Nelly's Garden at Thirteen

The garden at Dreen, 2004

It is thirteen years today since Nelly's Garden came into being and, if it hadn't been for a Facebook memory alert, I'd have forgotten all about it. Today the Universe is telling me that I must Do More Blogging. There is bound to soon be a revival of the personal blog. Perhaps it is me who should begin it.

In 2003 I had a full set of parents, a different set of dogs, no pigs and no grandchildren. Now I am an orphan, as is my husband who wasn't even my husband back then. These days I have two fine and hairy pigs, three grandchildren and another on the way. In 2003 I had a job and no time to look at butterflies, birds and bees. Now I am penniless (pension kicks in next year) and have never been happier in my life. Turns out two can live as cheaply as one.

So - how did I spend my blog's thirteenth birthday? I went somewhere new. Bert and I explored a disused and overgrown basalt stone quarry near Randalstown where I saw a blue butterfly, the first I've spotted locally in years. Maybe they are rare, or maybe I just wasn't looking hard enough. It made my day even though I did not get a decent picture.

Then I made a delicious dinner that featured chips made from Maris Pipers and Wee Manny cabbage. I cut back geraniums and aquilegias and made a very small dent in the garden-tidying project. Some slugs and snails had to move house.

Moving

And finally - I blogged.

Craigmore Quarry, 2017

Craigmore Puddle, 2017