now comes from cows....
Monday, 20 August 2018
Sunday, 19 August 2018
Sunday 19th August - Slow Weekend
I've had a couple of half-days lazing around in bed - easy to do with tablet, kindle, smartphone, books, cat, regular appearance of cups of coffee (thank you...)
So now I'm feeling a mixture of fully rested and ready for the week ahead, and lethargic from too much doing very little.
However, I have accomplished
extreme dead-heading of the rose in the front garden - called 'Princess Elizabeth', we were informed by a neighbour.
I saved a rosebud to have a go at painting it;
No, not like that, like this;
and also re-learning Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. I've done half the slow movement, the theme of the Rondo (last movement) and scoped out the size of the task for the first movement (daunting).
I'm encouraged by this quotation from one of the books I am reading at the moment;
The act of doing should matter more to us than what we might eventually accomplish; when this is not the case, I can’t help wondering if we are simply missing the point.
from 'Mindfulness in Music' by Mark Tanner.
Because what I might eventually accomplish will be nowhere near the type of performance from a proper, practising professional. However I am enjoying the process of learning to play the music again, with the benefit of greatly improved learning skills, if a reduction in technical prowess.
Today I noticed that the rosebud had opened up since I picked it on Friday;
So now I'm feeling a mixture of fully rested and ready for the week ahead, and lethargic from too much doing very little.
However, I have accomplished
extreme dead-heading of the rose in the front garden - called 'Princess Elizabeth', we were informed by a neighbour.
I saved a rosebud to have a go at painting it;
 |
| Why are you painting those roses red? https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alice_par_John_Tenniel_28.png |
and also re-learning Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. I've done half the slow movement, the theme of the Rondo (last movement) and scoped out the size of the task for the first movement (daunting).
I'm encouraged by this quotation from one of the books I am reading at the moment;
The act of doing should matter more to us than what we might eventually accomplish; when this is not the case, I can’t help wondering if we are simply missing the point.
from 'Mindfulness in Music' by Mark Tanner.
Because what I might eventually accomplish will be nowhere near the type of performance from a proper, practising professional. However I am enjoying the process of learning to play the music again, with the benefit of greatly improved learning skills, if a reduction in technical prowess.
Today I noticed that the rosebud had opened up since I picked it on Friday;
When I painted the rosebud I was attempting a reasonably faithful copy. This time, I was going for a swifter style of painting, letting the petals be more suggestions than a copy.
The week ahead promises to be busy so I shall probably take a break from the blog.
Thursday, 16 August 2018
Thursday 16th August - This and that
Dayish in bed - bit of a chest infection type sort of thing. Antibiotics kicking in, though, and lying around gives them every chance to do their stuff.
Averted a potentially very annoying incident; when I grabbed my mug from my bedside table to move it in order to read my little clock, I realised just in time that it was still full of coffee. I managed to moderate the broad sweep of my intended gesture to something less extravagant, and so was able to drink the coffee rather than mop it up.
Spent a long time finishing off the process of un-clumping Leo's fur. When the vet, as part of the annual MOT, checked to feel what state Leo's internal organs were in, he was able to reassure us that they a) were still there and b) were approximately healthy. However, for about a week afterwards, Leo was unwilling to jump up onto chairs etc in her normal care-free fashion, and, as we discovered, didn't feel like grooming the fur on her haunches. She has very, very fine "under-fur", which formed itself into matted clumps. The only way to deal with them (apart from shaving her) is to gently tease the fibres apart, separating the strands right down to her skin (initially accompanied by a steady litany of growls and hisses and threatening gestures from teeth and claws). Today I reckon I've removed the last few tangles;
I got up at lunchtime and made myself a very satisfactory lunch - fried egg, fried tomatoes (from next door - swapped them for some apples), fried potatoes (discovered a couple of cold potatoes in the fridge so gave them a purpose in life). Feed a cold - starve a fever, so they say. I have neither, so went for a good meal as a compromise.
I've been catching up with writing out quotations from the books I've been reading;
with some 'assistance'. I've wondered about the worth of doing this; but on going back through the notebook I find that it has value. I wouldn't be able to go back through the quotes if I hadn't save them somewhere (o b v i o u s l y!), and writing them out has helped me take the time to think about the ideas, or the choice of words even punctuation used by the author. So, although I bookmark the passages electronically, I think I will continue to write them out, and then add my comments as and when.
from 'Miss Pym Disposes', by Josephine Tey (conversation between Lucy Pym and Rick about a difficult decision for Miss Pym, while collecting sandwiches from a buffet)
" ‘You would always do the right thing, and let the consequences take care of themselves?’
