Monday, 13 March 2017
As I write the first part of this in the mid afternoon, the rain is not as fierce as it was this morning. In my youth…maybe five years ago…I would have leapt out to do some work. Now, I feel less like working in the drizzle. I added last week’s one day of work to the time sheet and was shocked to see we’ve eight rain and windy bitter cold and even snow days off. Meanwhile, I’m embarrassed to report that Dave and Melissa bundled up in rain gear and worked through almost ALL the weather.
My excuse today: The soil is boggy and the plants are all drenched. What a wimp!
I did take a walk in the soft rain throughout the garden.

Skooter looked startled that I opened the front door.

hyacinth basket

looking south

soggy footing

lots of crocuses

Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick (contorted filbert)

way too much fried egg plant reseeded in the bogsy wood

narcissi, and monster shotweed

Slippery ground prevented the shotweed pulling and fern clipping from starting up.


pulmonaria (spotted dog)

hard to even imagine when we’ll be able to have a campfire

The swale path is a pond.

Looking north. Water on the center path is over the top of my boots.

south gate

I do wish this water stood all year long.


coming round the west side

more pulmonaria

corydalis foliage

crocuses

They will replace the wonky tadpole pond set up…

I love my new stop the eye fence.

Euonymus ‘Wolong Ghost’ is seriously climbing the front of the house, which is vinyl clad.
Here is the full collection of hellebore blossoms.

Skooter appeared.


The center one is last year’s birthday present from Our Kathleen.

Because my camera has been finding it hard to capture the glory of the corylopsis in bloom, I asked Allan to photograph it.

Corylopsis and crocus, my photo

Corylopsis pauciflora


with some fill in flash
I’d like to read for the rest of the day in this most wonderful book:
I can already tell you I am going to be rating this book at 20 stars. As a former housecleaner for 18 years, I find deep familiarity in the stories of doing housework for richer folk. And as the protagonist, Mildred, talks with her best friend about race, I keep marveling in a furious way that 70 years after it was written, how very much about racism is still the same. Read it; it is wonderful and it’s funny despite its serious topics. Read about it here.
My reading hours are curtailed because tonight is the local Democrats meeting. I know Mildred would want me to go. Here are her thoughts on a meeting:
It looks like you got plenty of rain, Skyler! We’ve had a warming trend down here now, mid 50s. Growth of everything is really taking off.
At your meeting tonight, please mention “Single Payer”. It’s time for that. I’ve written my Senators and Representative, and even the Governor. I don’t know if you are aware of the Healthcare-Now! folks, and H.R676. Healthcare-NOW! is a grassroots organization that fights to end the health insurance crisis by educating and advocating for improved Medicare-for-all legislation, such as HR 676.
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I fervently agree with how we need that single buyer system!
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I admire you for persisting in your “chop and drop” bed mulching. I just let the leaves from my trees, plus the pine needles, lay on the garden beds all winter to protect my more tender plants. I don’t think I could add to the bedhead mess by leaving all the clippings there too instead of composting them.
Your collection of hellebores looks lovely enough to keep and frame the picture!
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It is going to be very difficult to continue the chop and drop experiment when I get my three compost bins put together. I don’t think I’ll be able to resist a good tidy up.
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Loved this post.. my first time commenting, but have been following you since October. I am moving into into my mothers little house on the peninsula where she kept a beautiful tangly cottage garden for 40 years.. sadly after she died 10 years ago the yard and garden was left to itself, will now be my great pleasure to dedicate myself to. I thank you so for your beautiful and informative blog and look forward to meeting you, most probably with the Democrats!
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Oh, I do look forward to meeting you! And seeing your new/old garden.
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It does look remarkably soggy. Your assistant cameraman did some excellent work. The hellebores are great.
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Thanks, Mr T!
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