Nothing much

Tuesday.

Work is a little too busy for my liking at the moment, but it is the way with working outdoors. Gardens have awoken and are shaking off their wintery slumber. Shoots and seedlings, weeds and herbaceous perennials are appearing at a prolific rate and I am running just to catch up. 

Am I the only one that struggles with the changing of the clocks? Actually no, I know the cat gets befuddled too. It can take up to a week for me to adjust to the present time, which annoys me as I've lived here long enough to have got used it - but no. I do think that it is a very odd thing to do - altering the time twice a year. It has a bit of a nod to King Cnut and the tides........

We've had some gently good and soul affirming walks recently. Nothing new or outstanding however the power of repeating a lovely trail when just being there is enough.

The van is getting a bit of a make-over. Himself has been inspired and the present layout - although workable, could be better. I am quietly getting excited at the thought of 'playing out' especially now the days are longer and although still chilly, they are beautiful and the light glorious.

Wednesday.

Just got home after a morning's workshop teaching. Eight lovely ladies who delighted in the mindfulness of making of wreaths adorned with mini nests and eggs, feathers, ribbons. Teeny tiny ladybirds and strands of ivy.  Leading up to any of these workshops, I get myself wound up but by the end and everyone leaves happy and I wonder why I worry!

Wool-gathering on a Tuesday

 The house at the moment is revelling in the warm scent of freshly made marmalade. The jars have been filled and the lids are beginning to click down with the most satisfactory snap. Although still a little too warm to cradle a jar in my fingers, I have already sampled some for my lunch and it was heavenly.

I am making the most of today, it will be the last Tuesday I will be at home as now the seasons are turning and the earth awakens, the gardens I tend during the warmer months are calling me back. It is always bitter sweet at this time of the year, I am just beginning to enjoy the longer daylight and the gently warming air when I return, at least I am out and in the weather - more or less whatever she throws at me!

At work we have been preparing for our bees to return from their 'holidays'. I am looking forward to their reappearance with both anticipation and trepidation. They left us in autumn under a cloud and it was a relief to have the walled garden back from their tyrannical rule. The bees, as the season progressed, became increasingly defensive then aggressive and we had to keep the visitors and volunteers alike well away. The background hum of busy bees which is usually comforting, now made us all very wary. The bees had been gentle during the previous three seasons then with the passing of the old queen and a new and tetchy replacement whipping up the hive to an angry mob - working near the enclosure was nigh on impossible especially for me as I am allergic to their stings.

Our beeks (bee keepers) have been on a fact finding tour and peace keeping mission to see how our girls are fairing in their winter holiday location and to try to ascertain their present mood. 

Contrite I hope.

Bird brain

I lifted my head when a bird song which had been going round my head suddenly made itself heard. Flipping back my fringe - it is getting too long, I listened again. I was on all fours laying a pathway through the dahlia bed - as you do....

I'd been so engrossed with my fingers in the soil, placing slabs in a winding path when I heard, but not listened to the twittering.

With my  neck twisted up, craning it to see if I could track who was singing in the bare sycamore trees behind the glasshouse. I knew the song - the churr and chirrup belonged to one of my favourite birds. The Long Tailed Tit - the 'flying teaspoon'. My eyes flitted across the branches and suddenly I caught their movement. A family cluster of may be eight or ten birds tripping through the twigs hunting for insects.

Like a cat I watched their every move until they came to the edge of the trees and swooped off in a twittery churring wave - gone.

Back to work.

Oh, and the painting I did the other day? Another of my favourites - the Curlew.

A definite lack of rainbows

Being driven home in the dark whilst the car radio on allows my mind to wander. Himself is occupied by the drive and by nature is not a chatty person so I entertain myself with staring out the window.

The windscreen is stained by dried rain splatters and flicked up road dirt. This time of year it seems pointless trying to keep the car clean as every time I drive to and from work, my little white car has filthy streaks trailing down his sides. Yes, my car is male and he has a name - Bob.

In the distance small lights flicker as trees pass between us on the freeway and the farms sprinkled out on the hills. Sunday was a rather long day, we'd spent it with Youngest who'd put our a plea for help laying tiles on his kitchen floor and it turned out to be one of those 'takes longer than you think' jobs.

