You may be wondering where I was over the last week. Certainly not in the garden. I have been nursing a bog-standard ordinary head cold. So, the last week after all that effort of trying to #MakeMayCount came to nothing in the final days. As I look back, I have to ask myself, did I actually make a difference?
In previous years I definitely made a difference. As by the time I got to May, I had lost my gardening mojo and there were a multitude of tasks that I hadn’t got round to doing. So, it was all a matter of making a giant list and crossing things off one by one. I think this season was different, because I have some big projects scheduled for later in the year. I knew from the beginning that I needed to be on top of my game so most of the little tasks were already well taken care of. And it was the projects I wanted to sink my teeth into. It is a lot easier to report on progress with loads of little tasks. But when you’re in the throes of a big project often there isn’t a lot to say except more of the same. This did frustrate me in May because it made me feel like I wasn’t achieving much. But when I look back over the whole month. And see where I’ve come, I’m actually quite pleased.
And now here we are. Day two of winter. And I need to keep the pressure on so when the projects for later in the year come round, I’m ready for them. There are 12 weeks in winter. Not all of those days will be suitable for gardening. In fact, I suggest more than half of them probably won’t be. Which is all the more reason to keep the pressure up. So, what I’m thinking I’ll do is write a giant list with timelines and be super organized. There are tasks that I can do indoors if it’s rainy to get ahead. And then there are tasks that when the sun is shining… those magical blue sky winter days, I know exactly what I should be doing. By putting timelines beside each project, it should also help to keep me where I need to be and not fall behind.
Aside from the possibility, well, reality really, of bad weather days there are other things that will hold me back. Firstly, my own procrastination which frustrates me so much. But also, my unreliable perception of how long a task will take. Often, I’ll think to myself that shouldn’t take more than an afternoon or a weekend, but I find myself still toiling away at the same tasks for days, and sometimes weeks. I need to be honest with myself when making this chart. And then I actually need to knuckle down and follow my own rules. I am my own boss. But this boss needs to get tough. No slacking is acceptable.
So, all in all, May did count. It kept pushing me forward and I need to continue to apply that pressure to myself to ease infinitely more stressful pressure in the coming months. So fun times ahead.
Come again soon – I’ll bring you that list.
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Sarah, I’m sorry to hear about the cold. I think you should be proud of all you’ve accomplished. You manage an enormous garden, and it all seems to come together swimmingly year after year. I hope you are feeling better soon, and that you can now look forward to some of the fun winter activities ahead.
Thanks for your concern. I’m still trying to shake the last traces of the cold, but I’m trying not to let it hold me back. : o)
I hear your disappointment and winter can be a low energy drag. Good to have tasks to plod along with though and how amazing will it be when they are done! Be gentle on yourself and hope you get lots of rest.
I am determined to have a productive but well planned winter. It still has plenty of opportunities to get things done. : o)
Hey Sarah wondering what we are going to use on your garlic? I had a break for a couple of years thanks to the rust!
This year I will probably use Yates Liquid Copper Fungicide. As it is a liquid it will be easier to mix up and will mean I’m more likely to do it. I’ll also use Yates Spray Fix Wetting Agent which helps it stick to the leaves. I have high hopes this season. : o)
Best of luck Sarah .. 🙂