Yesterday a found myself with a bit of a headache I just couldn’t shake so I erred on the side of caution and didn’t push myself to do much at all. So today was a bit of catch up. It wasn’t like I didn’t do anything yesterday, but I’ve decided to be proactive regarding Christmas and am making a few bits and bobs as gifts. Unfortunately, I can’t reveal all the details or some of the recipients may see in advance what they are getting, which will ruin the surprise. If it is any consolation, I really enjoyed making them.
So today was all about making up for lost time. I was determined to do as many things as I could to push along some progress in the garden. I started out early this morning with a wander around the garden. The Flanders Poppies caught my eye and then I remembered it was Armistice Day, so it seemed appropriate to mention it, given the seeds were sown on ANZAC Day. It does really help to keep things in perspective – life is quite challenging right now. But is nothing compared to what our grandparents and great grandparents had to face in their day.
Buoyed on and encouraged I decided to tackle the weedy end garden. I figure if I just do a small bit at a time, it will be less sustained effort in the long run. So, I gave myself half an hour. It wasn’t that difficult, but I wouldn’t have wanted to have kept at it.
I looked about for my next small task and decided to create a couple of trenches under the arch to mix in some compost and a bit of blood and bone to help with moisture retention and give a bit of love to the plants that will soon scramble up it.
By now it was feeling a little warm. The sand beneath my feet was becoming too hot to stand on. This was a good sign to come inside out of the heat to do something in the cool of the house. I checked the thermometer I have hanging on my shed, and it agreed with my feeling that it was unseasonably hot in the garden!
I left the garden with 3 mini cabbages that were due to come out anyway as they were pretty much done and taking up space in the salad bed and I need to succession plant more rocket.
Once inside I decided to have a go at fermentation with the kit I recently got for my birthday. The instructions that came with it were very thorough and clear and I’d prepared myself by watching a few how-to videos. I had a lovely time in the house in out of the midday sun whipping up my first ever batch of red cabbage sauerkraut. I hope it works.
It was still a little warm outside and I’m trying to avoid the ‘mad dogs and Englishmen’ situation – as I have been that kind of person before and paid quite the price. I found another indoor task that had been taking way too long to do. Months ago, we ordered some wood – well before lockdown. Several weeks later we cut it up, but only got around to painting it on the weekend, because initially we couldn’t find what we’d done with the paint. Someone had moved it, but no one knows where it ended up. On the weekend we stumbled across some different paint that did the job just as well. We had all the bits needed to put the shelves up in the kitchen, so I just got on with it! Job done.
The next thing I did was make a flower arrangement. I’m not a florist. I just wanted to make the shelves look lovely. I am going to try and bring more flowers into the house more regularly – there are enough out there now that I think I can do it without ruining the display.
Speaking of flowers – my favourite Gladioli started to bloom. But I’m not sure I should keep growing them – there is so much Rust on the leaves, it just isn’t fair to keep them hanging around in a poor state of health because the flowers are pretty.
The temperatures had eased a little as the afternoon wore on, so I headed back out in the garden and helped Hubby the Un-Gardener trim the lupin bushes that were encroaching on the driveway. It is one of those jobs you think – ‘I should do that’ while you are in the car, but as soon as you get out, it completely slips your mind.
After a day soaking in water, a few of the remaining seedlings got planted into the ground. After the temperatures today I think it is fair to say it is warm enough for the okra to go in the ground, and the luffa took up their spot under the arch. And last –for now, was the pepino. Hopefully by planting them in the cool of late afternoon they can settle in nicely before it gets hot again.
And finally – the last job for the day was to change Blossom’s blades. Which she was pretty happy about.
It was a lovely long day in the garden chipping away at small things. But I do feel the weariness of a body glowing from the efforts of the day. I think tomorrow I will just drop things back to 5 a day.
Come again soon – there is still plenty to keep me busy as I catch up!
Sarah the Gardener : o)
Wow, 33 C, that is way too hot for me! It was 27 C here and I wilted with the heat outside. On days like that I can only manage to go out in the garden in the mornings and evenings. Your shelves and flowers are lovely, what a great way to give yourself more bench space. How do you dry your flowers? I hope that you will take some photos of the gifts that you made to show us after Christmas :o) We dug up our garlic a couple of days ago and it is now drying nicely. We had a great crop for the first time. Hope you have a great weekend. Hugs, Rose x