Markus Raetz

Today is Markus Raetz birthday and above are some of his art works. He is a fascinating Swiss artist and I highly recommend looking up his work. He is also a wonderful man.

Happy Birthday!

Into the rockery went...

a Euphorbia

lots of Chives

and a Curry plant. The greygreen leaves smell of curry when they are touched!

The sun is shining on the rock garden this afternoon with my tea time. Do come and visit!

Two friends Richard and Domenico

Domenico de Clario

Richard Dindo

They are both born today in different years and in different places but both are of course Gemini. I have not seen either of them in quite a few years and I miss them. Richard is a filmmaker/cineaste and Domenico is an artist. I wish you Happy Birthday and send you good energy!

To be present to the present

The planting and weeding and digging and planning has proved to be a God's end to me.
In the last 9 months of living under quite severe stress I have found such solace in the yarden, as I call it, since it lies somewhere between a yard and a garden in its existence.
As a self-appointed guardian of Jean the former gardener I take care of the shrubs she planted. White lilacs, barberry, species roses, forsythia, rhododendron, japanese quince, clematis, rosa rugosa and New Dawn, black currants, three ancient fruit trees, and a beech hedge against the prevalent wind. I mainly renovate them i.e. cutting away dead branches to help them breathe and get air and light.
And I also have cleared space and planted a herb garden, opened up the former rockery, and I am preparing an area to be a wildflower meadow.
Eventually when the weather gets a wee bit more summery we will actually be able to sit outside and enjoy the view of the fells. There are two garden benches and a hammock waiting to be strung up.
I have found that when in duress going outside and being in the outdoors is so healing and makes the situation much less frantic. Serenity creeps in with the distraction of all the life around me, the insects, frogs, bunnies, sheep and lambs, and birds lots of birds.
There is a blue tit nesting in the slate birdhouse near the door.
Mainly I suppose it is a place to be in the present.
To be present to the present. The present being the yarden at present.

Todays plantings

Solomon's Seal

Cowslip in the primrose/primula family.

Buddleia Davidii Black Knight a shrub which attracts butterflies!

I like these for several reasons; A very easy to grow and low maintenance B they are beautiful, and graceful C the cowslip is a wildflower which is endangered D I really like them a lot!

Solomon's Seal is excellent in the shade and starts blooming in April and goes on through May at least. The Cowslip is happy in high grass a meadow flower. The Buddleia seems to be able to grow anywhere, you often see it as a sole urban shrub which will not be deterred!

So I am adding them to "Jean's" garden.

Thomas Hardy born today in 1840

Thomas Hardy and friend

Max Gate the house Thomas Hardy designed for himself and his wife Emma in Dorchester.

The study in which he wrote Tess of the D'Urbervilles and other books.
The Hardy family cottage where he grew up in Dorset.
Thomas Hardy one of the poets and writers of England who has always been much appreciated for his understanding of rural life and the subtexts of that intense existence. He trained as an architect but devoted more and more time to writing and after the success of Jude the Obscure he could do it full time and build Max Gate to live and work in.

June First Full Moon

Luna was spayed/fixed/done today at the Vets and we were shattered!
First of all taking her there along the long Roman road and she was crying out in her hot pink voyageur while I was singing cover versions of practically all the songs I know but with pussy cat references instead. The favourite was Because the night...
I had just heard Patti Smith at the Sage after all!
She then had to be picked up in the afternoon with a huge shaved area and a cut with stitches.
She seemed okay. Hillary the vet said she was in good form and that she just needed rest and time from the kittens. Hard to arrange! By the time we got home she had eaten up the stitches and had a gaping hole! I almost fainted, called the vet and got instructions...Luna seems to be handling it much better than we are. It has been a stressful day and night, and now they are united again in a basket with a soft blanky.
No more days on heat and extra affection, no more kittens, and no more looking out for suitable fellows.
I will look out for a photo I can post.