Working On One's Verge, The Perfect Vantage Point!

 A spot of gardening and more...

Yes, it is that time of the year again when one has to sort out the weeds seen by the old public. Especially those gracing the border of our long hedge. Dandelion and co. seem to thrive on the edge of our hedge and with a sudden burst of energy I attended to them this morning.

All done by hand apart from a few utensils but nothing motorized. Good golly gosh, our area seems to be the mecca of motorized gardening equipment, be it a sit on lawnmower or a electrical hedge trimmer. Don't they realize that the exercise done by not using the easy machines can prolong life like nothing else? Just have a look who sits atop the motorized lawnmowers!

Anyway, tedious work this morning but well worth it. My arms are like jelly, something usually only felt after a vigorous workout at a gym, and tomorrow my legs will make themselves felt for sure. It was rather comical; the eyes of one of my neighbours were felt, and the others too. Cars stopped and walkers too.

Seeing others working in gardens or on the house is a very soothing past time and I myself have partaken in it and felt the benefit from it! It is an ice breaker like nothing else and even this morning, one of the villagers stopped to chat with me about God and the world which normally she wouldn't have done. Often just a quick nod. A car or two slowed down to give me a friendly wave or more a case of trying to see what I was up to. Not often that I can be seen in the garden.

In a world where Twitter has just been sold for outrageous amounts of money to one man, doing simple and ordinary things like a spot of gardening puts everything into perspective. Social media has reached its zenith ( in my view ) and can only go downhill from here on...we need to be reminded that talking to a person face to face is what our society was built on and not those few trimmed down words and sentences read on a mobile device.

Biggi

De-Cluttering Our Back Garden.

 A rather fun task.

Bob's work colleague was so kind as to leave his trailer ( five time the size of ours ) in our back garden, ready to be filled by cut branches and the like. What a darling, what a pleasure. It goes so much easier when I don't have to lug each branch to the front of our house, put it in our trailer and drive it to the collection site. All that takes time and effort, thus it almost is a breeze sorting out the garden when a big empty trailer is parked in it.

Each morning after having walked dog, cat and myself I take an hour or so and head up into our garden equipped with shears, secateurs and hand saw. A lot can be achieved in that time and I have found that if I do it in bite-sizes instead of the whole lot at once, I carry on doing it while actually enjoying it.

This morning I got a bit adventurous and used the hand saw to saw a huge branch. Used to be a pesky shrub once but time has made it morph into a big old tree contender, one that thought nothing of using our barn roof as a resting place. No, it had to go and this morning I felled half a tree. Rather proud of myself as using a saw isn't as easy as it looks. 

Little by little our garden is getting aired and next month the electrical company is coming to chop our big walnut tree down. It sadly is getting too close to the municipal wires and our roof is not happy either as the branches again are using it for support. It will feel strange to have an open space next to our barn, but it has to be done.

Isn't it funny how life works? For years we hardly touched our back garden ( always feel on display as the guests from next door look straight onto and into it ) and now, we do almost everything that needs to be done at once. Long my it last....

Biggi

The New Gardener.

 Week one done!

Those who know me are quite aware that gardening isn't my hobby of choice and if nothing else, the smorgasbord of weeds in our garden bear proof of this. Never mind, Rome wasn't built in a day either.

Last week I got started on cutting back our hedge that faces the road. A long hedge, at least a hundred meters long and wild and woolly. No more. Each day I used the last two hours of the crisp mornings ( from 7-9 ) and cut this hedge. By hand with secateurs. Great workout, great individualism for the hedge. Granted, the bits I started with are a tad bit more tidy than those I ended with, but after a good hour of using the various tools to sort out hedges as well as many trips with the wheel barrow to discard of the cuttings, it isn't a surprise.

So, today was the last section and the most difficult. There were big chunky twigs slightly resembling branches that needed to be cut out. Cut out I did, and there are now some sections in our hedge where a football could quite easily fly through. Can't be helped and within a few days leaves will have covered the odd handmade gaps.

The last bit borders onto our new neighbours ( well they moved in about two years ago but are very aloof and often ignore Bob's greeting from our side of the garden ) and I could feel beady eyes watching me through the open window daring me to go a step beyond what looks nice! Why she couldn't come out and say hi, is one of those mysteries but then again, it helped me to sculpt a bit more than needed from her view. See how she likes that! I know, slightly petty but then, after two hours of slogging it out, I couldn't really care. Anyway, it does look okay and much more authentic than all those uniform hedges around which have been seen to by electric sheers. The boring uniform hedge look...

