For today’s post, let me just tell you that I’ve begun keeping a Garden Journal, trying to do a quick sketch and write a few words about what’s happening out on the terrace. I began randomly, casually, on Saturday, March 3, with a simple catalogue of what was blooming on that date (Sarcococca humilis/sweet box, one snowdrop, Daphne odora/winter daphne, a wallflower that hasn’t paid winter the slightest heed, and a cluster of velvety purple crocuses).
I posted again two days later, on March 5th, and then from the 6th to the 9th, I decided I should make this a daily habit.
And was doing very well until the reality of the weekend, the 3rd and 4th days caring for our Five and Nearly-Three while their mom and dad were enjoying their first Four-Days-As-A-Couple-On-Their-Own since parenthood struck. We had a good time together, but there was an entire night of vomiting and a Granddad who injured his foot trying to get someone to the toilet on time and just a flurry of feeding and clearing dishes and walking at a Two’s Pace and then running to catch a Five. . . .getting out the crayons so they could draw (they love to draw, sitting next to each other, chatting away about what’s what and what improvements could be made and why yellow, etc.) and encouraging the return of Lego to its bin and explaining the rules of Go Fish!
All of that transpired and it was good and we’re glad we did it and we’d do it again.
But.
It left not much time for journalling. . . .
And even on Monday morning, after they’ve all gone home and we’ve slept right through (turns out that as proud as you can be of a Two for getting up to pee in the middle of the night so that he doesn’t wet his diapers, your sleep is nonetheless disrupted when someone approaches you shortly after midnight to say, “Nana, I need to go pee”). . . . our tanks are registering as nearly Empty.
So I will merely transcribe these two journal entries for you, add a photo of the maple leaves thinking, in their teeny buds, about sunshine and stretches, and we’ll call it a Monday, okay?
Transcription for March 7th entry:
So far only one snowdrop has bloomed in the pot Paul filled with bulbs last fall, before we left for Italy. There are at least a dozen set of leaves pushing through the soil, though — I’m not at all sure that they will produce flowers this year, but I’m hopeful they will in future years, hopeful that one year, there will be enough of them blooming that I’ll dare to scoop up a spadeful or two, post-bloom, and plant them in another pot. We talk sometimes of moving to a condo with more indoor space, but secretly, I want to keep this terrace garden as long as I can.
You can see that I’ve used paper to “redact”/block a few words, but if you’d like to know what I’ve written in the bottom left corner: Looking around this morning and thinking of all the pots I’d like to add underfill plants to. Some winter aconites and pulmonaria, a hellebore or two. Time to wander ’round a garden centre, I think…
March 9, 2018: The corylopsis racemes are beginning to shake out.
And the hydrangea leaves, on the bare branches we’re watching carefully for evidence the scale insects are back . . . ’cause if they’re back, we’re going to chase ’em. . . and squish ’em. . .
That’s all I’ve got for you this Monday morning. Comments always welcome, as you know. . .
You've had a busy weekend…and how lovely for the parents to have a weekend getaway! Rest up…the sun is shing here and hopefully it is in Vancouver. A great day for a walk…or some pottering in the garden.
Wasn't that sun marvellous! We've got a grey day today, but looks as if the sun might be back Thursday or Friday. Happy pottering!
"…our tanks are registering as nearly Empty." How familiar! Saying goodbye to our four grandkids (7 yr. old twin boys, 4 yr. old boy, and 2 yr. old girl (!!!)), telling them how we're going to miss them, waving until we see the tiniest speck of their family van as they turn the corner…we stroll back into the house…and fall flat on our faces in exhaustion.
We Love Being Grandparents. My husband says we should have had them First!
Charlene H
That's a busy crew! Do you have them all at once? We do miss them once they've gone, but oh, the quiet, right?
Laughing as I respond…"Yes." All at once. I make sure to cook ahead (spaghetti, meatloaf, stew, etc.). Worth it to hear, "Grandma, that's my favorite!"
Charlene H
Long time follower, first time posting… and I meant to reply to your Friday narrative. Hah, still not a master of the blogosphere. In any event, as a woman of a certain age myself, a teacher in the SF Bay Area a few years yet from retirement, may I say how much inspiration and comfort I have drawn from your blog? My hubs and I also love to travel and are fortunate (both teachers) to have time for it annually. This summer will find us back in France. First Paris again, then Normandy, Bordeaux, and the Dordogne, all new to us. Your posts on your time in Bordeaux over the years are the reason why we’re headed there. I would love to hear all the details of your journey by train, as you inquired about on Friday. I’m the planner for our travels, always exclusively by public transportation. It’s always a welcome adventure, and I’ve long valued your wisdom as I enjoy your written eloquence. Thanks in advance!
So happy to see your first comment here, HW — Hello! And thanks for the kind words of appreciation for my blog.
What a great itinerary you have mapped out — that train to Bordeaux is so fast now. . . We haven't been to Normandy for years, and then only a daytrip to Honfleur. . .
I'll be sure to post something about how I approach the train-planning-and-ticket-buying and then perhaps we can compare notes. You must have some pointers to offer as well.
After several weeks of severe cold (-7 is quite cold for these parts), the temperature went up by around 20 degrees last sunday and I skipped my walk in favour of pottering in the garden. Not much to see yet except for a couple of crocuses. I just cut the old brown stalks of the perennials and raked some leaves. There are green tips poking out of the ground (probably hyacinths) and tiny bulbs on the forsythia and the hydrangeas. Very encouraging, although there is more frost to come next weekend…
The smell of the wet earth in the early spring. . . even if there are just green tips poking out so far. . . it will happen quickly now, right?
Hahaha! Love your description of adventures with the two and the five: "…and explaining the rules of Go Fish!" I can relate :). I can never get enough of the grands and yet …
slf
And yet. . . It's a good opportunity to practice my Patience 😉
Oh yes, we can relate to the challenges of sick tummies and middle-of-the-night bathroom forays. Our garden is a bit forlorn at the moment, but our lovely elm tree leafed out much earlier than usual this year, so I've been enjoying that sign of Spring…
Lots of green tips showing here but there’s been so many dollops of late snow recently I think the plants are nervous . Is it very rare for condos to have garden terraces there ? Might you find a bigger place with an area for you plants ?
Wendy in York
Bracing ourselves for a similar week- only with one Three but I'm recently recovered from a four week virus and not fully up to speed! Snow forecast and not in a good way. We need lots of indoor ideas and I must look for a meatloaf recipe!