Storm Herminia was building up as Youngest's lovely girl and I were outside measuring the garden and discussing possible plans and layouts. It just got too wild and windy to linger so we retreated to the house and with mugs of tea and the internet we searched for ideas and inspiration whilst we watched the weather thrash about outside.

Monday was still reeling from the storm and although not as intense as the previous one, the walled garden suffered more damage. So after a meeting I started rescuing obelisks and wooden fence panels and dragging them into the glasshouse where they can dry off, get repaired then return to the garden. Some days at work - regardless at what life throws at me - I step up to the mark and come home satisfied. Then there are some days at work - I just want to shut the gate behind me and throw away the key.

Now, today, I am watching the finest of guti (that dreadful 'Scotch Mist / mizzle / drizzle / mist) that seeps through not just clothing but manages to dampen down through bones and flesh too. 

I know it is the dying days of January but surely we are due some nicer weather? I'd like to think so!

The pictures were snapped on Sunday evening on our drive home

Storm Éowyn

At some point during the night and through sleep deadened eyes and ears, I could hear the occasional gust of wind or rain splattering the window. Not enough to fully awaken me, but enough for me to notice.

This morning although blustery at home, it did not feel that threatening and it was surprisingly mild as we hopped into the cars and set off ..... until we hit the freeway. My car bounced and bucked and behaved as if he'd had too many oats and his feet were fizzy. By the time I'd reached work I was quite on edge as I trickled carefully along the lane into the park. It was strewn with twigs and sticks but very little else. No trees seemed to be down or branches dropped.

Then as the skies lightened from inky blue to leaden grey the wind built to a roar, ripping through trees and screaming around buildings.  The bright yellow weeding buckets we hang up on the raised beds were flung in to the air as they bounded through the garden before colliding with the wall and gate. Café chairs stopped huddling around their tables pirouetting swiftly before disgracefully nose diving with a resounding metallic thud. 

We watched from in the building for a moment or two before I ventured out down to the glasshouse. Although double strength safety glass, it is always with an amount of trepidation when I enter while the weather is as wild as today. The wind droned and groaned as the trees creaked and wailed however, in the glasshouse, radio and plant heater on, it felt warm and almost cocoon like.

However by lunch, when the wall was being stripped of pieces of brick by the wind, it was time to retreat. I sent volunteers home - it was not worth their safety (or mine) to linger longer than necessary.  With the winds behind me on the freeway my car raced home faster that I wanted however, now, sitting with the cat asleep on my shoulder, my second mug of tea nearly finished it seems that the winds may have tired themselves out - although still blustery and the trees still rocking and rolling, I think the storm may have blown itself thin.

My heart goes out to those further north and in Northern Ireland who have really felt the wrath of the storm xx

During last night's  'Winter Watch'  - the mindful moment,

 the cat decided to sit in front of the television

 to try and locate where the bird song was emanating from -

 when she had her 'Lion King' moment.

The calm before the storm

Locking the house this morning when leaving for work, we were serenaded by the male Tawny Owl (who is affectionately called Mr Hootie by Himself). The owl was mournfully hoo hoo hoooooo-ing in the tree at the bottom of the garden. We'd heard Mrs Hootie (she trills back a shrill kewick) roughly a week or so ago, but nothing since. 

The mist swirled around the house, clinging thickly around the lights along the road out of the village. It was still dark and murky by the time I arrived at work, the inky black sky was now a deep rich purple fringed by a silvery brume. The park, usually brought to life by dog walkers and bird song was subdued and muffled. I took my cellphone and snapped a couple of photos.

I returned to the Coach House and was struck how 'Dickensian' the buildings looked in the early morning gloom. The mist didn't fully lift all day, with a few teasing flashes of blue sky about midday however they soon slipped away as the mist returned.

It clung to everything, dampening eyelashes and decorating spider webs with sparkling gems of condensation.

And, despite my longing for light and sun and warmth, today was rather beautiful in it's silvery opaque shades.

You can do it

During Wednesday's sublime light, this little flowering moss glowed in the sun

After the snow, there was rain, followed swiftly by driech grey mist which seemed to not only hang around the house and garden but around me too.  

Then yesterday the skies cleared and the sun filled the day. 

