You can almost see the sap rising – gushing forth in fact to catch up after a slow-start spring. Anyway, walking amongst it this morning made the pursuit of allotment chores a complete and utter pleasure.
The chore in question is part of my on-going experiments with no-dig cultivation. So armed with my big green polypropylene bag I was out gathering up some of the piles of tree shreddings left around the Linden Field by the chap who comes to trim the lime treesβ overgrowth. I then haul them up to the allotment where I am covering a 6 feet wide x 20 feet section of uncleared plot with cardboard plus several inches of chippings on top. Itβs rather a slow process, but Iβm over half way there.
Iβm hoping that by the time I get round to cultivating this section next year,Β most of the worst weeds will have turned up their roots, and the mulch rotted down enough to produce a reasonable planting medium. Oh yes, and that in order to achieve all this both the cardboard and the mulch will have attracted a lot of very happy worms.
The thing is, though, once Iβm out on the Linden Walk it is so easy to forget about heavy labouring, and slip into a complete green daze. And as you can see, I also had my camera with me. I was particularly taken by this fence post:
And then at the end of the avenue near one of my target chippings piles, I noticed a nice flat area between the limes and the old railway line. I had not spotted it before, but it looked just the place for some qi gong. Secluded enough, I thought, not to frighten any of the Wenlock dog walkers who might otherwise come upon me in the midst of repulsing the monkey or being a wild goose flying.Β So this is where I stood β beneath a canopy of limes and sycamores, accompanied by bird call and the soft flutter of pigeon wings. Aaaaah. Wishing you a similarly blissful, green-filled, sap-rising, sun-dappled day.
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Now please pop over to Joβs Monday Walk for a truly inspiring excursion in beautiful rural Poland. And to add your own walks to Jo’s go HERE.
Tish Farrell 
You have left me with so many lovely images: the dapple, the green, the fencepost, your next year’s garden – and you repulsing the monkey! A great end to a high-twenties day.
And I have an awful lot of monkeys to sort out too, Meg – aka mind chatter. In tai chi (as opposed to qi gong) one repulses them while simultaneously walking backwards, which is more effective, but could have proved hazardous beside the railway line, though only ghost trains these days π
Oh, you are so worth commenting on. There’s always more in the answer.
I tell you, it’s all those monkeys. Always got to have the last word π
Imported sunshine or homegrown?
I’ve begun your no dig plan with heaps of grass cuttings to a depth of a few cms over the area where the chillis are growing. Haven’t weeded for a two weeks and where there’s cuttings no weed has showed.
I now await the wrigglies.
Lovely post.
π
May the worms be with you, Ark!
They will soon come to the d’Ark side.
Oh you! π
I’m not well up on qi gong, Tish, but the prospect of you repulsing monkeys in this lovely leafy space is a rare treat. I can imagine Meg clapping her hands in delight and I’m ear to ear beaming. Thank you so much for the links and the kind nudge on my behalf. π π
Well, Jo, you are a prime motivator of very many of us, so a big thank you. Where would we be without all your restless enthusiasm?
At home with a glass of red? π
Good thinking, Jo. In my case a glass of Naked Wines French white. Cheers. Sante. Na zdrovie!
Chin! Chin! π
Am currently trying to slur…
Metaphorical monkeys or actual monkeys? Where do you live that there are monkeys? (Either the actual or metaphorical kind.)
Chinese monkeys as in a qi gong move called ‘repulsing the monkey’. It means quieting your mind π
What a fascinating reference. Must check out Qi Gong…is it something like Mah Jhong?
No. As in tai chi – Chinese exercises π
That first photo is exquisite, I love how you waited for that person to walk through the gate. And the green fence post with the lovely shaped ivy. You took me there Tish, I felt the coolness of the shade, smelt the ransoms and heard the birdsong…I hope you managed to repulse those monkeys…
You were there, Jude! You even spotted me waiting for that young lady to go through the gate! Thank you for this lovely comment.
Such a lovely palace Tish, I’d want to hug the Lindens! The fence post is a beauty, it would be interesting to record how that lichen changes.
Love the dapple and the green. I am a bit worried about the monkeys, because I am a Monkey, a Fire Monkey. Are we really that noisy? π π I don’t feel repulsed though. Just very welcome on your walk. No dig gardens are great. You have reminded me to put down a bit more cardboard. I also had some old bits of wool carpet which worked well in certain areas.
A fire monkey indeed. So happy to know you in that form, Ann. I wouldn’t even dream of repulsing you π
π π
I’m feeling so tranquil Tish and the timing is perfect as I am just about to go to bed after spending time with some of my favourite bloggers. No dig gardening is certainly the way to go.
Sweet leafy dreams!
Thank you…
That green…so vibrant. Lots of monkeys to repulse in that foliage. π I’ve heard that the green of the forest is good for the eyes. Good luck with your gardening experiments.
Thanks, Julie. And I’m sure you’re right about forest green being good for the eyes. It certainly feels as if it is.