‘That’s about it.’
‘It is certainly the simplest. In fact I think it’s too simple.’
‘Unless you plan to play God, one has to take the simple way.’
‘Play God? You’ve got two lots of tongue sandwiches there, do you know?’
‘Unless you are clever enough to “see before and after” like the Deity, it’s best to stick to the rules. Wow! The music has stopped and here comes my young woman like a hunting leopard.’ He watched Desterro come with a smile in his eyes.
‘Isn’t that hat a knock-out!’ He looked down at Lucy for a moment. ‘Do the obvious right thing, Miss Pym, and let God dispose.’"
I found the whole discussion interesting, and several phrases worth thinking about
'You would always do the right thing, and let the consequences take care of themselves?'
'Unless you plan to play God, one has to take the simple way.'
'Unless you are clever enough to "see before and after" like the Deity, it's best to stick to the rules.'
'Do the obvious right thing, Miss Pym, and let God dispose.'
I didn't see the final plot twist coming, when I was reading the book. Even though I had read it before (a long, long, time ago.)
I've discovered a website devoted to all things Mapp and Lucia. That's what comes of a day spent on twitter and facebook.
Going out for supper now. Toodle-oo
Averted a potentially very annoying incident; when I grabbed my mug from my bedside table to move it in order to read my little clock, I realised just in time that it was still full of coffee. I managed to moderate the broad sweep of my intended gesture to something less extravagant, and so was able to drink the coffee rather than mop it up.
Spent a long time finishing off the process of un-clumping Leo's fur. When the vet, as part of the annual MOT, checked to feel what state Leo's internal organs were in, he was able to reassure us that they a) were still there and b) were approximately healthy. However, for about a week afterwards, Leo was unwilling to jump up onto chairs etc in her normal care-free fashion, and, as we discovered, didn't feel like grooming the fur on her haunches. She has very, very fine "under-fur", which formed itself into matted clumps. The only way to deal with them (apart from shaving her) is to gently tease the fibres apart, separating the strands right down to her skin (initially accompanied by a steady litany of growls and hisses and threatening gestures from teeth and claws). Today I reckon I've removed the last few tangles;
I got up at lunchtime and made myself a very satisfactory lunch - fried egg, fried tomatoes (from next door - swapped them for some apples), fried potatoes (discovered a couple of cold potatoes in the fridge so gave them a purpose in life). Feed a cold - starve a fever, so they say. I have neither, so went for a good meal as a compromise.
I've been catching up with writing out quotations from the books I've been reading;
with some 'assistance'. I've wondered about the worth of doing this; but on going back through the notebook I find that it has value. I wouldn't be able to go back through the quotes if I hadn't save them somewhere (o b v i o u s l y!), and writing them out has helped me take the time to think about the ideas, or the choice of words even punctuation used by the author. So, although I bookmark the passages electronically, I think I will continue to write them out, and then add my comments as and when.
from 'Miss Pym Disposes', by Josephine Tey (conversation between Lucy Pym and Rick about a difficult decision for Miss Pym, while collecting sandwiches from a buffet)
" ‘You would always do the right thing, and let the consequences take care of themselves?’
‘That’s about it.’
‘It is certainly the simplest. In fact I think it’s too simple.’
‘Unless you plan to play God, one has to take the simple way.’
‘Play God? You’ve got two lots of tongue sandwiches there, do you know?’
‘Unless you are clever enough to “see before and after” like the Deity, it’s best to stick to the rules. Wow! The music has stopped and here comes my young woman like a hunting leopard.’ He watched Desterro come with a smile in his eyes.
‘Isn’t that hat a knock-out!’ He looked down at Lucy for a moment. ‘Do the obvious right thing, Miss Pym, and let God dispose.’"
I found the whole discussion interesting, and several phrases worth thinking about
'You would always do the right thing, and let the consequences take care of themselves?'
'Unless you plan to play God, one has to take the simple way.'
'Unless you are clever enough to "see before and after" like the Deity, it's best to stick to the rules.'
'Do the obvious right thing, Miss Pym, and let God dispose.'
I didn't see the final plot twist coming, when I was reading the book. Even though I had read it before (a long, long, time ago.)
I've discovered a website devoted to all things Mapp and Lucia. That's what comes of a day spent on twitter and facebook.
