I was reprimanded this morning in the supermarket for not standing in the appropriate spot with my trolley whilst waiting my turn for a checkout aisle. I stood where I have always stood - I have been very good about observing both social distancing and shopping etiquette in these strange times. Therefore, I was startled (as appeared to be my fellow shoppers judging by the popping of their eyes and raising of their eyebrows) to be yelled at and told to ‘STAND BACK!’ by this grouch of a customer service assistant. I got several looks of sympathy from my fellow queuees, and I left the supermarket feeling, to be honest, offended by the woman’s attitude. But perhaps that was just me being a bit thin skinned. Perhaps she was in a bad mood for reasons I didn’t know and I should accommodate that, you know, in the spirit of ‘don’t judge others until you walk in their shoes.’ Anyway, I was home just after 8 a.m, my own mood set to ‘grouch’ for the rest of the day.
So I sat with cups of tea doing crosswords, word searches, sudoku and various other insular puzzle activities. Then I told myself to get off my backside and do something useful, so I did some vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting including the leaves of the rubber plant which, since I repotted it, has put on remarkable growth. I gave the ceramic hedgehog doorstop (a gift from my son for Mothers’ Day many years ago) a bath to render its textured coat dust free. I made a loaf of bread. And then I made a mug of coffee and took it up the garden to Andy who was making these...
...new compost bins in what shall henceforth be known as The Utility Area of the garden, home to compost bins, water butts and the incinerator. The potting shed is to the left of the picture, an olde worlde apple tree to the right. Behind the bins is a holly hedge of truly vicious proportions. I am guessing the ladder is there for no other reason in that it hasn’t been granted a permanent home yet due to its cumbersome length and weight.
These bins are around 50% bigger than the old ones. They have been built in the true spirit of recycling, being constructed from pallets, bits of wood leftover from previous garden projects, and the old hen house. They are big enough to get stuck into with a garden fork for regular turning over of the compost. They are also big enough to accommodate a deckchair for sheltered sitting and snoozing out of the wind. Blimey, but wasn’t it windy today?! The bins will have tops and fronts added to them to aid build up and retention of heat. They face south so will catch the sun for a goodly part of the day. I think they will be good bins!
They cheered me up no end! And there is room to add a fourth!
Yesterday I spent three hours weeding over the lavender bed which, to my shame, had become sadly neglected. I planted 12 lavenders a couple of years ago, 10 of which survived. They have filled out very nicely and their bed is right next door to the vegetable bed site, so will hopefully encourage some useful bee activity. I also sowed some runner beans, nasturtiums and, for the first time ever of growing, some Sweet Williams. Sweet Williams are in my Top Ten List of Favourite Flowers. I have decided to grow some for cutting for the house. I might have to get one of those shallow wicker baskets and practise my flower cutting wafting in a floppy hat and fancy gardening gloves รก la Margot Leadbetter.
And so the day has ended better than it started. I think I might change my grocery shopping allegiances.
So I sat with cups of tea doing crosswords, word searches, sudoku and various other insular puzzle activities. Then I told myself to get off my backside and do something useful, so I did some vacuuming, sweeping, and dusting including the leaves of the rubber plant which, since I repotted it, has put on remarkable growth. I gave the ceramic hedgehog doorstop (a gift from my son for Mothers’ Day many years ago) a bath to render its textured coat dust free. I made a loaf of bread. And then I made a mug of coffee and took it up the garden to Andy who was making these...
These bins are around 50% bigger than the old ones. They have been built in the true spirit of recycling, being constructed from pallets, bits of wood leftover from previous garden projects, and the old hen house. They are big enough to get stuck into with a garden fork for regular turning over of the compost. They are also big enough to accommodate a deckchair for sheltered sitting and snoozing out of the wind. Blimey, but wasn’t it windy today?! The bins will have tops and fronts added to them to aid build up and retention of heat. They face south so will catch the sun for a goodly part of the day. I think they will be good bins!
They cheered me up no end! And there is room to add a fourth!
Yesterday I spent three hours weeding over the lavender bed which, to my shame, had become sadly neglected. I planted 12 lavenders a couple of years ago, 10 of which survived. They have filled out very nicely and their bed is right next door to the vegetable bed site, so will hopefully encourage some useful bee activity. I also sowed some runner beans, nasturtiums and, for the first time ever of growing, some Sweet Williams. Sweet Williams are in my Top Ten List of Favourite Flowers. I have decided to grow some for cutting for the house. I might have to get one of those shallow wicker baskets and practise my flower cutting wafting in a floppy hat and fancy gardening gloves รก la Margot Leadbetter.
And so the day has ended better than it started. I think I might change my grocery shopping allegiances.
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