...This Earth, This Realm, This England*
or in my case, "This blessed plot, this raised bed, this mini-greenhouse..." I have been outside, and negotiated my way round the woodstore cottage and checked on a few things outside.
Inside, the potatoes seem to be taken forever to chit, but the pepper seeds in the propagator are showing signs of growth. Sadly not the 'mild red pepper' which I could eat, but the two blistering hot chilis I planted for Bob have both developed leaves.
* This is the only bit of Richard II I can quote. Currently I am studying Romeo and Juliet in order to help a young friend with her GCSE Revision. I will close this post with a favourite Ogden Nash poem, which I dedicate to the frazzled parents of adolescent daughters
The Romantic Age
This one is entering her teens,
Ripe for sentimental scenes,
Has picked a gangling unripe male,
Sees herself in bridal veil,
Presses lips and tosses head,
Declares she's not too young to wed,
Informs you pertly you forget
Romeo and Juliet.
Do not argue, do not shout;
Remind her how that one turned out.
Have you discovered BBC bitesize revision?
ReplyDeletepeppers, oh peppers, wherefore art thou peppers?
Bitesize is brilliant .🌶🫑🌶🤣
DeleteGreat start to your gardening year. Bright and sunny enough up here to attempt some but temps prohibitive to stay out long (0 degrees this morning!).Have a good weekend.
ReplyDelete.
Sunny but chilly here too
DeletePs my sister, when she was a History teacher,used to show her pupils the modern contemporary film of Romeo and Juliet when they were studying for their Higher exams. They loved it.
ReplyDeleteIn my youth it was the Olivia Hussey one, now it's the Clare Danes version
DeleteI think Shakespeare was a gardener or at least new his plants:-
ReplyDelete“ I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull’d in these flowers with dances and delight;”
(A Midsummer Night's Dream)
Check out "The Quest for Shakespeare's Garden" by Roy Strong, for a lovely study of the playwright and his awareness of Tudor plants, and how he uses them in his writing.
DeleteI love Ogden Nash, great poem. I only have sons which are a different kettle of fish entirely regarding the love front to daughters, but I do have nieces so have observed what is involved! My son's "did" R&J at school and were shown the Claire Danes/Leonardo DiCaprio version and loved it. Your garden is looking grand. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteThank you Sue. As you say, bringing up sons is not the same as raising daughters - different delights, and different challenges!
DeleteLooking forward to seeing what you will be growing in your garden this year.
ReplyDelete💐👍
DeleteGarden looking blessed by sunshine and it’s good to get outside. Enjoy helping your young friend with her Shakespeare-I sometimes think you can only appreciate his writing once you are a fully paid up adult. No gardening or dusty activities for 4 weeks for me so feeling slightly bored already. Catriona
ReplyDelete☀️😊
DeleteYour raised bed looks great, and the daffodils are lovely. I have a cute little compost bin these days, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, with the only access being by lifting the whole thing upwards. It's surprisingly a brilliant way to do it and I managed to get the equivalent of a big bag of bought compost from it in just the last year. Alan lifted it up and put its down in a new place and we carefully dug into all the layers and filled up the flower beds with the lovely homemade compost, very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds a good system.
DeleteI love the poem. We’ve recently seen the musical „& Julia“ which was great fun. It shows a funny alternative ending to the story. I enjoy reading your blog. Thank you, Gudrun
ReplyDeleteThank you Gudrun. I like the idea of a funny alternative ending! Glad you're enjoying the blog 😊
DeleteThat is a real spring posting! Lovely to be able to move those daffodils out into the front. We have our signs of spring, in spite of a misty, rainy morning. It's brightening up, after lunch and DH is out checking maple sap pails.
ReplyDeleteOh, to have your own maple syrup...sweet!
DeleteI enjoyed the Richard II play which D and I read last year. Not sure which ones we will tackle next. I haven't read Romeo and Juliet since school days. Best wishes to your young friend with their studies.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy those sweet pink rhubarb stems when you pick them.
We will
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