“Out damned spot” (Macbeth)

 Both Elizabeth and I love roses and we have a number in the garden. Here are some examples:

We have recently noticed that a couple of our plants have black spots on the leaves. Elizabeth’s avid research On Google has shown that this is caused by a fungus which is not only unsightly on the leaves but makes the roses sickly.

The solution is a solution! The plants need to be sprayed with Sulphur (or powdered).  There are a number of proprietary products available for this, one of which we will purchase.  However this will not be effective until the spring so we have to wait until then to treat the plants.

Some plants don’t have the problem and we wonder if they have been genetically altered at the nurseries where they were grown.  No doubt they will develop some other problems over time which my intrepid partner will investigate and resolve. 

Some of our roses have special meaning for us.  We bought one to remember Elizabeth’s Beloved daughter who passed away at a young age and another for her dear mother who died recently. We remember them with love every time we see the roses in the garden.

We also bought a rose to celebrate our first Year together.  We get a beautiful reminder every day of the happy times we have spent together.  

Anyway, wish us luck with keeping our beautiful roses blooming healthy.

On a more mundane note today is laundry day.  We have been waiting for a dry day and the forecast is reasonable for the next week or so.  We need dry weather because Elizabeth insists on hanging clothes out to dry outside.  She claims that this gives them a fresher smell.  I don’t understand her logic but I’m happy to go along with her wishes. To this end we bought a rotary washing line.

We also bought a “screw” device to fit it on the lawn.  This remarkable spike was simple to screw into the ground in order to provide a firm base for the drier. Much simpler than any digging (which I like to avoid).  

So today our washing machine will be in use and the damp clothes will be fragranced by the fresh Hampshire air.

On the culinary front we will be having bell peppers stuffed with mushrooms, tomatoes and onions. I lightly cook the filling vegetables in garlic flavoured olive oil and then fill the peppers which Elizabeth will have deseeded and cut into halves.  She is also the expert vegetable chopper!  We have very sharp knives! So I have to keep warning her to be careful.  She also tends to wave the knife around when talking so it’s wise to be alert in the kitchen! Anyway the blanched veg are put in peppers and they go in the oven on moderate heat for about fifteen minutes. I remove them and sprinkle with grated Parmesan before serving.  Delicious! (I hope).

As we are still in quarantine we will be taking our daily exercise by marching around the garden.  I can almost hear the neighbours saying “there goes that mad old couple again”.

Stay well and keep fit! 

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