Going out for supper now. Toodle-oo
Tuesday, 14 August 2018
Tuesday 14th August - Here, there and everywhere
The son and daughter came on Friday evening for a long weekend (they are still here -the weekend ends tomorrow).
On Saturday, we went to the Kite Festival at Southsea Common. It took a fair bit of discussion before this plan was finally agreed upon; considerations such as what people would like to do, what people thought other people would like to do, what the weather would be like, was it ging to be too crowded, too hot, too far away, too -
It was good! To save crawling along the various roads looking for a parking space, we just drove straight to the Park and Ride, and took the bus that goes to Bus Station. It was a short distance but a long walk through the Gun Quays shopping centre, but we emerged without having bought anything except lunch.
The weather was grey, and occasionally showery, which, on the whole, is better than being blisteringly hot.
Kites don't photograph very well on my phone.
Fortunately Himself had brought a real camera!
There was a lot going on - who would have thought of 'kite ballet' - surprisingly impressive. (This is a youtube from last year)
There's a lot more to see looking around Southsea and Portsmouth (not including the docks which are worth several trips in themselves). I remember the town featuring in the books by C S Forester, about the naval career of Horatio Hornblower having several scenes set in Southsea, still full of little old Naval Officers style homes. We were also very taken by the idea of a day trip by Hovercraft to the Isle of Wight!
On Saturday, we went to the Kite Festival at Southsea Common. It took a fair bit of discussion before this plan was finally agreed upon; considerations such as what people would like to do, what people thought other people would like to do, what the weather would be like, was it ging to be too crowded, too hot, too far away, too -
It was good! To save crawling along the various roads looking for a parking space, we just drove straight to the Park and Ride, and took the bus that goes to Bus Station. It was a short distance but a long walk through the Gun Quays shopping centre, but we emerged without having bought anything except lunch.
The weather was grey, and occasionally showery, which, on the whole, is better than being blisteringly hot.
Kites don't photograph very well on my phone.
Fortunately Himself had brought a real camera!
There was a lot going on - who would have thought of 'kite ballet' - surprisingly impressive. (This is a youtube from last year)
There's a lot more to see looking around Southsea and Portsmouth (not including the docks which are worth several trips in themselves). I remember the town featuring in the books by C S Forester, about the naval career of Horatio Hornblower having several scenes set in Southsea, still full of little old Naval Officers style homes. We were also very taken by the idea of a day trip by Hovercraft to the Isle of Wight!
Friday 10th August - More pictures
I did these two;
This is my version of that colour mixing exercise I mentioned in the previous post. I was a bit reluctant to stick the masking tape grid down too firmly, in case it ripped up the paper like the last time I used it. So quite a bit of pigment found its way underneath the borders!
This is a copy of a study in my main "text book" - the Collins Gem book of 10-minute water colours - using just one colour (Hooker's Green, in this case).
This is my version of that colour mixing exercise I mentioned in the previous post. I was a bit reluctant to stick the masking tape grid down too firmly, in case it ripped up the paper like the last time I used it. So quite a bit of pigment found its way underneath the borders!
This is a copy of a study in my main "text book" - the Collins Gem book of 10-minute water colours - using just one colour (Hooker's Green, in this case).
Friday, 10 August 2018
Friday 10th August - In and Out of the Garden - 4
The fence is complete
It looks a bit severe at the moment, and the neighbours are a bit thoughtful. It is several feet lower than the confers that they had before; I'm confident that we will get used to it in time...
See that lovely blue sky? It is now 4pm and it has been raining, pouring, Old Man Snoring sort of rain, most of the day. And it will do so again. Which month is this? I know it begins with an 'A' - April or August?
The white Japanese anenome, near the blue tub, has survived all the upheaval, I'm happy to see. I rushed out, and with the help of Himself managed to prop up the pink anenoesat the exteme left of the picture which were all flattened and despondent.
I sowed radish seeds at the beginning of the week - and look - they have come up already!
As well as sowing, I have been sewing. I have been eyeing up a linen tunic-top in Seasalt for some time, but it is £70 and I'm not ready to pay that yet. Maybe soon... but then I got hold of a linen-cotton remnant and have made myself a similar top for around £10, plus several hours, plus a few mutterings and blood stains.
It is remarkably difficult to take of selfie of NOT your face but here it is. I might add some patch pockets later on, but I have run out of time because the tribe are arriving for the weekend so the dining room table needs to be clear. Which it is - now.
I have also discovered how to sew 'bento bags' - a Japanese thing. You need two strips of fabric, three times as long as they are wide, and you sew them together and do a sort of origami, and sew here, and there, and hey presto! The fabric strips I used were some scraps 12" by 36".
