Last cut

 Always something rather brooding, or melancholy, about the last proper cutting of the lawn, before winter really kicks in, and the ground becomes too heavy underfoot. After that cut, the grass becomes ever lusher, bending slightly at its tips: it'll stay that way until the first cut of spring. Am I allowed to use the word portentous here? It definitely feels like it would be appropriate. It's the last hurrah of the year, for the garden. The peonies will retreat deep into the soil, the apple tree will be denuded - all that remains will be the lush outcrops of the gorse. However, that new fence (at the back) will obviously have a chance to weather in, so it's not all bad. 

I watered the lawn today

That sounds like an innuendo, doesn't it? It's not, really. But I spent a hugely pleasurable half hour, just me, and a garden hose, standing there watering the lawn. I couldn't quite believe something could be quite so calming. Very Zen. Really, I need things like this, at the moment. This year has been....frenzied, I suppose. It's been a non-stop battle with logistics, and personal life, and family. I've felt torn between all of these things, and it's left me quite down. So it's nice to zone out, every once in a while.
Time to forget, and drift, and enjoy life, has been in short supply. I think that's why the Sao Paulo trip ended up being such an absolute pleasure. It was a chance to just be me, in a hotel room, with no knock at the door, no phone ringing. Yes, there was a gig to organise - but we had a chaperone, ad most of the plans were in place. I could just get - mindful, for want of a better word. Free to take in every tiny detail, to enjoy it all, to remember it all. Even now, I can recall what it felt like to sleep in that room, the look of the city outside my window, the taste of the food. I can feel the warmth of the sun as I walked to Faria Lima station. I can feel the pavement beneath my feet, and the clouds above my head.
Every now and again - that's what you need. TO not just live life, but to connect to the process of living.

It's the mornings I love the most.

I'm sitting here, at the kitchen table, after a bowl of rice and egg, with a coconut green tea beside me. The house is quiet, the skies empty of planes. It's going to be a sunny, warm (possibly HOT) day today, and you can feel that from the sky already. The birds are singing, and there's dew on the grass. I'm about to feel what that dew is like - I reckon it's time to go out and water the garden. Yesterday I finally managed to give the lawn its first "proper" cut of the year, and sorted out some of the pots. The beds - sadly - that's a different story. They'll have to wait a little while longer.
But, there's Parsley, and Thyme, and Mint to water, alongside a new Sweet Bay. There are Strawberry plants, some lavender, and perhaps most exciting, a tiny Sunflower that Milo grew in class. It arrived home in a tiny cardboard pot, no more than an inch tall. It was summarily transplanted to a lager plant pot, on the kitchen windowsill for a week or two, and now it's time has come to venture out into the big wide world. It's in a large pot on the patio - rather dwarfed by it's surroundings. I'm looking forward to seeing if it can thrive.

First Cut

....But certainly not the deepest. The lawn has been trimmed, for the first time this year. So, the mower is at its highest setting, as the grass is just still so deep, and lush. Plus, it's tricky to get it entirely dry, at this time of year -but obviously, you do need to finally cut it. So, it's a bit of a balancing act. It's a suburban ballet - everyone seems to be looking over each others fences, waiting to see who makes the first move - and then, there's just this weekend where all of us seem to head for the shed, simultaneously.
But, it feels good, that's for certain. The garden looks tidy, for the first time in months, emerging from a really tough winter. Over the next few months, I'd love to do a lot out there - but there's gigs on the horizon. Let's see how it all pans out.

Wanting more sleep - but, getting it? A different matter.

Philippa's got me trying her old fitness tracker thing. It says I slept for five hours last night, but I still don't really trust it. Within those sleep stats it appears to assert I never woke up, yet I did. The TV came on, twice, to try and update software (one of the mot annoying things, ever) and both kids came in to sleep in our bed.
So, does this tracker learn that sort of stuff? I'm not sure. Also, I feel like it's snooping on me. I guess it is, but I'm not entirely happy with it, so far. Maybe I need to get used to the whole thing.
*sigh*
Anyway - today? Not much, hopefully. A little light gardening, and roast beef for our tea.

Lager, under threatening skies.

It's one of those odd spring days, today. The skies were clear an hour ago, and now are full of rain, the fat drops just beginning to smack onto the patio. I've just been out to check on the garden - crikey, it's looking good. The Roses are now budding, the lavender is rich and green. The Santolina is fluffy and yellow, the macrophylla a mass of tiny flowers. I'd not really been much of a gardener until I moved here, but it's become a huge part of who I am. I'm going to celebrate with a glass of beer while I cook dinner.

Ah....the weekend.

We've got a special birthday to celebrate today, so we're going somewhere appropriate - here. Can't wait. I've actually been there before, for one of my catastrophic lunches with Johnny, Kevin and the late, great, Richard. I'm struggling to recall details, but I'm sure it was wonderful. Let's see how it shapes up tonight.
The rain came overnight, which means for the first time in a week or so, I've not had to wander out to the garden first thing to water all of the plants. The shower seems to have perked them all up - the Dahlias in particular seem to be going through a growth spurt, and have flowered spectacularly.

Garden update...

The Penstemon is about to flower, the Spirea is attracting a massive amount of wonderful flying insects, and the edible chili pepper seems to be bearing fruit - hurrah!
And I've found a nifty Gardening blog too - here.

So, just to prove how rock'n'roll I am...

I went to the garden centre and bought some more herbs (Tarragon, Lemon Thyme) and a wonderful Fuchsia, a Spirea, and assorted accessories for the garden. I'm now cooking my dinner - meatballs with honey-glazed Carrots, herb-baked Courgettes, and some Broccoli. I may finally have grown up.

It's a Sunny Saturday....

And I've got Marnie with me in the Kitchen. She's sitting in her doughnut, munching on her favourite toys, and I'm listening to this.

Not really sure what today will bring, but I'm thinking about heading off for more garden supplies. Strange - since I became unemployed, I've loved getting out there and watching all of the plants flower and Bloom, and have really appreciated getting my hands dirty.
When I was a kid, we actually had a small farm attached to my school, and were taught lessons in agricultural science (this was the depths of Wiltshire, don't forget) so maybe it's a throwback to my youth. Whatever. It's fun, and I'm going with it.
Hey, I've got the time!

Early morning is my favourite time of day....

Not very Rock'n'Roll, but there you go. The patio doors are wide open, the Sun is flooding in, I can see all of the plants in my tiny little garden (the Asiatic Lily flowered yesterday), the radio is on with the morning news and I'm having a light breakfast. I always feel energised in the early hours, and that tends to fade as the day passes.
Today sees me heading off to the doctor's (all to do with the foot injury I suffered last week) and also need to think about food for the weekend. There's Spaghetti Squash on the menu, I think.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised

That after all of the incredible warm weather we've had over the past week, I get a cold. The kind I hate the most: lots of tickly coughing and interrupted sleep.
Today's weather looks like it's set to break though - there's rain in the sky, and that means I could perhaps have the first morning for weeks which doesn't see me traipsing round the garden with a hose. Since the demise of NME Radio, I actually have done some gardening leave, and have spent all my time filling pots with Dahlias, Hydrangeas and Patio Roses. My Grandmother would be very proud indeed.