It's been both a busy week and a quiet one. Running, gardening, running again and then sleeping, sleeping and more sleeping. Sleeping of the swoon-on-the-sofa-like-an-Austen-heroine sort, pale and wan and breathless and frankly quite useless.
"You're anaemic," stated my former haematologist mother, so appropriate steps were taken and I'm feeling better now.
In the meantime the roses finally began to bloom, starting with this yellow patio rose:
The lower lawn, sown a few weeks ago, had its first cut. It's still a bit patchy, but I'm a very proud lawn-mother. The upper lawn is now a year old and is coming along nicely.
Unusually the strawberries have ripened, including this variety which runs wild in the garden. It is fully ripe when pale pink with pink seeds and has a tangy sweet old-fashioned flavour. I can sit at the table and reach forwards to pick handfuls of these at my feet. Bliss.
The potatoes are flowering too. This is Charlotte who is, I think, a second early. She's not really quite ready for eating yet, but we still dug up a few for Sunday's dinner which were delicious with beef and Yorkshire puds. She has the most ravishing and exotic flowers for a humble potato and gorgeous lush foliage.
R6 has a new passion: All things creepy and crawly. Most of the weekend was spent in pursuit of bugs. Her favourite was this little chap, a green leaf weevil. We let him go in the evening and R6 duly recaptured him the following morning. I fear Brian now has the excuse he was hoping for to renew his acquaintance with stick insects...
Amazing pictures. Glad that things are coming along so well. Our garden — sigh.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about R6's age, I loved insects, too. Particularly caterpillars. Brought them in, set them in a jar in the kitchen window (with grass or leaves) to see what kind of butterfly or moth they would become. Lots of different kinds.
Hmmmm, . . . I suppose I shouldn't have mentioned that, in case R6 is around. Sorry!
Hello Mags. Anaemia? Hmm, this is making me think as I too have been somewhat lethargic for a long while now it seems and this could be why. Will investigate further. Hope you feel much better now. Isabella is fascinated by all things bug too and frequently brings dead chafer beetles into the house bemoaning the fact that they are no longer able to play! x
ReplyDeleteBerlimey Mags, you keep finding new ways to make yourself poorly. I hooe you feel better now. Well done with the garden - it looks splendid. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteRob-bear - Caterpillars? Now that's a good idea!
ReplyDeletePipany - I really thought the green chap had had his chips a few times, but he proved to be very tough!
Chris - I know! I was furious with myself. At least this is only the third thing. At least I've been spared all the coughs, colds, chest infections and vomiting bugs this year.
Maggie, would you be able to collect some seeds of the pale pink, wild strawberry you wrote about in this post? I collect rare strawberries, and I would love to buy some seeds from you when the strawberries are in season. It sounds as if the strawberry is quite productive? Please email me at alice.gunko(at)hotmail.com
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