Perfect for wrapping up a small project. Or a small anything. I can see a whole load more of these happening soon. I found the pattern on another blog, and was a little mystified by her remarks about the cold weather, until I realised that the writer lives in New Zealand.
Yesterday I was on my own for lunch. When did I last have a boiled egg and soldiers? I can't remember. The egg was delicious - a blue-shelled one from Marks and Spencers.
I now have a couple of hours before everyone arrives. I shall untidy the dining room table and have a go at this; - painted by Rick Surowicz
Not sure how mine will come out!
It looks a bit severe at the moment, and the neighbours are a bit thoughtful. It is several feet lower than the confers that they had before; I'm confident that we will get used to it in time...
See that lovely blue sky? It is now 4pm and it has been raining, pouring, Old Man Snoring sort of rain, most of the day. And it will do so again. Which month is this? I know it begins with an 'A' - April or August?
The white Japanese anenome, near the blue tub, has survived all the upheaval, I'm happy to see. I rushed out, and with the help of Himself managed to prop up the pink anenoesat the exteme left of the picture which were all flattened and despondent.
I sowed radish seeds at the beginning of the week - and look - they have come up already!
As well as sowing, I have been sewing. I have been eyeing up a linen tunic-top in Seasalt for some time, but it is £70 and I'm not ready to pay that yet. Maybe soon... but then I got hold of a linen-cotton remnant and have made myself a similar top for around £10, plus several hours, plus a few mutterings and blood stains.
It is remarkably difficult to take of selfie of NOT your face but here it is. I might add some patch pockets later on, but I have run out of time because the tribe are arriving for the weekend so the dining room table needs to be clear. Which it is - now.
I have also discovered how to sew 'bento bags' - a Japanese thing. You need two strips of fabric, three times as long as they are wide, and you sew them together and do a sort of origami, and sew here, and there, and hey presto! The fabric strips I used were some scraps 12" by 36".
Perfect for wrapping up a small project. Or a small anything. I can see a whole load more of these happening soon. I found the pattern on another blog, and was a little mystified by her remarks about the cold weather, until I realised that the writer lives in New Zealand.
Yesterday I was on my own for lunch. When did I last have a boiled egg and soldiers? I can't remember. The egg was delicious - a blue-shelled one from Marks and Spencers.
I now have a couple of hours before everyone arrives. I shall untidy the dining room table and have a go at this; - painted by Rick Surowicz
Not sure how mine will come out!
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
Wednesday 8th August - Rain
It rained yesterday afternoon!
A short shower, maybe only three minutes, of large, heavy drops. Enough that if he hadn't bolted out and rescued it, the duvet cover would have been soaked through.
Then the sun came back, and within a very short time, the world was as it had been - hot, dry, scorched.
This happened several times during the rest of the day, but then, at dusk, the skies clouded over properly, and the temperature dropped, and a strong breeze whirled up the dry leaves and rain, proper rain, came and soaked the garden.
I stood at the door, watching, listening, and enjoying that fresh, mineral smell.
This beautiful song came to mind;
"As torrents in summer,
Half dried in their channels,
Suddenly rise, though the
Sky is still cloudless,
For rain has been falling
Far off at their fountains;
So hearts that are fainting
Grow full to o'erflowing,
And they that behold it
Marvel, and know not
That God at their fountains
Far off has been raining!
here is Elgar's setting, sung by The London Quartet
They are my All Time Favourite Singers, and I strongly recommend this album, and also "Lullabies and Goodbyes"
I hadn't paid much attention to where the words have come from (the London Quartet always sings with such extraordinarily clear diction that you can make out every word without having to look them up)
It is an extract of a longer poem by Longfellow (good name for someone who writes long poems, don't you think?) - in fact from a book of long poems - I wonder if it is modelled on The Canterbury Tales?
Here's the link to where I found the poem, and where you can read all of the "Tales of a Wayside Inn" written in 1863.
"As torrents" is just two verses from the final part of "The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf";
The Nun of Sideros.
Here it is
In the convent of Drontheim,
Alone in her chamber
Knelt Astrid the Abbess,
At midnight, adoring,
Beseeching, entreating
The Virgin and Mother.
She heard in the silence
The voice of one speaking,
Without in the darkness,
In gusts of the night-wind,
Now louder, now nearer,
Now lost in the distance.
The voice of a stranger
It seemed as she listened,
Of some one who answered,
Beseeching, imploring,
A cry from afar off
She could not distinguish.
