It is only eight days since I last took the Yagnub to Norwich road, but in that time two fields of flax have flowered. Is there a prettier flower for a farmer to grow? I hardly think so. It makes me as happy as does the sight of a rainbow. It's not a common sight around here; maybe, if it were, it would become hackneyed, but I don't think I could ever dislike it as I do oilseed rape. When that was uncommon (or when it was more likely to be a field of mustard which looks, in flower, the same), I quite liked to see the bright yellow splash. Now I am annoyed by its pungent smell and its brashness.
But flax will always be a pleasure I'm sure. And I'm going to Norwich again tomorrow, so can enjoy it afresh.
Many thanks to any witches, and warlocks (or are you wizards?) who influenced the weather imps. It was perfect. Sunny, but not too hot, except occasionally, which was pleasurable enough to make one stretch like a cat.
I bought a hat, some bacon and a wooden jigsaw for Squiffany. Alone, I'd probably have prowled more expensively around the food tent, but as it was, I enjoyed the company and the sights.
One of which was a display of tomato plants grown (I think) by the inmates of Norwich prison; of old and rare tomatoes. Old and rare tomatoes are delicious fruits which have only gone out of commercial use because they are odd in colour or shape, rarely because they lack flavour. I picked up the seed brochure of Simply Vegetables, from Suffolk-based Plants of Distinction. It is wonderful, with many unusual and colourful varieties and I will certainly order from them. It's a small company with five staff; their website is nothing yet except a picture of the catalogues and a request for a catalogue, but it can better to work within your means and grow than to be overambitious and fail.
When i was watering the tomatoes this evening, a tiny black froglet jumped out of a pot and hopped away. From now on there will be dozens of them in the greenhouse. I'll catch one sooner or later and take a picture for you. And kiss it, of course, before I let it go - no frog, however small, escapes a cuddle from me.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Flax is the most sensational colour - at one time there was a field of it by the road from Durham to Chester le Street, and it was worth going out of your way to see it. Like rape, though, horrible when it's finished flowering and is progressing to the state where it is a valuable crop.
You can keep the frogs, though - frogs, toads and newts give me the shudders!
A true blue is not a common flower colour, but particularly pleasing.
If I put up a frog picture I'd better post a warning for you. I grew up in a garden with newts and have a very soft spot for them. And I like anything that eats slugs.
I love the flax too. There isn't any around here at the moment, but we have got a field of white clover growing behind the Witchery, which replaces the buttercups they turned into hay a few weeks ago. Is lovely. :)
Post a Comment