Baldur

I never tried scratching my loonies and toonies.... now where did I put them?

Baldur

Great news on the Boughbreak gardening front!
The lettuce has started sprouting.
If it stays dry enough today I may start planting the Chinese greens.
We have Bok Choi. Tat Soi and Pak Choi (there are myriads of variations).

sandm

When Ive been in Canada, I liked to drink a kind of lemonade, made of marple syrup, cider vinegar and water. I`d not drink this any more.

...... I love Pak Choi:)

Baldur

'All Baldur, All the Time'
Today I did not plant the Chinese greens as expected. Instead I put in the Fernleaf Dill and the Spinach.
Also put some pink snapdragons and pink petunias into the communal flowerbed at the corner. This was enough pink to perhaps create a dominant colour scheme. Several neighbours put in flowering annuals each Spring, but the colours are generally quite random.

Baldur

Rain!
Beautiful rain is falling.
This is quite exciting as our precipitation through the Winter and into the Spring is still 9" below average.
The gardens have needed much more watering than usual.

So what did Baldur decide to do instead of gardening?
I'm painting the inside of the front door and sidelights of Boughbreak's foyer.
Out with the beige, in with Morrocan red.
This is a rich deep orangey red, reminiscent of old book bindings.
It is absolutely magickal.

Baldur

The redocaration was inspired by a gift from an old friend.
Frank was at a yard sale and found a gigantic oval brass tray, that he was quite certain I would love.
Frank was correct.
The tray is over 4 feet long and maybe 2.5 feet deep. The overall engraved design leads me to think it is from India.
Most likely it was used on a low base as a coffeetable of sorts, but it has a welded-on loop in back to allow it to be hung on a wall.
It will get hung over the front door in the foyer.
There is already a collection of MidEastern hammered brasses on the console table by the door, and a huge mirror with an ornate goldleafed frame carrying on the 'shiney' theme.
Last Autumn I put in a pierced brass Turkish table lamp and purchased a scrap of tapestry which features huge paisleyish type things and stylized pomegranates on a deep red ground.
The tapestry was made into a table runner with an elaborate tassley trim at each end.
This all makes an interesting tableau as you enter our home from our English cottage garden.

Baldur

That concludes Radio Baldur's segment on home decor for today.

Dragon

Sounds like a trip to Boughbreak is rather like a lovely excursion to far away countries. Also sounds like the kind of place that would be fun to stay at like a B&B.

I'm jealous of the gardening as I am still waiting to get my plants in the ground. The sweetpeas are in and doing well, it's been rather cold so they have grown much but they haven't died either and I'm taking that as a good sign. Perhaps I can get my Irises and Asiatic lillies in tonight if the sun keeps shining. They have to go in soon and weather is supposed to be rainy this weekend (besides the fact that I have to work all weekend). I think it's time to do a Sun Dance here in Red Deer and see if I can get a day nice enough to feel like spending it outside digging.

Lizzi

Best of luck. to you, Dragon. I remember how exciting it was to plant my first garden . Come on, Sunny Alberta!

Baldur

I think there is finally the tiniest of radish plants emerging.
Spring is a very impatient time.

Baldur

Miss Chloe was watching me paint the door most intently.
I was using a smallish artist's brush to paint the narrow muntins when suddenly she lunged at my hand and grabbed at the brush with her front paw.
The brush went flying and Chloe chased after it.
The end result was a series of Morroccan Red spatters on my trousers, the tile floor and on Chloe's paw.

Baldur

Since the rains somewhat abated it was a good afternoon to divide the hosta that ate Boughbreak.
The general footprint of this plant was similar to a gargantuan tadpole.
From nose to tail the clump was close to 9 feet long and 6 feet at it's widest.
After pulling the huge mass of roots from the flowerbed Baldur cut free 9 small clumps and replanted them in a neat curving row in the original area.
12 small clumps were carted off to the lady next door and they made a generous ring around a large lilac bush
This still left more than half of the original mass.
My neighbour Jean agreed to take half of this pile for her own garden.
The rest will end up planted in small clusters in the wooded area behind my house.

Dragon

I considered hostas but I think I will decide against them if they are that agressive. Do you just cut them apart or do they kind of form their own root balls that are easy to separate?

Do you suppose they will eat the forest too or do you think the forest will put up a fight?

Must say I totally understand about cats being "helpful" when trying to do anything creative. 2 of our cats are especially helpful when I'm trying to make stuff.

Radrook

What a bunch of morons!

Baldur

Now where were we?
After removing the mass of hostas from the ground I look for natural openings between the stems and using a sharp spade cut through the root mass to exploit them. Inevitably some stems will get severed and a number of leaves will be lost. The plants however will recover from the trauma rather quickly.
This particular clump was formed from 5 separate plants that I neglected for too long. They are agressive spreaders, but the mess in my flowerbed was my own fault.
The woods may put up a good fight.

Baldur

..and a Happy Cinco de Mayo to all!

Baldur

Should I ask matthew to return and pole dance again? it seems like old times around here.....

Baldur

Baldur was using curling ribbon to put a bow on a birthday gift. Chloe wanted to help with this also.

mdawrcn

I was hoping to hear some feedback from Matthew regarding recent developments.

I am crocheting a rug and put it on the floor tonight to see how it looks. It was barely down before my 15 pound cat, Bubba was on it to see if he approved.

Hazer

The "Super Moon"....bright and beautiful tonight!