Thismorning I went to Hexham, as usual on a Thursday, getting away early. Having done my Waitrose (not Tesco's - aren't I good) I had some time left before my hair appointment. Having parked the car, to the butcher's in Robbs, and then, with a beating heart, to Pattinson's the Photograph shop. While in France, I decided that I needed to upgrade my lovely Olympus camera. There were various factors that were so obviously better in the camera's of other members of the family. G and my children had given me money towards it, so that I could upgrade by money as well as modernity. My lovely friend in the shop produced 3 or 4 cameras, all doing much the same. I ended up with a Panasonic with a Leica lens called Lumix. For the technophobes among us, it has 7.2m pixels. Lens - Optical 3.6x zoom. Motion picture facility with sound. Lots and lots more but it doesn't mean much to me. Bought a 2gb card to go with it.
I got home by 12.00 so had time to study the Operating Instructions before lunch, but could not try things out till after, because it takes about 2hrs to charge the battery. That's a joy in itself - my old one r
an on 2 rechargeable batteries which took 10 hours to charge! Once it had gone live, I spent quite a long time going through lots of menus etc and then tried out the camera. This is the very first picture. Not all properly in focus - now, having read more, I could do better!
an on 2 rechargeable batteries which took 10 hours to charge! Once it had gone live, I spent quite a long time going through lots of menus etc and then tried out the camera. This is the very first picture. Not all properly in focus - now, having read more, I could do better!
Then I went outside and took this one of the part of the garden that I have not yet described. I also took a piece of video which was not too bad, but I need to find out how to upload it here. It round this far lawn and shows it quite well.
Then o
ut to garden. Last night, G and I had put the ladder up against the Pyracantha, so that I could prune the upper part. It always puts up great long branched pieces along the top, and if I didn't cut them out each year, it would be at the top of the wall across a window by now! In the picture, there is only one left, on the far left. I couldn't reach it from the middle where I started. In the end G cut it out with the long cutter thing. The thing in the bottom middle of the picture is a prop which is holding the whole thing up against the wall. Last winter, the wind got behind it and as the plastic frame that it was tied to had come loose, it landed flat on its face over the herbaceous border. It was a somewhat prickly job cutting out the frame and long growths that had grown up the back. After that, G and Dave the garden helper managed to push it up with two props. Previously I had attached a strong clothes line round the main stem and out to the sides. While they held it up, I went up first one ladder and then another to attach said line to hooks in the wall. One prop was set into the ground and is still holding it, while the roots hopefully regrow. Unfortunately, the clothes line has come undone and so is no longer working, so we have a big problem. As you can see, it is wide and it is also very prickly. The prop is up against the central stem. We will probably have to put something round the front of it, but it will be very difficult to make it tight. This year it flowered quite well but has not set all that many berries and what there are look dried up. The growth, on the other hand, was as good and vigorous as ever.
ut to garden. Last night, G and I had put the ladder up against the Pyracantha, so that I could prune the upper part. It always puts up great long branched pieces along the top, and if I didn't cut them out each year, it would be at the top of the wall across a window by now! In the picture, there is only one left, on the far left. I couldn't reach it from the middle where I started. In the end G cut it out with the long cutter thing. The thing in the bottom middle of the picture is a prop which is holding the whole thing up against the wall. Last winter, the wind got behind it and as the plastic frame that it was tied to had come loose, it landed flat on its face over the herbaceous border. It was a somewhat prickly job cutting out the frame and long growths that had grown up the back. After that, G and Dave the garden helper managed to push it up with two props. Previously I had attached a strong clothes line round the main stem and out to the sides. While they held it up, I went up first one ladder and then another to attach said line to hooks in the wall. One prop was set into the ground and is still holding it, while the roots hopefully regrow. Unfortunately, the clothes line has come undone and so is no longer working, so we have a big problem. As you can see, it is wide and it is also very prickly. The prop is up against the central stem. We will probably have to put something round the front of it, but it will be very difficult to make it tight. This year it flowered quite well but has not set all that many berries and what there are look dried up. The growth, on the other hand, was as good and vigorous as ever.
After the Pyracantha, it was back to weeding. This is where I was working. I have finished now and started to cut the front of the Seneccio back off the lawn. I did the main pruning ages ago but did not finish it quite and had not tackled the front. It always looks horrid after as it has to go back quite a way and it looks all empty and gappy. I gave up about 6.0 and went in but of course, there is no rest - the supper had to be cooked and one way and another I was busy till 7.30 when we ate one of our favourites - salmon with ginger, lime and honey.
Then I came on here and read all about sad dog stories and happy wedding anniversary ones and lots of stuff about firemen, squaddies and the lord alone knows what. So now it is time for bed.
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