In a Vase on Monday: Sticks of Pink

I had no preconceived ideas of what I might pick for today’s vase but wanted to avoid hellebores and snowdrops, which would have been the easy option. I don’t have many summer snowflakes, Leucojum aestivum, but the first stems were in bud so I cut three as a starting point, keeping the stems long.

Many people think of daffodils as the harbingers of spring, but we gardeners know there can be many other early spring treasures delighting us before most of the daffodils begin to emerge. Whatever we think of yellow blooms, however, there is still something pleasingly cheery about daffodils and narcissi of various types although personally, I prefer the smaller varieties and those that are – yes, I have to admit it – less yellow.

…well, not really, actually a vase of Helleborus ‘Double Aubergine’. With no real aubergines to hand, the flowers and an arum leaf are propped up by a few (shop-bought) sugar snap peas, and displayed in a slim-waisted dark green vase, possibly Caithness Glass.

You can’t talk about the new year without hearing “resolution.” The term is polarizing—it inspires hope for some while evoking dread in others. When it comes to the home, cleaning and organizing are particularly top of mind.

Just a very quick IAVOM post from me today, a teeny Bretby Pottery salesman’s sample jug, with a posy of common double snowdrops, Galanthus ‘Flore Pleno’. They may be ‘common’, but that doesn’t stop them being exceedingly pretty, with their frilly white tutus and generous green markings. And if we are going to use a double domino as a prop, let’s have a double six!

I am not quite sure where the thoughts of the Orient came from, although the witch hazel at least has oriental ancestry – it may simply be that the yellow, cream and yellow-green contents brought this little perfume bottle to mind, thus bringing thoughts of the Orient to me even if no-one else…

Today was a day off! I know it sounds odd, but I tend to have the third Monday of the week off at the moment (I’m sure that’ll change soon), so as the weather was fabulous again I went back out into the garden to finish off those things I couldn’t get done yesterday.

At this time of year a couple of my client’s only need me for a half day tidying their garden, where as most still need me to be in their garden for a whole day. When I get half days I take the opportunity to get bits done in my garden and this afternoon was no exception.

Today I only worked in the morning, that’s because I’m so good at my job I’ve got their garden all up to date. Give it a few months and they’ll be much more to do, but for now it’s just a morning.

Yes I’m 21 again! I know it’s amazing, I’ve been married for 27 years, and have two adult children aged 19 and 22, and I’m still only 21!!…..Clearly I’m older, but I’m not telling you how old I really am, you’ll have to wait until I get to the next decade to find that out. You won’t have to wait very long though.

It’s the last Bank Holiday until August (that’s in England anyway), so as the sun was shining I wasn’t going to waste any of it.

Good afternoon! Well I am pleased to report that I had very mild side effects from my covid vaccination, how I managed that I don’t know, must be the red hair, we have special powers you know. Hopefully when I have my second jab in about 12 weeks time I will sail through just as easily. I was a little achy, but just from my knees down to my ankles. I felt tired, so had a little nap for 2 hours late afternoon, but nothing to stop me going through a load of emails. My head started to feel a little “upset”, but a regularly took paracetamol and ibuprofen and that seemed to make my aches go away and my head feel happy again. But the weirdest feeling I had was that my head felt like it was in a goldfish bowl, not wet and with fish swimming by all the time, but that spaced out feeling. To be honest it was really quite nice. But with that feeling I wouldn’t have wanted to drive anywhere and my brain did feel a little foggy as well.