Seeds – My Word of the Week

Have you ever looked at a seed and wondered what tales it might tell in the future? Obviously, we’d need to learn to communicate with it, but let’s assume we find a way. The shiny, reddy-brown coloured conker, nestling comfortably in your palm, when given half a chance, will grow into an immense horse chestnut tree. Big, spreading and long lived. Over time, its landscape would subtly change. Millions of other creatures would be encountered. Secrets shared and dramas acted out. All in the shade of its branches. What will it witness in that time? Average life span is over a hundred years. Surely it would have a pretty tale or two to tell.

Yet it all starts with a small seed that fits easily in your half cupped hand. Seeds are awesome.

This week, we collected conkers. We had a Sunday family walk to collect conkers, where everyone bickered, were won over by being among the trees and eventually declared it was the best outing ever. I can almost set my watch by it.

Some of the collected conkers are to be planted. We will grow them on for future generations. The other conkers are now drying, ready to be made into clothes washing liquid this weekend. I know a few of you are interested in how I’m going to do this….and probably why (holey moley has she nothing better to do?)….I will post it up here to tell you how I get on.

I’ve also been harvesting the fennel seeds, which is taking longer than I thought, as it turns out my plants were popular with the local bugs. Hosts of fast moving, predator bugs. The poor aphids stood no chance. I have lost count of the number of ladybird larvae I rescued and rehomed to the last, remaining fennel plant in the garden.

Finally brought my hops in too. Combined with the fennel, my conservatory smells devine. Aniseed and beer scented hops.

Not quite beer, but we did go to the Thatcher’s open day, at the weekend. So impressed by the scale. We wish we had gone earlier in the day, as the queues for the tours were very long. Next year. We did enjoy a cider while listening to the live music, which made up for it.

What else has happened this week?

Finally moved all three children to a new dentist. He seems helpful and child friendly, which should make it a more positive experience for them all.

I’ve found the cure to Sunday Blues for the children, crushing anxiety with the same stroke. I’m putting it down to the enforced homework time each day. Serious game changer.

Extra curriculum activities are in full swing. Fortunately most are during school hours, so I only need to act as chauffeur for two evenings a week. Something I really wanted to cut back on.

Middle Teen has started a new after school activity that makes me smile. I like to think I planted a seed of an idea for this one, a long time ago.

I finished Margaret Attwood’s “The Testaments” this week. Still in two minds about whether “The Handmaid’s Tale” needed a sequel, but I enjoyed it. Less shocking, probably because it was a sequel.

Weekend at last. Thank goodness. I have plants to plant and a gate sign to improve. We’ve had three deliveries that were near misses, this week. The first one threw the box over the gate, despite it being wrapped up in tape, printed with the word “Fragile”. I got there in time to hear the thud. The other two tried to deliver next door. I managed to catch the delivery people each time and point out the two different house name signs. They wouldn’t believe me. The problem is that you can’t see our cottage from the road, so they’d rather deliver to a house that they can easily see. Even if it has another name. Avoids following our sign and going up the drive.

I have a plan. I also have a plan B, which involves cancelling all future deliveries, putting a padlock on the gate and becoming a recluse. Let’s hope Plan A works. Then it’s back in the garden to sow a few seeds and calm down. Breathe.

That is my week. I’m joining in with Anne’s Word of the Week. I’ll go with “seeds” as my word to sum up the week.