Having done replenishing, we took a walk along the coast from Blakeney to Morston Quay. A short half an hour. Where we partook of a very welcome soft drink and a fruit scone from the National Trust cafe . Sitting down for a quiet moment with our confectionery, listening to the gentle ching ching of ropes against masts, and welcomed the refreshing consequence of an off shore breeze.
Unfortunately, close by there was three generations of a family. All talking as though they'd been brought up surrounded by the constant noise of road drills, so they all had to bellow extremely loudly. So I was able to follow a long detailed conversation about a guy the younger chap worked with. But during the conversation he started talking very appreciatively about his male friends, and he described the care for each other, the close relationship he had with them as 'brothering'. I find that a really lovely way to describe the cultivation of male friendships. I've incorporated this into my lexicon of fine expressions - 'brothering'
With the fine weather I've finally been able to scrub and sand the patio decking, and repaint it. We needed to move the arbour off, which was not easy. I strained my back in the process. However, the hot weather meant I was able to apply two coats of paint in one day. The patio looks ten times better. Leaving it to harden off for three days. Then we tried moving the arbour back by lifting it in on ropes. This was so much easier. Once back in place, we sat out in the cool of the evening, reading, knitting and contemplating the nature of fairweather para gliding.
The new patio fence/wind break is progressing. Its basic structure is two thirds completed, I'd estimate. I'm enjoying the process of making it. It's always beneficial to find a new focus for creativity from time to time. It freshens everything else up too. Just need a dry bright day to install it. This will come soon, we hope.
The fledgling beetroot plants, now they are not being regularly trashed by cat paws are really thriving. Our hanging tomato plants though established, have very slow growth. So I'm pinning my hopes on this mini heatwave to kick start them into flowering. Our gooseberry bush is the healthiest its ever been. It won't be a huge crop, but it didn't fruit at all last year, so I considering whatever results as an unexpected boon. Everything in the garden is flourishing and I find a lot of pleasure in that.
We ran out of meal worm fat for one day, just one bloody day! But by the time we'd replenished stock, the large groups of fledglings had deserted us, no doubt for another free food source. Loyalty among birds, is not what it was. We are currently down to a couple of warblers, blue tits and a lone black cap. This may still be the calm before the storm of a new batch of fledglings. I am muting my expectations, because at some point the breeding season does cease. Bearing in mind it was late starting this year. But we do now have the bird feeder baffle installed. So they can eat without an overgrown rat gatecrashing the party.
One tabby cat with an extremely clean white bib, regularly crosses our back garden on its way to who knows where. This morning, as I made my breakfast, I got the sense of being watched. And found that cat staring hard straight at me, unblinking. Finally, I was meeting eye to eye, the cat responsible for wrecking the beetroot trough. Just sitting there giving me the evils. God, they were really pissed with me, I could tell. With the scent of insouciant revenge looking for a suitable outlet.
Well, it's been my birthday. The 67th year of my existence on this planet. Each year life feels all the more fragile, liable to be easily broken, so I feel the need to make what I can of it, whilst I can. I still cannot fully pin down what the dominant theme of late life is, other than surviving relatively intact for as long as possible. Doing whatever I want for as long as possible. But I'm beginning to get a sense for it being focused on A.G.E. - appreciation, gratitude and enjoyment.
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