In Jack’s weekly guest post he continues to complain – whit’s he like?
One of the things I’ve never really got used to living here, is the rate that everything suddenly starts growing once the temperature rises and the summer thunderstorms hit. I mean grass, weeds and things that might or might not be weeds. One of our regular customers paused to admire some mint that’s taking over part of the front yard and asked if she could volunteer her daughters to ‘tidy up’. Please, please I said!
Between running the bookstore, an annual tour of Scotland, an annual Celtic festival, a weekly radio show and trying to keep on top of the upkeep of a 1903 building, there’s little time left for gardening.
The irony, of course, is that even if we had the time and inclination, we are actually completely useless gardeners. We grow tomato plants from seed and then plant them out where they quickly die – same with most other things – potatoes, peas, brussel sprouts, peppers – – -. We rarely even keep house-plants going for any time.
Meanwhile that pesky grass needs mowing, and the weeds need whacking – assuming I don’t expire trying to get the mower and weed-whacker started!
But wait! “What light through yonder window breaks – – – -”
So yes – Sunshine is good and so is the lack of snow, not to mention longer days and tee-shirt temperatures. I’ll fly into Edinburgh this Monday morning and will be reminded of that quite forcibly I suspect! So I can’t complain can I?
“Sumer is icumen in – – – -“
Wendy Welch: Books, Yarn, Cats, Opioids 
Redesign your mowing area with ground covers. We don’t mow, we have trees and woods and wild flowers. And if you just wait long enough, the mint will take over, and you can harvest it, dry it, make tea. Just keep explaining that your lawn is now a tea forrest to your neighbors. Happy time in Edinborough!
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Don’t try to grow tomatoes and peppers from seed! Buy healthy young plants from the nursery, set them out with supports (wire cages) to grow on for support, and be sure to plant marigolds around tomatoes — the nasty worms that eat tomatoes HATE marigolds! And when this June drowning period we’re having ends, lots of water. Enjoy!
We did plant the marigolds, but the ground ate the tomato plants….
How long is your trip? I’ve got company till the 15th.
Trip is 21st June to 3rd July but that’s only the tour. Jack will be kicking around Fife from June 14th-20th.
Tell him to let me know if he needs a place to stay or a meal or just a friendly conversation.
He’d love to just see you for a cuppa and maybe a curry – is it fish suppers you don’t like, or curries? Anyway, I’ll hook you two on FB.
Can’t do curries. Love fish. (Some fish.)