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Thursday 17 April 2014

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









13 comments:

  1. I'm not surprised you have backache after all that lol. I hope you have a good time at the booty x

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    1. I looked at the weather forecast and sailed off to Derbyshire for the weekend, Jeannie was only too happy to have a visit. We had a good catch up, so much better face to face than by phone or even skype. Now she is reading the papers and I have done my blog read and am about to try making one of Attic 24's crochet birds.

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  2. Hope you have a lovely Easter x hope your back recovers too. I get one if I'm bending or walking to much but a hot water bottle on it usually helps. Mind you I think I might give your "something red and fruity " a go! Purely medicinal, of course!!

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    1. Medicinal is good. I do use a hottie and love it, the trouble is that I only have to leave it for a minute and Ben is on it and turns into a concrete block that cannot be moved.

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  3. A busy time for you, have fun at the car boot.

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    1. Rain stopped booting, it also started a new crochet project. Some you win.he he

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  4. One day in my garden just about finished me off. What a very satisfying marathon of garden work, I take my hat off to you.

    jean x

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    1. I am a keen gardener, I have, read that as had, loys of plants grown from seed and cuttings. Most of these now live at various houses throughout the village, some are in pots waiting for moving day. Tiring but satisfying work.

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  5. Wow, you have been busy. We've been clearing out and cleaning too, taking some junk from the yard up to the local dump, weeding front and back and scrubbing carpets. Somehow the bright weather gives me much more enregy for doing tasks like that. Hope your back feels better soon and you have a lovely Easter break. Love, Helen x

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    1. I do not understand how it happens. You put your garden to bed for the winter, spend happy weeks cooking, crafting and enjoying indoors, then one day spring arrives and dumps a load of stuff everywhere. I found things in the sheds that I am certain I have never set eyes on before. Hedgehog corner is intact with a nice screen of brambles and a few nettle clumps are there for the insects that love them. I am loving my Easter break with Jeannie.

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  6. Have been tied up with mum issues so have missed lots of posts but think I am more or less caught up now! You are like a whirlwind, woman! Be careful with your back, it is precious! Fingers crossed for your survey.

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    1. I have paced myself most of the time, I am now happily ensconced with Jeannie enjoying crochet and chat. She is drooling over my Granny Squares so I may just have to make 600 instead of 300, just in a different colour combination. Her living room is in shades of soft grey, duck egg blue, soft lilac and white. OH DEAR I will have to do some yarn shopping, how sad, never mind. I will do my best to enjoy the ordeal. Pam x My fingers are crossed for your Mum's speedy return to decent health.

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  7. Well, I was going to say yo'll be welcoming a break when you move house but realise you won't because you'll be up and at em getting a new garden established there.:)

    Whilst reading your post I realised how lucky the new owners will be, although you're moving plants out the soil will be welcoming to any new plants. You've worked hard to establish good cropping which will benefit the new comers for years to come, unless they're the kind to block pave it all and just have a tub or two of flowers.
    Take care with the back, I damaged mine in my youth doing a lot of sports and am now paying the price. I do hope the sale and move go smoothly for you and you're soon settled in a new home.

    Peg x

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