As much as I tend to grumble, I did enjoy these last few days of gardening and felt a sense of achievement. A few other neighbours stopped and talked to me during this week, praising my effort which felt nice but I had to reign in their enthusiastic praise;

            " Thanks, but I might not do a lot more in our garden for ages,

               or I might get stuck in and carry on. Only time will tell. "

Biggi

Trims For Hedge And Bob.

Midweek madness indeed.

Two weeks ago I managed to trim one part of our hedge ( at least 50 meters in total ) and today I thought that the second half was in order. Finally we have got rid of the terrible storms and for the time being sultry summer weather has descended. Splendid for garden work. Once I had gotten back from my walk and had taken Miss Maus for hers, I started.

Wheelbarrow, shears and clippers in tow I got to work. Our hedge is natural, overgrown and not conformist and I aim to keep it like that by cutting it by hand. None of those lazy modern electrical sheers. Surely gardening should be a workout? Not that I haven't had many offers to use other people's, but I get a kick out of sculpting the hedge one meter at a time.

Never uniform, always individual and most certainly more interesting than the manicured property circlers that are favoured by everyone in the village. Two hours, one passer-by ( very important as my work effort will be retold! ) and plenty of bugs later, the hedge was done and I was finished! Felt quite nice to see the before and after side by side. I even outdid myself and cleaned the ground underneath it. Great workout, mentally and physically.

As for Bob, he has taken a liking to my ability to use the clippers on his hair ( otherwise he would wait for Albert to do it and sport long hair ) as well as realized that corona is still an issue when cutting hair and doesn't want to endanger Albert. Never mind, I am rather getting the hang of it and might branch out by creating a short style for my honey...

Biggi

An Afternoon Of Raking.

Oh how time flies...

As nice as walnut trees are, they do have a few down sides once or twice a year. Yes, they love to shed their plumage and often are abetted by gusts of wind to scatter them nice and far. Never a nice and neat pile of leaves.

We've had a lot of rain lately and that translated to soaked and heavy leaves. As we've had two days of no rain I thought I would rake up the lot before tomorrow's expected rain. Not sure if I prefer raking dry or wet leaves but regardless, three hours of raking and carrying it was.

It was on the other side of the village at a friend's house that I was raking and even though it was jolly hard work, there were plenty of joyful moments in between. Firstly, raking anything is rather meditative and healing. And secondly, in our neck of the woods garden work, visible garden work that is, tends to be a magnet for friendly chats.

At least three different villagers stopped to admire my work, talk about the weather and general pleasantries. Nice. It gives a feeling of belonging. Plenty of slow drive-byes too but as I didn't have my glasses on, I couldn't recognize anyone but smiled nonetheless.

One daring chap actually stopped, wound down his window and shouted:

" Hey gorgeous, what are you doing? "

which normally I would have ignored but as it was my darling husband, I was thrilled that he noticed me and the raking I had done...

Biggi

To Prune Or Not To Prune...

My husband, the pruner in chief.

It used to be that I had a crush on a crooner ( old blue eyes of course ) and now I have a crush on my husband the head pruner. Oh, how he loves to prune.

Since he's been working full-time in a renowned vineyard he has imbibed the art of pruning. He makes fast yet accurate decisions regarding any and all vines which is jolly important as it is one of the main secrets of a great wine.

These last few years we've acquired the genteel habit of vegetable gardening. Tomatoes,beans, potatoes, chillies and a jungle of zucchinis have been our main produce and even if I say so myself, they've turned out well if not often prolific. For former townies that is a fantastic achievement.

Bob settled a bunch of tomato plants into one side of our kitchen garden and even went the extra mile to put up metal poles and strung string around them so that the growing plants had a place of reference. In fact, it looks nice and abundant as they have grown to their heart's content. Well, that might be the problem as only a handful of tiny tomatoes are dangling among this jungle.

Bob has started pruning the tomatoes and at first I had to giggle thinking of it but now it makes sense. Just like grapes, tomatoes need enough nourishment from their branch which naturally isn't the case if too many little branches veer off the main one.

Yes, this afternoon we've started to prune and I wish I could describe to you the divine scent that came off the stalks as they were chipped off. Tomato plants have a sweet and tangy scent all of their own and if the scent is anything to go by, then the tomatoes should be out of this world.

