call of nature

I mentioned in a previous entry about there being more to life than watching and waiting for my beans to sprout, well they have and for a split second I was very satisfied with my life and my beans, if only life was as simple as watching your beans grow!

Another project which has been evolving over the last year or so is the creation of a pond in my parents garden, my Mother decided she would really like to have an oasis for wildlife etc, this came as a result of them purchasing some land at the bottom of an already large garden and then wondering what to do with it. Several ideas were floated, get a goat, a donkey, some sheep, put some bee hives on the land. Eventually the idea of a pond was settled upon, despite the protestations of my Father who could only see a hole in the ground which would take more than water to fill. We had a pretty large hole dug according to my design, the design process involved me directing a bemused local man with digger, scratching of chins, cups of tea etc etc, I like to think of the process as being an organic one! We ended up with a relatively large hole in the ground, this wasn't going to be some half hearted ornamental affair, this was going to the wildlife oasis my Mother had wished for!

Leap forward to present time, the pond has taken shape, fish have appeared from nowhere, water has risen then fallen then risen and is falling again due to lack of rainfall and all the local wildlife using it as a watering hole. Plants have been planted and take shape momentarily, I say momentarily because as soon as any plant gets established and healthy buds appear and are on the cusp of blooming the bloody deer take the opportunity to munch their way through every bud and tender leaf. Steps have been taken with some degree of success, the chosen method being the use of stocking filled with human hair put on stakes around the plants, the deer get a whiff and stay away. However the scent of the hair does wear off and the second it does the deer return to fill their boots. I got a call from my Mother the other day to inform me of the latest developement on the deer versus them front. My Father woke one morning at dawn to answer the call of nature whilst doing so he looked out of the bathroom window only to spy a herd of deer in the garden making their way towards the pond, not a care in the world other than my parents cat, Kitty, attempting to stalk them. Not to be defeated my Father dressed in nothing but his pants races into the garden waving his arms like a mad man trying to herd them out of the garden. Meanwhile my Mother wakes from her slumber and wonders where the old man is and meets him coming back in behaving like he's really lost the plot, once she realises what the commotion is she gets some clothes on, fearful of being spotted by the neighbours and joins him in madness chasing the herd down the field waving a tea towel at them, that'll show em! So it's no more touchy feely approach to keep the deer away, I think every electronic device is to be invested in for the sake of the plants, sod the rest of the wildlife!

up in them there hills

Got the chance for a few days in North Wales, the sun still shone which made the long journey worth while. For such a comparatively small island the UK is nothing but painfull to navigate by road, it took nearly 7 hours and several bouts of road rage to reach my destination but it was definetly worth it. Stayed in Portmeirion, the creation of Welsh architect Clough Williams-Ellis, for many years this place was seen as the folly of one man & the back drop for the television series The Prisoner but now it can be seen as a developement which was ahead of it's time dealing with aesthetic issues and enviromental issues. It does have another advantage of being situated in a stunning setting and having a micro climate which on fine days the meditarrenean couldn't beat, well worth a visit. It is also the perfect base for taking advantage of Snowdonia National Park and the miles of stunning beaches, so as a destination of a few balmy summer days North Wales gets a nod.

things are hotting up

So we got some balmy summer days at last, a whole week of it which also included a weekend which meant all roads leading to the coast were clogged. I had a much better idea which involved lying on my back in the garden with a decent supply of reading matter; weekend papers, fictional novel and a self help book, the last supposedly to assist me in visualising aspects of my life in a creative manner, some that know me would say I do a pretty good job of doing that already without the self help material it's called day dreaming, living in cloud cuckoo etc etc.

A few days later I took part in a charity walk around the grounds of a local stately manor, in aid of breakthrough breast cancer. The sun shone and decked out in something pink to keep with the spirit of the event myself, friends and about 90 other women and dogs ( actual dogs, no metaphor) we set out at a nice leisurely pace for what should have been 11 miles but myself and friends found an excuse to do 8 miles and retire to the walled garden of the manor to drink wine. It's the taking part that counts not the completing!

Back in the garden I've planted some green beans and spent more time than is healthy watching the soil waiting for some sign of life, keep you updated on this one.......note to self more to life & balmy summer days than waiting for your beans to sprout.