To bore others is one thing, to bore yourself another. Bearing that in mind, I have decided to place a temporary embargo on any mention of the weather. Nothing at all. Not even in passing. Or as an afterthought. If a tornado sweeps me up and deposits me at the end of the yellow brick road I will keep stum. This is a promise. However …… just before the prohibition era begins I have a few things to get off my chest.
This week I have been submerged in the weather; immersed, saturated, sand blasted. My ears are ringing from the relentless roaring of the banshee wind. My face is glowing, not with health but because a layer of my skin has been removed by the driving rain/hail resulting in a slightly scary post chemical peel demeanour. Working in these conditions is like trying to garden on a bouncy castle with a jet engine in your face, especially when wearing so many layers you need a spreadsheet to get dressed in the morning. Your senses are confused by the cacophony, your balance undone by the gusting gales. It is not so terrible that work is impossible, there are no snow drifts, flash floods or hurricanes, but resides in the grey zone of “only the brave/stupid”. It is exhausting, frustrating and sometimes surprisingly fun.
There it is, I am now purged, my lips are sealed from meteorological utterances for, well shall we try a week?
This is Brachyglottis greyi, also known as the daisy bush. There is a very nice cultivar called “Sunshine”, but of course we wont be mentioning that for a while. I think this is going to be tougher than I first thought.
Off The Edge Gardening 
I think I read a quote once by .. er.. Oscar Wilde (?) about weather.. something along the lines of only boring people talk about the weather. He clearly never gardened! To us, it’s vital!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love an Oscar Wilde quote but you are quite right, it is so important to us gardeners. If we are not in it, we are watching the forecast!
LikeLike
I don’t know that one, but remember that Oscar Wilde said, ““It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.”
LikeLike
I love that quote, obviously only if I fall into the “charming” category!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great description. Loved reading it. I can’t remember where I read it but someone once said that weather is Mother Nature’s way of telling she is still alive and filled with power.
LikeLike
Thank you Debra, Mrs N has certainly been alive and powerful this week, hope all is good where you are 🙂
LikeLike
The trouble is that here in England we are always surprised and rather indignant when the weather turns cold in Winter. And we feel the need to talk about it. It is useful too. I bumped into someone I haven’ t seen for about 15 years the other day, and I don’ t know where we’ d have been without the weather to talk about.
I do admire you going out in all weathers, even with your complicated underwear arrangement. These days I have become a fairweather gardener. I don’ t like to be indelicate, but I get such a cold bum gardening in artic conditions. Maybe I need to knit myself some wooly knickers.
LikeLike
Now I want wooly knickers! There could be a gap in the market here Chloris 🙂
LikeLike
You have every right to get the weather off your chest, it has been pretty nasty at times. I think you should still be allowed to mention ‘weather’ related words if they apply to plants as otherwise us followers might just miss a gem or too. As for Chloris’ knitting idea – I think some lovely soft merino wool and silk would be nice, definitely nothing too itchy.
LikeLike
I will take that as official permission TT, it has been horrid. Our TV has been down for most of the evening, which is probably a good thing, except we were just about to find out if Richard Parks made it to the South Pole 😦
LikeLike
It is impossible to ignore the weather when working outside – don’t worry, all gardeners understand this 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you, but somedays I think “what shall I write about, I know the weather” and then groan to myself “not again!”
LikeLike
I giggled when I read about you needing a spreadsheet to get dressed in the morning. The way it goes with my memory some mornings, it may turn out that I’ll need something like that in the future! Gosh, I hope you’re getting some days off.
LikeLike
Don’t worry Mrs D I am pacing myself (although if you ask OH he may disagree).
LikeLiked by 1 person
The past three days have been terribly cold early am and late pm, sometimes i wish i could grow fur like my faithful Ridgeback, but shucks, that’s evolution for you. Makes one appreciate the summer, gently mowing the lawns and tending the gardens next to Porthminster Beach in mid-summer seems even more attractive. Who said work was dull?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am really envious David, I always admire those gardens! And you have a ridgeback, obviously a man with good taste 🙂
LikeLike
In the gardens there are many over sized Phormium Tenax, today was pruning day 1. Now considering taking a course on Maori mat making
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be a great sideline David! I will look out for your stall when I visit next 🙂
LikeLike