Whatever the Weather

Winter is upon us, but some days you wouldn’t think so. Yesterday, for example, GR and I were out doing jobs in the garden without coats on. Mind you, I had been sweeping up mounds of wisteria leaves, for what seemed like hours, so I had worked up a sweat. I love the wisteria when it’s flowering – looking stunning and wafting its delicious perfume about. When its numerous leaves are attached to the branches they add interest to a red brick wall and do a pretty good job of camouflaging ugly pipes and cables. I do curse it though, when it sheds those leaves. It’s at it for several weeks – I sweep our terrace and the next time I venture out, it’s time to start again. I think we’re virtually there now, but I’ve filled an entire garden wheelie bin and collections don’t start again until March.

Now what was GR doing while all this was going on, you may ask? Well, he’d been given ladder jobs. The first was to cut back some of the high up, whippy growth the wisteria likes to produce. It’s not really the right time to be doing this, according to gardening experts, but it’s so much easier to see what you’re doing when the leaves aren’t in the way. I point and GR hacks. His second assignment was to climb the ladder once more, to dismantle the nesting box ready for cleaning. This year’s nest was much more substantial than last year’s. I find it utterly amazing that two tiny creatures can construct such an impressive home to raise a family in. There were three eggs left in the nest – maybe Mr & Mrs BT decided their family was big enough. I’m hoping that next year I will see the babies fledge – maybe I’ll get a bird box camera for Christmas?

We do seem to yoyo between warmer winter days and brass monkey weather. We’ve had some snow already – I can’t remember it coming this early for years. I do love looking at Jack Frost’s work – he’d definitely been out the other morning with his icing sugar duster and a pot of glitter.