A pitchfork taking a breather next to the edge of our kitchen garden...tomatoes are making themselves prominent.

Bob still has to get stuck in there.

Biggi

Our Vegetable Garden Is Taking Shape.

I shouldn't call it ours as Bob has done all the work...chip off the old block!

What's a garden without herbs? A pot of rosemary is enjoying life here.

Parsley and tomatoes are in focus this season and I can't wait to taste them.

Bob's creativity knows no bounds...he planted a handful of seed potatoes inside an old wine barrel which should make for an interesting taste sensation.

After only a few weeks our first proper veg has appeared. A mini cucumber...

Another happy tomato plant sprouting high.

Let's see how these sweet potatoes take hold...much better to grow them here than to buy those shipped over from America.

Biggi

The Power Of Suggestion.

Our hedge gets a trim.

Late yesterday afternoon I noticed ( heard really ) a flurry of traffic in our road and when I chanced to glance outside our window I saw the mayor's car parked outside it. Oh my gosh, what was going on?

Typically for a procrastinator I rushed about for sixty seconds flat picking up errant socks from the floor, straightening rugs ruffled by Mausi's youthful exuberance and a quick check if the loo was clean.

On the way through to the lounge I told Bob about this parked car and he mumbled something about having seen several guys including our mayor inspecting a garden up the road. The only non conformist garden apart from ours in a road of neat as a pin gardens.

" Schatzi, I fear we are going to get a rebuke about our hedge's joy of growing however it wants."
" Of course not, why would you even think that? "

but I could tell that he was wondering...

This morning during my walk with the Eisenberg gals I found out the real reason for the high and mighty visit of our street and it had nothing to do with our garden, yet to be on the safe side I geared up after my walk to tackle at least part of our hedge. An endless task but rather satisfying afterwards when there is a bit more neatness to it...but not pin neat as I still sort out the hedge the old fashioned way with big gardening shears, a wheelbarrow and a rake.

Biggi

A Monday In Paradise.

Dull, grey and beautiful.

Despite the late afternoon flurry of snowflakes-gosh, I thought by now they'd have moved to Denmark and beyond-my thoughts are straying to spring and the new season of vegetables and flowers to be planted.

The other day I noticed in my calendar that the start of spring is mere moments away and for Bob it marks the end of winter. Time, hurrying away from us it seems. This morning the tide of icy weather had turned to a more sedate minus 3 and we're eager for each progressive day of the week. Saturday it might be a giddily hoped for plus 10...

But back to the much longed for gardening. Well, more the planting of vegetables. Last year's crop has stuck in my memory as our cherry tomatoes were divine despite some of them having developed those atrocious black spots. Not this year, I hope.

Thinking of what to plant is fun although also a little bit dicey. Finding the right balance ( last year we mistakenly created a marrow jungle ) is paramount and timing is everything. Coordinating the growth spurts is far from easy. One doesn't want to eat lettuce morning noon and night the one week and pizza the next. Well, some of us that is!

As for flowers, Bob and I want to create a red oasis of tulips along one side of our wall and the rest we plant as the muse takes us but always with ample feeding stations for our local bees. Lavender and rosemary are a definite must have in our and hopefully most gardens.

Good times ahead...

Biggi

A Saturday At The Office.

Long sleeves and tie are optional...

Bob and I left early this morning to mow one of the vineyards. Not too early but early enough to evade the sun. Of course the only proof that I was there are these photographs!

Not too shabby for an office? An office with a view of Hungary.

Can you see what we did? Bob took the brush cutter to cut between each vine and on the edges while I pushed the lawnmower for the rest...rather fun to work with Bob.

My part of the lawn was done quicker than Bob and it afforded me anther chance to reflect on how beautiful nature is. Rural bliss.

Bob and I live close to where you see that barn in the background. The nice thing about living here is that everything is within walking distance....

A happy co-habitation of weeds, bugs and wheat. What a divine day, Saturday.

Biggi

The Vagaries Of Rural Bliss.

A high-bed fit for felines.

Bob and his dad laboured for days to create the perfect high bed in our front yard. Even as we speak there are the green shoots of future one pot wonders popping through the soil in the various green shapes. Both Bob and I are equally nebulous on final outcomes.

" Schatzi, what is this going to be? "
" Eh, let's be surprised. "

at least we are sure the many shoots aren't weeds.

