… and I am nowhere near ready. Last week… and this week 
I planned to do some radical mulching of my poor thin soil before the spring sprang. It should have been done in the autumn, but there was the small matter of publishing Border Line. The giant bag of mulch I have just ordered arrived at dawn, so I was directing operations in a dressing gown and wellington boots – not for the first time. 
All I need now is the time, the energy and some bearable weather conditions in order to spread joy among my flower and veg beds. I also need to dig out matted roots in the big Rhododendron pots and replace the soil, move a couple of roses, prune all the others, cut back cornus, raspberries, wisteria… etc etc
Unfortunately, I still haven’t finished the internal DIY. This should also have been done before Christmas (when I was publishing a book). So the dining room is full of tools and fleece liner, the spare bedroom is full of everything that has come out of our bedroom the box room and another room. I can’t progress here, because, although the plasterer came 
a week ago the plaster is still drying in all three rooms. 
Then there’s the greenhouse, new last spring, and not exactly justifying its presence. I managed to overwinter geraniums and sow some cut-and-come-again salad in November (which we ate on Boxing day) and is sort of still with us, but I need to get planting – now! And the vegetable plot which is… well embarrassing.
At least the garden is awash with fat buds, snowdrops and winter aconites.
Then there are exciting developments in my research on the letters to Far East POWs … I just need a ten-day week, and I’ll be fine.
Green Writing Room 
I hope you haven’t set yourself too many tasks here. Identify one which you can leave undone? Let the plaster dry till autumn?
Our snowdrops have just begun to show themselves this last week, so we may be several weeks behind where you are now.
I’m chuckling at the idea of my husband’s face, if I suggest I leave three rooms in their current state until autumn. The lining fleece is all cut to shape and once the plaster is dry I will only need about three days to finish the job… plus some painting. I often wonder what to leave undone, but I am lucky in that I enjoy all of the things I need to do… so I’ll just have to fit them in.
Now the snowdrops have appeared, I hope spring comes rolling in for you too.
My crocus bulbs are just starting to emerge. Temperatures are plunging this week and we are supposed to get another wintry blast including snow. Crocus bulbs equal hope, don’t they? And your daffodils are up already? Wow.
Yes, the garden is a bit mixed up, some things (cyclamen, primroses, iris stylosa) have never stopped even with snow. Crocus are up but only a few here and there, there is not enough sun to tempt them out fully. Those particular daffs are a very early cultivar, the others are only throwing up leaves so far. Not long now.
Hoo boy. I can’t believe it is spring somewhere in the world but happy to see there is hope. You are one heck of an ambitious woman with all the projects on the go! Do you take vitamins???
I feel the same way as winter closes in and I see the Aussies welcoming spring. My daughter in Chicago is in under snow, as I imagine you are too. I’m self-propelling. I just fall asleep in odd places every now and again.
That’s funny, Hilary. I picture you propped up on your spade, head lolling to the side, snoozing. Mostly right now we’re in a deep, deep freeze with no end in sight. Sigh. Keep posting pictures of spring. It’s lovely.
I’ll keep sending bits of spring your way. I guess there are compensations to every place on earth. You cannot rely on the weather in England for as much as an hour, but give or take a few weeks, the seasons arrive regularly and rarely last too long.
We have already hired a builder otherwise I would have offered you some overtime, Hilary, to keep you busy in your spare time. Are you an expert on fracking by any chance?
I think you need the real deal and not some cowboy builder like me. Besides I need my spare time for… the blog. Fracking? I can’t imagine you allowing prospecting in your new domain.
What exciting times, so much going on. Good to know you are getting on top of things! Snow drops are adorable, enjoy them!! ❤
Our snowdrops seem to been keen on colonising the garden and much nicer than most plants with that aim. I definitely get excited by buds and green shoots.
Our internet has been out and as is the norm, one ends up talking to someone in Vladivostok who then checks your router or modem by asking you things in Croation or a Sami dialect.
Our garden is in peak form and soon yours will be too Hilary. We have had hints of summer but this morning we had the heaters on again.
No fracking though. All is quiet.
We’ve been through the internet misery too, it lasted several months, but we seem to be all clear now. I’m still in my woolly gloves and bed socks – at my desk! Though I did manage time in the garden this morning. No tracking here yet… but given our politicians there are no guarantees.
Our daffodils are blooming away like April but I know there is some snow in our future yet. Fortunately, Peggy is the gardener, the weeds that I am in charge of won’t be hassling us until June, and if anybody deserves to be plastered around here it’s me. But I am refraining. And my satellite internet, albeit slow, seems reliable. That leaves writing, blogging and marketing. All of which is taking up vast quantities of time. 🙂 –Curt
This being England, we might still get snow. I have known it in May. Nevertheless I gardened flat out for two days of glorious sunshine and now I have 181 messages in my inbox…
Hilary, I am really laughing this time. It’s like we don’t dare step away from our blogs, or Email, or Facebook. 🙂 –Curt
Plastered… LOL, Curt. No wonder you saw aliens! …or didn’t. 😁
This is the good thing about a flat 😀 no gardening. I don’t mean it I know you love your outdoors. I only had a chat with Mum last night about finishing things I’ve started!
If I were wiser, I would narrow my filed a bit. I guess I am just greedy. I think you need to keep very focused, so admire the flowers in the parks for the time being.
You do so much, Hilary!! Unbelievable! And you still find time to write. And what’s this about a new development??
Ah, I have been sending letters to the addresses my mother had in 1941 to 1945 to see if any of the families are still there. More to come…
So many tasks; so little time… be patient with yourself.
Such good advice! I have no excuse, I live in enviable comfort and my time is my own, I must just choose not to try and do everything. I’m lucky to have the choice.