In a Vase on Monday - The last of the Decade

Cathy who collects us all under her wing found an extra post necessary and if a friend with a broken bone can find a way to post, I felt that at the last minute I too ought to make an effort:

to at least take a picture of the alliums that are like large wands or maybe large indoor fireworks.

The day promised some sunshine so we have spent most of the day out, with a picnic on the coast after a walk along Brean Down which is a high limestone promontory jutting out into the sea.  With wonderful views out to sea and along the coast.

No plant was picked but many admired...

May the New Year and decade be kind to you all....with my very best wishes.

Six on Saturday - 28 December 2019 - The Garden is but A Stage - OH YES IT IS

A special SOS linked to the great PROP agator A'GENT'...who shelters other artists who love to contribute to his weekly reviews of things gardening. Mind you he has a few problems with one of his stars needing her roots seeing to.  Through his billboard you can see what other shows have been put on by other troups for our entertainment this week.

(1) "THE GARDEN IS BUT A STAGE"

Earlier this year John Massey explained this to Stasher known to us under a secret name but I shall use Director just this time.  Over the Christmas period she has been exploring its meaning , as she reviews posts from the past year. If there is a suitable  interval a quick drink in the circle is often called for.




OH YES IT IS!  I hear you all think..."Yes, this garden is  her stage".  We can read her thoughts.  She doesn't really have to talk to us out loud, not even a theatrical'whisper shout' or'shouting whisper' is needed, however the fact that she talks to us (plants) means she cares.  The Director not only moves us around, but has planned a succession of plants popping up according to their season.

(2) PERFORMANCE

We are all put through our paces and depending on her sometimes vicarious attitude to our performance, we may be shifted either to the open ground, or to another position or be moved up to some other pot, for instance few months ago I had the chance to have this great 'vintage' pot.  I dare not mention the worst outcome.....yours to guess: the compost heap, but I do know that since I have now been cherished for a number of years, its the others who have to keep up appearances!

Both Beth the corydallis and Mariesii the Viburnum with her pretty pleated skirts leaves have been moved  to spend the 'Winter Season' gathering their strength for early performances in the Spring.  They have a permanent position with their toes roots freed from the constraint of this fine corset pot.  But darlings, don't take 'permanent' to heart: the Director just moves us around: Absolutely no peace for us, OH NO THERE ISN'T!

(3) MELODRAMA

I have certainly spied this taking place: how she goes on.  Sometimes I just want to turn away whilst she composes herself. You should have seen the tears and  cussing as she chopped at  Bridie..well she was young, the bride that is...the Director is not and should know better.  Poor Bridie hadn't yet got her roots established and she was just stressed, she had the jitters. The weather has been against us all this year, with hot sun, lack of water, and then rain, rain, rain..But really, the Director ought to reign in her feelings....given an hour or two she was full of regrets.  Maybe the Bride will recover, only time will tell.  This is a 'promotion' photograph before she was brutally disfigured.

(4) TABLEAU

Each season a few of us are posed around the garden to form a Tableau, which to us non french speakers translates as 'temporary pictures'.  My native language being Japanese I would love it if she could be persuaded in the coming year to maybe think along the lines of posing plants from similar regions together.  She does often get enchanted by matters oriental, so I think the seed idea may be taking root, and I may yet have another staring role coming my way.


(5) ENTERTAINMENT

For sure the garden has been a great source of entertainment for the Director, it is her play thing, so much so, she devotes a large chunk of her time to it.  Music is supplied in the form of bird song, with occasional  night time solos or duets from some owls. The Director does have a 'Partner'.  Stage whisper: "him with the size 11s and the dangerous proclivity to chop at things when the Director is elsewhere".  We do love him really, after all he helped with the stage design and construction.

Even to the extent of 'publicity photos and write ups on something called Six on Saturday, she never stands still and is always looking to fine tune the Theater...OH YES SHE IS......

(6) SURPRISE

The garden is full of surprises...so much so that the Director herself can emit a little whoop of delight and applaud as actors, from previous seasons, who had been put on garden leave, and were 'resting',  pop out from places she had forgotten about.  We don't always come out on cue, something to do with 'climate change'? The Director has taken to marking the stage floor soil  surface with directions labels. The 'corps de ballet': those beautiful little snowdrops, and other early flowering bulbs,  are waiting in the wings  for their turn to surprise us all during the Spring Ballet Season which is nearly upon us.