At work, the volunteers and I revelled in the warmth and light - it felt uplifting. We tackled something I'd planned months ago as an early autumn project which was then thwarted by the weather.

Finally on Wednesday, with a huge pile of chestnut palings, saws, mallets and steaming mugs of tea we started and the joy was palpable.

I quietly listened to happy chatter and bird song. Volunteers and birds all soaking in the light and gentle winter sun. However what made me smile the most was the obvious pride these ladies felt by the end of their session. They'd completed a rather manual and physical task and it looked bloody fantastic !

tip my hat

 A personal challenge - try and write something every day for January 2025 

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Having come home (albeit a little earlier than normal) from the day job, I'm doing my 'homework'. A portion of my day is computer related which I choose to do at home. Today I am planning and designing a treasure hunt for children based around the park, a 'bingo' card for littlies to tick off as they run around the gardens and an adult level anagram and word search. 

However, I keep being distracted.

I'm in the lounge which faces the lane through the village. Any movement makes my eyes flick over towards the window. So many bobble hats, beanies, trapper hats, berets, slouchies, hoods and caps trog by. After my eye was caught yet again by something colourful bouncing along as the wearer made their way down the footpath, I stopped trying to avoid looking out, leant back and gave myself permission to enjoy the visual feast.

Most folk seem to be ensconced in some variant of woolly type head gear, whether knitted professionally or by their gran, they all seemed to be tugged firmly down around the ears, resting just above or over their eyebrows. 

A few fleecy type hats have loped passed, usually more trendy in appearance with bright colours or patterns. The best so far has been a furry trapper type hat. The kind that have long 'ears' which can be fastened tightly below the chin with the hat part pulled down deeply, keeping the head and a goodly part of the face covered .... except this one was not.

The hat was jauntily perched above a cheeky chappy's face with the ear flaps sticking out horizontally, very reminiscent of Grogu's own ears, bouncing quite merrily in time as he walked.

About a half dozen of teenage lads then lanky-legged by in their school uniforms - no hats or scarves and certainly no coats. At what age do lads mature into hat wearing, coat donning, scarf wrapping, fee paying members of the public?

I 'double-hat'. 

I wear a thinnish skull cap type - usually crochet cotton courtesy of my sister in law, this acts as a heat trapping layer, topped off with a thicker knitted slouchy beanie. This allows me to removed the outer hat if I get too warm without actually exposing the horrendous bird's nest hat hair that lurks beneath. It does not matter one jot if I contain my feral hair as tightly as possible, I know that once it is hidden deep in a hat - it goes even more wild and makes me look like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards.

The view through the Victorian Folly towards the Italian Gardens and Chinese stone lantern

we are all things to all nations if nothing else here at the park...

Laying down the first tracks

 A personal challenge - try and write something every day for January 2025 

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The crusty crunch of our boots on the now frozen snow was the loudest sound first thing this morning as we kissed our goodbyes. It was still dark and the thermometer in my car said it was -7°c .... it certainly felt like it.

the track last week before more snow 

was unceremoniously dumped in large quantities

At work, I turned into the small access lane along side the park. It is a rough and unforgiving little track in the best of weathers so I knew today was going to be a rather bumpy ride. And it was. As I reached the far end, I noticed that were no other tyre marks - I was the first to arrive but not only that - the first to drive up the lane and onto the carpark since the more recent heavy snow .... I slowed down, carefully pulling into the small space we share with the Council lads and gently reverse parked hoping I would be able to drive back out.

Later I was cheerfully informed that everyone who'd tried to drive in a day earlier had to be dug free ....   It was good to catch up with some of the volunteers and the staff.  My 'work family' are actually special to me - but don't let them know that, it would go to their heads! 

Glad to be home though, I've had enough of this intrepid-driving/working-in-the-snow-lark - give me warm sunshine any day.

simple joy

 A personal challenge - try and write something every day for January 2025 

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Snow flurries dance past the windows, whirling and rolling before landing on the already frosty white ground. I'm glad to be inside. During the winter months I am home more - as primarily employed as a horticulturalist, I am busy beyond belief during the 'growing season' and although I diversify during the winter months into arty, craft or wreath making workshops,  I have the utter pleasure of have days off during the week to 'play'.

