Swatch

I'd like a chaise longue covered in

moorhen's foot green velvet.

Grr, gah, waaa

Well there's no denying it's lush.

But it's getting hard to stay motivated.

 The tomato seedlings have stalled

and the sweet peas are lying weakly on the soil

next to their robust wigwam.

It's too sad to show you.

Slates are sliding off the roof

in a manner horribly reminiscent of guillotine blades

so that's the next big job - one that we have dodged -

since we first moved here twenty odd years ago, 
apart from some remedial work.

I predict that the sun will come out just as soon

as we are wrapped around with light excluding scaffolding.

Perhaps we will be glad of the shade.

Meanwhile I am knitting faux Fair Isle,

 binge watching Parks and Recreation

and there's a batch of cheese scones in the oven.

Fairways

Grateful as always to be able to visit this stretch of coastline.

 But delighted to discover that we have been granted access

to this vast open space,

newly liberated by the council in an otherwise urban area,

from its previous incarnation as a golf course.

 Beckenham Place Park.

Free for all.

Green and pink

After a briefly warm interlude,

the clouds have rolled back in

and the heavens have opened.

But if we want green, 

and no hose pipe ban,

we're going to need a replenished water table

after the driest April on record.

This little one is back.

We will have her for her first overnight stay soon.

The guest suite has been prepared.

And I managed to finish this jacket before she grew out of it,

but fear it might not meet with her approval

as it is not pink.

Yes, that's the way the land lies despite no obvious gender bias

being put into operation for her clothes, toys or furnishings at home -

up until now, when she is able to make her preferences crystal clear. 

(See pink toenails above.)

抹茶*

New taste favourite.

It does taste a bit like twigs and lichen.

But like moss,

it's growing on me.

* Matcha green tea

The good guys and the bad guys

All the greens are gorgeous, of course

but just now,

 some greens,

I must confess,

are more gorgeous

than others.

The top five pictures are Sissinghurst.

The bottom five -

angelica, goosegrass, brambles, ground elder,

gone mad geraniums, bindweed,

tiny pernicious weed in gravel, 

giant what-the-dickens-is-this? weed,

are not.

The bad guys are winning.

Blues and greens

 Soaking up the blues and greens.

I was told that 

Blue and green should never be seen 

except upon an Irish Queen.

But now it seems my informant was wrong,

it was red and green for that rule.

Without another colour in between,

or except in the washing machine,

is what I should have been abiding by

for blue and green.

Oh and never wear brown in town.

Or brown and blue will never do.

We love amusing ourselves with rules that rhyme.

I notice I am wearing green and blue striped socks

If you see the sky is blue,

Time to break a rule or two.

In which I say 'Fie' to the makers of iphone sleeves*

Take one (sadly) felted sock.

Cut toe off and close with blanket stitch.

* I'll still need a case though.
I haven't dropped it yet,
but it's only a matter of time.

The plight of the bumblebee

Late last autumn I had two banks of meadow turf laid.

They thrived during the wet winter and have started to flower.

Here's what is in it:

Sheep's Fescue, Red Fescue, Quaking Grass, Meadow Barley, Agrimony, 

Bird's Foot Trefoil, Red Clover, Common Sorrell, White Deadnettle, Fox and Cubs, 

Meadow Cranesbill, Greater Celandine, Autumn Hawkbit, Common Knapweed, 

Common Mallow, Wild Marjoram, Meadow Buttercup, Meadowsweet, Great Mullein,

 Musk Mallow, Opium Poppy, Ragged Robin, Red Campion, Tansy, Teasel, 

Common Toadflax,Viper's Bugloss, White Campion, Wild Basil, Wild Carrot, Clary, 

Wild Thyme, Yarrow, Black Medick,Common Daisy, Welsh Poppy, 

Small Scabious, Maiden Pink, Chicory.

All are rich in pollen and nectar and winter food for birds.

Just typing that list of lovely names makes me feel better,

but the thing is - it seems awfully quiet there.

I've seen 1 Red Admiral,1 Cabbage White,1 Orange Tip, 1 Solitary bee

1 Damsel fly, a few hoverflies

and not a single honey bee.

Let's hope word gets round soon.