Spring flower season

Let me just fling some bouquets at you. It is the curse of living such a geographically isolated life that I cannot pop round to my friends with the blooms.

Here is the early morning (poorly photographed) shot of this weeks flowers going to market.

Which, of course does not do justice to the alliums, salvias, hesperis matronalis, cerinthe, … what else is in there?

Oh yes, gladiolus (the wonderful delicate species gladdie), lots of ballota for a bit of grey felty contrast. And the few lamb’s ears spikes that have emerged. Stachys byzantina. And the tall spires of some bullrush leaves which do Not Need to invade my lily pond.

(Taking the secateurs to them is my version of green revenge).

Let me just nip outside and take a shot. And hope I don’t get ambushed by the cat on the doormat.

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Phew. It’s too early for play. And I get easily distracted these days. One small delighted bundle of joy is a perfect distraction from sitting down and putting key to board and photo to story.

She’s bad enough when I am ‘doing’ the flowers. The table in the garden room is the perfect height for me to work. And for the Creature to make a mess, get my attention, and drink the flower water at the same time.

Bonus score if she knocks over a completed bouquet.

I have even taken to accidentally leaving a potted nepeta plant (catnip) nearby to try and distract her away from me. Alas, it hasn’t worked yet.

And of course I love her company.

I still get a thrill when I’m in the cat food aisle of the supermarket and realised that I now have a pet. An unlooked for lockdown delight.

And I even chortle when reaching for the more expensive top shelf croquettes (dry cat food) because, of course, this creature has gone from being a dumpster diving, cheese stealing, compost rummaging wild flighty cat in the forest… to a complete princess who turns her nose up at the cheap stuff. And likes you to stand nearby while she eats from her bowl.

Bless.

At least she didn’t get in the way of the photo shoot I actually roused myself to complete before taking this particular bunch of flowers up to Aurelie in town.

One of my panels I made using the teensy tester pots from Farrow and Ball. This one is Dutch Orange. And it sets off the the blooms beautifully.

Note to self. Less time playing with the cat, more time doing some proper pics.