Put to bed

An afternoon in the garden yesterday, filling in the raised vegetable bed.

Yes, I know I said I was going to give up trying this year, that I couldn’t take any more disappointment, but that was before I realised nothing short of filling the bed was going to stop Stella rejecting the litter box in the bathroom for this big litter box in the garden. (I will spare you a photo of the plant pots of cat poo I had to excavate.)

As you can see, the peas are coming along nicely. The pole beans are also starting to appear. What else do we have?

I’ve added two green courgette plants to the two yellow ones I’d already planted. (The one encircled by oyster shells had clearly become a slug feast, so I’ve given it some extra protections.) Also, two so-called “early” butternut squash plants. I’m placing a lot of hope in that word, as in the past I’ve been lucky to get a single squash before the frost set in. And, in a moment of complete madness, I’ve also planted a watermelon. I do love watermelon and I have tried this before with less than satisfactory results. (And, by that I mean no fucking results.)

What, you ask, is with the plastic trays? Well, let me tell you. I discovered last year that this is the best way to grow lettuce, rather than planting the seeds in the ground. Oh, and, yes, the pots and bricks and stones are meant to discourage Stella. Fingers crossed this works and I don’t go down today to discover half the new plants dug up to bury poo.

Earlier this week summer arrived with a vengeance. It felt like it was pushing 30 degrees when I was working (and pouring sweat) in the garden. Let’s hope this keeps up for at least a week to give the new plants a fighting start before Juneuary descends.

Equally hot, but far less sweaty the day before when Joe and Georgie and I went for a walk on the beach, providing her with an opportunity to enjoy two of her favourite things – swimming and chasing her ball.

Also a perfect day to see Mount Baker, all the way down in Washington state.

A day to accept that there are times when living here really is a bit like paradise.