Photos from an evening in the woods last week. The biggest boy wanted to photograph bluebells and got a bit huffy because I didn't go to the wood that he wanted to go to, which was three times as far away. He muttered something about there only being five bluebells. Bert and I counted more.
In the end, Bertie was tasked with running up and down photogenically through the bluebells for about half an hour until a good picture was taken. Honestly, he was exhausted.
The first photo is of some tulips I grew this year. I don't normally bother, but I tried three varieties this year. I loved the ones in the picture, they're almost like roses or camellias, wonderful, and really long-lasting. I'll dig out the name if anyone is interested. For some reason I put flame-orange frilly ones in the same pot. I think I was expecting something more subtle. It is not a match made in heaven. I shall keep the pale pink ones and see if they do anything next year, although I have a feeling tulips don't do brilliantly year after year.
I also had some dark red ones which weren't particularly nice. Anyway, it's almost on to the next thing now. The nest box has blue tits in it this year, and the parents are incredibly busy feeding the babies. All those hungry mouths, wide open, yelling for food all the live long day. It is much the same here.
I ought to be out there gardening this weekend, but frankly it's a bit on the chilly side so I might prioritise all the many inside things instead. I shall be making the urchins tidy and dust their rooms as well, which will be fun. One or two of them are very reluctant. I told the littlest boy before school the other day that his room was really dusty and needed dusting. He said, 'I'll look forward to seeing that when I get home then.' He actually did. I might make him dust the whole house. In fact it occurs to me that things would be a lot easier if I parcelled out more jobs to Other People. At the moment it is JUST ME, clearing up after four people and a dog and I'm tired. I would like to be the person who sits down with a book for a change. Do you think such a thing is possible? Has it ever been done before? Do tell me cheering tales of others mucking in and children being useful.
Those pink tulips are gorgeous - as is Bertie in the bluebells! I never managed it on the delegation front either - the nearest I got was 'no pocket money until your room's tidy'. Even then, it sometimes didn't work! Look on the bright side - when they all go off to uni, a tidy house is some sort of silver lining. I tried some gardening today but got hailed on. I'm crossing my fingers for tomorrow. Enjoy the Bank Holiday. xx
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! The way the light is hitting those tree trunks in the second to the last photo make them look just like my chubby legs! Especially the right side has a delineated knee and calf. Anyway, bluebells with dogs are better than plain bluebells any day. Just beautiful. Good luck on parceling out the jobs!
ReplyDeleteDear CJ, I did enjoy you alluding to the hungry bird mouths, wide open and yelling for food being similar to that of the three urchins who reside with you. No wonder you are tired! You poor girl! Perhaps you could train Bertie to help with the dusting? Isn't he angelic amongst all of those five bluebells? I loved the tulips. They are gorgeous. Regards, Robyn
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bluebells! I am out in the search for them today, weather permitting. My big (only) success on the housework front is laundry. Everyone in this family does their own: washing, drying, ironing (only in dire need). The children have been included in this since they were 10. Daughter no. 2 is also responsible for tidying and cleaning her room. Daughter no. 1 is supposed to be for hers too, but as she's away at uni most of the time, I give it a clean at the beginning and end of each holiday. I find there is definitely more book time for me these days!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could give you a cheery tale of the rest of the brood helping out but alas it's not a remote possibility here either. I've just had a lovely jaunt away while hubby held the fort. It got cut short because a child ended up in hospital. I also did 4 loads of washing the first afternoon home and you can imagine the state of the dirty dishes in the sink. I won't bore you with details of the rest of the house. xx Susan
ReplyDeleteThe problem with OTHER PEOPLE is that they can't see the dust until SOMEONE points it out. I have a husband who's willing to wash the kithcen floor or clean the bathroom, but only once you ask him. If not, he will lie on the couch with a book all day long. When I see him there, I feel too bad to chase him up to go do chores and I end up doing it myself. I think the trick is to get to the couch and the book first.
ReplyDeleteI like these pinkie tulips. There's a poem Dust if You Must by Rose Milligan which I'm sure will make you smile and feel better. xx
ReplyDeleteI didn't know tulips can be that beauty!! I've never given a try, I must do it!
ReplyDeleteMy daugthers usually clean their bedroom but only when they have friends to stay with them😆
I 'm trying to get help al home but I can't tell you is an easy task
Best of luck and be patient with my skills in english ( I from Argentina and don't use it very much)
Lovely to see Bertie amongst the bluebells...he's a very good sport for galloping up and down being photogenic.
ReplyDeleteNo help with the helping around the house situation. I've come to realize that every other member of this family would be quite happy to wallow in filth and squalor if left to themselves. There's evidence to support this theory in the state of their individual spaces...which I refuse to clean for them. xo
Bertie is really a cutie pie. I find that to get young people to help out you have to just ask.. and don't take no for an answer. I just had our resident 19 year old shop-vac down our stairs to the basement and then up the stairs outside.. then wash the multi-paned door inside and out. He was actually happy to do it but would never think of it himself. When I was raising my 3 kids we'd all clean together with me leading the charge and assigning tasks. You can do it! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeletePoor Bertie and poor bluebells! I could count more than five too.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's children are 6, 9 and 11. She operates a points system. Each child has a wish list of things they want with how many points it will take to get it. Then there is a chart which gives points for each task - 2 points for unloading the dishwasher, 3 points for tidying their bedroom etc .
ReplyDeletePoints are added next to their name every time they complete a task and they get something from the wish list when they have enough points. It seems to work quite well.
You have to be prepared to enter the art of negotiation about how many points a new task is worth !
Well, a while ago we said to L it would be good for him to have some investment in the house it being shared space and all, so we agreed he would be in charge of hoovering once a week and lighting the fire if we were out. He does it, more or less. Although the hovering has been slipping from Saturday to Wednesday just recently... xx
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the job thing, but I have to admit my oldest has been helping a lot outside with mulching which is a job I just can't do. Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
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