1. A day in the garden – tending to seedlings in the morning then in the afternoon, weeding the paved bits and tidying up the pots on the balcony and office level. It’s a good day for it – nice but not too hot.
1b. I separate out the seedlings’ roots by soaking them in a bowl of water. (The bowl is one of my first attempts at sgraffito – nice little bowls but the glaze inside didn’t work out, so they’ve been relegated to the garden.) The seedling soil makes a lighter mud than compost and turns the water a particular beige — twice I mistake it for a cup of tea.
1c. The fruit bushes all look healthier than I remember them in previous years: lots of new growth and bright green leaves. Their compatriot trees are full of blossom and in fine leaf too. I don’t know if it’s just another year of growth or a quirk of the spring weather but either way, it looks like we’ll have a good crop this year.
1d. I get nettle stings in my bum crack (thanks to my baggy shorts and lack of belt). The beautiful thing is that they hurt less than the ones on my hands.
1e. A-cat from next door pads the top of the fence while John tickles her head. She has a magnificent tail.
2. Our neighbour (for the next fortnight) R tells me about the opportunity he’s been offered and seems to talk himself into it as we chat. It sounds great – perfect for him at this stage in his new career – and I’m jealous of his opportunity to be part of something bigger, to help make something that’ll last.
3. A couple of drops of hot sauce liven up the leftover enchiladas.
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