Whisky Tastings, Wildfires, and Weeding — A Week in the Life
Things never seem to calm down — it’s just busy, busy, busy all the time.
Last week was a hectic one at work, as IBERS was hosting a big conference and I was involved in helping it all run smoothly. On the plus side, I got to sit in on the talks and presentations, and picked up a few new things about crop breeding and genetics. I was well looked after too — lunches every day, wine and cheese, a Penderyn whisky tasting, and a gala dinner at Medrus. Not bad, but the days were long with little rest, and of course all the usual jobs had to be put on hold. So now I’ve got a week of catching up ahead of me.
The conference has generated a bit of extra work too, and with the Easter holidays cutting the next couple of weeks short, the to-do list seems to grow faster than I can tick things off. Still, I suppose it’s better than twiddling my thumbs looking for things to do!
Anna was playing in a concert last week as well, so seeing as I was on Penglais Campus for the conference, I went along to take some photos and record a new piece they were playing.
Elsewhere, the dry weather has sparked grass fires in the hills, which, despite the disruption, has created some striking sunrises and sunsets. The view from the living room has been especially nice in the evenings, with the lights around the pergola and the palm tree by the fence giving the place a slightly tropical feel.
It’s been busy at home too. I’ve been trying to fit in some cycling and running where I can, and the spring garden is keeping me on my toes. I haven’t done much with it over the past couple of years, so it’s time for a proper clear out. Lots of digging, trimming, and tidying. It’s not the most flower-rich garden and it doesn’t always burst with colour, but I do enjoy it when everything’s growing well and looking neat. The fruit trees are blossoming, the bluebells are out, the primroses are still in full bloom, and forget-me-nots are popping up here and there.
The large bay tree has had a drastic haircut, the hostas have all been repotted, and my pre-bonsai trees have been trimmed, wired, and repotted too. A couple that I grew from seed are actually looking better than I expected. Plants in our garden seem to follow a pattern: they either fade away quickly and disappear, or fade slowly at first, then settle in, and eventually start to thrive. It usually takes 4-5 years for things to properly establish, but when they do, they do OK. A quince that’s been hanging on for years finally seems to have settled and is looking good this year, and a few other shrubs are doing well too. I also added a Pyracantha from the garden centre at the weekend — fingers crossed it finds its feet and starts growing soon.
It would be nice if things calmed down a bit over Easter, and we could just relax in the garden — but somehow, I doubt that’ll happen!
Here’s hoping for a few quiet moments over Easter — even if it’s just long enough to sit with a cuppa and enjoy the garden.
