time to prune. in times gone by, our property was an orchard and I have a few of the original trees, still growing in my yard ~ one being a pear tree. This poor old gal has had a hard life. Last week - I cleared around the ground underneath, planted some comfrey around the drip line and mulched her. But she needed a haircut - a pruning. So Tuesday, just gone - Marion, a friend of mine came up and helped me to prune my old pear tree. She is all tidy now and when fruiting time comes, I will be able to net her, to stop those white cockatoos from destroying every last pear.
and ~ damn possums !!! yes, Daisy, I do curse. especially when possums chew my plants.
I had seeded an area with lupins - to creat a green manure in readiness for my potato crop.. and as each tiny seed burst its little head out of the soil - the damn native possums nipped the little heads right off - leaving a patch of green stalks!
some might say that possums are cute but me thinks not - I keep thinking possum pie - just like Granny Clampett.
I also pruned my ornamental grape vine - it was out of control. Now it is just a stick and hopefully next spring, when it starts to shoot - I will be able to train it alot better than I have in the past - I just have to remember to do it each day, otherwise it grows overnight, much like a triffid !
being a witch and it being Yule-tide for me - I wanted to make a wreath for my door - we don't have the greenery that is available in the Northern Hemisphere - I wish I had access to Holly & Mistletoe - but unless I go raiding the neighbours gardens, it does not grow wild here - so I substitute. I used the prunings from my grape vine:
above are my prunings and below - the first stage 
then I cut some small rosehips to weave into the wreath - I am going to add berries, cinnamon sticks, stars, garland and bells & hang a little talisman bag from it - full of the Yuletide crystals - Bloodstone, garnet, jet, obsidian, onyx, peridot,quartz, sapphire, serpentine. I will probably do a little sacred ceremony on June 22 with some frankincense incense to bless the wreath and ask the faeries to protect my home during the coming year.
there is something about the photo below that I liked - I don't know what it is - maybe the shadows, the dark & light....
11 comments:
Love your wreath, don't forget to keep a little piece of it by the door after yule, until you put up your yule wreath next year.
I have always wanted to hold some sort of ceremony on the Summer Solstice. Our book club falls on that date this month, so I asked the hostess if I could do a little something. Since we can't have a big bonfire I thought I would do something in honor of fairies. I thought I would bring some little fairy trinkets, maybe some herbs, and recite a poem or chant. Any sources you can direct me to? (Email me if you like!)
You did a super job on your wreath. I have lots of vines and always recycle them to the garden waste. I might keep some and try this. It looks really good. I planted a pear tree last month, it's about 6 feet tall and very skinny. If it survives it's first winter it should do well..!
I like the bottom photo too, it has a Celtic look to it.
xox
I envy you your winter. I am so a cold climate person living a hot humid area. Someday my dream will come true and Hidden Haven will be in snow country. Sounds like you are working hard getting your trees and gardens ready for a long winter nap. Love the wreath!
I love your wreath. It will look stunning when it is finished. I was always taught to burn the wreath or offering... after the season, and smudge the ashes around the entries to your home. I don't do wreaths arymore... I make up a display of most things that you mentioned... plus I add in a little money and a few more symbols for things I'd like more of. Sometimes I use an old branch and make a tree with ornaments. It all gets burnt.. then I take out all the chunky things that did'nt burn down and do my wee jig. I throw them around and do a little dance... looks funny but the kids love it.
Beautiful! While you are doing your Winter Solstice ritual, I shall be doing my Summer Solstice!
After you pruned did you cover your plants in case of frost? Just wondered because I always wait until later winter to prune....maybe I don't have to.
Great idea to use the vine prunings for your wreath, it sounds as though it will be lovely when it's finished. There will be photos I hope? Sounds as though you've been really busy in your garden, I feel the same way about squirrels as you do about possums:)
We don't have possums here in North Idaho but we have gophers that just love to chew on the bulbs and roots of plants.
Murphy been mainly pruning now at a tree nursery.
I would love to, and infact am so eager to get out into our garden but yet again it is another day of thick fog! As I write here, the field over the road is completely hidden by the fog!
I love the wreath!
We have a holly tree. The birds eat all the red berries, but i don't mind!
Yeah, damn possums! I don't like them either. I especially don't like our destroyers, the raccoons.
Hrmpf!
Beautiful wreath.
xoxo
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