The voice of Saint John,
The beloved disciple,
Who wandered and waited
The Master's appearance,
Alone in the darkness,
Unsheltered and friendless.
"It is accepted
The angry defiance,
The challenge of battle!
It is accepted,
But not with the weapons
Of war that thou wieldest!
"Cross against corselet,
Love against hatred,
Peace-cry for war-cry!
Patience is powerful;
He that o'ercometh
Hath power o'er the nations!
"As torrents in summer,
Half dried in their channels,
Suddenly rise, though the
Sky is still cloudless,
For rain has been falling
Far off at their fountains;
So hearts that are fainting
Grow full to o'erflowing,
And they that behold it
Marvel, and know not
That God at their fountains
Far off has been raining!
"Stronger than steel
Is the sword of the Spirit;
Swifter than arrows
The light of the truth is,
Greater than anger
Is love, and subdueth!
"Thou art a phantom,
A shape of the sea-mist,
A shape of the brumal
Rain, and the darkness
Fearful and formless;
Day dawns and thou art not!
"The dawn is not distant,
Nor is the night starless;
Love is eternal!
God is still God, and
His faith shall not fail us;
Christ is eternal!"
I guess I would have to read the preceding 21 chapters to find out what is going on, but the final five verses are stirring stuff.
A short shower, maybe only three minutes, of large, heavy drops. Enough that if he hadn't bolted out and rescued it, the duvet cover would have been soaked through.
Then the sun came back, and within a very short time, the world was as it had been - hot, dry, scorched.
This happened several times during the rest of the day, but then, at dusk, the skies clouded over properly, and the temperature dropped, and a strong breeze whirled up the dry leaves and rain, proper rain, came and soaked the garden.
I stood at the door, watching, listening, and enjoying that fresh, mineral smell.
This beautiful song came to mind;
"As torrents in summer,
Half dried in their channels,
Suddenly rise, though the
Sky is still cloudless,
For rain has been falling
Far off at their fountains;
So hearts that are fainting
Grow full to o'erflowing,
And they that behold it
Marvel, and know not
That God at their fountains
Far off has been raining!
here is Elgar's setting, sung by The London Quartet
They are my All Time Favourite Singers, and I strongly recommend this album, and also "Lullabies and Goodbyes"
I hadn't paid much attention to where the words have come from (the London Quartet always sings with such extraordinarily clear diction that you can make out every word without having to look them up)
It is an extract of a longer poem by Longfellow (good name for someone who writes long poems, don't you think?) - in fact from a book of long poems - I wonder if it is modelled on The Canterbury Tales?
Here's the link to where I found the poem, and where you can read all of the "Tales of a Wayside Inn" written in 1863.
"As torrents" is just two verses from the final part of "The Musician's Tale; The Saga of King Olaf";
The Nun of Sideros.
Here it is
In the convent of Drontheim,
Alone in her chamber
Knelt Astrid the Abbess,
At midnight, adoring,
Beseeching, entreating
The Virgin and Mother.
She heard in the silence
The voice of one speaking,
Without in the darkness,
In gusts of the night-wind,
Now louder, now nearer,
Now lost in the distance.
The voice of a stranger
It seemed as she listened,
Of some one who answered,
Beseeching, imploring,
A cry from afar off
She could not distinguish.
The voice of Saint John,
The beloved disciple,
Who wandered and waited
The Master's appearance,
Alone in the darkness,
Unsheltered and friendless.
"It is accepted
The angry defiance,
The challenge of battle!
It is accepted,
But not with the weapons
Of war that thou wieldest!
"Cross against corselet,
Love against hatred,
Peace-cry for war-cry!
Patience is powerful;
He that o'ercometh
Hath power o'er the nations!
"As torrents in summer,
Half dried in their channels,
Suddenly rise, though the
Sky is still cloudless,
For rain has been falling
Far off at their fountains;
So hearts that are fainting
Grow full to o'erflowing,
And they that behold it
Marvel, and know not
That God at their fountains
Far off has been raining!
"Stronger than steel
Is the sword of the Spirit;
Swifter than arrows
The light of the truth is,
Greater than anger
Is love, and subdueth!
"Thou art a phantom,
A shape of the sea-mist,
A shape of the brumal
Rain, and the darkness
Fearful and formless;
Day dawns and thou art not!
"The dawn is not distant,
Nor is the night starless;
Love is eternal!
God is still God, and
His faith shall not fail us;
Christ is eternal!"
