Backache and other tales

Oh My what a few days I have had since I was last here. I have cleared most of my garden, my friends have had various plants moved into their gardens. My collection of pots has shrunk dramatically and even the wild garden has been dealt with
After having cherry picked my way down to the wild corner I had to admit to myself that it had been allowed to sprawl and spread to at least 6 times it's original area. As I chopped and slashed my way into it I felt a bit akin to David Bellamy. I half expected to find a tribe of forgotten people or a ruined temple. What I have done is clear a small mountain of undergrowth and dead and dying vegetation. The whole area is now back to the original size and the garden looks better for it.
I had let the reeds and marginal plants around the small pond spread and they were blocking out the wild garden, once the pond was cleared the true horror of the wild was shockingly obvious.

3 sweaty days and all is much better, 3 compost bins are full, the chipper has done an excellent job of reducing the woody stuff into mulch,much of which has been layered into said bins. There are still many small jobs to finish off. I have been spending a little time twice a day on my kneeler scraping out the weeds on the paved area, a job that I hate so limit it to 15 minutes at a time. 2 more days will see it done.
I emptied a water butt yesterday for Marina, a lovely job, the sludge in the bottom was very pungent so it had a quick blast of fresh water and some white vinegar, I let it stand for a while then emptied and rinsed it out before taking it next door. if I was staying put I would do all of them.
Today I will empty Marina's old leaky water butt and put the clean one in it's place. She is also going to adopt all the tubs of new potatoes, they take up too much room to go with me.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. I am off to spend Easter with Jeannie.

2. I am doing a car boot sale with her in the next village.

3. The surveyor should be here on Tuesday.

4. My crochet squares are multiplying in a most satisfactory manner.

5. I have been working in glorious sunshine.

The inside of the cottage is showing it's neglect, there are dust bunnies in every corner and wisps of dead vegetation in the corners. 
I have earmarked a couple of hours today to sprint round with the vacuum cleaner and my vinegar spray and cloth.  The doors and windows have been open and Ben wanders in and out, every now and then I find a scattering of dust and seed heads where he has thrown himself down for a rest after playing in the garden.

Time for another cuppa before I go out to kick start my day.


Oops, I nearly forgot the backache, all this bending and stretching, swinging a sickle is causing it, mind you a soak in the bath with a glass of something red and fruity and a book helps enormously.


        TTFN                                                        Pam