White rabbits , white rabbits , white rabbits! Hurray 1st February and good riddance to January!
Good morning Mick and all GN's on a still dark morning, but lightening a little as I am a bit later this morning. Have been waking a few times in the night coughing and got a bit of a cold too I think. Never mind, I dont care, had a lovely day yesterday and if I have to pay for it today so what!
Yesterday turned out so worth while for all the effort I had to put into it to get out. I was in a lot of pain, and things were taking so long to do, struggling to do just basic things. I took so long to get myself organised , dressed and ready, the box sorted, thermos filled etc., I even wondered if it was worth going. However the weather was dry and quite sunny, contrary to the forecast given, and of course the biggest lure was snowdrops to see.
If anyone is up round Guisborough at this time of year and in the summer also , watch out for a wonderful garden called Tudor Croft there . Both the house and the garden are noted now in a historic award thing. The people who own them now, actually run a garden company, and so of course their garden is full of wonderful things and is immaculate. I met Mike oh I think nearly 20 years ago as we are both galanthophiles, and have enjoyed sharing our plants and our knowledge all those years. I had over 100 rare snowdrops in my own garden, and when I had to move, I gave some easy to look after snowdrops to friends, while of course leaving most for the incoming people. But there were a few snowdrops, which are very rare , partly because they do need rather specialised care, and can easily die off if not looked after, so an ordinary gardener might not be able to care for them and keep them going , never mind trying to increase them. So I gave them to Mike and it is quite delightful to see them growing in his garden, where I hope they will add to the small number of them. This year he was due to open the garden next weekend for the yellow book of course, but things are so advanced that he opened his garden this weekend as well.
It was so worth the effort. I really struggled to walk from where I finally got the car parked , and when I got there, instead of my usual way of immediately going to the sales desk, I needed to sit down for a while to recover. But oh what a marvellous time I had. The weather was a blessing, and of course the garden was wonderful. Many many snowdrops of all kinds out all over the garden. Everything is well labelled , and you can write names of plants down that interest you or of course these days take a picture on your phone. There were more than snowdrops too, and a lovely camellia flowering, and wonderful shrubs and all sorts. Also things like a restored revolving summerhouse, and a lovely little house with stained glass windows. That had been at the house years ago, and had been sold or taken away and not been there for I think it said something like 50 years ago. Then they were offered it back and so that was returned.
Anyway they open for the snowdrops and then later in the year once more for lovely roses and a more summer garden of course. Well naturally it was very busy, and that added to my pleasure. To meet old galanthophile friends, talk gardening and plants and feel so much part of the community of gardeners and at home. My neighbours are very pleasant but there are no keen gardeners to talk to and rejoice or commiserate over precious plants. At this time of year the sign of something surviving and coming up helps you to get through the last rather interminable miserable winter weather and I have missed that.
So it was a wonderful and cheering day, although I tried not to notice how much worse I am getting , moving about, even compared to last year. It was the one depressing thought that kept coming up as I struggled to go up some very minor slope or negotiate some steps. But I always take my binoculars round any garden with me. If there is a plant at the back of the border I cant quite see well, they are useful, and so were very good for me today as there was one area I judged would be silly to try and walk around . The path there was someone uneven and wet, so I stayed on the higher level, adjusted my binoculars and was able to look at each clump of snowdrops easily.
Anyway much cheered by this lovely time I then continued on and drove to Saltburn to get a glimpse of the sea. The first time this year. I parked easily and just enjoyed a rather calm sea with some mist coming in. Then the binoculars came out again and I was able to look out to sea, So I came home , very weary and creaky, but it had been a lovely day to remember.
So today rather grey and a little rain, which wont bother me, as it will be a slow catch up day. I shall listen to DID and Private Passions whilst I attempt to bring some order to the chaos, getting stuff dumped from the car last night cleaned and sorted and beds made and something got out of the freezer for dinner. Tomorrow I go to the first Makaton class in the morning, so want to read up a bit about it before I go,so that I am in the right mode to learn. So a quiet day planned so far.
Hope you see some good cycling Mick today. Sounds as though you had a very productive day GrandMattie. I liked the sound of onion soup, might make some of that today for myself. I dont know that Walter presents Danish, might look that up myself later. Karmalady The buns sound good . I could also do with going through all my towels and linen. Over the years you collect things, and I must say there are some favourite towels that either feel very good, or match up and look good in the bathroom, so some other towels hardly used and they are taking up space. I need to have a sort out. Have several friends with dogs, and so a few old ones might be useful for them to have for drying out very wet dogs these days.
Well wishing everyone a very peaceful and pleasant sunday, and enjoy turning that calendar over to a new month.! May things improve for everyone
