Rainy Sunday

This weekend I had hoped to be doing some painting. I've been busy in a corner of my garden, fencing off a little spot to make my potting area. I put up some trellis and laid down some weedmat, and just wanted to paint the walls and fence first before I shift in the potting table and compost bins and everything I want to tuck away in that corner. Heavy rain has spoiled all my plans however... as cosy as it is to sit here on the couch by the fire and listen to it gently pattering against the window, I would still rather be outside working thank you very much.

Anyway, on a note of cheer... I've got a clematis flower! I took these cuttings from my mum's clematis plants in late autumn and put them in water, hoping some roots would form, but not really expecting it due to the lateness of the season. The leaves stayed green and some tendrilly shoots appeared, and soon I noticed what looked like flower buds. No, not really? Not on cuttings in a glass of water in the middle of winter? But yes, it is exactly that. One long root has developed on each cutting with buds, so I guess I'll pinch the rest of the buds off so that the roots will develop.

I took cuttings of two different varieties - one has pale pink early flowers and one has magenta pink late flowers. It seems that the pale pink ones are the ones flowering and rooting, maybe that has something to do with them being an early variety. I hope the magenta ones take as well, as that was the colour I really wanted!

We had lunch with my brother and his family today. It was his birthday so I made a pav. Not having any fresh fruit to hand (traditionally you decorate a pavlova with strawberries and kiwifruit) I used violas and mint leaves. Technically edible but we didn't - although the espresso chocolate was divine!

Well it's back to the fire for me and dreaming of sunny days to come.