Clematis paniculata

With the success of the Clematis purity in the Roma garden, last year I bought another native Clematis (Clematis paniculata) for my front fence.

I told Mum about it but she never got to see it in flower. Today I noticed the first blooms are out. They made me feel close to Mum as I spent several hours in the front garden where it is on the fence. Native Clematis can be difficult to establish but mine seem to have taken.

I'm not sure I should confess to my level of activity today. When I told the fisher/hunter he said "You what?!".

I started with a run on the hills - 2 big repeats from the flat up and down and up and down again. Gosh I'm fortunate I can do this.

Then to supermarket before home where a couple of loads of washing were hung out, bacon bones put on for stock, breakfast had and the kitchen made orderly.

I checked in on how Dad is before heading out to transform the front of my property from sad, tired winter neglect, to dug and dressed beds, weeding, trimming, tidying, cleaning up around the door from work men's boots, watering, etc, etc.

The painters have left their ladder in the back courtyard so I carried it around to the front and used to to reach and top of my largest giant Punga and cut the dead fronds out. So much for my "I'm not using any ladder, they're dangerous" declaration. (Now I've used it I'd like them to take their ladder and plank away so I can reach the Roma garden and tidy up the courtyard).

I took an hour off early afternoon to have lunch and coffee with a friend, then it was outside again to finish up and put things away.

Back inside I used the stock made in the morning to make a soup, then butterflied a chicken I've cooked on a bed of fresh herbs and lemons. The soup will sort my lunches this coming week and the chicken will help with dinners. I have a busy week ahead as I try to deal with as much as I can with my damaged mattress and carpet.

With a lovely day all that washing is folded and put away too.

Once I've cleaned the kitchen up I think I might relax :-)