weakens and wanes as the year’s role on.

Blog 13 / May 2016

This is what the branches of a 30 year old dead Willow looks like from the top of the trunk that is left. I finally managed 22 bags of chippings for the rose garden and that will help with a couple of years of weedlessness. We sat and looked at what was left and contemplated leaving it there as a memorial. We then thought to put a flat staging on top for the storks to make a nest but Mike was concerned about the stork poo all over his cars on the drive. Thoughts of carving it into a Brevands totem pole were discussed but the wood is rotten and we are not of Michelangelo skill sets, so we decided to have it down and rethink the options

The last cut, was a wedge facing the pond with the plan that the trunk would splash into the water safe and tidy.  Shortly after this shot was taken, there was a chorus of timber and a very big splash and the job was done.  But we did shush the ducks into a corner and threw stones to frighten the fish away, no animals were hurt during this process except mine and Mike’s achy bones and joints.

Our friend Shirley has been supporting Mike in his quest to convince me he should have another boat and my opinion is the same each onslaught of cajoling and the answer is No, and when he tried to convince me a trunk might make a good boat, the answer was still No.

The log in the pond was too heavy for us to pull out and we have decided to leave it in the water and have christened it ‘Duck Island’ the fish love the shade on a hot day and hopefully the ducks will realise it is the place chill out and been seen.

Here is our house from the top of the trunk before it splashed down. We love to look at pictures like this, to remind us how lucky we are to be here living this productive life.

I have mentioned that willow is the second worst wood to burn, the first worst is hawthorn, so we decided to use the wood in a garden.  We walked all the branches of a size and made a start on Willow Tree Garden. I went around my nursery area and collected all the plants I have propagated and we have planted them in amongst the willow art and …. WOW… we have a new garden.

Willow Tree Garden will look completely different by this time next year and within 4 years it will be totally covered and looking gorgeous.

We are doing the annual weed killing chores and I came across this brave little bunch of parsley growing in the gravel in front of the house where I had my parsley pot last year. We underestimate seeds and how they robustly just get on with growing all over again with no help or encouragement….. Wonderful, and I did pick some, and had it in my lunchtime sandwich …mmmm

We gathered in Graham and Ann’s garden for a spot of lunch and so soon into May found ourselves supping up a hot and intense sun. This is why we love to be in France and why we treasure our friendships to be able to gather and enjoy each other’s company, relaxed and content

And finally, the anniversary of our trip to Canada has rolled up into focus and as the 1^st of May loomed I became determined to do the final read on my holiday log and finally complete it.  I cut up all the brochures and articles we collected on our journey through the Rockies and made a collage from the images of the Canada we saw.  I have logged the week traveling through the Rockies and then there is a story of the wonderful 3 weeks we spent with the Joiner family.  The folder goes on the shelf next to the 2015 day book and in a few years’ time we will be able to read and reminisce at leisure with nothing lost or left to memory of which we all know weakens and wanes as the year’s role on.