Time to stop and smell the roses

Summer pink - Handel rose..

It's Friday again - funny how it keeps coming round again, and again, and again....but the name of this day lingers on the mind, it settles in deeper and it releases those magical endorphins in the brain that course through the body to make each one of our component cells - from tired toes to limp limbs - tingle. Friday. Well, it does for me anyhow ;) It's the day when energy seems so low at about 2pm, and then you find yourself at the end of the routine working day and then unexpectedly, you're released from some (only a small some) of your responsibilities for two whole days. Two whole days. Days not to be ruined thinking on the past week too much, and never, ever, ever let it be said you ruined a perfectly good Sunday evening by dreading the thoughts of the chilly Monday morning. No! These two days are to be savoured - and these two days begin with the word Friday ;)

Of course, like any normal Friday, I immediately kicked into action and instead of winding down, it all started to wind up. Quel suprise! It started with a blissfully cool and green walk in the woods - far from tarred roads and artificial surfaces. We had to trip our way over roots and branches and brambles, and bare the soft brown, leaf strewn path as we wound our way through the wise silence of the oak woods. The light that flickered through the tall canopy of leaves was like a stream of golden kisses for those of us who chose to hide from the glare of the bared summer sun (no clouds, no rain....I know!!!).

Staying cool

After Holly's woodland adventure walk it was back to the garden. Now, in terms of yoga postures there were squats, cat, forward bends, backward bends, rotations, balancing acts, warrior I and II, mindful breathing and mountain pose - but to mention the obvious few. All these were manifested while graceful hoeing manoeuvres were conducted to the orchestra of potatoes, beans, peas and salads that all played their symphonic masterpieces this evening. All this earthly music while weeding the drills, thinning the seedlings, tidying the overgrowth and harvesting the never ending red torrent of strawberries that cascade down long green stems amongst endless adventurous runners. 

I'm well squatted now and even Holly seemed to be telling me to stop as the sun dipped behind the tree giants that guard the kingdom of Charleville. And that is the best time to smell to roses - the evening air, the setting sun, the scent of soft pink roses drifting over the host of garden compatriots that were readying themselves for the short night ahead - divine. And then there is the feast of colour to nurture the over-stretched mind of the previous five days - starflower blue, rose red, geranium cerise, golden nasturtium, blushing rambler rose and green green green of promising peas and bountiful beans...sweet. And it's only just begun. Have a great weekend....and wherever you are, be kind to yourself and stop and smell the roses - make sure it's a pink one though, those red ones are always a let down - all that drama has a cost. Don't be fooled :)

Summer in the garden - nearly 10pm....
remember this in December!