Saturday 11 April 2015

Banjaxed and Blooms

We have had four good days of idyllic weather. 'Too good to last'
I thought, so I took myself and the electric hedge cutter to trim 
the spruce hedge of the north drive as it had not a trim for a couple of 
years at least and possibly longer. 

Things started to get embarrassing last winter when my log man complained 
about his old truck getting scratched by the briars etc. The damned 
ivy, had climbed over the gate so it could no longer be closed, which
meant it was now seriously attached to the hedge.


The trimming went well and I took frequent rests, for I am at the age now
 where I am not doing much manual work and I do like to smoke my pipe and review the progress and what needs to be done. 
Actually there’s nothing new in that as frequent breaks are also customary to my character!


Nearing the end of job I stopped laid down the trimmer and stepped back
noticing as I did so a line of blue smoke rising from the motor.

" Oh B***ger it’s effin' Banjaxed !" I said quietly to my self. 

As I repressed the switch only to see that the reverberating action had 
drastically slowed to almost nil. Well at least the gate is now fully operational.

So this morning we took ourselves into town to purchase a replacement for
the sixteen year old JCB trimmer. Being the sort of store that it is we also
returned home with thorn proof gardening gloves for Mrs H and a bright,
trough-like planter for the strawberries. If all goes well we will be provided  
with a bumper crop - hopefully. (wink!)


The trough planter.
We live in hope that the fruit of these strawberries will tingle our paletes.



A macro shot of our the plum tree blossom


Plum tree blossoms for the first time.



Hawthorne coming into leaf


Blackthorn blossom by the studio

21 comments:

  1. Any physical activity I undertake is always punctuated by breaks.

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  2. My back wont let me do too much without a rest in between...which I find very annoying these days. There must be something about strawberries this year as I'm planning on growing these this year, it's been a long time since I've grown my own. That's an excellent planter, which will save all that crouching down and keep slugs away hopefully.

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    1. Oh when I saw the planter on legs it attracted me straight away and I might go back and get a couple more. For am thinking of carrots and may be onions or some other root vegetable. Like yourself I have a weak back too.
      Thank you for your comment Anne.

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  3. I have a son who is a tree surgeon, shall I send him over? Or would that be overkill on a bit of bramble! Xxx

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    1. Hello Fran for a bramble you are right, but I do have trees that could do with a lop so yes and thank you :)

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  4. I am imagining sitting on the patio plucking delicious strawberries & dropping them into my mouth - whilst sitting in glorious sunshine of course!

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    Replies
    1. Maintain the vision Jane, for as you know weather working does actually work!

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  5. Your plants all look about a fortnight further on than ours, but then you are much further west and we are in the east and also at 650 feet asl.

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    Replies
    1. The extra growth difference between our plants might change because just after taking the photo we had a hail shower and even today the temp is down to 10C.

      Thank you for your interest ing comment Pat.

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  6. That's a natty planter H, I wouldn't mind a couple of those. Did you get it from a small store or a bigger one like Woodies?

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  7. Howya Debs !
    Thanks for your approval on the trough pot as I now call it because ye know Planter means something quite different in these parts ;) Incidentally the legs are hollow and are also provide drainage to the pot. I gave it pot extra stability by filling the legs with small stones, for we live an area where strong gusts of wind are common.
    Spot on Debs the trough pot came from Woodies.

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  8. Every man needs a trimmer, and a chainsaw, and a compressor, and air shears, and an air chisel, and.....

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  9. Ohhhh i like your new trough, mmmmmm strawberries on the patio, it is a shame they won't be producing in May .........

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    Replies
    1. Oh' well never mind and I daresay that we might be able to find some that have been grown under glass from other and more southerly parts of Ireland.

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  10. Which would go lovely with some cream ;)

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    Replies
    1. Along with some Tipperary Organic Ice cream, Yes !

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