Tag: trimming

Trichology

Yesterday evening’s meal at Lal Quilla was a real treat. It really was rather crowded, but there was enough room for social distancing to be maintained. We were greeted as old friends by Raj, the manager, like his staff sporting a mask. After the long lockdown we had imagined that there would be a new staff group, but at least one of the old team recognised us, although, as I said to him, we could not recognise him behind his face covering. Despite how busy they were, they all remained both friendly and efficient.

The food was, if anything, even better than usual. My naga lamb was lean and tender with hot and complex flavours; Jackie enjoyed her butter chicken; and we shared an egg paratha, mushroom rice, and sag bhaji. Unfortunately the staff couldn’t get the draft Kingfisher to work, so we both drank bottled Cobra.

Between occasional peeking of the sun we experienced regular rain showers. Like most of us, Félicité Perpétue has been unable to attend the hairdressers for some months, and was

in need of a good cut

During the drier spells I tried my hand at trichology and administered a trim. Chopped up for adding to the compost I filled two barrowloads and transported them to the bin. There is still much to be done, and at least I can get into the car now.

Jackie carried out a similar exercise in the Rose Garden.

This evening we dined on juicy fillet steak; fried onions, mushrooms and tomatoes; boiled new potatoes; firm carrots and cauliflower, with tasty gravy. Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Chateauneuf du Pape.

A Layered Rose

SINGLE IMAGES CAN BE ENLARGED WITH A CLICK OR TWO. CLICKING ON ANY OF THOSE IN A GROUP ACCESSES ITS GALLERY, INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF WHICH CAN BE VIEWED FULL SIZE BY SCROLLING DOWN AND CHECKING THE BOX AT BOTTOM RIGHT. THESE MAY BE FURTHER ENLARGED WITH CLICKS

Jackie, Elizabeth, and I worked in the garden for much of the morning, and after lunch until the temperature rose too much for us.

Elizabeth began by weeding the front garden

which houses this fuchsia Delta’s Sarah.

Later, she mowed the grass and cut the edges.

Jackie gave the lavender border in the Rose Garden a severe hair cut,

during the process of which she discovered a rooted layered rose, and rushed off to plant it in a pot. Layering, I have just learned, is a method of propagation resulting from the formation of roots whilst the infant is still attached to the parent plant. Gardeners, to achieve this, will bend a suitable stem to ground level. Our carpet rose in question had done this naturally.

My task was dead-heading roses, including For Your Eyes Only and Creme de la Creme in the Rose Garden, where a hoverfly fossicked through fallen petals.

Did I miss any?

This evening the three of us dined on Jackie’s smoked haddock; piquant cauliflower cheese; creamy mashed potato; crunchy carrots and cabbage; and shrunken spinach. Mrs Knight drank Hoegaarden and my sister and I drank Squinzano reserva Rosso 2014