Here today- looking not too bad considering the gardener disappeared over a month ago. Saint Mick mowed the lawn for me and he is on the last leg of the kitchen now. Then its Brian for the floor and one of his relatives for the windows. Meanwhile I have the plumbers. The constant 'brewing up' keeps me busy and today it is quite hazardous as we have five man holes and they are all open. I long to be straight again with all the extraneous rubbish disappeared.
Yesterday was weird - One of the plumbers/engineers - young Charles was left here whilst his mate drove down to Plymouth for a replacement camera. Suddenly I heard an unfamiliar rasping noise. Nothing to do with Charles - he was sitting disconsolately by one of the drains with his hood up waiting for his mate. As I walked in the direction of the unfamiliar sound I wondered what strange creatures may have been disturbed by all the probing and swooshing in drains almost a hundred years old. As I got nearer the source I found the sound - now increased in volume - came from the lions guarding the fountain. For some years it had been a delight - sparkling water gushing from the large pineapple at the top and from the noble lion's mouths. Then one day - some years back it gave up the ghost. Alastair said we would have to get an electrician to find where we had buried the pump
and repair it. For one reason and another this never happened and it seemed indulgent to use electricity so I could hear the sound of running water. One old friend said I had ideas above my station. I got Mick to make a hole in the basin to let rain water out and planned to fill it with stones - preferably brought from friends far and wide. I have all manner of stones from France(French son)to bonny Scotland (Kim).
Then the many wild flowers in the garden would seed themselves and it would be a natural delight.
I hadn't realised just how many stones it would take and so far no flowers appeared but a little stagnant moss.
I digress. I ran to get Mick and before he reached the fountain he said,
"That's your pump."
"It can't be - it hasn't worked for years."
"Well it's working now!"
Mick always knows what to do and he firmly switched the derelict switch off.
Alastair never was really sold on the fountain so I have quashed thoughts that I might fill it up with water - stones and all - and give it another go.
Best let it lie.
I should try Nina's idea of putting jasmine petals in a glass dish.
u
Wish me luck - I'm going to give the lawn a go when I can reach the shed.
20 comments:
Well at least you now have the option to use the fountain if you want to.
I'll try and remember to bring another stone when I come :)
I'm sure there was more innuendo in your first paragraph than even I could manage :-)
Meanwhile, best not to use that pump until it's been checked by an electrician. Strange days indeed.
Sx
Not sure if my comment went through because I am signing in at the same time... so apologies if this is a duplicate.
Rashbre: I think I'm inclined not to. It's very close to where I scattered some of Alastair's ashes so I could sit near him and I feel the quiet would be more fitting for us. Sorry if that sounds daft:)
Kim: good boy. Have you still got my email, tel. no. etc?
Scarlet: really? Completely unintended - its just the way it comes out sometimes. With all the turmoil here my post larder is a bit barren.
I was excited when I read of the fountain working again. Then disappointed when he switched it off. Why :-(
Ahh, but the garden is so lovely, fountain or not.
I'd love to send you a stone from Guyana...let me see how those wretched post-office people deal with that, haha.
Yes I do :)
I love your garden. Beautiful !
Since you have an electrician there I would look into having it fixed with an
off and on switch that you can get to easy. I think in the spring and summer the fountain would sound and look lovely. If you ever wanted to use it.
But I have three fountains around my home.
I be crazy
cheers, parsnip
Oh, I bring a stone home fro every visit to the beach. I would love to deliver one to yer fountain some day. :)
Xxx
Your Garden looks so very beautiful, Pat---but then, it always does.....Gorgeous flowers blooming and everything looking tip top!!!
I am going to send you a stone, my dear....Hopefully, it will be something that is called Rainbow Rocks, a beautiful stone with a number of colors.....If I am unable to send that,(It might be too heavy) I have another thought in mind, as well......The MAIL here in Hollywood and Los Angeles is absolutely horrible. Completely unreliable, I'm sorry to say....But, I will try, anyway.....
You certainly have a lot going on there, but it all sounds so good! Sprucing up the house is a BIG job, isn't it, but the rewards are worth it, I'm sure.
Just caught up with your posts, the holiday sounded wonderful, and your gardens looking great.
Helen
Neena: it is very sweet of you but wait until you come to the UK. I have had lots of trouble with customs who jump at the chance to zap the sender and receiver with outrageous costs. It is not so much the P.O. as the cuatoms on this side. I have found myself paying £100 for a scarf to be delivered.
Parsnip: three is going it a bit:)
Maurcheen; personal delivery is better:)
Naomi: that is a lovely thought but do read what I have said to Neena
about our Customs who are relentless and have caused me problems in the past. I have my lovely memento from you with the beautiful photo of Sweetie which I love.
Helen: thank yo9u:)
What do you mean the gardener disappeared?! Is he in jail or the witness protection program? How does he just up and vanish? Can we get a look at those lions?
lovely garden! i like the idea of a fountain, but it does seem so impractical here. perhaps when the back garden id finally done, the MITM will see just how lovely it could be! xoxoxo
Exile: the gardener (she) just didn't turn up and I couldn't get in touch but eventually did and - let just say the relationship had run its course. No regrets. I interview a young man on Thursday.
I can't reproduce the lions -they are back in the archives -I'm still having difficulties in producing photos.
Savannah: I'm sure he'll come round in the end.xoxox
Some days, the dishwasher is pretty well filled with mugs, I seem to have so many nice men helping me (whether or not man holes are involved). I ran out of sugar last week and I rarely use any.
My gardener excavated my pond this spring and I'm thrilled that newts have moved in.
ZOE: WHITE SUGAR (YUCK)AND CUSTARD CREAMS HAVE TO BE A STAPLE IN THIS HOUSE.
Let me know if you want a stone from Arizona. I'll bring it back in my case and post it to you in the UK. I'm assuming it doesn't need to be too big?
Joey; that would be lovely. The size of your daughter's fist is a great size.
I love the sound of water in the garden and have a solar panel powered stainless steel ball that just wells up and flows when the sun is out (not often in this part of Scotland).
Perhaps your Mick could put in a solar panel for you so the lions could spout when the sun is in the right angle for them. No electricity and you could cove the panel if you wanted peace and quiet with Alastair.
Just a thought.
Post a Comment