0 comment Monday, August 25, 2014 | admin
I never thought I'd say "Hm, maybe it's time for some rain..." but I'm actually thinking it. Srsly.
It hasn't rained in weeks. This is one of the driest springs I've ever seen. Everything has come up quite early and I know from past experience what this usually means is we're going to have an incredibly naff summer but I have to wonder: where's the rain?
I've actually taken to watering my lawn - yes, one of THOSE people - because I just laid the grass seed down last year and it's still quite patchy. More to the point, there isn't anywhere near enough rain for the spring and the young stuff may die if I don't. I'm not a huge proponent of grass really but I'd rather have grass than a garden full of bindweed, so I give it the best chance I can. And with this lack of water and the rapidly lowering level in the waterbutt outside I can't help but hear the words "hosepipe ban" whispered in my ear. It's a possibility so I may as well water and spread the seaweed fertiliser and the fish, blood and bone meal now before the crisis point hits. I'm aware the reservoirs in the area are very low, much lower than they should be, and the wetlands didn't flood locally like they tend to do every spring. It's a little worrying.
It's slightly hazy out there today but there's not a hint of proper cloud, just the somewhat almost-misty atmosphere we get up here sometimes. Everything is growing like mad and I keep eyeing the raised bed for seeds and wondering where the seedlings are, then having to remind myself we're only on the tail-end of April; the broad beans aren't late, it's barely time for them to start doing anything, actually, and they're just starting to poke up out the soil, same as the runner beans. The peas are still dawdling. I have baby leaf lettuce and my carrots are showing some signs of life, the shallots and garlic going great guns, but everything else is still taking its time. The newly planted strawberry crowns are doing their best to spread and there's even a few flowers starting to form from previous plants I thought I had lost. It's going to be a sporadic strawberry harvest, but it will do!
The Halloween Cats are now a year old and are growing into fine specimens - getting used to being outdoors and absolutely convinced they can take on pigeons, seagulls, guinea pigs and possibly small dogs - (brave or stupid? not sure which!). Voodoo is the more adventurous and often gets himself into trouble; he's tried to range wider in territory several times now and I've had to rescue him. This morning I found him cowering on my front step - HOW he got out I'm not sure, but seems he jumped a very high window and lost his footing. Silly kitten! He's fine now and of course he and his brother Jester rush to the back door at the same time to do it all over again. In between they sprawl in patches of sunlight or, in Jester's case, fight for lapspace whilst I sit here at the computer, staring at blank documents and waiting for the writing to come. Jester is the attention-sponge, and Voodoo is, shall we say, incredibly aptly named and takes pride of place when I'm doing witchy-things.
Already done the garden watering, baked a lovely loaf of brioche which I've had a slice of for elevenses, had a small hobble-about to survey a few things I want to do in the garden over the year, and I'm tackling the laundry pile today. Child is at his father's house and so it is quite and chilled. I want to paint but my brain seems to be telling me the return to the school-work routine will come quite soon (Tuesday in fact) so I had best get the mundane stuff done first or I'll find myself scrabbling about tomorrow wondering why I didn't get the ironing, uniforms stuff, shoe polishing and all that sort of stuff done first.
It doesn't mean I can't do so whilst the breeze blows through my house, savouring a cuppa, and listening to music (a rare thing in my house as child is so sensitive to sound and he hates the stuff I listen to). Domestic bliss day, basically. Sometimes, that's a good thing.
It hasn't rained in weeks. This is one of the driest springs I've ever seen. Everything has come up quite early and I know from past experience what this usually means is we're going to have an incredibly naff summer but I have to wonder: where's the rain?
I've actually taken to watering my lawn - yes, one of THOSE people - because I just laid the grass seed down last year and it's still quite patchy. More to the point, there isn't anywhere near enough rain for the spring and the young stuff may die if I don't. I'm not a huge proponent of grass really but I'd rather have grass than a garden full of bindweed, so I give it the best chance I can. And with this lack of water and the rapidly lowering level in the waterbutt outside I can't help but hear the words "hosepipe ban" whispered in my ear. It's a possibility so I may as well water and spread the seaweed fertiliser and the fish, blood and bone meal now before the crisis point hits. I'm aware the reservoirs in the area are very low, much lower than they should be, and the wetlands didn't flood locally like they tend to do every spring. It's a little worrying.
It's slightly hazy out there today but there's not a hint of proper cloud, just the somewhat almost-misty atmosphere we get up here sometimes. Everything is growing like mad and I keep eyeing the raised bed for seeds and wondering where the seedlings are, then having to remind myself we're only on the tail-end of April; the broad beans aren't late, it's barely time for them to start doing anything, actually, and they're just starting to poke up out the soil, same as the runner beans. The peas are still dawdling. I have baby leaf lettuce and my carrots are showing some signs of life, the shallots and garlic going great guns, but everything else is still taking its time. The newly planted strawberry crowns are doing their best to spread and there's even a few flowers starting to form from previous plants I thought I had lost. It's going to be a sporadic strawberry harvest, but it will do!
The Halloween Cats are now a year old and are growing into fine specimens - getting used to being outdoors and absolutely convinced they can take on pigeons, seagulls, guinea pigs and possibly small dogs - (brave or stupid? not sure which!). Voodoo is the more adventurous and often gets himself into trouble; he's tried to range wider in territory several times now and I've had to rescue him. This morning I found him cowering on my front step - HOW he got out I'm not sure, but seems he jumped a very high window and lost his footing. Silly kitten! He's fine now and of course he and his brother Jester rush to the back door at the same time to do it all over again. In between they sprawl in patches of sunlight or, in Jester's case, fight for lapspace whilst I sit here at the computer, staring at blank documents and waiting for the writing to come. Jester is the attention-sponge, and Voodoo is, shall we say, incredibly aptly named and takes pride of place when I'm doing witchy-things.
Already done the garden watering, baked a lovely loaf of brioche which I've had a slice of for elevenses, had a small hobble-about to survey a few things I want to do in the garden over the year, and I'm tackling the laundry pile today. Child is at his father's house and so it is quite and chilled. I want to paint but my brain seems to be telling me the return to the school-work routine will come quite soon (Tuesday in fact) so I had best get the mundane stuff done first or I'll find myself scrabbling about tomorrow wondering why I didn't get the ironing, uniforms stuff, shoe polishing and all that sort of stuff done first.
It doesn't mean I can't do so whilst the breeze blows through my house, savouring a cuppa, and listening to music (a rare thing in my house as child is so sensitive to sound and he hates the stuff I listen to). Domestic bliss day, basically. Sometimes, that's a good thing.