Thursday 2 June 2011

Red sky at night -

Got it right this time! Took this picture last night and woke up to a bright sunny day. Then the breeze dropped and boy was it hot. Really not used to the heat anymore. I can remember living in the Midlands and being so uncomfortable in the humid oppressive heat of the Summer. We dont get humidity here but it can get very hot. I think it is because the air is so clean.
I managed a couple of hours in the garden this afternoon. Clearing yet more of the dreaded ground elder. It really is an evil plant. I cleared part of a bed over a week ago and wee plantlets have shot up from a root I missed.
It is also a voyage of discovery as I find more plants and shrubs in the border that had been smothered by the Bishops Weed. Two sad looking roses bushes, a variegated 'need to look at the book' shrub, and one possible flowering plant that I will have to wait til it does to see if its friend or foe. Having said all that, my sister in law is coming this weekend and she is a real horticulturalist. Her previous garden in Glasgow was featured on the tele..... So I will follow her round with notebook and pen.

I spoke about the granite built front of the house. You can see from pretty cats posing on the front windowsill the thickness of the walls, from the depth of the window sill. Above Minerva McGonagall. Below Cait Sith (Gaelic for Fairy Cat.) (We got that wrong!)




More of my husbands forays into the wilds of Buchan. This is comfrey growing wild.




I like Comfrey, because the bees do. I remember asking at Happy Plant, the Biggest Garden Centre in the North East, at nearby village, if they had any.


"We dont sell weeds." was the sniffy reply.


I did manage to get some from a herb stall on a Farmers Market. That was at our previous home, so will be on the hunt again. I have germinated some Borage seeds, almost ready to go out. Dill, to come in the house and Coriander and Basil ditto.


You may need to hit this picture and enlarge it. Our 'common' bird of prey roond and aboot, the Buzzard.


Now - a salutary tale. Not sure whether I mentioned this before. However, I found the local library when we first moved, and borrowed a book about the local area. It was a bit chaotic here and when I had a moment to sit and read I looked for the book, and looked and looked. I can only think that with all the piles of stuff around this book was gathered up with the papers to be recycled and by the time I had thought this it was too late and the paper bin had been emptied. I renewed the book on line to give me a breathing space and then began the search to buy a replacement. The cheapest I can get this book, not new, but second hand is over £20!!!!!! Paperback to boot. So I have had to do that. Yet to be faced is the librarian in the village. Just have everything crossed that when the blurb said it was in good condition it is. How on earth do they justify that price? I think it was the book seller who entered my house in the night, stole the book, and is selling it back to me.......

4 comments:

Lynn said...

I'm sorry you hated the Midlands so much.
L.x.

justjill said...

The only thing good about it was the friends I made there.

Anonymous said...

Sweltering here too Jill, 30c! Probably coz we're inland a bit. Not used to this!

justjill said...

Lovely to have you visit! You draw pictures with your words, I so enjoy your blog.
Much cooler now, so this old bird has more energy.