Yesterday evening we watched the second episode of series 3 of The Crown, which contained more scenes and dialogue stretching credulity/
Opposite the field occupied by our gimlet-eyed equine friend on South Sway Lane are heaped bags of free horse manure.
We brought one back on 20th and I tipped it out onto the most recent garden compost bin.
Today I added two more.
This of course may not seem much of an effort but the enforced dereliction of my Under Gardener duties consequent upon two knee replacements has ensured that this is the first decent task I have carried out in two years. It involves lifting the savoury material from the back of the Modus, transporting the individual bags to the back drive, lifting each one, turning it topsy-turvy, dropping the contents falling in a solid bag-shape, and raking it level.
It is early days, but it feels as if I am back gardening.
Wherever we look in the garden today we see daffodils, snowdrops, hellebores, and other spring blooms – and an owl or two.
This afternoon I watched the Six Nations rugby internationals between Scotland and Italy, and between Wales and France.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s roast lamb; sage and onion stuffing; crisp roast potatoes; crunchy carrots; tender cabbage; soft butternut squash; and Coleman’s mint sauce with which the Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden and I drank Concha y Toro Casilliero del Diablo Shiraz 2017.
I know how much effort you and Jackie put into the garden–and it shows. I hope your back is not aching tomorrow from your “back gardening”!
You sound like you are simply determined to get through The Crown. 🙂
The Crown is tough to stomach, but I need to know what my friends across the pond have been fed. I’m pleased you picked up the “back”. It’s fine at the moment. Thanks very much, Merril.
See – a part of my ponies will forever be part of your garden!! 🙂
I could swear I can smell that roast lamb! It’s making me hungry!!!!
🙂 That was my thought, too, GP. Thanks a lot.
Good on you (and an honorable mention to your knees)for manure transportation! Your garden looks lovely because the background is is still interesting. Do those owls disappear when the plants fill in the gaps?
It was a false spring day today (6 degrees/43F), so I cleaned pots and beds for a while. Everything looks dull except the contrast between the white snow patches and the rapidly-greening grass.
Many of the owls do go into hiding in the summer.:) Thanks very much, Jean.
Bravo for manure duty!
Thanks very much, Pleasant.
How nice to have so much already going on in your garden. My little patch of crocuses came up last week and they are really cheery! Glad your knees are cooperating 🙂
Thank you very much, Barbara.
Your garden puts mine to shame. Must get out there are start to sort it out.
Thanks a lot, Gary. We don’t have Mad Dog.
Despite the rain and wind, your garden still looks wonderful.
Thank you very much, Sheree
Just take care that being back to gardening doesn’t leave you with gardener’s back! We’d hate to have your progress is back-ward.
🙂 Thank you very much, Linda.
Now that sounds like a very good day.?
Many thanks, Sue
A useful way to get back into the gardening groove and a metaphor for Scotland’s skill set in the match. Still, they won so musn’t grumble.
Agreed, Tootlepedal. Let’s see what England can do today. Thanks a lot.
Don’t over do it in the garden…your blogging buddies need our daily fix of the happenings in your life. 🙂
🙂 Many thanks, Jill.
Lovely garden.
Thanks very much, Mrs W.
Your welcome.
The road to recovery after your knee surgery has been long and inspires me to continue doing whatever I can to avoid it. Now you’re trying to do your back in as well? The garden always rewards your efforts, though. Hard to think we are about to enter autumn. Doesn’t seem as if we had summer at all.
The Crown – well – after each episode I went off and fact-checked. I think you can rely on Antipodeans having a “b-s” detector. Series 3 drifted off even further into dramatic licence and even with that, I don’t think held a patch to the first two in engaging the audience. The next episode is based around the Aberfan school tragedy. It does a passable job of recreation, and in my opinion, draws some of its inspiration from the Queen’s reaction after Diana’s passing.
(I clearly remember as an 11 year old school-girl, our class raising money to donate to the village.)
I see lamb was on the menu. Now that UK have Brexited, perhaps you will return to buying Australian and New Zealand lamb in greater volumes. And butter, and all those other things that propped Britain up during WWII and rationing. Our international trade with Britain was in its death throes when I started my career on the waterfront in 1974, and came to a halt ten years later. First Japan, and then China slipped into your place . . . and then came Coronavirus . . .
Thanks very much for all this, Gwen. No-one alive at the time could have forgotten Aberfan, which I have featured on another post. It it that which is making me have a go at the next episode. After only 2 episodes I share your opinions on series 3. What you say about Brexit is also my wish. Wise thoughts, my friend.
I am glad to hear that you are back to work in your lovely garden, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Dolly.
My pleasure, Derrick.
I am glad your knees are doing better, Derrick! Manure is a wonderful thing – it is Gardener’s Gold! 🙂
And heavy 🙂 Thanks very much, Lavinia.
