Almost daily diary!

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Do you ever talk to worms?

I did some gardening today. I don't know what came over me. You see I don't 'do' gardening. Now this isn't because I don't like it, well maybe it is. I mean digging is not the pleasure for me that it is for others. Planting's good. It's the designing bit I like. I like the final flourish of flowers, the variety of vegetables and the general beauty of the whole thing. However it's Husbands Job! I know, I know, gender stereo types 'r' us. But I have this fear that if I start 'doing' the gardening I'll end up 'doing' the house and the garden too and I don't have time to do both (I didn't mean this to become a rant!). No one else sorts the house so there we are, back to the division of labour all over again.

Anyway, it was a lovely afternoon and Tall Girl wanted to plant the plants we chose on the weekend. Tall Girl LOVES mud! She has an affinity to it. There is nothing she likes better than taking off her shoes and socks and mushing about in a muddy patch (don't forget she's no toddler and feet the size of ski's!). Maybe she'll take up horticulture in the future, or mud wrestling (please let it be the former). So we took out the trowel and planted 5 plants. It was enjoyable and quite satisfying, then she went out to play!

Meanwhile I was getting quite absorbed. There was a lot of chopping back and raking to do (look I know this is probably totally the wrong time of year for all this but I'm no professional and it all looked a bit messy!) So off I went, pulling and chopping and raking, (hopefully Husband wasn't saving that bit, he's away at the moment!!) and all of a sudden I dug up a lovely big worm. And before I really though about it I apologised to him (or her, or are they both? Yes I think they are!). ''Ooh you poor little thing'' I start to coo ''come on lets put you back here''! What am I doing? It's a worm, does it have ears? (I know someones going to tell me they do!) Do they speak English? Am I barking ? I must be, I don't 'do' gardening!

Then there was the earwig family I disturbed in one of the pots, I apologised to her to (they are supposed to be excellent mothers and now I have 'put her out on the streets'). And then there was the black bird rummaging around. He was so enjoying rooting around in all the stuff I had been pulling about. I had a long conversation with him! He found loads of grubs and worked tirelessly, and I congratulated him on his stamina. Mind you it was a one sided conversation, he had his mouth full most of the time.

The time flew by and I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon! I've made quite a difference to my little patch. I also have a lovely jug of flowers on the kitchen table, which I 'accidentally' chopped off with the sheers (whoops)! What a bonus for all my hard work!



Here he is! He got so close and was so tame I nipped in to get the camera. You can see the grubs in his beak if you click to enlarge.

P.S. I saw my first Swallow of the season too.

21 comments:

david mcmahon said...

Hang on a second, I'll duck out and ask Prince Charles if he talks to worms.

Seriously, though, I always taught my kids when gardening that worms were a sign of healthy soil.

Liz Hinds said...

It's the destructive gardening for me. You want a bed cleared, I'm your man. So to speak. Anything that involves living plants - keep me away.

And why wouldn't you talk to worms? I've apologised to chairs before now.

none said...

I like trimming and pruning but my wife does the planting.

I'm glad the birds liked the grubs I think they are pretty icky looking. ;)

Jules said...

I like getting out in the garden when the weather is nice. I love having flowers in the garden. So cheery.
I noticed someone was missing in your story... Small Sprog. So what was he doing while all this was going on?

Susan said...

I think it is showing good manners to apologize to a worm~by the way the entire time I am reading this I am singing the worm song in my head~do you know it? I will try to put it in my blog!

As Cape Cod Turns said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog. There must be something in the air because I have raked for 2 days in a row. It is definitely not my favorite job, but I didn't seem to mind for the past 2 days. Must be the warm spring sunshine. Didn't see any worms to talk to, but I did see a slug....ewww..
Your daughter makes a mean (that means fabulous over here) looking strawberry shortcake!

Rose said...

Gardening is fun, isn't it? Especially when you're just planting and imagining how lush all these flowers are going to be. It's when it is mid-August and everything is drooping or turning brown from the heat, except for the weeds, of course, that it isn't so much fun.

If you think you are a little bit strange, then I must be, too. I am a wormaphobic, but yesterday while cleaning leaves off the patio I found several big nightcrawlers. Instead of screaming and backing off in disgust as I usually do, I gingerly scooped them up into a bucket and deposited them into my garden. I told them to please burrow into my garden and fertilize it.

Tootsie Farklepants said...

I've talked to ladybugs, so yeah.

Just the word grub makes me want to shower.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

BS5 Blogger said...

Hi Suburbia

I'm with Liz here and I would definitely have talked to the worm. I talk to my car, I talk to my fluffy shark, I talk to my washing machine if it's too noisy. I always say hello to cows with a cordial 'good morning, cow' or some such.

I like the gardening thing. Maybe one of your fellow Bloggers is an Operations Manager for 7 Garden Centres across the UK? Give me a shout if you ever visit Cadbury Garden Centre and I can sort you out a fine shopping experience. We don't have a mud pool there so maybe TG wouldn't love it so much.

Have a good day.

Maggie May said...

Oh .... there's nothing like a bit of digging. I was out in the garden myself yesterday!
Talking to worms? No I don't do that! But anything goes......
You must have provided the black bird with his dinner!
Not seen a swallow yet, but then I am always at my computer these days!

Stinking Billy said...

Your lovely, winsome little post this morning was just what I needed, honestly. Nice one.

XXYXX said...

Gardening seems too much like labouring to me, hence my flight from Suburbia back into Urbia - parks are for me.

Suburbia said...

Hi Jules
Small Sprog was running wild! Ferrel children in the school holidays.

Oh Susan yes I know the one and I'll be humming it all day now!
No body loves me,
everybody hates me,
just because I eat worms.....

Sue loads of slugs here too, I never talk to them!

Rose, what are nightcrawlers? I don't think we have them here (only the human version!)

BS5 ...You're not are you? wow, it's great there. Is it you under the father Christmas costume??!

Maggie, I seem to be glued to the screen these days too. What will we do in the summer? I think I might need a laptop.

Billy, glad to oblige!

Bobo, and what do you do in them?!

Maggie May said...

Sorry....... there is a desk top tag, waiting for you over at my place!

Sandi McBride said...

I adore gardening, I love worms (sign of healthy dirt, you know) but now I do my gardening by pointing my cane at where I want the hole dug, all the amendments, etc...and let hubby do the actual planting...however I always take the credit...I don't talk to the worms, but am careful of them...I talk to the cats, now...they understand me.
David sent me...I am so glad!
Sandi

BS5 Blogger said...

What a fun little canter! Sub' I don't know the worm song but I will Google it now.

And Yes to the Garden Centre thing - it is very nice to do two hours on a meeting then unwind by walking through a fine glass-house full of colourful plants and on to another section past large Koi, Macaws, Chinchillas and this week's special, a Pushmepullyou called Fred at one end and Bill at t'other.

Rose said...

Nightcrawlers are very large earthworms. Perhaps there is more of a distinction but I don't care to know it! Around here fishermen often use them as bait.
By the way, I have given you an award. You can visit my blog to pick it up.

VP said...

I apologise to my plants when I cut them down ;)

Send that swallow over to Chippenham - we've not seen any yet!

Akelamalu said...

Nothing wrong with talking to anything in the garden - it's soothing! :)

Barbara said...

Glad you enjoyed your gardening, how lovely to have the blackbird helping you find grubs! I enjoy gardening - a place to relax and it is always satisfying when its all done.

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

I don't talk to worms, but I talk to myself when I'm gardening. :) It's quite therapeutic!