I guess I would have to read the preceding 21 chapters to find out what is going on, but the final five verses are stirring stuff.
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
Tuesday 7th August - A Time for Learning
One of the most important aspects of the long Summer holiday is it gives me a chance to learn something. This Summer I've become fascinated by water colour painting, and have been immersed in Youtube video tutorials, particularly Rick Sucowicz and Angela Fehr.
In one of her posts, Angela made reference to the 'Competence Ladder', which I had either forgotten or hadn't come across (at my age one can't be certain...)
Here is wikipekdia's definition;
In one of her posts, Angela made reference to the 'Competence Ladder', which I had either forgotten or hadn't come across (at my age one can't be certain...)
Here is wikipekdia's definition;
- Unconscious incompetence
- The individual does not understand or know how to do something and does not necessarily recognize the deficit. They may deny the usefulness of the skill. The individual must recognize their own incompetence, and the value of the new skill, before moving on to the next stage. The length of time an individual spends in this stage depends on the strength of the stimulus to learn.
- Conscious incompetence
- Though the individual does not understand or know how to do something, they recognize the deficit, as well as the value of a new skill in addressing the deficit. The making of mistakes can be integral to the learning process at this stage.
- Conscious competence
- The individual understands or knows how to do something. However, demonstrating the skill or knowledge requires concentration. It may be broken down into steps, and there is heavy conscious involvement in executing the new skill.
- Unconscious competence
- The individual has had so much practice with a skill that it has become "second nature" and can be performed easily. As a result, the skill can be performed while executing another task. The individual may be able to teach it to others, depending upon how and when it was learned.
- So obvious, really, but nice to see it set out so clearly.
- The other thing I am learning about is gardening.
- 'That camelia needs to be in the shade' says James, in passing (he's here again; another fence panel has gone in, and he's about to start on next-door's conifers.)
- 'Is that skimmia in ericaceous soil? No? That;s why its leaves are going yellow.' I repot it in some ericaceous soil that has been waiting for the camelia.
- I guess that I'm at all different stages;
- probably 2 or 3 for water colour painting, gardening, knitting, sewing, novel writing
- 3, heading for 4 with playing the harpsichord
- 4, with the piano, and teaching it, but in danger of sliding backwards if I don't do some serious practising in the very near future!
- I consider that being a continuous learner is a staggeringly important part of being a good teacher. Each skill acquired adds a greater dimension to what one already knows, and expands the experience of learning, and enables one to reach further into the mysteries of effectively imparting and sharing skills and knowledge.
- This is such a Big Thought that I haven't yet managed to codify it into a set of simple statements like the ladder of competence above. But I expect someone else has!
- In the meantime, just remember that all the new crafts and skills I embark upon during the holidays are, in a big way, play, but also, in a bigger way, part of a life of learning and discovery, which started within minutes of my birth.
Tuesday 7th August - In and Out of the Garden - 3
This saga is going to run and run..., no, walk and walk might be more accurate.
James came back yesterday evening, and the result is a couple of panels
There would have been another, but it got broken as he unloaded it from the trailer. Meanwhile, our neighbour has decided that he WILL have his conifers razed to the ground after all. He had originally wanted them cut down from about 12 feet tall to around 8 feet. James had cut them right back on our side, which is why they look so hideous. That didn't matter, because the fence panel would have hidden most of them, and also the ugly chain link fence fixed to concreted in angle-iron posts.
Now that the conifers are going completely, the chain link and posts will have to go too. (You can't see the chain link in this photograph, but believe me, it is there and it is not an attractive sight.)
"I could make you a lovely border in front of your new fence" suggested James. "Dig it out properly, bring in trailer loads of good soil, and plant it up with shrubs and climbers."
One of the things that has made gardening a dispiriting process her has been the hopeless, rough, intractable, infertile ground. The idea of James coming in and sorting it all out... time to rummage through all the money boxes and see what can be managed.
If only they were £2 instead of 5p coins...
And there is always the money monster... one pupil loves him so much that she makes her mother give her coins to feed him... that's an esy way of earning money...
I was thinking of having easy-care shrubs or climbers which would provide some kind of flowers right through the year. James waxed lyrical, naming all sorts of things that I shall have to look up; I'm making a spreadsheet. Not too sure about ornamental grasses - I'll have to have a think about that.
The wasps have decided that our apples are ripe. So I picked one off the south side of the tree and tried it. I felt a bit like Snow White; the apple was rosy and red on one side but green on the other. I shouldn't have been surprised to find that the red side was pleasantly sweet, and the green side unpleasantly sour. I'm still awake, so it is not a magic apple.
