Blog Archives

Stay-cation

27/5/2020

Tomorrow we should have been flying out to Pisa, for an onward train journey to Florence, and our wedding anniversary treat (15 years). Obviously this has been cancelled - or rather postponed until next year. Fortunately it was a simple process to get the hotel refund (within 24 hours) whereas it's more of a to-and-fro palaver with easyJet. Naturally they want people to re-book flights and therefore their website is designed to take one around in loops where it only looks like Vouchers or Reschedule Your Flight are the available options. No - I want a Refund, and I Refund I will get!

We will book again but when we know the lie of the land; we are not confident about being cooped up in a plane with everyone coughing and spluttering and spreading the normal germs, let alone the possibility of the virus.

Still, we can't complain can we? Isn't the weather absolutely amazing at the moment? As you know, it's been a lot of hard work getting the garden under control but that is now paying dividends as it's the perfect setting for a stay-cation!

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Easy Does It - Lock-down

22/5/2020

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I had thought that I would write something witty and insightful about Lock-down Activities but I haven't got the energy! Is that symptomatic of the whole situation and bereavement? I think maybe it is. Therefore, this is what I have been up to recently:

Baking*
Bulk-shopping for home and others
Clapping the NHS / Sir Captain Tom
Cleaning and De-cluttering
Crosswords
Decorating
Distanced Walking
Do-it-yourself Haircuts**
Gardening
Nature-watch (at home)
Neighbourhood support group via WhatsApp group – Warriors not Worriers

* I'm not very good at baking as it's more of an exact science, and I have a tendency to go "off piste" when it comes to measurements and ingredients

** I cut my fringe - alone, but it was a combination of both me and himself managing to produce a pretty decent complete head haircut for his highness!

*** This will, hopefully, be on-line from the 1st June, depending on who, within the Winchcombe Gardens community, submit photos. The example can be found here:
www.opengardens-winchcombe.com/2020-virtual-tour

**** At the time of writing GBP 48.00 has been raised by 50p pot sales.... more for sale next week!

Netflix fix
On-line ordering - mainly books
Organising – everything!
Organising a VIRTUAL Open Gardens 'tour' and photographic competition***
Paint and Draw
Quizzes
Reading - even more than usual
Rest and Relaxation
Sleep
Sowing and planting
Selling 50p plant pots with proceeds to GWAAC (Air Ambulance) ****
Thumbs-Up for the Postie
Write a letter or two...or three or four

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Only 50p a Pot!

19/5/2020

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Today I put out the first lot of extra plants for sale. These are the ones that have been doing their thing in No. 2 greenhouse - which is the one I use for hardening-off and acclimatising. Especially when considering the fact that this time as week ago, we had two nights of frosts?! Today it got up to 24 degrees and the aroma of sun-tan lotion was in the air.

ANYWAY, I need to clear No.2 GH as much as possible because it's time to sort the tomatoes out, and try and get a handle on the Hot Peppers (chilli) and Marconi Sweet Peppers. The thing is, I'm not terribly confident that what I have labelled up as these peppers, are actually the real thing! This is because they look like tomato plants - and a few even smell like toms BUT I'm not sure!! To be honest , it wouldn't be unheard of for the odd pot to have ended up in the wrong tray, but it is somewhat irritating. And of course, I can only take responsibility for this myself. Suffice to say, there are a number of 'random' plants-in-pots and it is not beyond the realm of possibility that I am cultivating a lot of weeds too!

By the way, all the proceeds from my 50p pots are raising funds for the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). The team that attended my sister Kate, were incredible.

"Great Western Air Ambulance Charity is a registered charity providing the Critical Care and air ambulance service across Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire".

see: https://greatwesternairambulance.com/
and
https://greatwesternairambulance.com/donate/

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Phew; Furlough!

15/5/2020

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I am particularly relieved that the Government has said it will continue paying out on ‘furlough’ for a few more months. Phew! Especially as over the past week even more commentators have said that theatres probably won’t open until the new year. That’s a long time! However, we can cope on 80% salary for a bit longer and as has become even more apparent, “life’s too short”, so let’s embrace the reading, cooking, cake-baking, gentle pottering about and, of course, gardening!

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Staying 'busy'...

