A Foray into the Garden My birthday and Life Generally

Things have not gone well in the garden this year, although I intend to do a little bit more for my own sanity and peace than for anything else.

The garden as usual needs a good sort out and I have been fretting to get out there and start doing something about it.

I have ordered in a few more planters and I am going to get them started off with some simple crops like mixed salad leaves etc.  It will be a little start and something that should help with not having to buy in lettuce leaves.

I also intend to grow some Mustard and Cress.  I love this with egg - sandwiches in particular and the greens do you good.

Saturday 2 May 2026

Yesterday, despite having a lot of pain and discomfort I managed to get out in the lovely weather for a while.  I have started clearing the right hand side border of the patio slabs where the weeds have kind of took over.  I managed to half clear it. I have to go over it with a fork and clear any twitch out of the soil. There are some lumps on the soil which need riddling to break them down a bit. However if I pace myself this should be achievable.  My mission through this week is to try and get out (weather permitting) for at least an hour a day.  The peace and quite and gentle work seem to soothe my soul and give me a chance to simply be, whilst working with my hands.  For some unknown reason I always have to be doing something with my hands.

I also managed to clear a bit more in the old Herb Garden and have also resurrected several plants. However I do have to order a few more in, due to my lack of being able to do things when they are needed to be done.

We then had a major rain storm out of no where.  The wind got up from being none one moment into the most violent of rain storms.  We had no lightning or thunder, but I did feel sorry for the wild creatures especially the birds.  I had had my little Robin friend with me in the garden when I was starting to clear the border.

I have noticed that there is a lot of Rhubarb to harvest and I will also need to deal with this.

Sunday 3 May 2026

Today is my birthday. It is a lot cooler today and there is a breeze.  Very much overcast with occasional glimpses of the Sun. G has gone fishing and left me being baby sat by an 18 year old Jack Russell and a 12 year old Tabby cat or is that me nursing them!  It has meant I have had a little bit of a lay in and also just peace to do what I want to do without any stress or timelines and literally just be in the moment.  There is a lot to do, but hopefully will get there eventually if I keep plugging away at things when I have the energy to do things.  These days I am a bit like the Duracell Bunny and am all action then I just run out of steam and have to sit down.  It does not sit well!

I am cooking/roasting a Pork Loin for tea with roasties, and veggies.  G bought a large trifle from the Baker yesterday so that will do for afters.  Just good simple food, nothing exotic.  Sometimes this is like balm on  a wound, just eating simply and well makes all the difference and is a blessing of a different kind.  I keep things simple where I can.

Has been a lovely stress-less day which is what I wanted from the outset.  Have had some lovely pressies as well.

Monday 4 May 2026

The aim of this week is to tackle a bit of the garden each day even if only for a small portion of time as it will soon build up.  Thought the exercise would do me good and help me build up my reserves after them achieving rock bottom as a result of the Shingles.  Being in nature is always soothing.

I am also back to Monday which is usually the main laundry day.  Weather is supposed to be good for today. I therefore did some washing last night in order to get it out on the line and dried naturally.

I am also going back into the Kitchen and trying to sort out the mess in there for a little while at least. Might have to break off as I go along, but that is par for the course these days.

Tuesday 5 May 2026

Despite  my plans to be garden bound I did not get there.  More washing was accomplished, but I still have more to deal with.  You just get to the end of one pile and it is time to start another.  One of the consequences of having pets and also clean clothes on everyday.

I still have a lot of discomfort from the Shingles, and pain and copious of amounts of itching.  We have now reached the stage where the blisters have all dried up and it is a case of having to moisturise the skin and try and get back to some sort of normal.  Due to the Shingles under my arm and on my back they had all joined up and it felt as though I had a set of serious burns under my arm and back with varying degrees of heat and cold.  Trying to keep cooler because of the rash and the after effects has nigh on been difficult as I have Raynaud's Syndrome both 1 and 2 where my hands, fingers, nose and toes go blue and then white and I cannot feel the circulation in them.  When this happens the rest of my body goes really cold as well which is one of the reasons I have to wrap up.  It has not been easy as the heat starts the itching and the pain off.  It is not an easy pain as it is a throbbing pain for most of the time.

Friday 8 May 2026

I made a decision.  We got up early and the pair of us started to tackle the front garden which was due its usual strip down after the Winter months.

We set about the Privet hedge getting that trimmed down the sides and the top.  We also did next door's side and got the Hoe out to get rid of the weeds down the side.  Underneath the Privet hedge is a deep gap and the rubbish from the street gets blown under there and so this needed stripping out as well.

G dealt with the Holly and the Cotoneaster which has also been thinned out considerably.  I also went over the gravel removing any leaves and Holly leaves out of the gravel.  We had had an Elder plant itself and so that was removed.  Also dealt with all the dried leaves that gather on the walls.  Swept those down.  Then washed the windows, the paintwork, the door and post box and got that squeaky clean again.  Got all the rubbish bagged up - all green stuff which will go to the Tip during the week.  Also washed the front pavement down with disinfectant, and also the passage.  We have no neighbours at the present, but there have been showings.  That is all lovely and clean now.  Well pleased with what we have managed to do today; it all looks much tidier.

Saturday 9 May 2026

After yesterday's successful day and after a small lay in this morning as I really did ache after yesterday, I decided to go into the Old Herb Garden which is outside our Back door and which had become a bit of a dumping ground to start to tackle that.  The work has been a lot more time intense compared to the front garden and it will probably take me another day or two, but I am pleased with what I have managed to do today.  I have also rescued some plants from the garden and started to add these in as I go along.  I have Lavender, Rosemary, two planters of Chives in place there already.  I am working along the left hand side of the house walking up to the back door.  Once this side has all been sorted out I can then work down the Old Herb Garden part where the Grapevine is in situ.  I will hopefully carry on with this for a little while tomorrow.  G is fishing, but I have a lot to do weather permitting.  I shall continue with this until it is completed.  More on next week's update.

Hope everyone is keeping well.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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