25.06.2022 Gardening for beginners.

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  Saturday 25th. Overcast and calm with thick mist, 60F. Up at 4.20. Feeling sad and apathetic again.

6.00 60F. Breakfast finished. The mist is lifting. Time for an early walk.

 A beautiful, dark Elder tree/shrub with pink flowers about 10' high. Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace.' My wife liked plants with dark foliage. It was difficult to photograph from right across the garden. 

 It is jostling for space with several, equally large plants. Cotoneaster salicifolia is on its right. The vast Thujopsis dolobrata "hedge" and a hawthorn alongside are pushing them too. I ought to do some trimming to give them more room to grow. If only I could get there!

 07.00 62F. The sun broke though enough to cast my shadow at 6.30. I looked upwards to see a large patch of blue sky overhead. Speckled with small, white clouds. The mist slowly lifted as the sun sank behind more clouds over the forest on the hill. 

 The increasing number of electric cars is bringing a new peace to the main road. Several passed me together and were noticeably quieter than the usual filth cars. Teslas have a lot of tyre roar. These cars were ID4 and Ioniq I think. Their labelling is not very clear.

7.45 66F.  It was much too early for morning coffee. Fortunately [?] I hadn't done any washing up yesterday. So I had to do that before I had a clean milk pan or even a mug. So now is a much better time for the morning ritual. If it gets any earlier it will be breakfast. The sun is trying to break through again but it is still very cloudy. 

 I found some pine, ceiling boards yesterday. They would be much easier to put up in the balcony room! Not enough for even one ceiling slope though. The cost of buying more is prohibitive.

 What are my plans for today? I ought to cut the grass again. There is rain forecast for most days ahead. So it is best to cut it while it is reasonably dry and before it gets any longer!

 09.25. 71F. Sunny periods. The grass is mowed. The 100m drive is strimmed, mowed and strimmed again. In the middle and both sides. That's at least three stripes to be cut just for the middle. I am trying to get a balance, along the drive, between wild flowers and chaos. The nettles are winning on the vacant property side.

 The unkempt larch hedge is at least 7m/20' high. Would it be doing "the paperweights" a favour to cut the trees down to a manageable height? The house will soon be completely hidden by that untidy row of trees.  

 As it abuts our [nominally shared] drive I must have the right to maintain a clear passage. Free from [out of reach] overhanging branches. 

 There are rules about shared hedge heights. I believe that 2.5m is the accepted maximum for adjoining rural properties.  First, I have to get my chainsaw back. I haven't heard a thing since I left it at the shop. As still non-functional after [supposed] repair.

10.20 72F. A harrier has just flown over the garden

 I am having a rest from the heat and catching up on my mail. I shall be having family visitors later next month! It is 12 years since they were last here. The time has flown by. 12 years ago I was just retiring early [due to factory closure] and had started tricycling seriously. 9360 triking miles in 2010. It is already five years since my youngest sister visited. 

 14.00 80F sunny periods and windy from the S-SE. There is a cloudburst and thunder warning for the entire afternoon. I may still ride to the village. Though I'll take a rain jacket. Just in case. 

 15.15 80F, full sunshine but breezy. I went by the direct route into the wind. Then returned via the forest and the hills with a helpful tailwind. I could see the sky was completely clear to the south and south east. So no storms were imminent. It feels warm inside and out. Going well. Dancing on the pedals quite often.

 17.00 Back indoors for a cup of tea and a toasted roll with marmalade. I have been imaging the sun in the observatory. It feels cooler in the dome than at the computer, upstairs indoors. 83F despite having opposing windows ajar. 78F outdoors in the shade. With some air movement from the wind.

 I put on an old pair of hide gloves and pulled out all the thistles I could find. A few dandelions too. 

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