Phew, what a week. The garden has gone wild, and it's birthday month and then it's Christmas and then it's New Year...tommorrow I'm
going to stay home, slow down and do chores. I read this Spanish proverb last week:
...and then laughed maniacly. That's not something I have to aim for; I've noticed it arrives with old age; whenever that is. Here's a beautiful Romanesco Broccolli that I picked for tea tonight and made everybody eat because it's been such a long time growing. I planted them vaguely in Autumn in the glasshouse before I had learnt the value of the garden diary so let's just say it was about 6 months ago.
The snow is gone from the mountains so I've been putting in the garden: yams, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, globe artichokes, leeks and potting up all the tropicals: pumpkin, beans, cucumbers, corn and flowers, sunflowers, dill. I've got photos of it all but I haven't learnt how to put up more than four at a time so I've got plenty of material to go right through winter with. Here's the leeks down below. 180 went in and I probably threw out the smallest 25. This is way too early for leeks even here but I must have planted the seed way too soon (didn't have that trusty garden diary going) because suddenly they were ready and had to be planted. The board is a handy measure and something to stand on.going to stay home, slow down and do chores. I read this Spanish proverb last week:
'How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.'
...and then laughed maniacly. That's not something I have to aim for; I've noticed it arrives with old age; whenever that is. Here's a beautiful Romanesco Broccolli that I picked for tea tonight and made everybody eat because it's been such a long time growing. I planted them vaguely in Autumn in the glasshouse before I had learnt the value of the garden diary so let's just say it was about 6 months ago.
In the background you can just see some broad beans and a bit of straw mulch that hasn't blown away. Half the bed has short plants and half the bed has tall. I had formed an elaborate theory about wind and shade and soil condition and why they had had this effect before remembering that the first packet of seed were dwarf beans and the 2nd packet talls. There is often a simple explanation if you only knew it.
'Latin is a language
as old as old can be
first it killed the
Romans
and now it's killing me'
It's been a great week for laughs.
Plant physiology trivia of the day: there are also male and female cones on pines. Freaky!
ReplyDeleteThe garden sounds amazing- a heap of crops going in by the sounds, and that romanesque looks wonderful too. I hope it was suitably admired before being gobbled up.
I had an early night last night so missed your call sorry. I'm in tonight though so if you're not busy I'll give you a ring? Talk soon love Jen
Well there are plenty of blog grave sites on the Internet. Some people never get past one post. The secret is to enjoy it for yourself. Then the next trick is to find other people's blogs you like and comment regularly. Then you have some blog friends and you encourage each other along. It's also reassuring to know the whole thing doesn't just disappear into nothingness once you press "publish post."
ReplyDeleteMiri you have more than five readers, I read it too!
ReplyDeleteNicola
Hi Miri - what a great way to start the post. I wrote down the quote and have pinned it by my desk at work. It will serve me well in the coming weeks. I was looking in my diary for a day to take a study day before christmas and everyday seems to be committed to something or another. We have lots of parent meetings at this time of year and suddenly everyone has "before christmas" projects to do so taking time out to read your blog is very relaxing and helps me remember what the important things are. Having things in the garden, enjoying eating your own home grown food, reading good books, and having blog friends ( as well as non blog friends). Speaking of which I was feeling anxious about Rosies birthday especailly after she told me to invite some people my own age as well. Those age old fears of "but who would want to come" reared up again and then I remembered reading an autobiographical work by that irish writer - just forgotten her name - the one who writes really successful chick lit about dyfunctional irish women and their doomed love lives - anyway you know who I mean - oh yes Marianne Keyes that's her - well she wrote about hosting a party and agonising over the fact that no one would show. -and of course it was a raging success. I just liked it better when TOm organised his own 18th and I didnt have to go and everyone thought that was a great idea including me. See you Friday and really I am looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteHi Miri,
ReplyDeleteYour gardening efforts put me to shame. I just threw a few seeds here and there and am hoping for the best. Whatever I tend to generally dies and the plants I neglect pop up and take off.
Now, a wee word of advice for Big Giles, which I may have given before. Re latin - aim to get most of your marks in the Roman life and culture section and wing the language bit (although MaryNana will disagree but she is a language genius). With the translations, I always found the pictures useful for setting the scene(if they had any) and then recognising the odd word generally gave you a good sense of where to head - and if you were familiar with the story - eg Hannibal and the alps etc - you could just piece it together. (This is by no means foolproof, however, as my good friend Lorraine found out - on the right track but not quite getting there, she wrote that "Claudius spontaneously combusted" - the correct translation was "burned with anger". I would have given A for effort but markers don;t tend to have a sense of humour.
Love MAry
PS I always think of your Louis as "Big Louis" and somehow transferred that to Giles as well -hence reference to "Big Giles" above - in case any puzzlement as to the description!
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