Now I am going to surprise you all: 'The Reveal itself being a great theatrical ruse'...

I  Kōyamaki , also known as Scidopitys Verticillata Scidopity which is my Botanical name International Stage Name,  have been 'The voice of this SOS Christmas Pantomime'.  

A few months ago, I was 'potted up' into that fine blue pot featured earlier and for a short time, I hope not for long, have been placed 'front of house', and in my opinion ignominiously decorated.... 

Seriously I thought I was being made to live up to my name of Umbrella Pine.  Just because people think the way my needles are arranged in whorls like the spokes of an umbrella, enough is enough: Will someone please ask the effects people to turn off the rain effects .

I may be a solitary species in my genus and family,  at home in the cloud forests of Japan, but I am not so superior as to be secretly honoured to take part  in  the festive fun, and have enjoyed the Limelight......

Therefore ladies and gentlemen, boys, girls and gardeners, I hope you have enjoyed the Pantomime staged specially this Christmas for you.

Tell your friends about it, and please leave messages of appreciation below, much appreciated I am sure. OH YES IT IS....

Mystery Christmas Gift

Beautifully made out of wood, attractively packaged in brown paper with pretty string, smooth and silky, heavy....suggestions of what to use this for in the comments below please.  (Update: Acacia Wood)

Other treasured Christmassy things included a Christmas Tree Box made with a group of friends led by Kay, and a Gingerbread Biscuit brooch a present from a previous Christmas from Izzi.  Around this time of year I attach it to one of my hats. 

In addition to this a great nibble made by Veronica and Izzi nicely presented in a new Kilner storage jar were Italian Taralli, and another jar of home made sweet delicacies of fudge, and chocolates.

Sweet Pastry and Christmas Mincemeat Pies

Going back a few years my most favoured flour supplier was Shipton Mill where we loved to pick up our order, and later when we moved, I found a baking buddy and shared a 'post free' delivery on account of the bulk order.  Now relocated further south, I get 8Kg bags from our local shop: The Good Earth, of stone ground organic flour from Stoates and Sons and I like to pick up different types of flours on my travels, as well.

Yeasted bread is my thing, however I am a little nervous of pastry.  I do however have a periodic bulk making of mincemeat, usually for stuffing jacket apples.  I remembered reading Clive Mellum's unusual technique for making pastry in 'My Life in Baking 50 years on'.  "Impossible to overwork this", "It will be short and pliable even after the second mix"...he is telling the truth!

I shall never be daunted when making pastry again and will write a few extra tips down on the recipe page in the book.  This lot was made yesterday and are ready for a quick warm up and a dusting of icing sugar tomorrow. 

Christmas 2019

As I approach the big day I try to understand the roller coaster of thoughts and emotions I go through.  Last year I went through some pointers to help me through the 'dark days' in a better frame of mind.  So much is put out there about what people have or don't have, we are urged to buy more and more, send out cards, consume more, etc.

For a couple of years I thought each time of reducing the Christmas Cards I send.  As I went through the address book, I felt I had to send some, but then felt bad as I opted to just think about friends but not send cards.  On receipt of cards first I think about the person, then battle with the 'guilt' if I have not sent one.  I am not a person with a check list working out who has not sent me a card, so if you have not sent one, thanks for that.  I have boxes of cards received in previous years in the attic: cards I could not throw out: pretty cards, hand made cards, cards from special friends etc.

This year I happened to make a handmade card at our November WI meeting when we had a speaker who had brought a whole lot of material to make cards and we were each expected to make one.  This one involved lots of sticking and cutting out several layers to give a raised effect for these two children on their sleight.   Only one very special family was due to receive it...it was given over yesterday.

What I do love to do is to bake and should anyone drop round whilst there is some left, they will be offered a slice of Stolen baked as per Andrew Whitley's recipe except for the addition of dried cherries with the all the fruit soaked in some of my remaining special Rum.

Happy Christmas to all my fellow bloggers who come and read my posts and also to my much loved family and friends scattered around the World.