Yesterday we braved the garden center and I purposely used the word braved, as the signs of irritation were there before the start...no parking, all the shopping trolleys in use and barely room to move around the spacious isles. But, Bob wanted tomatoes and I couldn't believe it when he queued up as gentle as a lamb even eschewing my offer to ditch the trolley and come back some other time. Just goes to show that when men want something, patience becomes their virtue.

We finally purchased a whole selection of tomatoes, chillies and herbs which has my taste buds watering already thinking of the many colourful salads I'll be making. Well, there is just a little fly in the ointment or rather a stubborn member of our family!

Divine Tiggi ( our first introduction to the wonderful feline world ) might look demure when sitting there with her tongue between her fangs, but she has developed taste and style.

Tiggi has had a front row seat watching the two men create this strange contraption in her garden. With each progressive day she must have thought herself more and more regal. A throne was being built right in front of her eyes and the fact that it was being built atop her former loo, didn't worry her overly much. Why should it when our garden, her realm is trump, oh sorry, huge.

Cunningly, she only perches on or rather in this throne, a.k.a, a high bed, when Bob's not looking. Glancing out the window yesterday afternoon I almost burst out laughing. There she was, reclining comfortably amid the mystery vegetation, soaking up the sunshine and being happy with the world. Bob, when I told him, nearly had a hernia and tasked me with " de-throning" our feline queen.

Easier said than done...it must be the most comfortable place to view the world with one eye open while a meter off the ground, closer to the tweeting birds and right bang in the middle of a smorgasbord of delectables.

Biggi

The colours would lure me too.

They've really done a fabulous job with this high bed. Can't wait to grow our vegetables....

The top right hand corner is favoured by Princess Tiggi.

The Many Facets To A Lazy Summer's Day.

Bursts of activity balanced by the general summer lassitude.

The day started off rather early with the alarm going off at half past four, which seems to be that time of day where sleep is devilishly hard to shake off. But, Bob was heading out at six in the morning and I, in wifely support, took over the job as keeper of the alarm clock and that was a good decision...Bob might have tossed it against the wall and merely turned back to the world of dreams and make believe.

Funny, how the day still races past even though we had an extra two hours to appreciate it. By nine o'clock, a time where others might finally heed the shrill siren of their alarm, I was on my way to Kohfidisch in order to get petrol. It is rather nice how a need for fuel turns into an excursion of sorts.

Equipped with fuel containers which, by the way still reek of petrol even when empty, I set off on my drive to Kohfidisch and was rewarded with a visual feast of green vines, green trees and green fields. The nice side effect of less traffic ( often you can count the cars that pass you on one or at the most, two hands ) is an ability to absorb and appreciate the view a bit more.

As it was getting warmer and warmer, I drove straight back home and put the filled petrol cans into our earth cellar, ready for Bob to use them when his moped is feeling thirsty.

Feeling a tad bit tired, I made myself comfortable on our couch and before you knew it, Bob had returned for lunch. Mausi gets so excited whenever she hears the approaching sound of his moped and doesn't know whether to hop on her window sill perch or race to the front door. Regardless, you can see her quiver with excitement and anticipation.

After Bob headed out again, I donned my gardening outfit ( long pants, sun hat, sturdy shoes and loads of sunblock ) and with wheelbarrow in tow, headed out into the wilds of our back garden. The hedge had used telepathy to beckon me along. It wanted a short back and sides and that is what the next few weeks are dedicated to. Oh yes, big hedge and sheers sans motorized power.

Two hours seemed a good enough quota for the day ( never mind that my arms refused to scissor the sheers closed one more time ) and the rest of the afternoon and evening were spent tranquil, unhurried, relaxed and content.

Somehow, most of us have made our lives a sum total of rushing, doing, stressing, hurrying, worrying, fretting and feeling guilty when not doing any of them, that in a strange way we've forgotten what living a real life is all about...

Biggi

Please Don't Touch The Old Timer!

An old castle, a horde of visitors and this old timer.

Yesterday was one of those days where I did feel as if this sign was for me. Jostling through the crowds I wouldn't have minded a please don't touch this old timer. The inaugural garden fete or rather party to join the recent royal celebrations in the perhaps soon to be non-European country was a huge success. Might be distant family in any case.

