poetry on the web

I sent a couple of things I'd written to the wonderful Charles Christian who accepted them and if you'd like to read them they can be found here:
http://ink-sweat-and-tears.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/4/30/4169170.html
and you can see an older poem I had published on the same webzine at http://ink-sweat-and-tears.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/12/24/4034357.html

Feedback welcome!!

Seedlings and writing

The Clematis montana is full of pale pink blooms transforming my view when I'm washing up.







Here are my seedlings in my lean-to. My tomato plants look a bit pale - not sure what can be wrong with them. Any ideas?? Too tired to google now.







My writing corner in our bedroom is now set up and fully functional and looks and is brilliant. Now I just have to write - I have run out of excuses -that must be why I spent the entire evening on the phone to sister and friend. A couple of my poems should be coming up soon on the net- will keep you posted. Goodnight.

walking my sister's dog

My sister read my face and said do you want to take the dog out- you look like you want to be alone. What a lovely sister! I had a lovely walk. The day before I had read a poem from the floor for the first time in front of an audience. I was so nervous but I did it!!!!

Ruby ran off into the avenue of contorted trees. I had the guts to let her off the lead this time. It was only our second walk alone together.
Then I took her to my old sixth form college - she liked it. It's an art deco building-she's got good taste. We continued our walk up a steep busy main road that falls away one side to grass and came across a man sleeping under a tree heaving with blossom.

From my garden: I like this combination of Ajuga and white anemone, though it's not a particularly good photo.

Writing,potions and plants

Have been working at the allotment this week as weather has been perfect for growing. Have been hoeing the weeds before they get too big. Sowed some carrots and moved a red currant bush. There are flowers coming hurrah - hopefuly will get my first taste of red currants since I was a child.
Blowsy tulip in my garden.

I feel so happy to have this now. In my teens I did my home work on this. It's my parent's old sewing machine and my new writing desk. Might even do some sewing with it once I fix the belt on it. My mate said a pair of tights would do the job. The machine folds neatly away inside and a panel covers the hole. Once I have oiled the top of it I can make the study corner in our bedroom instead of perching the old laptop on the blanket box. It really feels like things are coming together.

Kids were playing nicely outside. Wondered what was keeping them so happy and it was the potions they were making(one pictured). Girls were making a potion to keep the boy(my son) away and my boy was making one to keep girls away. Who says they don't play imaginatively. Though I was cursing when I found sludgy play sand at bottom.

My herb gaden is springing back to life.

more garden pics

I had nearly given up on this rhododendron. It had no flowers last year but this year has four. The buds look an intense pink then open out into the most delicate white/pale pink gossamer-looking flowers. When I left my job I was told to take any of the plants as the site was getting closed down (remember Tina you helped me with the plants?) and this is one of the plants I took.



We moved the plum tree from its too small pot and put it in the ground. It survived and has blossom. Hopefully there won't be a frost like last year to destroy them before they have the change to turn into fruit.

Update on Clematis montana outside my kitchen window. The once looking dead twigs are covered in leaves and buds.

Been away for a few days- lovely to come back to the garden and to hear lots of drunk bees buzzing around. Hope you all had a good Easter.

tomato pricking out and flowers

My son chose these tulips and it's the third year they have reappeared. When it's sunny they open out into vivid yellow petals hiding their red underside but when it's overcast you get to see mainly dusky red. I love the contrasting colours/looks.





More pictures of the carmelia but this time the clematis behind is in flower. It's a Clematis alpina 'Pamela Jackman' and looks stunning in the dusk - it suddenly shines out - comes alive. After the flowers are gone, fluffy silvery seedheads take their place.


My broom is starting to bloom.








Last but not least I belive these are the fragrant daffodils my friend R gave me. Thanks again!!!









Managed to rehouse tomato seedlings in 3 inch pots though hurt my wrist snapping a chocolate bar to share between the kids (wouldn't have happened if I hadn't eaten the other bar of chocolate on the way home with it). Now have flowers to rehouse- next week will do. Sowed some courgettes as last year forgot to do it and accepted some off neighbour which turned out to be yellow - found colour much more pleasing than the taste of them. My cucumbers have germinated-hooorah!!!!

potato planting

These are pictures of plot number two as they looked before father-in-law came and mainly did the potatoes. Very grateful for help as have to gradually build up strength in recovering broken wrist.

And after!!!

Bit sad can't say I did them this year but that is out-weighed with the relief I feel at having another job crossed off my list.

Potatoes in trench lined with horse manure then covered in soil. Soil pulled together over top to make long mound(as it pictures above). When stalk of about 9 inches stick up, draw more soil together to keep potaoes covered as in sunlight they gradually turn green and the green bits as poisonous.

sunny afternoon in my garden

I love my garden at the moment. These tulips have come up from the year before last. I like the red against the purple of the perenial wallflower. The wallflower was a present from my friends daughter and it has flowered continuously all seasons since I got it two years ago.








This is my parsley before I pricked out the seedlings and put them two to a 3 inch pot.










These chanomeles (spelling?) otherwise known as flowering quince are lovely can't wait till the climb up against the fence and cover it.






Oooh and this ribes is related to currant family but is just ornamental but flowers smell beautifully fruity and the colour is gorgeous as the bush is covered in these flowers this time of year.






Last but not least the forsythia that has grown on me. When I need a burst of sun I just stand under, look up and soak up the yellow.

This time of year my head is full of all the jobs that need doing. Poems I need to write, seeds to sow and potatoes to plant. My tomatoes germinated and have now got four leaves which means they need rehousing. Need to get some peat first and wash some more pots or I could stick them in toilet rolls. I got a poem accepted by Everday Poets - not up this month but will keep you posted. Very excited as will be my first ever payment for writing - I know it's only a dollar but it means a lot to me.