Special surprises in solitary
This time, last year, I was searching everywhere in the shops. It was February 2020, and you could wander about on the High Street and stop and talk or give friends a hug. But I was beginning to get concerned. The news was not good, and I thought that I needed a face mask, just in case. But of course, there were none to be found. In the end, I resorted to a do-it-yourself shop, which was selling masks for protection when you are sanding wood.
Now, of course, you can buy masks almost anywhere, they come
with the supermarket shopping. How our lives and habits have changed. Unbeknown
to us our brains will have changed too. I have not been out, apart for medical
reasons, for eleven months and I have learnt to enjoy the moment and to have
small things to look forward to every day.
One thing that I have been looking forward to is the arrival
of our seed order. A big box was left at our gate yesterday. It is full of
potatoes and packets with bright pictures of flowers and vegetables. The potatoes
are already under our bed in trays and we are waiting for them to chit before
Mr T plants them.
Soon, we will have trays of tomato seedlings on the window
ledges along with aubergines and peppers. Last year, we had to buy plants
online because we were taken by surprise at the rapid spread of COVID. We could
not go to our favourite nursery and buy plants. This year we are more prepared
and will be growing our own from seed. Being isolated and alone here on our
little smallholding has become a way of life.
Another thing that I have been looking forward to is seeing
my bulbs flower. I ordered them and planted them, last October, in pots and
baskets. They have been in the garage until I noticed that they had shoots about
three centimetres high. Now, we have plants everywhere indoors and it looks as
if my purple parrot tulips will be the first to flower. The buds, like tight
little fists, are just beginning to show colour and unfurl. I am uncertain
about identifying the other bulbs because the slugs have eaten part of the
labels. It will not matter; I will enjoy anything that flowers brightly to
cheer my February.
I am wondering if I will be doing all this again next year
or if I will be going out of the confines of my beautiful ‘prison’. One thing I
am sure about, though, is that I will be wearing a (new) mask for some time to
come.
(Taken from my column in the Shropshire Star.)
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