Another day has started. Breakfast (in bed) has happened, and I'm enjoying my second cup of coffee. Time to get dressed and do a few bits and pieces before the world gets too hot to think or move.
James came back yesterday evening, and the result is a couple of panels
There would have been another, but it got broken as he unloaded it from the trailer. Meanwhile, our neighbour has decided that he WILL have his conifers razed to the ground after all. He had originally wanted them cut down from about 12 feet tall to around 8 feet. James had cut them right back on our side, which is why they look so hideous. That didn't matter, because the fence panel would have hidden most of them, and also the ugly chain link fence fixed to concreted in angle-iron posts.
Now that the conifers are going completely, the chain link and posts will have to go too. (You can't see the chain link in this photograph, but believe me, it is there and it is not an attractive sight.)
"I could make you a lovely border in front of your new fence" suggested James. "Dig it out properly, bring in trailer loads of good soil, and plant it up with shrubs and climbers."
One of the things that has made gardening a dispiriting process her has been the hopeless, rough, intractable, infertile ground. The idea of James coming in and sorting it all out... time to rummage through all the money boxes and see what can be managed.
If only they were £2 instead of 5p coins...
And there is always the money monster... one pupil loves him so much that she makes her mother give her coins to feed him... that's an esy way of earning money...
I was thinking of having easy-care shrubs or climbers which would provide some kind of flowers right through the year. James waxed lyrical, naming all sorts of things that I shall have to look up; I'm making a spreadsheet. Not too sure about ornamental grasses - I'll have to have a think about that.
The wasps have decided that our apples are ripe. So I picked one off the south side of the tree and tried it. I felt a bit like Snow White; the apple was rosy and red on one side but green on the other. I shouldn't have been surprised to find that the red side was pleasantly sweet, and the green side unpleasantly sour. I'm still awake, so it is not a magic apple.
Another day has started. Breakfast (in bed) has happened, and I'm enjoying my second cup of coffee. Time to get dressed and do a few bits and pieces before the world gets too hot to think or move.
Sunday, 5 August 2018
Sunday 5th August - In and Out of the Garden - 2
Here's the back gate... just visible through the laurel
We've been meaning to reclaim the path to the open ground behind our house for many, many years. Knowing that James would be bringing his chipping machine on Monday evening made this too good an opportunity to miss.
The first step was to open the gate, and the second to do some clipping. Then we could get through, into a sort of secret pathway. You have to image how shady and dim it is, as my phone takes an optimistic view of things.
After a good deal of work, involving secateurs, loppers and a hand saw, and I cleared a path through nearly as far as the big oak on the other side of the garden. McCavity came through the gate, where the sunlight streams through, to investigate
There is an abandoned bird's nest in one of the trees (that's a leaf, not a robin, to the side of the nest!)
Nothing left of the occupants except a few feathers.
Now we can get through the gate and along the back of the laurel hedge. The final part of the path is still a tricky scrabbling scramble through nettles and brambles and undergrowth. That's something for another day.
(Yes, those ARE my fingers, not apples, in the top of the photo.)
We have generated rather a lot of rubbish for clearing...
But compared to what James left behind, to deal with next time, it is almost nothing. At least, I'm hoping James will agree...
Saturday 4th August - In and Out of the Garden - 1
Before
During
During
James-the-tree-surgeon and assistant have chopped, lopped and chain-sawed through all the vegetation. It was mostly ivy and brambles. Sadly the great soaring branches of the Mock Orange have all gone; the main stems are exactly in line with where the new fence will go.
My tender, fragile little white Japanese anenome is sheltering under an upturned green tub. I checked later, when all the thrashing around had ceased, and it was still there, just; I've watered it, and propped up the wilted flower stem, and replaced the shade-giving flowerpot.
James' new shredder made short work (haha) of most of the trimmings; hence the pile in the far left-hand-corner of the garden. But it was impossible to remove the ivy from the fence panels, and in the end he just sawed through the whole lot, ivy, panels, bits of plastic trellis, and piled them into the middle of the grass. I think they will have to be taken away and disposed of.
He'll be back on Monday evening...
Friday, 3 August 2018
Friday 3rd August - Is this what retirement is like?
This is the first time I have had a glimpse of what it might be like when we are both of us retired... but by then we shall both be older, so it will be different, of course.
