Summer (?) solstice...... oh and ouch!

Happy summer solstice! Yes, I know, I have also looked out my rain streaked window and wondered about using the word summer, but as I have only one fleece on instead of the customary two or three it must be summer......but just to be on the safe side, I have lit the fire.

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Last weekend saw some sense knocked into (or possibly out of) me. Himself had been muttering dark sinister things about the rose at the end of the garden.

He was correct that it had taken over trifid-like and had smothered his favourite bench. He likes to sit there in the evening sunlight (when on the rare occasion we actually get some) on a weekend . But this particular rose had thwarted his plan and HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!  

Himself 1 : Rose 0  

Next thing I know, he has rigged up a frame to force the rose up higher and away from it's original support so that there was now a space to allow pruning.

Look he says, I made it easier for you (me?) to sort that rose out - coz if I do it  - I'll just hack at it and kill the **** thing..............

So, armed with my secateurs I started to cut away. I have to admit to not feeling 100% safe beneath the frame so moved around to the back of the rose (which I have to say is an over 20 foot high rambling variety). Much pruning and trimming and pulling of dead stuff away later, I returned to to the front of the plant to see how things were shaping up. I stood and admired how much better the rose was looking then noticed a dead branch that I'd cut but not pulled out, leaned in and yanked....hard......

The frame collapsed. 

Fortunately my head and shoulder broke it's fall and it landed gently on the lawn. I on the other hand needed much mopping up and copious mugs of sweet tea. Ouch.

Rose 1 : Me 0

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Sunday - feeling a little bruised but not defeated I was pottering out and about in the garden (avoiding the sniggering rose) and look what was watching................

Through out the day this little chappie popped around with it's mum until she was fed up with it. It then shivered and cheeped rather sadly and even tried following us. We felt that the fledgling had actually left the nest through greed rather than being ready. So, Himself (armed with his longest ladder and sweaty palms), returned the fledgling to it's nest. One happy fledgling later - it's mum started feeding again :)

And on another sweet note - doesn't this look super yummy!

Well, that was our weekend, it had it's highs and it had it's lows :) Here's to the next one! (where's my crash helmet??)

Lovely to chat to you my dears, I've missed you, hope your week will be filled with as much colour and love as you deserve xxxxxxxxxx