The robins fly past

Just leaving spring and coming into summer. Consider what a year this is - the start of summer, very often a blue sky and the sun beaming down on us - and then the clouds head in on the wind and the snow arrives ahead. Not what you would expect at this time of year, certainly not what I expect but it's been going on for a day or two now and I'm asking myself how much longer this will go on. Will we actually see summer or will the weather skip by, passing autumn as well and bring in winter before we can blink.

Last year I planted Scots Pine and it was a lovely year but despite all the care and attention they passed away, every single one of them. The Austrian Pine are in this year and really looking good - will they make it, will they survive, will the year-long snow be more natural for them? Hopefully, I'll get the right answer.

And the food for the birds, a small mistake there I here you say. Well, I think that you're right. The sparrows continue to pick at it but that is all they are doing I'm afraid, they pick at it, they play with it and they get bored or hungry and then move on. The robins fly past now, on their way to wherever is more interesting. I'll think about this and do what I can for them.

Perhaps they will stop in passing.

Perhaps Shetland will warm up a little ;))

The birds are alright

Well, the birds are alright now but what about the trees? I'll have to do a bit more looking after them, just so that they get used to my garden.

I planted three willows along with the rest of them last year and they are still with us but only one of them is the same height, the other two are now shorter which is a real heartbreaker.

Right up at the top of the two, they were dying and had to be cut and they ended up to be half the height. I'm very worried about the remaining tall one, mainly because of what happened to the other two, I think.

I'm going out now to look after them as best I can, them and the other two as well, the Austrian Pines and the black hawthorns.

Any disasters and I'll let you know immediately.

Fingers crossed, eh ;)) 

A month or two ago

A month or two ago, I was asked for a wee snapshot of  one or two of the trees that I have growing in my back garden and believe it or not, I've finally gotten round to doing the job.

Firstly, I took a shot of one of this years trees, an Austrian Pine, tiny but beautiful. There are a good few more but this one will be shown again and again.














Then I took a shot of one of last years Scots Pines, the remaining one, unfortunately.


Unfortunately, I left the picture on the table, went in to make myself a cup of coffee and, would you believe it, it blew off the table as the bin man passed by and all that I was quick enough to do was get a quick snap of the truck it took to carry it up the road.

Just as well that I was out as fast as I was or you would have thought that I had ballsed it right up, eh ;))

Early Gardening

I've just been around the garden and the willows actually have a chance. I pruned them back a bit because the very top of both was a bit iffy but we'll see.

Both of the black hawthorns are a surprise, a real surprise. One of then was just a stick and the other was a dead stick but in a week they've made a good difference and are coming on a treat. I don't know if it's the temperature or the sunlight but they're doing well.

The Austrian Pine are a mess, they are a disaster.The black viola's are going to take over if the pansy's, which are doing quite well, don't beat the pines first. The dead Scot's Pine is doing better than the Austrian ones. There are a couple that might live to tell the tale but.......

Thank goodness for that

Whew, thank goodness for that. I got home on time, nipped in for a quick coffee and then shot out and watered the trees and they're looking pretty good.

Even the willows and the black hawthorns that I planted last year look as if there is a possible chance with them. I'm watching to see if any leaves come out and for a while now it has looked hopefully hopeful. One thing that I can't say yet is that they are dead so I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope.

But the Austrian Pines, my heart is on them. They look so good and they already have pine nuts right at the top, tiny little things as yet but every tree has four or five there so there's a forest awaiting.

Now I need to think about some small bushes that I can grow between the trees. Never ends, does it :))

What a surprise

What a huge surprise. What a huge, massive surprise. Since I raised my head this morning it snowed until about ten-thirty and I wasn't going out to plant trees in that weather. True, it wasn't lying but the snow was falling continually throughout.

Then the snow stopped falling, so I immediately put my jumper on and went out to put the trees into the garden. There was no wind, it was totally still and it was mild, so mild that the jumper that I had put on inside I promptly took off outside. How strange ;))

Anyway, I've got the trees planted and watered and must remember to water them daily. I lost last years trees and I'm blaming myself for that. I truly believe that I made too little effort. I basically dug small holes, stuck them in, watered them a couple of times and did no more.

This year will be a little different. For a start, I'll water them every day regardless of the weather. If it's pouring down with rain and blowing a horrendous gale then I'll be out there, watering the trees. After all, they're like you and me, they need a little care taken, it's not a lot for them to ask for, is it and the pleasure that I'll get from them will be worth it a million times over

So please, don't let me forget, they have to be cared for every day, regardless of what else is going on in my life :))  

The snow has stopped

The snow, thank goodness, has stopped and I still have two Austrian pines so it's time to get dressed, run out of the door and get them planted.

I just hope that they last a little longer than last years efforts because it will make such a difference to the garden. It will protect all that is growing there from the wind for a start :))

Daffs and Pine trees

It's a windy day and the sun is only occasionally out but there is one thing that I am really enjoying while sitting here with my coffee.

There are two trees that are right in front of me and one of them is surrounded by daffodils. The daffs don't have that long to go I don't think but at the moment they are bright and cheerful and because the trees are so small and young they are enjoying quite a bit of protection from the wind. That is giving them some time to root properly.

Not this Christmas but the next, they are going to look really special if they keep it up. If they do it'll cost me a fortune so don't be surprised if you see me down at Commercial Street with the hat out and the fiddle or the sax giving it big licks.