I recently discovered something new to me - 'perpetual journaling'* - which entails sketching or painting an item from nature once weekly in a book and repeating until that book is full which if done correctly can last for years.  Be still my beating heart.

I started mine in November (when I first made this wonderous discovery) and look forward to painting and adding my work each week. I love that each time I add to my book - you can see a visual change in the seasons.  It also makes me look at my subject of the week so closely - making me notice the tiniest of holes in a leaf, the thinnest of spines on a stem, the curliest of fronds, the crispest of dried foliage and it feeds both my gardening and arting heart.  

I love that when I am out walking I could just chance upon the perfect subject for scrutiny then sketching. All this joy and pleasure from something so simple.

 A snow topped teasel from the walled garden

*if you are on instagram - have a look, there are some absolutely beautiful journals out there.
#perpetualjournal
#lgperpetualjournal

And thank you for your lovely comments, they are much appreciated and it is lovely that I am 'meeting' some new-to-me faces - welcome to my little corner of the world 💚x

Madam does not approve🐾

A personal challenge - try and write something every day for January 2025 

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Working from home today. 

The snow has triggered where I work into a health and safety hyper-alert. It does not take much for paths to be slippery or access to become difficult and seeing a fair number of folk who use the community building and gardens on a daily basis are mostly older, it seems better to err on the side of caution.

So, instead of doing garden planning, checking on our seeds/tools/potting soil, making shopping lists and welcoming back the volunteers, I am at home having just endured essential mandatory training.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm happy to be at home when the weather is like this, I can wrap up and chat to the cat whilst I am working (not that she approves of this kind of frivolous comradery - she is more the 'you-work-and-I-watch - through closed eyelids - type of cat......)

Any hoo - I am now fully certificated on anything to do with fire prevention and safety in the workplace.  The cat was not particularly impressed when I let out a ooooof of relief on the final assessment.... however, I am just glad to have finished it. 

The eyebrows of annoyance say so much more that words could ever do!

Bugged

It was ... - 9°C (15.8°F)  this morning when we got up - well I say we - Himself had to chisel his van out of the ice box it seemed to have acquired over night. He'd covered the windscreen and set up the van heater ready to switch on as soon as he was up.

Me? well, I was in bed still nursing a mug of steaming hot tea.... did I feel a tad guilty? Sort of.... 

...But not quite enough to do anything other than weakly offer some help which he (fortunately) turned down.

I don't work on a Thursday - so although I was home yesterday (Wednesday) it was still technically a work day so I cracked on with some paintings I am doing for the garden. When I initially took over the job, one of the first things I noticed - the lack of any insect or bird life. The walled garden (still very new then) had the occasional crow or pigeon visitor but on the whole - a very quiet and lonely place despite being situated in a park and surrounded by gardens.

So - as soon as I could I started to 'age' the garden, fill it with not just monoculture rows of vegetables but flowers and shrubs. Slowly but surely the insect population began to increase. I had an apprentice and a student the first summer and we did a 'non-scientific' but serious-to-us insect survey and found that in those few short months - we had more than I had hoped which confirmed my decisions. 

Since then we have pushed the garden to have many styles of planting - not just for interest for the visitor but to increase biodiversity and introduce the idea that vegetable gardening can be not just productive but ornamental as well as being pollinator friendly.

This summer we'll be adding these painted plaques (plus more which are being painted by an artistic volunteer) around the garden where the insects have been spotted. On the backs we are going to write their Latin and common names - hopefully it will spark interest and curiosity and encouragement.

The bird life has improved too - I am more than delighted. There is room for improvement but as far as things go - I am very pleased.

The insects are: Ground Beetle, Hairy Shield Bug, Garden Bumble Bee, European Bee (honey bee) and Rosemary Beetle.

Post Script : It is a really chilly but beautiful day, think I might venture outside with a mug of tea and my camera and try to capture the magic of a sparkly ice encrusted twig or two, besides I need to feed the birds and top up their water. But first I think I need to put on a whole lot more clothing!! What are you doing today? Keeping warm I hope and enjoying the clear blue skies. 

Magic

 Having not sketched, painted or even doodled for some time, I felt it was time to tentatively dip my toe into the arty world again. However, I kept putting it off. So, when one of the volunteers at work mentioned she was also suffering from a need to draw but did not have the inspiration, I suggested that we started after the festive break and challenge each other to a subject each week. She jumped at the chance.