A two day affair within the garden and grounds of the delightful Kohfidisch Castle was attended by so many visitors that even though I grumbled while having to queue for 30 minutes to get a bite to eat ( yes, seriously and after 15 minutes one gets a bit stubborn and doesn't want to give up one's place ) I was pleased that our neck of the woods is so popular.

The lawns in front of the castle were little oases of garden exhibits, furniture makers and several wine stands. Elegant with proper glasses and none of the plastic variety. The various prices had a royal seal to them, as even the Bobster quickly put down a rose plant when he saw the 50 Euro price tag dangling from it.

Meandering about this beacon of history was interesting, thought provoking and simply marvelous. The castle still needs to be restored in many places but somehow this more than anything else could, conveyed an authentic royal touch. Authenticity and class amid a world that has a collective crazy obsession to always have everything ship shape, perfect and enviable.

Eventually we saw an old timer parked as an exhibit with the required cordoning off around it. Appropriately it was an English MG and in a royal shade of red too. In this modern age of let's reproduce any and everything, I wasn't too sure if this highly polished chariot was freshly made or reconditioned...definitely a car to keep in the garage only to be driven around with nary a rain cloud in sight.

A perfect garden feature...

A small view of the Kofidisch Castle...

This might have been the old stables or garages.

Biggi

A Delightfully Chilli Start To My Day.

...Shooting the breeze...

As you know, most mornings I do my walk in and amid the vineyards. Not only because I want to be fit, but also because I can walk on my own night & day, without any danger associated with it. Slightly different from South Africa!

After only about a hundred meters I happened to see my neighbour tending to his vegetable garden. He was hard to miss as he still had on his work clothes with the unmistakable bright orange of his safety overalls. I stopped and we had a chat about this and that while he planted some new crops.

He must have just planted his chilli peppers, when he asked me:

" Biggi, do you and Bob like chilli? "

" Yes, actually we do. "

and that was all it took for him to pass a chilli seedling over the fence to me. That is what I love about living here. The unexpected bits of kindness.

It might just be a little seedling for some, but to me it means a lot. Acceptance, kindness and being a part of the village. But, where to put it while I was on my way to walk?

" Herbert, if you don't mind, I'll just put it on the side of the road and I'll take it home on my way back. "

" Just hide it a bit, in case someone might take it. "

Well, that won't happen here, but I could see he was a bit uneasy. Anyway, I set off and communed with the various highlights of nature in our area, and as luck would have it, he was still in his garden when I returned about an hour later.

" Biggi, I've put some onion seeds there too, under the tree. "

Gosh, I was floored and thanked him profusely. Getting to the spot where I'd put the chilli plant, in order to pick it up, I saw that he'd pushed it a bit more behind the fir tree's branches out of sight...

Village life, delightful, charming, heartwarming, relaxing and oh so recommendable.

Biggi

Our Garden Behind The Barn Get's A Bit Of Attention.

An oasis of beautiful nature filled with a meadow and many fruit trees.

This oasis is rather large and needs attention now and again. It is edged in by a long hedge that has been left to become rather woody, that is until Bob gave it his attention.

An overgrown hedge is not so easy to get the better of and the bits that he couldn't do with the shears, his friend rode to the rescue. Even though I did mumble about the neighbourly eyes descending upon us, the same neighbours are extremely helpful and kind. Yesterday being another example of it.

Bob's friend Herbert phoned to ask if he could help him cut the trees along the hedge and Bob of course agreed straight away secure in the knowledge that hours upon hours of back breaking work had been taken off him.

Herbert has a tractor too and he brought it complete with trailer, chainsaw and a friendly greeting. Just like that, without any asking or pleading. Bob and I value this gem of neighbourliness because it is rare and thus a treasure beyond words.
Especially in a world rife with that Me, myself and I virus...

Our back garden or rather our orchard...many many fruit trees equals many many jams... Imagine not having a trailer there? Pulling all the cut trees by hand is not much fun.

Herbert helping us out with the hedge. Bob is standing on the other side of the hedge and if you look closely, you can spot him through the green.

Our barn as seen from the back. One day Bob and I would like to fix it up into a nice abode.

Looking through the barn, you can see our house to the right of the picture. The barn doors were so huge in order for the tractor to get through it. A barn is really more of a garage for the tractors.

Biggi

A Pumpkin, A Prince Charming, A Traffic Light With A Timer & A Burgenland Landscape.

Pictures, can tell a lot...

