Still nearly ready
I haven’t written anything recently because all I have been doing is to get rid of dead leaves (lots) and weeds (a few). I have now got a quotation for the work, but it’s a lot of money so I have decided to get a second quote to make sure that I am getting the best value.
This morning it was 0 degrees (that’s 32 F if you are American or old) according to my handy digital weather station, but I went out anyway and re-did the chalk lines using a slab of tailor’s chalk that I bought from a local haberdashery shop. This was much better than the chalk pencil because it didn’t break. I explained to the shop owner that I wanted to draw on the patio with it, but didn’t explain why, so he may have thought I was a bit loopy. I used my photographs to remind me where the lines were, and I think I have got it pretty much right. I noticed some fine white particles on the tarpaulin and wondered which tree they had come from, until I realised that of course it was the first snow of the winter. There was not much of it, but it was still snow.
The pelargoniums are not dead yet. I dug up one of my osteospermums because the clump still hasn’t recovered to its original size after the ravages of last winter, and if we have another severe winter I may lose the lot. I have taken the plant indoors and put it in my nice warm sitting room.
I cleared up some more leaves and then went in because my fingers and toes were hurting too much. This time next year I shall do the sensible thing. I shall not draw on the patio and I shall only attempt to do any gardening if the temperature is at least 6 degrees.