Off to Africa Again

Empodium elongatum, from South Africa, grows from a corm that looks very like a crocus ... they're not related!   It's flower is not much bigger than a crocus, this one about 4 inches tall.  I'm growing more bulbs from South Africa here in Wales where the milder, coastal climate suits them better than that in Norwich.  There's a tremendous wealth of flowering plants in the Cape Floristic Region, some are very familiar like Red Hot Pokers while many others are rarely cultivated.   Watch this space for a few more as some of my seedlings start to flower.

A day at home.  Indeed, I think I've only spoken to myself - and Meg - all day.   Not something I could live with seven days a week but a little welcome peace.  I haven't sat relaxing though!   Some much needed housework, cleaning and laundry.  The fierce easterly wind has whistled all day, trees and shrubs thrashing around in the gusts but if you use enough pegs, it's been excellent drying weather.   Assorted blankets washed and dried plus Meg's very smelly harness.   My recently acquired slow cooker had it's first outing today, a wonderfully tasty lamb casserole with carrot and swede from the allotment.   Dumplings came out well too :-)   Meg had a run in the ball field where a tree is down and already cut up.  We had to negotiate a stray wheelie bin en route, at the edge of town, almost escaped on it's wind assisted bid for freedom!   An evening making up seed orders for fellow crocus enthusiasts awaits, listening to vintage radio programmes found through Fourble website as I work.   I'll be reconnecting with the outside world tomorrow.