Daily Archives: 13/04/2017

Flower of the Day: 13.04.2017 Rowan Tree

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Rowan Tree 12.04 (3)

Here we call them “Vogelbeerebaum” which literally translated would mean Bird berry tree. When they finish flowering they have clusters of orange coloured berries, which most of us know. As a child my mum always said do not touch them, the are poisonous. We have a few growing on our estate and this spring, for the first time, I took a closer look at their flowers. I never realised what a beautiful tree it is when blossoming. The flowers are like small roses and so pretty.

Flower of the Day: 13.04.2017 Rowan Tree

Daily Prompt: There is a time for everything

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Lewisea and Indian Mallow planted

My nice colourful ivy has disappeared. Where there were green leaves with white edges, there are now only dry stalks. I think I saw a single leaf a few weeks ago but its time had come to an end. In a way it was timely, because it is Spring and in Spring your can get rid of the old and in with the new.

I am taking photos every time I visit the supermarket and I was on a quest this week for something to replace my ivy, R.I.P., although it might return. Where there are still stalks, even if they are dry, there might be roots and roots rest awhile and one day may again re-appear. I decided to plant my new discoveres where the ivy was.

This week is a silly week for planning, because someone decided to plant Easter at the end of the week, making my timely organisation completely untimely. I saw a plant on Monday which rather appealed to me as a replacement for the departed ivy (R.I.P.) with the strange name of Lewisa.

Lewisia

I decided this would be the new chosen one to partly replace ivy. This morning, three days later, I saw that it was still on the shelf in the store. In the meanwhile I had examined the details of the Lewisa on Internet and it seems it was discovered by a guy called Lewis , the plant facing north somewhere in the States. I decided anything that survives facing north would be ideal for Switzerland, as here everything faces North. It should have well drained soil, a bit stony and I decided it would be perfect. But would it still be available this morning – yes it was. I even had a discussion with the saleslady (I always have discussions) and she said she has them in her garden, a wonderful plant for covering the earth, and blossoming freely already in Spring. I decided this was it, and so I bought two – this pink one, and a yellow one.

My quest was not completed as there would still  space in betweeen, and so I discovered something else on Monday, researched the details on the computer in the meawhile and was again lucky. They had a large assortment of Abutilon still availalbe.

Abutilon

I fell in love with these when I saw them, not cheap, but affordable and this morning I chose one in this colour to complete my new bed, still hoping that the ivy would again re-appear to surround ny new flower choices. A common name for this flower is also Indian Mallow (no not hemp, although that would also be a good idea – and they have a herbal quality). Now mallow grow everwhere in my garden, although generally considered as weeds. I like them and when they are finished are easy to remove, because they will return the following year from the seeds they spread.

Common Mallow

This is the common mallow which grow everywhere. I have now bought the Indian mallow and if it is true to its reputation should survive everything. The label  says winter proof.

It was not really timely for me to dig up the garden with a fork and plant these new arrivals, but Mr. Swiss was busily engaged in a conversation with our neighbour and I did not want to interrupt him, although two extra hands would have been useful. The work is now done, everything is planted and now it is just a wait and see.

Daily Prompt: There is a Time for everything

Good Morning

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Cows 11.04 (2)

There are mornings when you wake up, notice that apart from one small interruption during the night for a visit to a certain place, you have slept well with no unnecessary interruptions and you feel good. You grab the iPad next to your bed, at least I do, and see that your online world is still there, although WordPress do have a bit of a problem with their/my server at the moment, but after the first few minutes it is working again. And then you see that WordPress, the blogging site you belong to, congratulate you to 9 years of “flying with them”, so what could  be better.

The second surprise was when I opened the curtains in the bedroom to see what my front garden was doing and saw that my Horse Chestnut tree had a flower spike. I cannot explain the great feeling I had, after planting it from a conker at least 15 years ago, it had only made leaves. Now and again I chopped it back. but I refused to give up. Even the gardener said it my never flower because it was from a conker, but it has proved everyone wrong. This tree deserves a blog of its own, so coming later.

Another lift up this morning was when I read this blog about diabetes. The person that wrote it, Embeecee, often makes a like on my blog and she is one of the fellow beloggers that cross paths now and again. I always take a walk through the reader in the morning and what she wrote about the problems with diabetes really made me chuckle. There is a funny side to everything. Perhaps it is my black humour, but there is so much reality in this piece. I have even printed it out and will give it to Mr. Swiss to read, even he has a sense of humour now and again – not bad for a Swiss. If you happen to have problems with your blood sugar, read it, and realise they are not problems, just something completely different. I read it as I was enjoying my slice of bread covered with a thick layer of blackberry jam.

Renovation 12.04 (2)

And now to the progress on our home which is now becoming a reality building site. Mr. Swiss said that they have now begun to extend the moat around our building at the side. As this is not a part for human habitation, they employed the digger. I did not need telling twice and was immediately there armed with my camera for a few live shots. Mr. Swiss said any other Swiss would hide behind the curtains and watch from afar, but not his wife, she has to be in the middle of the action and so there I was standing there with a camera in one hand and my walking stick in the other. The gardening workmen now know me and they laughed and gave me a friendly greeting. I said I hope they did not mind and the boss, on the machine, said not a all, so I made the most of it. His colleague asked me if photography was a hobby of mine, laughing as he said it. You always have to look on the bright side of bulding interruptions and I have discovered it. I will have material for my blogs for the next 6 months if I do not know what to write about.

Renovation 12.04 (10)

I took a walk in the afternoon and when I returned I noticed the gardeners/workmen were preparing to leave. They had piled the remains of the trees and vegetation they had removed onto their truck – another photo. In a way it is a shame that these plants are removed, but it seems it will all be replaced again when the work is finished. They have not removed as much as was threatened and now I have a nice neat path at the side of my back garden which makes it easier for me when going places.

Today is the day of the big shopping in the supermarket for Easter. Yesterday Mr. Swiss composed a shopping list in man style and I completed it in female style with little pictures from my iPhone of bacon and vegetable – it is all in the programme. I also split it down in details to show what we would be buying for which day. Mr. Swiss did a good job, but mine was more like a shopping spreadsheet with all the details. It was accepted. I hate the Easter holidays even more than Christmas. At least there will be no family stress with invitations and taking walks and we will have peace and quiet from the builders. They will arrive on Tuesday with a vengence and this time it will be the real thing with scaffolding and ladders. I hope they are also as camera friedly as the gardeners are.

Must go, will be back later and hope that my computer plays with me. Yesterday everything was on a go slow. I have cured my problems with my photo site, which was because Chrome was not working properly due to the fact that I uploaded a wrong programme. I have renewed Chrome and since everything was working perfectly, but there is a snail tempo at the moment.

Have a nice day, don’t forget the easter bunnies and eggs.

White flowering tree 12.04.2017