2022 - What's made you happy today

Getting the strawberries weeded, the thistles were starting and the docks, I think I managed to get all the tap root.

Just being out in the garden over the past three days, in the sun, getting stuff done.

The little birds have suddenly appeared in the past couple of weeks and are fearless, pecking about in the undergrowth while I work. They scuttle about more than they fly, to the extent I keep thinking I have mice, only to see another little bird scurrying behind a plant pot. I will have to be careful not to tidy their hidey holes up too much.

Lots of flying insects about too: the usual bumblebees, honeybees and wasps, but also some interesting kinds of bee that I don't remember seeing before.

Most of my mystery trees and shrubs are coming into leaf, so I'm close to finding out what they are.

I have some beds being formed, and I have planted five fruit bushes in the ground today (one redcurrant, one honeyberry, one green gooseberry, and two red gooseberries that were taken as cuttings from my first gooseberry plant as it died). They represent my first major change to the garden, and there's something very joyful about that.

What made me happy:
I had a delivery - my mulberry tree! It's not much taller than my hand is long... but I'm excited

What made me not so happy:
I'd bought a whole load of ranunculus in bud and in flower, and at the point of packing they must have been beautiful - masses of flowers and buds. But the box wasn't very sturdy and it had stuff put on top of it I think because it had collapsed to half its height
It was carnage opening it up - petals everywhere, broken flower stems, broken buds.
The plants are still fine though, but the point in paying for flowers and buds were in vain.
I left feedback for Yodel, as you can imagine... and I will get in touch with Gardening Express and show them the pictures and let them tell me how they deal with these things.

Seen my first green hairstreak of the year. My honesty is finally starting to germinate. Was about to compost them as a none starter. And my new variety of carrots have started to come up.

Got the grass cut yesterday and the spuds planted today

After a day and a half of minor crisis with nextdoor elderly gent being quite poorly and me ringing 111 a couple of times to get doctors to visit and fretting if he got carted off to hospital what could we do with his very dependent wife, I am so happy he seems to be on the mend and gradually getting better. I can breathe easy at last and de-stress. Next problem will be getting him to think about a plan B if this happens again. Its been such a lovely day weather-wise, I feel guilty not to have achieved anything in the garden.

Don't feel guilty - caring for others comes before caring for gardens. x

After a day and a half of  minor crisis with nextdoor elderly gent  being quite poorly and me ringing 111 a couple of times to get doctors to visit and fretting if he got carted off to hospital what could we do with his very dependent wife, I am so happy he seems to be on the mend and gradually getting  better. I can breathe easy at last and de-stress. Next problem will be getting him to think about a plan B if this happens again.  Its been such a lovely day weather-wise, I feel guilty not to have achieved anything in the garden.

Back-up plans are good, but this isn't an uncommon situation, and there will be options. If paramedics arrive to take someone to hospital and find a dependent person who won't be safe alone/doesn't have alternate carers, they will usually just scoop them up and take them to A&E as well. It's not ideal, but if social services can't get some care/a respite placement sorted right away, the dependent person can be admitted to the hospital (as a place of safety) until the carer is discharged in a fit state to look after them or (more commonly) alternative arrangements are made for the dependent person.

It's not an ideal use of resources, but it does ensure that vulnerable people are kept safe.

Seeing that I have a bunny wabbit living in the rooted area of my rhododendron bush in garden!  People say that rhodies do nowt for the animal population but mine is full of birds and now a bunny has taken up residence.  Just hope the local cats leave it alone.

After a day and a half of  minor crisis with nextdoor elderly gent  being quite poorly and me ringing 111 a couple of times to get doctors to visit and fretting if he got carted off to hospital what could we do with his very dependent wife, I am so happy he seems to be on the mend and gradually getting  better. I can breathe easy at last and de-stress. Next problem will be getting him to think about a plan B if this happens again.  Its been such a lovely day weather-wise, I feel guilty not to have achieved anything in the garden.

Back-up plans are good, but this isn't an uncommon situation, and there will be options. If paramedics arrive to take someone to hospital and find a dependent person who won't be safe alone/doesn't have alternate carers, they will usually just scoop them up and take them to A&E as well. It's not ideal, but if social services can't get some care/a respite placement sorted right away, the dependent person can be admitted to the hospital (as a place of safety) until the carer is discharged in a fit state to look after them or (more commonly) alternative arrangements are made for the dependent person.

It's not an ideal use of resources, but it does ensure that vulnerable people are kept safe.

Thanks for the reassurance Pros, good to know I won't have to worry. The 111 system worked very well thank goodness.