The one and only pumpkin that has graced our garden. Not for lack of trying as the plant itself winds through half of our kitchen-garden. The difficult bit is to know when it is ready to be picked!

This was one of those classic moments. Outside the Eberau Ice Cream Haven this cute little cat caught itself her Prince Charming and on top of a painted wine barrel too!

" Back off sister....he's mine! "

The soya beans are almost ready for harvesting. The fields are glowing in that typical yellow and orange hue. Simply fabulous to walk past them.

Often when I walk, the sky seems to be an extension from the heavenly heights above. It seems to me like rays of blessings are beaming down. A simple yet oh so very eloquent picture...

Bob and I took a pit stop at a Burgenland Fast Food Joint...a Buschenschank and F.Y.I. if you've never been to one, make haste!!!
The beautiful village in the distance is Bildein. There is a tree next to the church, which is even taller than the church spire. Amazing to behold.

IF you look a bit closer, you can see a timer on top of the traffic light. How ingenious. It tells you when your light will change. Great idea indeed.

Biggi

Now I Know Why It's Called A Nursery.

Tender love and care among others...

Some people nurse a hangover, some nurse a child and some nurse a grudge but Le Bob and I are a tick different. Oh yes, even though we admittedly could own up to a lot of the previous things, Bob and I have just finished nursing a handful of Brussels sprout plants.

Ooh, I can hear you loud and clear...

" My God, these two lead such an exciting life! "

...growing the one vegetable that most of you hate on top of it. We are daredevils indeed!

Bob saw the fledgling plants in spring and with the enthusiasm of first timers, we proudly signed up for this new lot of nursing. And nursing it is. Each and every day we had to water this lot and as the rain is a bit scarce this summer, it meant dragging watering cans to hydrate them.

Granted, it was divine seeing them grow and grow and we nearly passed out with happiness when we saw the first little mini sprouts forming on their stems. For us it was a huge success and we had a few envious looks at how big and strong these plants were getting. They were thriving in our kitchen garden.

Thriving until yesterday that is. Bob had had enough of seeing the tell tale signs of snails trying to pipe us to the pot. He had been threatening to harvest and uproot them for a while, but I had pleaded a bit of patience so that the mini cabbages could get a bit more plump and well rounded.

Well, when Bob has an idea it is nigh on impossible to stop him ( once he cut down the front lot of shrubs with such gusto, that we were in the public eye all through that summer ). I was sitting and reading my book, when in came Bob holding a bowl.

Dejected and disappointed was the only way to describe Bob and to be honest, so was I. There was the harvest of at least four month of nursing. Nursing daily, even imitating Prince Charles and having conversations with them. Our average sized salad bowl was only half full and when we boiled our spoils, it was just enough for the two of us.

One meal only.

Imagine all that water over the months for a plate of vegetables. How many Brussels sprouts are tipped into the rubbish bin after an impossible attempt to make your kids like them?

Oh well, better to nurse a kitchen garden than to nurse a dreaded hangover!

Biggi

Eisenberg's Gardening Club Makes Our Village Bloom With Colour.

Being surrounded by beautiful flowers makes it rather special to walk about.

I've made the flowers the main attraction. The pots aren't that important. The other evening, I noticed the Gardening Club ( make our village beautiful club ) planting all these delightful flowers.
Sadly, we did have a hail storm a day later, but I thought that these flowers had to be seen.

We can all buy the same flowers, and yet everyone creates a different ensemble. This year ( oh yes, it happens each and every year ) the arrangement and colours are a step above. I just love it.

As we are in the middle of wine central, a barrel is never far off. Most villages have antique wine barrels on display.

Those almost black leaves are divine and provide a perfect contrast for the reds and purples. Just lovely.

Looking at these does make one forget one's troubles...I wonder if gardeners know what great pleasure it gives to others, seeing their awesome arrangements?

Last but not least...another delightful combination and you can see how close it is to the road.

Thank you to all the ladies who have organized this. It is food for the soul.

Biggi

Oh My Daisy!

For the love of daisies.

Bob put his foot down and was adamant about the daisies. He just loves daisies and even though the wild sort are a dime to a dozen in our backyard, the daisies that Bob wanted were slightly different and for our window boxes.

You know, wherever you travel in our part of Burgenland, during Summer the windows come alive with colour and abundance. Almost every window in every village boasts a display of flowers in the aptly named window boxes. Last year the trend was a sort of peony with the only difference being the colour of them.

