Remember those puzzles which were like little screens with tiles inside? They fell out of Christmas crackers and to pieces soon afterwards? Plastic, clattery-noised? What were they called? I can't for the life of me remember. The point was to shunt the tiles around to make a picture - left, right, up, down, click-clack, shift-shuffle; what a waste of time and space they were. Ditto the Rubik's Cube, only that had another dimension the better to confuse.
Well, the greenhouse is a bit like that at present; to put down a tomato one must first move a courgette - which necessitates shifting an aubergine. Then, for heaven's sake a tray, of lettuce is in the way.........Sigh. Everything circulates and at the end of the process you end up exactly where you started but slightly more disheveled and wild eyed.
Two weeks ago everything was neatly contained in seed trays on the bench - then the process of moving those babes up the housing ladder began. Having got a bit more space they grew into it and it's time to move on and up again. Tiny pots, medium pots and finally great big 'uns. (Just like raising a family - thank goodness they don't have their friends round.) We're bursting at the seams and anticipating that magic moment 'when the possibility of frost is past' and anything tender can go outdoors. Realistically the possibility of frost is remote but our local prophets of doom warn, with shake of head and sharp intake of breath, that 8 inches of snow in May is not unknown 'up 'ere', adding 'never have a runner bean above ground before June....' So I take heed and practise patience.
I love this nurturing process; the tending, the pricking out and potting on. I like the neat rows of pots with plants reaching maturity and fulfilling their destiny. I've done my best for them. But right now it's a muddle - it's a jungle in there and I've have reached the stage - like all mothers I guess - when I wish they'd all just leave home a give me a bit of space!
13 comments:
What is the saying round here?..."nair cast a clout 'til may is out"....think that was in reference to keeping your vest on but I well remember my Dad saying never to put bedding plants out 'til after end of May because of late frosts and of course it's another world with you just a few miles up the road.
...Aha found you!
Now does the above refer to the month or the May blossom?
...and now I can see that this works..did you get washed away by the floods? Pretty awful here, water just flew off the hills - never bothered with the usual streams. and as for our green-house - well its...gone!
...have just been down to the bottom of available blogs - are you sure you wont come into Purple coo (ex County Living naughty bloggers unite) site? They would love to see your pictures, and blogs of course- that montage of the blossom is really amazing! the water is warm and the company is wacky and what REAL country living is all about....
I've always thought it was the blossom - which is just coming out up here.
We certainly had rain but I think the worst of our water raced past us and down to the Rea Valley. Some of it has stopped though to moisten the soil thank goodness.
So sorry to hear about the greenhouse SS - is it a total doom and gloom scenario or is a small something salvageable?
Thank you for the invitation - just received. I'll take a look and put my 'joining' head on.
What with one of you sending rain down from the one hillside and the other the opposite side of me there is really no hope for me down in the valley in the middle...
....maybe I should take up boat building
The mice are at my pea plants again...perhaps they are busy making room for the next phase of the puzzle game.
What a lovely post.
It sounds like Peter Rabbit's idea of heaven in your greenhouse ..
In Suffolk we say May the hedgerow - ie blackthorn - I used to keep my vest on till June - only kidding!! Loved your description of the greenhouse and enjoyed your blog - mousie
Lovely treat to find your blogs. I have nervously confessed to several of my Welsh-dwelling friends over at Purplecoo that, to my shame, I've never been to Wales - but am loving reading about it.
I could almost have been there in your greenhouse this morning, what a lovely description although I had forgotten about frost in May...
Your blog is fabulous! Gorgeous pictures and the montage of lingerie flowers is stupendous! Is your Springer called Chester? My BIL's Springer is called Chester and also lives in Wales (Llandudno).....ace squirrel description too. So glad you've linked with the purple brigade.
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