Every Wednesday when the weather agrees Ben comes to help me in the garden. He is my elf and my green wizard. Since I have fibromyalgia I find some things really difficult to do and so Ben comes and helps with the digging and weeding and in general he is a wise man with plenty of knowledge and experience. One of the most important things he says is to have patience.
Patience and to ultimately have time to enjoy the garden and not always be working in it.
He has been gardening for many years around here in this particular challenging climate and geographical lay-out.
Today he weeded around the roses and put horse manure and mushroom compost on them. He also planted lots of summer bulbs for colour and interest this summer. I let him plant them anywhere he pleased to surprise me when the time comes!
I am very lucky to have Ben I realise this.
He is in great demand. So these Wednesdays have become a joy and anticipation. We talk about gardening a lot and find that most of the metaphors are well-suited to life itself.
Half way through I make coffee for him and tea for me. I give him a Sheep mug and I drink from my I LOVE CATS mug. Usually we have a few bickies too, today we had drop scones and sat on the bench outside the cottage door.
Let's see if next Wednesday brings decent weather. I want to do more planting!
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Walpurgis May Day Beltane
These days have brought an awareness of the inevitable arrival of Spring.
A Sweatlodge over the weekend, Morris Men dancing, and big cleansing purifying bonfires.
Welcoming opening up and letting light and warmth coming in.
The windows are open to the cottage, the cats spend more time outside, it is exhilarating...
A Sweatlodge over the weekend, Morris Men dancing, and big cleansing purifying bonfires.
Welcoming opening up and letting light and warmth coming in.
The windows are open to the cottage, the cats spend more time outside, it is exhilarating...
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Snabdough Farm
This is where I go to get the best eggs in the valley and environs.
Rhode Island Reds are the preferred breed and the eggs are so tasty and rich. On egg alone can make a meal.They are also a beautiful warm brown with feathers and shit stuck on them!
The owner of the farm is a wonderful man who enjoys gardening and has a productive green house and likes a chat. He also let me try his blue scooter the other day and I am enamoured. That is what I want for my next birthday!
Friday, 24 April 2009
B-Earthday
I have had my very own birthday on Earth day! I love that the two are the same date.
This year I was in Grasmere in the Lake District for the day and night.
We had to go over to Dove Cottage, The Wordsworth Trust to film Tomas Venclova and Ellen Hinsey. They were reading from their new books in the church in the middle of Grasmere. It is a very unusual building and the Wordsworths are buried in the churchyard. The last and only time I was there was for Robert Woof's funeral and so it was especially uplifting to be there for a memorable poetry reading.
As birthdays go it was alright I suppose. A lot of work though and rushing around but then I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with my son in Hexham. He cooked us a delicious Japanese dinner. It was a warm sunny afternoon and we had tea outside in his courtyard and then took a drive in the countryside. Bought country eggs at Wall, sat on the bench with the glorious view at Anick and wishing the Rat was open, visited Barrasford and explored that area.
Today the kittens are 2. So they are officially cats now! We will celebrate them over the weekend.
On sunny warm days Northumberland has a unique feeling. Spacious and liberating.
This year I was in Grasmere in the Lake District for the day and night.
We had to go over to Dove Cottage, The Wordsworth Trust to film Tomas Venclova and Ellen Hinsey. They were reading from their new books in the church in the middle of Grasmere. It is a very unusual building and the Wordsworths are buried in the churchyard. The last and only time I was there was for Robert Woof's funeral and so it was especially uplifting to be there for a memorable poetry reading.
As birthdays go it was alright I suppose. A lot of work though and rushing around but then I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with my son in Hexham. He cooked us a delicious Japanese dinner. It was a warm sunny afternoon and we had tea outside in his courtyard and then took a drive in the countryside. Bought country eggs at Wall, sat on the bench with the glorious view at Anick and wishing the Rat was open, visited Barrasford and explored that area.
Today the kittens are 2. So they are officially cats now! We will celebrate them over the weekend.
On sunny warm days Northumberland has a unique feeling. Spacious and liberating.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Paloma Picasso
Today is Paloma Picasso's 60th Birthday.
Paloma Picasso Perfume Advertisements
Paloma Picasso by Pablo Picasso 1956
Paloma Picasso Perfume Advertisements
Paloma Picasso by Pablo Picasso 1956
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Primavera
I have not written on this blog for several days because we have had the most exquisite lovely weather lately.
Easter was glorious with warm sunny days and I spent them all outside although I was meant to be working to deadline on a film I am editing!
In this part of the world if it is a beautiful day you drop everything and just bask in it because you never know when the next one will come along!
So in between planting and drinking tea outdoors with the cats, they are marvellously helpful gardeners by the way and they do love digging!, I have been working on the film and for that I am glad.
A white peony went in below the rosa rugosa. Fruit trees all along the dyke where we found a huge stone lintel. More wild garlic which I am trying to establish near the ditch in the shady part under the shrubs.
Gardening has become for me a way to come to terms with living out here in the wilds.
I am trying to do un-invasive gardening where I encourage what grows here happily and introducing things that may very gently. I also do not prune hard and heavily I like to see how things will grow. I am encouraging what is native to here and grows in the wild. E.g. wild garlic, and cowslips.
Editing in between forays into the garden and sitting on the bench with a view and hot tea is a great way to work. I am grateful.
Yes and especially so because spring has finally arrived!
Easter was glorious with warm sunny days and I spent them all outside although I was meant to be working to deadline on a film I am editing!
In this part of the world if it is a beautiful day you drop everything and just bask in it because you never know when the next one will come along!
So in between planting and drinking tea outdoors with the cats, they are marvellously helpful gardeners by the way and they do love digging!, I have been working on the film and for that I am glad.
A white peony went in below the rosa rugosa. Fruit trees all along the dyke where we found a huge stone lintel. More wild garlic which I am trying to establish near the ditch in the shady part under the shrubs.
Gardening has become for me a way to come to terms with living out here in the wilds.
I am trying to do un-invasive gardening where I encourage what grows here happily and introducing things that may very gently. I also do not prune hard and heavily I like to see how things will grow. I am encouraging what is native to here and grows in the wild. E.g. wild garlic, and cowslips.
Editing in between forays into the garden and sitting on the bench with a view and hot tea is a great way to work. I am grateful.
Yes and especially so because spring has finally arrived!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