4/5/2020

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There’s not much to report really, what with following the lockdown rules and suchlike. Although I know some people are getting frustrated and bored, I’m quite content – and I have plenty to do! Every day there are a number of ‘jobs’ that seem to become apparent. Having said that, going through all the paperwork that had been shoved into various drawers and folders over the past year (and more) wasn’t the most exciting couple of hours – but very satisfactory when done! Even doing the weeding feels like an accomplishment – and it tones the hamstrings too, so has to be considered a bonus. I am focusing on a relatively small section per day [or two] attacking it with a hoe, leaving it until the next day and then sifting through all the debris and shoving it in the compost heap. The birds love it because it stirs up the grubs and worms! We have regular avian visitors – the robins who have been with us for a while (or at least various family members), a pair of blackbirds – although one is female as she is brown, various sparrows and finches (a brightly coloured chaffinch perched on the oak tree today). Also, some rather menacing starlings (or possibly rooks) and dozy, puffed-up wood-pigeons who haven’t got the sense or wherewithal to do anything other than waddle about or get themselves into an high-anxiety flap (literally).

Some days we don’t leave the confines of the house and garden, and on others might just walk into town’s North and High Streets, to buy milk and bread. However, the most common adventure is to do a circuit of the fields and rec near to the house- it’s never boring, as there is always something new to see that hasn’t appeared noticeable before.

Also, the bullocks are back – and they’re always entertaining – a contradictory mix of bravado and being intensely inquisitive, coupled with skittish nervousness!

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STAY CALM AND PLANT SOMETHING

2/5/2020

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GARDENING TO STAY POSITIVE - by Robin Sweetser

One of the most hopeful things we can do in troubled times is to plant a garden. Planting a seed is an act of faith that tomorrow will come. In Hindi the word for seed is “bija,” which means “containment of life.” Each seed contains an embryo and a starchy food supply—everything needed to make a new plant. Seeds are proof that life goes on.

Gardening is one of the oldest healing arts.
It gives the kind of solace that our present situation cries out for. If you are finding that anxiety over the pandemic is becoming too much to bear, head outside for a nature fix. Plants are universal to the human experience and touch something innate in all of us. Neurologist Oliver Sacks found, after 40 years of medical practice, that music and gardens were the two best types of non-drug therapy. “In many cases, gardens and nature are more powerful than medication,” he said.

Gardening is a meditative act
Simple acts like raking leaves and clipping back spent plants help us to gain control and bring order to one corner of our lives. Hard physical labour like digging or hoeing is a positive way to express anger and relieve tension.
Whether you are planting seedlings, picking beans, or pulling weeds, gardening requires mindfulness of the task at hand, carrying us into a meditative state of complete absorption and sweeping all thoughts of coronavirus to the side.
Refresh and hit the reset button as you let useless worries go while reconnecting with nature.

Plant a seed, plant life
Most of us will never raise enough to be self-sufficient but even if you just grow one tomato plant, the simple act of gardening will give you a great sense of accomplishment, especially when you finally get to harvest the fruits—and vegetables—of your labour. Fresh air, exercise, and homegrown produce - what could be better?

If you are healthy, stuck at home, and have a piece of ground or some containers to plant in—get growing! There are lots of plants that can be directly seeded in the ground, no transplants needed.

For vegetables try peas, beans, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, beets, chard, carrots, and radishes.

For flowers, zinnias, marigolds, calendula, nasturtiums and sunflowers are fast growers and will quickly reward you with their bright blossoms.

Keep Calm and Garden On!

Robin Sweetser and her partner Tom have a small greenhouse business and also sell plants, cut flowers, and vegetables at their local Farmer’s Market [in the USA].

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Man's Destiny and A Spare Feast...

2/5/2020

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These seeds - as you can see - are dated 2003. So, 17 years ago - which is the same year that Paul and I met and started seeing each other. Well, I thought I'd give the radishes a go - and look, it's working!

A bit of tender, loving care - warmth, feeding and watering - just like a relationship!?!

"What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes."
Samuel Beckett ( 1906 – 1989) novelist, playwright, theatre director, poet, and literary translator.

"Spare feast! a radish and an egg"
William Cowper (1731 – 25 April 1800) was an English poet and one of the most popular of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the English countryside.

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