Moving a garden & other stories

The first foxglove planted in the bank at the new site alongside primroses and, I think, a cowslip - hard to tell which is a primrose and which is a cowslip at this time of year. I have so many things in pots now, little plants newly seeded in the garden, or a herbaceous perennial split and replanted, with a little bit saved for the new place.

There's a holding bed-in-waiting too, the grass steadily dying back under the polythene. Hopefully when I come to dig it over it'll oblige by being easy.

Just like at the old place, there are stones buried and half buried everywhere. Beautiful sandstone that looks fine when made into a wall. Very useful for holding the winter polythene.

Another winter thing - a visit to Coole Park for a spin on the bikes, thinking of my good friend Erin, and this time the Whooper swans were there in force. You can hear them way before you can see them, honking like geese. There were groups of them everywhere. We saw these from the other side of the lake to where the house used to be:

Another winter job down in the harbour, putting the winter covers on Winter Solstice. We did it in two stages - the coachhouse and doghouse a couple of months ago, then the deck covers last week. She's all snug now.

Twelve years yesterday since she was put in the water in Portumna, giving her her name. Amazing how you don't remember the process when you only do it once a year. Joe, when he reads this, will be muttering 'But I did remember and you took no notice,' which is true, but he wasn't 100% certain and I was getting cold so just set in there with the side nearest the wall. And anyway, Joe had already started at the bow. Though I do admit I suggested that. But next year we'll get it right! The trick is to start at the stern on the port side. Otherwise the zips go the wrong way and you end up on your belly (you being me) trying to flip the shock cords over the studs under the rubbing strake with increasingly cold fingers.

But there she is, ears pricked and having cosy winter dreams.

A final photo - the garden the other morning: