Spring envy



The waak tae grannies a tapestry print I own by a lady on Orkney at the Hoxa Gallery

I've been away 'sooth' - couple days to see Grannie, a bit more than a walk (over 700 mile)! I'm happy to report that I have seen a bit of 'spring'! For most folks, you see this season every year. For me, unless I travel down 'sooth' it's often a later start for me, happening late march or early April. Our seasons tend to be a bit more compressed - with a dip into spring briefly before we launch into summer with very long days (hardly dark at all for a lot of it) and we briefly dally with the hint of autumn before launching into gales and trees devoid of their leaves. So this trip has been most welcome. But, I definitely have Spring envy, just like I had autumn envy in October. Best to plan trips at these times of year I think!

A cheery robin at a garden centre down 'sooth'

We even managed a sneaky garden centre trip - feasting eyes on witch hazel in full bloom, snow drops nodding and dwarf iris delighting with gorgeous colours. The most amazing thing about that trip was the lack of seeds which made their way into my sticky mitts. Which is, for me, a very noble act. It's been nice to talk gardens, think about which veggies I'll grow this year and have a laugh/groan about the fact that whilst grandad managed to grow lots of beans in the allotment last year (2kg jingling delightfully coloured tub of various bean seeds are evidence to that) I have NO hope of growing any type of bean outdoors here apart from broad beans which are hardy enough to grow out in our weather here. Well, sometimes in life, when faced with the ridiculus adversity of silly weather, you have to giggle. I'll manage to grow a few if I get my tunnel up in time, my house is just far too exposed - and the climate isn't kind.

Excuse the [previous] lack of photos [edited some in now at home....I need to learn to use my iPad...] - I'm sat in an airport - the only plants in view are in the gardening magazine I've got to read later. Airport travel always sounds so glam, but for us it's like hopping on a bus or a train. Whilst my green concious feels very uncomfortable with the carbon issues, when needing to do a dash 'sooth' it's really the only method. I grow a lot, I'll grow more to help counteract my galavanting.

Our local 'buses'..........

I've taken a book on the trip I've really wanted to read for a while, but lifes distracted me. Anyhow this trip I've managed to get 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' by Barbara Kingsolver read. It got me thinking prior to reading about how much we could possibly grow/source locally. Having read the book I'm more inclined to try and put a plan in place to give it serious go. Id like to source/grow as much at home as I can. Whilst I'll struggle to grow coffee, bananas and nuts - I can begin to plan what is possible. Well, if I can't take home a 5ft witch hazel on the plane (no point it would die with us anyway, as tempting as they were) - I'll have to think about the edible things I can grow to feed us instead.

 

A very good read...........Animal, Vegetable, Miracle