My attempt to keep a weekly chronicle of my gardening/allotment activities has fallen down at the first hurdle, as my intended Sunday scribblings are appearing on Tuesday. I have a good excuse I tell myself. I am suffering from the effects of a stiff neck and shoulder which I have not had for several years. I had forgotten how painful this is. Himself has been been applying liberal amounts of 'Deep Heat' to the offending area as I wail piteously. I smell delicious. So there has been nothing taking place in the shape of horticultural activities for a few days other than armchair gardening.
Earlier in the week I had spent a cold but dry and bright afternoon finally planting the last of my tulips and daffs. I am not sure whether the daffs will amount to much, but am more hopeful for the tulips. I used more black pots obtained from Morrisons - these are the ones that they use to display bunches of flowers. Not the most aesthetically pleasing of objects, but at 99 pence for 20 buckets they are a bargain and do the job. I did not quite finish so went out again for a spell on a colder, greyer and windy Tuesday morning which might have resulted in the stiff neck.
In the post this week an envelope arrived containing an RHS diary. I have used one of their pocket diaries for a few years for keeping a note of any appointments. They have become harder to find in the last couple of years or so. I tried local newsagents and stationers without joy, and then the RHS website shop which had run out. This was in December. So that was that or so I thought, until I saw one on eBay and put in a successful bid. There is some information about RHS gardens and shows at the front but that is incidental. What I like about this diary is that it notes the phases of the moon and sunset/sunrise times. I take great pleasure in reading these especially at this time of year. I imagine that the times relate to London but for :
Saturday 31st January - sunrise 7.40am, sunset 16.49pm
Saturday 7th February - sunrise 7.29am, sunset 17.09pm
So in the space of a week we have thirty one extra minutes of daylight - yaaaaaay ! I have not seen this information in any other diaries, so although January had almost gone by the time it arrived I was delighted to see it.
The sun/moon chart sounds very interesting, Anna. It's exciting to hear about all that extra daylight! I'm sorry about your neck & shoulder; probably the colder weather AND the planting together contributed, I would think. Hopefully after some rest you'll be feeling well again:)
ReplyDeleteI understand neck and shoulder pain. I need continual injections to deal with my pain. It's time for me to call for an appt. again, as a matter of fact. It keeps me from being able to do basic things, like making the bed, vaccuming, laundry, carrying groceries, etc. A real 'literal' pain-in-the-neck!
It's great you were able to find this on Ebay. It's surprising what we can find on there. Just about anything we're looking for, really. Take care!
When I started reading this I thought you were going to say you plant by the moon. I like the idea of counting the extra daylight hours better.
ReplyDeleteP x
As soon as I commit to keeping some sort of record - to a particular timetable - the whole plan goes to pot. Somehow I am never in the mood on the day in question!
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon. Armchair gardening can be quite relaxing.
I go to the osteopath now for regular crunching - I don't know if it is the bloging or the gardening that causes the trouble (lol)
ReplyDeleteHope the discomfort passes soon -
K
I also thought you were going to say you plant by the moon. I think that would be fun - if I could stay awake that long.
ReplyDeleteOhhhh - that neck and shoulder pain. I hate that. It seems to plague me the older I get.
Hope that deep heat works for you.
Good luck with the bulbs. We plant ours in the fall.
I've just finished planting the tulips, but still have 2 bags of daffodils left. Luckily, they're not mush and are just beginning to sprout.
ReplyDeleteI now need to get some more compost and some pots to put them in. I'm telling myself it's great planning, because soon I'll be able to see where the gaps are and can plant accordingly ;)
What January lacks in summer, it gains in daylight. Erm, or something!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your sympathy Jan. Luckily I only suffer from this every couple of years or so touch wood. I do feel for you having to have regular injections. It is a horrible pain and certainly hampers you from doing the simplest of tasks. Ebay can be
ReplyDeletemarvellous and certainly saved the day this time !
Pam, I would like to give lunar gardening a go one day :) The extra daylight is wonderful !
Same here Easygardener :) Thanks for the get well wishes. I am much better than I was this time last week.
Thanks too Karen. Oh poor you- crunching sounds painful and the very thought brings tears to my eyes ! In fact I did wonder last week whether I was doing myself any favours hunched over the computer but carried on regardless :)
Thanks so much for the get well wishes Wendy. 'Deep Heat' and rest did the trick. This getting older lark is no fun at times. I normally plant my bulbs in autumn but somehow fell behind with my plans last year!
Good thinking VP. I am glad that it's not just me who is still planting bulbs :)
Hear, hear Monica !