So, our first week back - the subject was 'Tree'. After the initial hesitation on my part, once I put pen to paper it was like the drought had been broken and I scribbled away happily.

The second challenge subject came from my friend and she suggested 'Gnome'. After scratching my head a little - I did not fancy cutesy so I decided on a slightly cranky gardening hedgerow Gnome - happy? Yup.

The sketch book goes into work tomorrow, so we can share and show each other and the next challenge will be issued!!

Post Script : we are hoping others will see what we are doing and join in. I think we all need a little magic in our lives and for me (and my volunteering friend - art is that magic). What is magic for you?

That's wot you said

I work with a bunch of folk who have certainly had life hurled at them and not necessarily in a nice way, yet they seem to surface through all that rubbish and blossom and grow whilst they work in the walled garden (puns fully intended). They are from all walks of society and bring with them their dialects and idiosyncrasies. 

Over the three years I have worked with the volunteers, some drop out fairly quickly, others stay for just the better weather whilst a few - a hardy few - land whatever the weather and what ever tasks I put to them with cheerful gusto. They are precious.

I have had to learn to be 'bilingual' and I say that slightly tongue in cheek as we all speak English but the variations and deviations within that language are far ranging ... very far....

I'll explain....

Lal (pronounced like the American 'ya'll') means little. Let me put that in context.

'Na then, I'll be a lal late on Friday, got t'dentist ta go to'

Then there is ... cockled up. This one had me confused for a while, so I would nod and listen to the full sentence and hope that helped (this method does not always produce what I need to know with some rather interesting results!)

'Me brovva-n-law was cockled up on t'sofa las' night,

he'd 'ad a bevvy or two and wuz not fitfer purpose' 

This one roughly translates as ... my brother in law fell asleep on the sofa last night because he'd had too much to drink and was not able to walk/drive/talk etc

This is one of my favourite - 

'I wuz gobble smacked' - I was utterly shocked!

Having said that, I have heard the term 'gob-smacked' (meaning the same) however the extra gobble really makes it for me!

There also several terms of endearment such as 'Cocker, Me-cock, Petal, Yas a Gud-un, Luvvy, and if you have been a bit of an idiot there is ... divvie, pillock, wazzock and slummock. And if you have made some one's day or made them laugh you are ... cracked or reet cracked. I like being one of those - cracked - I know I have made it if I have been called that.

Post Script - have I mentioned how much I love what I do and where I work? and yes, I am (attempting) to sew. That adventure warrants a post of it's own - that is if my sewing and I manage to get on.... watch this space.

Pumpkin patch

We've grown some rather hefty pumpkins at work - the one above is 22kg or over 49lbs and I was inspired to have some at home - but smaller and quicker and easier to 'grow'. 

Then having made one, fancied another, then a third and now four mini-kins along the line I wondered if you'd like to have your own 'pumpkin patch' of mini-kins too!

This is not so much a tutorial as a ... this is sort of how I made them, hope it helps you make them too!

You'll need:

Some suitably coloured yarn (I used quite a thick ply carpet wool)
Scissors and crochet hook or large tapestry needle
A card roll - I used the inner of a silver foil roll, but loo rolls, kitchen towel roll would work just as well.
Mug of tea or coffee or something stronger.....

I cut the card roll into 2cm/1 inch lengths, then snipped a notch in one side to tag the yarn in to. Wrap the yarn round until the card is hidden and the centre almost filled (this is where the tapestry needle or crochet hook come in handy).

When I reached a nicely full mini-kin, I knotted the thread leaving one upward to form the stalk and the other I tucked in and out of sight. The stalk yarn I then trimmed a little shorter.

It was at this point I thought I would add a little bit of green yarn as foliage, tying it around the 'stalk' then knotting it to give a quirky texture - voila !

I might just have to make some more - I can feel a garland of mini-kins being added to the pumpkin patch!

Post script: Thursdays are my 'work at home day' - where I have to pretend to like housework.... the weather has not been that conducive to gardening so in the absence of my usual entertainment - I have crafted (but with a gardening theme!!)🎃🎃