Now I am confused. I seem to be two users both living in the midden. Never mind there is great excitement because lots of projects should conclude next week.
These include:
The shed
The pond
The path
The side gate
The dustbin space
The personal organiser on the home computer.
I do like that "include": I have such hopes for next week.

Dator Sojat

The good ended happily and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.
Miss Prism in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest

Arch

We went to buy bird-food and came back with an arch. I can stand upright underneath it, its a metre wide and has a planter at each side. Back for a membrane (which I have filled with the sand Mike gave me a decade ago) and three paving slabs. Dug out the ornamental grass and transplanted a piece of each on the grassy knoll against the fence.
Also bought an Aconitum Hemsleyanum and a Lonicera x Tellmanniana which have gone into the planters.
While in the buying mood got parsley, welsh onions and spearmint. These will go in the remaining barrel planter together with the chives and coriander from pots in the front window.
The lettuce and tomatoes in the propagator have only managed to grow mould. If there is no sign of life by Sunday I shall dump them and try again.

Dotar Sojat

Safety is often approached asymptotically.

Bulbs and herbs

Apart from the paper boy and the postman blazing a trail across the crocuses and anemones, the bulbs are now doing well. The cold set them back about a month but there have been some good shows. Latest to appear are the little daffodils around the holly, at the top of the bank and in front of the black bamboo.

Even more pleasing, some of the plantings from two years ago have obviously increased because they are now forming dense clumps. Also the late plantings in pots have produced some blooms; the cauldron has made a spectacular show of white which folows the sun and closes at night.

Two plastic "half-barrel" tubs for the price of one. Now one is planted with a sampling from all the Suttons herb seed collection together with an embedded pot of mint from the Windowsill Kitchen Herbs pack - the same as is in the sunken bucket at the side of the house.

We've got next week as leave so I plan to do some work every day.

Dotar Sojat


I only read eighteenth-century newspapers of which I have an enormous stock, for the news in them is just the same as it is today. You merely have to substitute the names of countries occasionally, and not invariably.
Professor Sir Albert Richardson

Greenland block and NAO

Frosts every night, snow every day, wind chill severe; it is still winter.

Everything has stopped growing.

I think it is time to do some pruning.

At least the feeders are bringing activity. So far today I have seen magpies, blackbirds, starlings, sparrows, blue-tits, great tits, coal tits and, of course, the squirrels.

Dotar Sojat

Become a mystic - help stamp out reality.

So much for prophecy

We have had the longest cold spell for a decade and most of next week is expected to have frosts.
Unicorn has had cystitis and has been off work for weeks.
I shall try not to tempt fate in future.
Everything in the garden seems to have stopped during the cold spell. The daffodils have never been this late. The bird feeders are doing a grand job even if the squirrels do keep spilling them.
The coriander and the chives have sprouted in their pots and have already become leggy. I must find place for them out of the sun.
Now to draw a plan of the back plot.

Dotar Sojat

In the land of the blind the one eyed man is deemed insane and driven out.
Frank Goodman

Planting and sickness

Unicorn has been ill for a week, which has not happened in more than 25 years. Coughing, lung conjestion, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, general disability and continual tiredness makes my cold, lethagy and inability to concentrate seem trivial.
I've combed the white grass. A packet of Clarkia elegans seed, which was free with SodaStream so long ago the packet is not dated, is scattered around the green cone. A little early but the frost warning has been withdrawn and the wind shifts to the west by the middle of next week.
Two pots on the front windowsill have been planted with coriander and chives (one to each).
I have resurrected the propagator and the polystyrene plug-maker which now has a row of Moneymaker tomatoes and a row of Little Gem cos lettuce.
Replaced the string on the nut feeder as the Fat-arses (presumably) had eaten the previous one.
One snow drop has appeared by the holly. There is a scattering of yellow crocus and some of the daffodils are showing leaves. What has happened to the other three hundred bulbs I know not but the mombresia is already shooting.

Dotar Sojat

The referendum went as most people hoped it would
Irish Times editorial

Updates

The green cone is operational. I have put it in front of the fence panel. So far no complaints or even comments though Unicorn is vociferous that it should be used exactly in accordance with the instructions - already had a telling off for trying to put the contents of the ash-trays in it and another for throwing cat poop in it, though that was really for the paper but I didn't fancy using my hands!
Crocuses have started flowering in the front lawn and there are lots of daffodils showing leaves.
It has finally started getting lighter earlier in the mornings so I can look outside before I leave.
Must get some snowdrops for next year. The Pavilion gardens also have feverfew in bloom at the moment.
Next to the broad beans I have buried a broken plastic bucket lined with a plastic bag in which I intend to plant mint.
As I look there is a collared dove, a robin, a sparrow and Mr Fat-arse who is checking the old figs. there are still starlings in the loft despite Spooky's best efforts.
There is a farmhouse cake out - its on the table and a blue-tit has appeared.

Progress

Inspired by more reading of the one foot garden approach I have started another attempt to cultivate the sideway.
Right next to the big-leafed plant of which we have forgotten the name I have dug a strip to the fence and planted, far more densely than recommended, some potatoes that had started to sprout just before the holiday. The shoots were about a span so they have gone in a little deeper than that.
Then I left a strip to stand on and dug out another small bed into which I put about 20 Suttons Colossal broad beans. Bearing in mind these probably date back to 1978 I don't know how they are going to do.
I've stopped now as its trying to rain and the next job I ought to do is instal the green cone and I'm just not convinced that is going to be popular whatever I do with it.
Successes:
The yellow straggly thing is clinging to its trellis by the front window.
Bulbs are popping up from pots and by the back door.
The bird feeders are attracting lots of birds.
Problems:
The squirrels, now known as Mr & Mrs Fat-arse, have learnt to climb the poles and attack the feeders. When they leap off most of the seed gets thrown on the ground but that has brought collared doves and a magpie. The plastic hole was torn out, carried away and chewed the other day but I have recovered and replaced it.
Something, probably one of the same squirrels has dug a fern out of its pot. It has vanished.
There are also several holes where I planted bulbs.
Overall it is looking better sooner than last year.
To dos:
Must get Unicorn to offer advice on pruning.
Cacti to be re-potted.
Check seed-bank for action - I know tomatoes and herbs can start.
Clear study.
Sort paperwork on computer desk.

Dotar

Of all the responsibilities of power,
restraint is the one that impresses most.
Thuycidides