lost in my paradise

From: Caroline
Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 8:32 AM
Subject: lost in my paradise

Its been weeks since I've written and the reason is that it has been so heavenly outside that I have begrudged every minute I have to spend indoors. My gardens have been bursting into bloom and already my favorite Viburnums with their offerings of white flowers on horizontal branches are over, as is the climbing hydrangea and the peonies are about shot. In the walled garden there is a cloud of pink Coral Bells and the quilted blue green HUGE hosta is doing its spectacular thing against the terra cotta Roman urn. The air is rose scented and as this is the only redeeming feature of the pestiferous Rosa Multiflora I forgive them for being, at least for two weeks.

Some time ago my friend Judy gave me a lavender marble egg as a joke -well, the bantams didn't think it was and laid their little eggs in the same nesting box. Now there is a broody bantam who has laid claim to it and sits - day and night trying to hatch it. I really feel badly when I reach under her and find nothing but a very warm lavender marble egg. I am wondering when she'll give up.

The quail have been moved outdoors into the cage, and they act so differently from the others that I was concerned that they might be a different kind. Lee Gardener came over to check them out for me, bringing"a bird book in one hand and a cook book in the other". Well, we'll have to wait for the cookbook info for about another month as it is very hard to tell at this point what gender they are. The ratio that works best is 1 male to 4 females, so if we have a plethora of males, it will be quail on toast. (My grandmother had a little song about a woman with an enormous appetite who appalled her escort when she was taken out to dine. Ask me next time I see you and I'll sing it to you - the phrase "quail on toast" was part of it.)

Millie the horse's former owner came down to take photos and submit her papers for change of ownership and I think was a bit disappointed that she didn't come running up to him. He gave me a few tips on riding her and then rode her around the firld after me. I kept asking, "do I look like that?" and the answer was always yes. I had an incredible ride with a very kind woman who rides one of the enormous horses. We rode through fields bordered with that rose and between the drifts of newly cut hay. We were going to go through the orchard when we got near the barn but Millie decided she had had enough. As I have not had any confrontation with her and don't know how to manage her if we have a difference of opinion, we went into the barn.

Zoe has really settled in and now will go outside on her own, but she always knows where I am. She takes little dips in the gold fish pond and glides in magestically, like the Queen Mary sliding down the ways. Not like a Labrador who just plunges in. Sometimes I don't even realize that she has gone in until there is a massive shaking with water drops scattering as though a sprinkler had been turned on. Then she rolls around on the grass grunting and groaning with pleasure. That is it usually is the grass, but yesterday it was a border of white pinks in their full glory. But how can I scold her?

Despite massive amounts of kind turtoring, I don't seem to have the knack of attaching a photo, so you have already received the picture of my newly extended fence and the tool shed showing the blank face where the old green house had been removed. I had expected the new one just about now, but the plant moved, then found they didn't have enough electricity, then everyone went on vacation. It has now been promised before frost!!! I love the new sweep of the lawn and the copper tubing arch finally seems to have its rightful place in the opening. It all looks very simple, but it is wearisome to look back and think of all the steps it took to achieve this. I will not tire you with the details.

Love to all of you Caroline