One thing Bob is not fond of, is uniformity ( Bob, back in the day ahem those early 1990's, was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt under a short sleeve one. Now that look is copied world wide it seems ). Anyway, in Oberwart there are a few Garden Centers and on Thursday we did our weekly shop, and also stocked up at this emporium. Oh yes, you could call it a Mega Garden shop and when you meander through the well laid out lanes, it is hard not to put plants and flowers into your trolley.

Bob, declined my suggestion of peonies for the window boxes, and headed for the daisy display. Can you believe it, they even have blue and pink ones! Luckily for me, Bob only wanted the yellow and white ones and with masterly fervour selected an appropriate amount for two window boxes.

We are both not so sure if they will prosper in them, but we will certainly try. On Thursday it was another scorcher of a day that would have made Johannesburg proud. Thirty degrees - hot and dry. As we were heading for the checkout in the Garden centre ( which is jolly hard to get to without being bombarded with divine displays of flower power ), Bob suddenly stopped in his tracks and muttered:

" Oh look, there is the friendly girl who helped us the other day! "

The other day, was actually 30 days ago and I think that friendly was only one of the adjectives that would be appropriate for this young womam. Oh, she was a stunner and as it was hot, she was wearing shorts. Bob, pretended to inspect some more plants, and didn't think I would notice his admiring glances. Aha, now I know why we chose this particular garden center!

It is actually rather funny how men ( Bob ) react when they get caught having a glance...Bob gets all blustery and drops that well used one liner.

" What woman do you mean because I didn't see anyone? "

Little does Bob know, that I just like to tease him and see his stunned reaction that I could have noticed his, oh so obvious moves.

• Glancing to his left out the car window and almost missing a stop sign.
• Adjusting the rear view mirror...oh, we hardly ever notice that one, men!!!
• If on foot, they pretend to tie their shoe laces...Bob's brother has perfected that move.

Oh course, I have to confess that there are certain shops I favour for perhaps a similar reason...oh my, the other day my eye was examined by an oh so dishy opthamologist...my new eye-doctor of choice...

Married life, I love it.

Biggi

As luck would have it, this morning it is overcast, but I still like Bob's choice. Once they have settled in, it will be nice to see.

A Bench & A Half Man!

A bit of fun in the garden...

Good grief, the first time I saw it, I pictured myself in a Miss Marple mystery. A proverbial village who-done-it. It gave me quite a turn to be honest. Who would expect it after all. Frankly, there should be a warning sign for the faint of heart or the pace maker brigade.

It is rather an eye catcher and hats off to our First Lady Of Deutsch-Schützen, who was the first
( at least I think so ) to cut a man to size. I must say, she has got style and pizzaz enough to carry it off and in such plain sight as well. Small villages lend themselves to beautiful gardens. At least the front and visible part of it. Everyone knows who lives where and who does what...or not... in regards to gardening.

Luckily our house has a very overgrown hedge - a perfect ruse to not garden behind it. The front verge gets a haircut every few weeks and voila, we at least look partly neat. Remember, unlike almost everyone else in our village, gardening does not come naturally to Bob and I. Back in South Africa, we thought of ourselves as ace gardeners if our sole pot - plant ( geraniums! ) survived a month after coming to live with us.

Of course, in our first year here, Bob was extremely overenthusiastic and in one foul swoop, chopped down the hedge. Frankly, this did cause a mini-marital tiff and considering that all Winter long we were on display ( our whole yard and garden to be spied upon ) and seen, many a wife would have also thrown their toys out the cot / conversed in a higher octave from the usual. Oh you better believe it, I held the shrillness for a few minutes. So far so good and the hedge lives on...

As with all things stylish and " unique ", the idea gets replicated. Walking on Sunday morning in Eisenberg, I again almost had heart failure. Gosh, they do know how to display the cut to size dummy at such an optimum angle, that one only knows at the last minute that it isn't real.

Should more villagers jump on the band wagon and display their perfectly chopped men, a tour could be arranged or even better yet, a competition of who best cut their man down to size...And of course it is a perfect opportunity to recycle old pants. Beware Bob, your Camo-pants might disappear from the cupboard!

This is the Deutsch-Schützen cut to size man...

The Eisenberg variety. To be honest, I don't know whose dummy was there first and for all I know there are more dummies about!

Biggi