Just remember how much you care ;))

Black viola's

I had an epileptic seizure yesterday so today I'm not going out to do the work needed in the back garden. Instead, I'm going to sit here in my chair and fiddle around with my computer and look out the window and enjoy the sight of two of the pines that are at the top of the garden.

If all goes well, I'll go out at the weekend and do what needs to be done and tomorrow I'll get the pansy's, the clematis and my favourites, the black viola's started. I must admit that I'm looking forward the most to seeing  them flowering later on. There is also a new one that I've never tried before but they'll look good if they grow well and that is some cactus. I'm looking forward to seeing them, they'll be a little different.

But right now I'm going to see the doctor, with every intention of making a real nuisance of myself. That always brightens me up.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

That's me, off the bus again, two bags of compost, some seeds, a little bit of this and a little bit of that so it is possible that the back garden will start to look cared for again - perhaps.

The Austrian Pine are looking good. They look like they may do a bit better than last years Scots Pines, fingers crossed everyone, please!!!

I'm afraid that I'm not going to spend much time chatting tonight as I'm starving and need to get fed but no doubt that I'll be full of the usual tomorrow - no rude jokes please :)) 

At the back of six, as expected!!!

The Austrian Pine arrived at the back of six, as expected. I'd eaten before they arrived so was  ready for action, right on time.

I was pleased with the trees that turned up, nice healthy looking wee things. I certainly hope that they are more successful than the Scots Pine that I planted last year - and then spent the next eight or nine months watching them gasping for breath and keeling over. I never decided whether to cremate them or turn them into their own coffins, they're on the other side of the fence, waiting and turning into peat while I make up my mind.

At the front door are another pair of pine to make up for the pair that lived the longest. I moved them into the back garden a while ago as they were gasping for breath too. One of them has possibly improved a little but you know what always happens, they smile before they die.

Hopefully, the sun will be out, at least for a while tomorrow so that I can take thousand upon thousand of snapshots of tonights work and flood the internet with them so everyone will understand why I no longer charge tu'pence an hour to do the gardening for them as they stretch out in the sun with a great big cocktail in one hand and a cigar that ensures an early, painful death in the other.

Remember those trees

Remember those trees that I was talking about yesterday?

Well, they didn't turn up on the last bus yesterday. Probably had a bit of a night on the town before they turn themselves in tonight. Olaf, of Plantiecrub has dug the the Austrian Pines up and is dropping them off at the bus station today so that Jenny, the best bus driver in Shetland, can ensure that she gets them here tonight at the back of six. I'll have an early dinner myself so that I'm ready for them.

There is, of course, possibly a bit of a problem ahead. It's pouring down with snow at the moment, with the sun just peeking in now and again, so I'm a bit unsure just what to do with my mini-forest. I'll check up on that before I know how to get it wrong. They'll all tell you that it's guaranteed, I never get it right.

Ach, I shouldn't get so paranoid, if it's still snowing when they get here then I can always put them in a pot with some peat and let them settle until the Autumn comes in.

Then I'll have no excuse not to plant them in the snow.

Neolithic man cut down all the trees

If there are any tree-freaks out there, I'm hoping that there will be ten Austrian Pines on the bus tonight - and before you get it wrong, no, they are not visiting and that's not why I've got the dinner on :))

I have a big thing about the fact that here in Shetland, neolithic man cut down all the trees to build houses (That's where D.I.T.T got it from ;) ) and to burn for heating and cooking, unfortunately using them all up. That's not all bad, if they hadn't then where would we have got the peat from but it has meant that Shetland has not had a reasonable amount of trees for a long, long time.

Because of this, I like to get a tree or two on the go. It's always obvious to me that, because of where I live, a few trees around help to break up the wind that comes in from the sea or the ocean.

So, with any luck, they will have been put on the bus for me and will arrive at the back of six.

Then I'll spend ages getting them planted and eventually I'll be living in the middle of a forest. 

They've done it again

They've done it again. The BBCordless have been at it again. You couldn't believe it, could you? I find it a bit difficult myself but hey, it's a lovely sunny day. You don't hear many complaints when the sun is out, do you ;)

I doubt that you'll hear much from me today because I'll be topping up my non-existing (Yet!!!) suntan and watching the Scots pines that I moved into the garden yesterday dying graciously - or possibly they will just tell me to bugger off, we'll see :)

Saturday morning and the beginning of spring

It's Saturday morning and the beginning of spring. The sun is showing on the water and it's warming up.

It is calm and mild and will be a beautiful day if the sun stays with us which, hopefully, it will.

What a sight for 6.00am.

You don't get sights like this everywhere you know. Wonder how well my trees will grow now, if at all. They spent a year on my doorstep but it was time to move them, they didn't look too good yesterday, to be honest they looked as if they were coming to an end so they are in the garden now. Fingers crossed that they will survive.

I won't mention the other two or three that have keeled over!!!

Two trees planted

That's them planted now. No doubt that they will spring into death within the next couple of weeks but nobody can say that I did anything better than bugger all useful.

I must admit that I do hope that it makes a comeback as it will break the wind when I'm out sunning myself - when the sun comes out again - the day after I've collected my thirty-sixth payment of my retirement pension - which probably won't exist then.

And before I run away and hide, I do have to apologise to a very small mistake I made on the last post. It isn't a Scots Fir as I called them - it is actually a Scots Pine on its last legs.

I really will be delighted if the one showing and its pal come on. They will do what was first intended and that was to break the wind - and they will cheer me up immensely by not keeling over in the first fortnight