Just be careful what you are doing lifting things. Moving three bags of manure doesn’t turn you into an Olympic weightlifter. Unfortunately.
🙂 Thanks for that, John. Interestingly I have retained upper body strength – probably through heaving myself out of chairs – but, of course, lifting is done with knees.
The blood, sweat, tears, time, effort and tender-loving-care you and Jackie put into the garden shows! Such beauty and life! Oh…and some good horse manure helps, too! 😉
I’m so glad your knees are letting you participate! Good news! 🙂 And that your back was useful, too! 🙂 A Thank You to your knees and back and other parts, too.
I always love seeing the owls guarding the garden! 🙂
I wish I could have watched The Crown with someone like you and Jackie…so I would’ve known what was what. After each episode I tried to do research online to see if what they shared was accurate or not. I couldn’t always tell. :-/
HUGS!!! 🙂
Thanks very much, Carolyn. The Crown is certainly good drama – but fanciful. X
It must feel good to get back to gardening … but go carefully, it can be so easy to do too much! Your garden is looking very spring-like now with all of the daffodils 🙂
Thanks a lot, Peggy. I don’t think my knees will let me do too much. 🙂
For sure not an easy task ☹️ but the garden is really welcoming the spring already ?
Thank you very much, Ribana
Happy for you!
🙂 Thanks a lot, Leslie
What a delight that garden is! Must feel good to be working in it again.
Indeed. There have been times when I have wondered whether I ever would. Thank you very much, Laurie.
Sometimes it can take a while to get back to where we were. Glad you’re getting there.
I’m surprised the authors of the Crown didn’t realize there were a lot of people who would remember things. I haven’t watched it. Goodness, your garden is soooo lovely. I feel myself relaxing just seeing pictures of it. I was in my own yesterday and planted peas, pulled weeds and got salad greens from the cold frame. I’m looking forward to the growing season, but content that it is not yet here…
Thank you very much, Lisa. Don’t bother with The Crown.
many happy days did I spent in the back of the car with bags of manure close by because of mum’s obsession with the stuff; well done on the new steps to rehabilitation.
Thanks a lot, Geoff.
I haven’t watched The Crown and don’t intend doing so. I always suspected it would be a load of tarradiddle and from your reaction to it I know I was right to avoid it.
Congratulations on your manure moving and I hope it is the beginning of an enjoyable year spent in the garden.
Thank you very much, Clare. You were so right.
🙂
Congratulations on your manure-moving. 🙂
Profiting from the horses’ movements. Thanks a lot, Widders.
Heh, heh, heh … I see what you did there. 😀
🙂
Oh Derrick – congratulations on moving the manure and doing the garden tasks – it is kind of a milestone in the recovery and woo hoo!
Back in 2007 and 2008 I Really got into gardening – tried in the 90s and i was too busy and well – in hindsight I see why the 2007 and 2008 garden days were so therapeutic – it was because of the lifting and moving stuff – bringing in wheel barrows of soil and compost and moving some large stones – oh my goodness some were heavy – but it did my body good and there was that hole body mind connection – and I can see that with you and Jackie ?☀️☀️☀️And congrats on being back on the garden (and being careful of course amigo)
Thank you so much, Yvette.
Easy does it, Derrick. Bit by bit, you’re regaining your strength and dexterity. Well done.
Thanks very much, Sylvia.
I’ll bet that manure has a lot to do with the success of your garden. I look forward to seeing it come into full bloom.
I think you may be right, Liz. Thank you very much.
“savoury material” ha ha ha. Well I’m glad you’re able to get back out into the garden, even if you must start carefully. Do take it slowly, especially with lifting heavy bags like that, which is certainly hard on your brand new knees that have not had enough experience working under the Head Gardener. Isn’t this time of year exciting, with all the earliest springtime blossoms saying hello? I can’t help but feel the anticipation of a new season.
Very many thanks Crystal
beautiful garden
Thank you, Sharon
What a delightful garden, I loved your description of moving manure…we have done the same but with cow manure and I know how challenging it can be. You will certainly reap the benefits of your labours.
Thank you very much, Sue
What a lovely garden, it’s filled with beautiful plants!
Thanks very much, Leif
Credit to you. Inspirational stuff.
I share your sentiments on The Crown.
Thanks very much, Home Farm
I’ll be reading your posts because we’ve just finished building our first ever veg patch – https://myhomefarm.co.uk/installing-the-gate-on-sloping-land – and we’re excited to get growing, harvesting and eating our produce.
We’re complete newbies, so we’re reading avariciously to limit silly mistakes in our first season.
I’m impressed with your work – I can’t log in to follow you because my user name is being rejected.
Thank you for the kind words.
I’ve disabled user login. You can subscribe on the homepage by putting in your email if you’d prefer or you can use the WordPress app – that may be easier.
Thanks a lot. Done