Mico-adventure

The sun has gently slipped behind the rooves of the houses across the village road, the sky's a pale peachy blue-grey with slightly darker untidy grey clouds drifting slowly across my view. The blue has been in short supply today as banks of sullen cloud have taken up most sky. Between the intermittent drizzle we have worked in the garden - lifting and thinning, dividing and pruning. There are two types of plants in my garden - those that thrive and strive for world domination and those that don't, never to be seen again. Today was the day that the thugs were brought into line. 

Beating back the foliage was a far cry from our last few days ... when we escaped on a microadventure with Zeb (the van) and Moss. No plans apart from sorting out a friendly farmer's field with stunning views and filling the van with food, boots and clothes.

I love these 'no-plan' adventures, where we just turn off the main road and see what happens. Our first day we walked around Whitbarrow and marvelled at how few folk were around. There were the few dog walkers on the lower slopes and the Dad and son team who looked like they'd planned a wild camp up on the hill. Other than that - hardly any one about. It was absolutely bliss.

I knew we were tired - accumulatively tired but what neither of us expected was how well we slept. Three nights in a row we got a full 12 hours (yes ... 12) sleep. We must have needed it. 

Moss filled her days with hunting down sticks, finding puddles, sniffing, swimming and running and like us falling asleep and sleeping well. The clear air and quiet countryside has been so healing - it seems that we all needed this break.

We visited Halecat plant nursery and I was inspired - although I garden for folk where I can plan and design their gardens, when it comes to my own - I am stumped. This year I'd decided that I would let my garden go semi-feral - let it go 'wild' for nature however I have found that this 'return to nature' is not for me - my garden has to be compatible for our local insect, bird and mammal population but it has still got to be beautiful and make my own heart sing.

I was fired up by their planting, the colour planning and their designs, so.... I may have spent a pound or two bringing home a few plants as a catalyst to my garden revolution!

We walked miles - Moss many more.  We also just sat, breathed, watched the sky, listened to birds, listened to the wind in the trees. Played in streams, sniffed the flowers, picked raspberries and I even attempted to eat a crab-apple (cue screwed up face!😵) We sipped tea at the top of hills, alongside streams, we nibbled Sunny Street flapjacks and strawberries while we watched hundreds of butterflies feast on buddleia. And we slept.

It has been a very cathartic and healing few days - ones we would love to have had for a little longer but reality is calling and Himself is back to work tomorrow and I am on Tuesday. But until then - you'll find me in my garden!