On Wednesday we visited my godmother. Although nearly 90, she is still managing on her own with very little help. But a little help is needed from time to time; replacement light bulbs in her kitchen and bathroom fitments are beyond her to purchase or fit, as she only ventures out as far as the local supermarket, once a week to stock up. We will go back next week to fit the new bulbs and do whatever else seems a good idea while we are there.
Thursday, and the heatwave has returned. We went out together to buy paint; a couple of half-pans of watercolours for a friend, and a couple of matchpots of emulsion in case it ever comes to pass that we get round to the hall-stairs-and-landing; a job that's been "on the list" for twenty-five, or maybe thirty years. And I picked up another bucket of fallen apples (and wasps). That must make 700...
James-the-tree-man came round in the evening to warn us he would be starting on the fence at 8.30 am on Saturday. I have very mixed feelings - I know it has to be done, but it is going to look SO different.
All this greenery is not a hedge, just ivy and honeysuckle and brambles grown up and over the fence. It will have to be stripped back to the ground, and then replaced with raw brown panels of larch lap.
I spent this morning working my way through this tangle of weeds and brambles to see if the white Japanese anenome is still alive. The pink flowers come back every year, but the little white one, given to me by a friend, was nowhere to be seen. I tend to put off searching for it, in case it isn't there...
But here it is! I cleared the weeds from around the single stem, soaked the ground and then a mulch of damp earch around it. Finally I marked the place with a wire frame, and I've now put a flowerpot nearby to give it some shade as the smallest shoot is wilting in the heat. James knows that I was to keep it, so hopefully it will survive the carnage and destruction all around.
Yesterday's housework tasks were dealing with the dining-room table, from this (not to bad, all things considered)
to this
and cleaning out the cupboard under the sink which was indescribably horrid so I won't attempt to describe it.
Today I have hoovered the stairs, changed the pillowcases (a sort of one-step-at-a-time approach to changing the bed-linen) and cleaned the catflap - those cats make it very grubby! That filled in the morning very profitably. I've also discovered where I put the brushes, paints, sketchbooks and so forth that I tidied away last Summer. Well, that's life.
Everywhere is so quiet - no cars, no passers-by, no birds, no wind...
It is 2pm.
Siesta, I think. I suspect that's what the cats are doing - I can't see them anywhere so I hope they have found somewhere cool.
On Wednesday we visited my godmother. Although nearly 90, she is still managing on her own with very little help. But a little help is needed from time to time; replacement light bulbs in her kitchen and bathroom fitments are beyond her to purchase or fit, as she only ventures out as far as the local supermarket, once a week to stock up. We will go back next week to fit the new bulbs and do whatever else seems a good idea while we are there.
Thursday, and the heatwave has returned. We went out together to buy paint; a couple of half-pans of watercolours for a friend, and a couple of matchpots of emulsion in case it ever comes to pass that we get round to the hall-stairs-and-landing; a job that's been "on the list" for twenty-five, or maybe thirty years. And I picked up another bucket of fallen apples (and wasps). That must make 700...
James-the-tree-man came round in the evening to warn us he would be starting on the fence at 8.30 am on Saturday. I have very mixed feelings - I know it has to be done, but it is going to look SO different.
All this greenery is not a hedge, just ivy and honeysuckle and brambles grown up and over the fence. It will have to be stripped back to the ground, and then replaced with raw brown panels of larch lap.
I spent this morning working my way through this tangle of weeds and brambles to see if the white Japanese anenome is still alive. The pink flowers come back every year, but the little white one, given to me by a friend, was nowhere to be seen. I tend to put off searching for it, in case it isn't there...
But here it is! I cleared the weeds from around the single stem, soaked the ground and then a mulch of damp earch around it. Finally I marked the place with a wire frame, and I've now put a flowerpot nearby to give it some shade as the smallest shoot is wilting in the heat. James knows that I was to keep it, so hopefully it will survive the carnage and destruction all around.
Yesterday's housework tasks were dealing with the dining-room table, from this (not to bad, all things considered)
to this
and cleaning out the cupboard under the sink which was indescribably horrid so I won't attempt to describe it.
Today I have hoovered the stairs, changed the pillowcases (a sort of one-step-at-a-time approach to changing the bed-linen) and cleaned the catflap - those cats make it very grubby! That filled in the morning very profitably. I've also discovered where I put the brushes, paints, sketchbooks and so forth that I tidied away last Summer. Well, that's life.
It is 2pm.
Siesta, I think. I suspect that's what the cats are doing - I can't see them anywhere so I hope they have found somewhere cool.
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