Posted: Sunday 28 July, 2024
Monday 22nd July
Bit drizzly this morning. Dan went off for a run (Why?) with some of the blokes he plays football with.
Alistair took a second blood sample from Mickey yesterday, to see if the Prascend is working at the current dose. Mix is a terrible tenderfoot, so I’m going to get him some boots – slippers – for when he’s in on the track. It is a rough surface, right enough.
Favourite flowers? I love the catanache with the candytuft. And the salvia. Not loving the penstemon, but it's in the wrong place.
Catanache and candytuft.
I love this pink Monarda.
Pink Monarda.
Tuesday 23rd July
Dan put up a brush for Smokey and his itchy bum. He seems to like it, even if it's a bit on the low side.
Smokey's brush.
Haven’t seen Diesel for 24 hours. Now, he has previous but he’s older now, and it’s very warm. If he’s not back by bedtime, I’ll go out in the morning with notices asking folk to check outbuildings. I think I have one from last time.
The biennials are sprouting. Wallflower "Vulcan" first to show.
First of the biennials sprouting.
The corn is probably as high as an elephants eye.
Sweet corn.
Wednesday 24th July
Diesel came home at 10pm last night. Noisily.
Very warm, but a breeze got up late afternoon. I think I need to be busier morning and evening when it’s cooler and do any desk work round midday, if this weather keeps up.
Front garden weeded; Dan continued working on rustic paths. Plans are evolving and developing as we go. I’m thinking I might colour-theme the beds, over time. The red monarda is lovely but looks out of place in between the pinks and mauves. Plus Ashbrook had a cluster of soft yellow -flowered plants – achillea, red hot pokers and others – and it looked lovely.
I weeded the sunken garden this afternoon. It's been on hold as work in the front garden and elsewhare takes precedence. I think we should lay paving slabs over the bricks; they aren't grouted and the weeds just love it. Dan thinks not, but he did suggest putting in a pond.
Sunken garden.
Anyway, this poppy was blooming, so I am going to collect seed from it.
Self-seeded poppy.
Measured up the boundary on Home, ready for ordering the hedging plants. Hopes Grove, from whom we’re ordering, fulfil orders in the order they’re placed, so we ordered the Lonicera nitida for round the formal garden on Monday. If we order the hedging now, we should have time to plant the Lonicera before the next order comes. Not decided what to have in the hedge yet.
Got Mickey’s blood test results, much improved but levels still too high, so he’s to go on to a full tablet per day and test again in six weeks.
Smokey and Mickey, my two old boys.
Thursday 25th July
Up and at ‘em in preparation for the heatwave today – but it’s not exactly roasting today; cloudy and a bit of a breeze. Which is good because it keeps the flies away.
First job was to plant the daffodil bulbs that grew in the veg garden this spring. Dottie helped. Then picking peas – and she helped again.
Dottie helping with pea harvesting.
Pea picking will pretty much be a daily job for a while. Huge crop. Corgis like peas.
Corgi and peas.
Dan made bread then strimmed; lots of areas to take down. But lots of areas left wild too.
Almost too lovely to eat.
Friday 26th July
Lovely day; warm, sunny with a breeze. Two loads of washing done and dried.
Dan is trying to finish the waistcoat he’s knitting for me; it’s now being blocked, then he’s got the bands to do. He doesn’t like it, but I do. Next up are his socks for the Festival. But first he had to cut the grass.
I did two jobs this morning; tidied out the greenhouse and brushed the ponies. Poor Smokey’s mane was full of tangles. I think they enjoyed it. I did. Should do it more often. And this afternoon, I cut back the bed by Meg’s patio. Looks a bit bare now.
Saturday 27th July
A bit of a scorcher. But we had a heavy shower at teatime, just before Dan was going to put the sprinkler, which was fortuitous.
Dan split and stacked wood with Andy. I did very little apart from making bacon sandwiches for lunch.
Sunday 28th July
The hedge is now ordered; 300 plants, 5/linear metre, to be planted offset. We ordered 50% hawthorn plus hornbeam, white Rosa rugosa, hazel, Dog Rose, Guelder Rose and elder.
I'm quite pleased with this bed.
Bed under the living room window.
When these annuals flower, it should be quite spectacular. And great for insects, and all that follows from that. I can see borage, phacelia, Cosmos, mysotis. And some nettles.
Annuals.
Sheep are in Sheepfold; I hope it will do them a fortnight.
The day kind of slipped into relaxation (except I did some Festival stuff to clear my feet for tomorrow when I WILL be outside). And I’m cheating and posting my diary on Sunday evening for the same reason.
And finally, Cooper and Wee Dot. Just because.
Cooper and Wee Dot.
- Previous « Roses, raspberries, and redcurrants
- Next First harvest »