I was very keen to participate in this week’s Six on Saturday. It is the first of the year, at a time when there are slim pickings in the garden, all the more reason that I should show willing. It was time to prise myself out of the chair, kick start my imagination and find a solution. A challenge. Start how I mean to go on. I’m not going to take the easy option this year. Oh no, not me!
I trundled outside, camera in hand, looking for inspiration. And I didn’t find any, none at all, in fact it was the opposite of inspiration, which is apparently, according to the thesaurus, disincentive. After mere minutes outside, which some might say was a pathetic attempt, I returned inside, packed up my camera and declared to anyone who wished to hear “I’m not SoSing this week”. That was that. No one was going to force me to do anything I didn’t want to do this year.
Chilli halloumi, salad and sourdough for lunch and I was ready for a stroll before the light faded. All at once my disincentive vanished, my inspiration made a much missed reappearance, a light bulb illuminated. I would take photos for my blog on our walk. Which is almost our garden. That was that. No one was going to force me to stick to the rules this year.
Our SoS leader, Jim at Garden Ruminations, has been known to bend the rules a little, but he never misses a week. Fair play young man! Shall we proceed?
If someone was to ask what my favourite bud was, as could well happen with the company I tend to keep, black matt Ash would definitely be in my top ten. Which makes Fraxinus excelsior‘s recent troubles especially sad.
With great enthusiasm and little aforethought, various beds and borders have been planted on my estate. After which no one pays them any mind except to cruelly strim them when they get totally overgrown. Surprise, surprise, you need to implement a maintenance plan!!!! Sole survivors of one such scheme are several dark leaved phormiums, relics and reminders of those lost.
From dark into bright! A psychedelic ivy leaf blocked my way and demanded its place on this New Year’s post. I have argued with such foliage before, it is best to concede without a fuss.
A stand of pines, remaining from our estate’s wilder days, hang over the cycle/pedestrian way. Every time I pass beneath these elegant beauties, a cone finds its way to snuggle in my pocket, it will rediscovered on another outing. Today was no exception.
Art installation. Not sure I can think of any other explanation.
I am a lichen lover. Which sounds like the first line of a jaunty poem. Feel free to finish it off for me.
There we have it, Six on Saturday, close to home but not home itself. I’ve started how I mean to go on. Slightly chaotic, contrary, but meaning well. No change there. Happy New Year, my friends, here’s hoping the good guys win in 2026.
Off The Edge Gardening 
like you I’m determined to post today. I’ve yet to brave the outside and when I do I imagine a similar choice will greet me. Well done for finding six!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The garden is very shady at this time of year, it was all so damp and dark, uninspiring. I hope you have better luck.
LikeLike
I enjoyed that SoS nature walk. Thank you. For a minute I thought that lost shot (the lichen) was an aerial photo looking down on trees and shrubs in some rocky area or other and you’d hitched a lift in a hot air balloon or got a drone to take it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, now that would be very impressive/posey to do a drone SoS!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had exactly the same thoughts as you regarding the aerial view of some landscape. That picture would be worthy of being printed large scale and framed, don’t you think?
LikeLiked by 2 people
I didn’t see that myself, must go back and study it!
LikeLike
I am a lichen lover,
…I am just a bird in the sky!..?
happy new year lovely one… hope we see you soon 🥰🥰🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fine attempt 😃
LikeLike
I am a lichen lover
In greens and browns and greys
Nice to have it cover
Rocks and trees but not my eyes
LikeLiked by 1 person
A masterpiece!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
well done to find six things that bring you joy. Happy New Year
LikeLiked by 1 person
And to you!
LikeLike
This is a rather entertaining Six with some original touches. Speaking of these gorgeous buds, they remind me of a deer’s paw (and like Graeme, I assumed it was an aerial drone shot. What a hoax!).
LikeLiked by 2 people
Happy New Year Sis, and great Six. We must have been sisters in a previous life…little fir cone with greenery has been sitting on my windowsill for a few weeks, picked up on a little ramble. As for lichen….you have inspired me for In a Vase on Monday.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, we definitely were, synchronicity once again!
LikeLike
You see, it is not so difficult. Of course, I know better than to doubt your ability.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very funny! I keep meaning to do SoS now that I am retired and don’t have gardening work to write about. Then comes another Saturday and I find I have already written and scheduled another typical personal blog post with no theme. And it’s too cold and miserable to reschedule that and go take six pictures in the garden. Maybe next week!
LikeLiked by 1 person