So, this week I am fighting tooth and nail against the fear that is gradually creeping up on me, in the approach to my big deadline. Butterflies don't cover it. Right now, it is all about finding small scraps of time and little, lovely moments to add a bit of colour and fun to each day. Here are the delightful things that got me through the weekend. Homemade lemon and spelt pancakes with yoghurt, honey and blueberries. Helping our elderly nextdoor neighbour to weed and replant her garden pots; petunias, geraniums, violas and heather. Tea and lemon drizzle cake in the sunshine. Baking an Australia-shaped pavlova for my friend, who is about to jet-off for nine weeks down under. Gobbling up the entire thing with teaspoon-wielding friends. Happy treacle.
Showing posts with label Greenfingers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greenfingers. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 May 2011
Thursday, 5 May 2011
A Spot of Gardening and a Surprise for my Ginge
Well now, I was going to post this last night, but didn't quite get round to it, which is rather funny, given this morning's discovery. I am going to post it anyway, though as it is much happier than the more recent event.
I have mentioned before that our yard needs quite a bit of attention. If I had a magic wand or lots of money, I would turn it into a lovely little back garden with a luscious green lawn (barely bigger than a stamp) with flowers and herbs and tomato plants growing in pots. I would turn the tumble-down outhouse into a gorgeous little shed and spend every sunny moment lapping it all up. Unfortunately, I have neither a magic wand, nor lots of money, but on Sunday I decided that I had to do something, so I trundled off to a little shop I know that sells lovely herbs and to a somewhat bigger one that sells compost, then spent the rest of the afternoon getting my hands very dirty indeed. The result was four beautiful pots of French lavender, a bay tree, a mix of herbs: rosemary, oregano and lemon thyme and a perfectly prim little box tree. The Ginge was at work all day, so it was a very charming little surprise for him to come home to (all in aid of celebrating him cleverly getting his new job), made all the more delightful by some candles in jars and a barbeque picnic. I covered-up our hideous concrete floor with a lovely blanket and cushions and we had royal wedding 'Big Willy' sausages from our local butcher, with apple and rocket salad, new potatoes and a pot of Wiltshire cider and tomato chutney, not forgetting a bottle of actual cider for toasting purposes. It wasn't the warmest of evenings as it was quite windy, so we had to bundle ourselves up in woolly jumpers and erect a cunning windbreak around the tiny barbeque, but it was just what we both needed. It makes such a difference to open the door to something so beautiful and it is such a pleasure to see (and eat) the fruits of one's labours.
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Sunday, 27 March 2011
The Great Basil Contest
Andy is of the opinion that he is something of a basil-whisperer. He has been making all sorts of wild claims about his abilities to keep plants alive. So, when we were in the supermarket the other day, struggling to decide which basil plant to buy, I hit upon the idea of allowing him to prove himself one way or another, by having a basil-off!
Here is my plant, Daphne. She is a delightful Greek Basil. I must say that whilst I am well-versed in the general principles of plant-growing, I lack knowledge of the finer points of basil-care.
I am therefore taking a leaf out of Barbara Good's book and using love and encouragement to get Daphne her gold medal. I may even play her a little classical music. If I were a plant, I think I would grow for Vaughan Williams.
This is Andy's plant: a regular basil. I doubt he has named it, but I shall call him Mr. Fawlty. Andy is being very cagey about the whole affair, but I believe his principal tactic is to concentrate on maintaining adequate leaf-turgor, by carefully timed watering.
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