the still life arrangement the tutor puts together has been incredibly uninspiring. So yesterday I decided to have a bit of a play at home and create a lovely mess with my paints and a water spray.  It  was fun but it all went a bit wrong so this morning I tried to save the painting by adding some hog weed in the foreground. Flowers and plants have never been my strong point!

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

I promised myself that I would start cycling again in March.  Last Friday I managed to unearth our lycra and helmets that were buried at the very back of the wardrobe and Paul and I set off for a short ride.  We pedalled along the straight and traffic free Barff Lane at quite a fast pace until we hit the pot holed section and my bones started rattling as I bounced across the bumpy surface. 

It was the first time I had been on my bike since we moved here and the saddle was set too low so I was cycling with my knees almost hitting my chin. We didn’t go far, about 10 kms to the next village.  The terrain is very different to France, no steep hills to painfully climb but conversely no exhilarating downhill sprints.  The flat roads have you working at a constant pace with no free wheeling.

Since Friday a north wind has been blowing here so we haven’t been able to venture out again. Can’t wait for some warmer, milder weather so we can explore further afield.