"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."

A week behind as usual! In other news it was my birthday last week and a second meal out was enjoyed. David and I went up the road to the Traquair Arms in Innerleithen and had a lovely meal. Couple glasses of wine for me, it numbs the pain of moving into another decade! Good to be out and about. It was a quiet day getting on with work in the nursery, gifts and cards from my nearest and dearest and thank you everyone for your lovely birthday wishes, much appreciated.

My birthday gift from David

Another week is flying by, bogged down by tiredness, lack of sleep, too much to do and so on it is sometimes a struggle to stay positive. Creating and running a business is equally a joy and hard work but when hampered by goings on or no goings on it can be made even worse. We are missing the cafe and farm shop being open at Whitmuir and it is impacting on both my business and Viki's, and lots of disappointed people arriving to find a locked building. But that's enough of all that depressing stuff. Work continues madly propagating, tidying the stock beds, sorting out plants propagated earlier in the year and helping customers. Here are some gorgeous flowers in the garden.

Anemone hupehensis var. japonica 'Rotkäppchen' now in the sales area

Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' planted in the Railway garden. I love the way the petals fall making the flowers look like a group of dancers with their swaying skirts  Hoping to have some available for sale next year.

The entrance border rally looks amazing this year

At last we no longer have soggy, muddy paths :D Thanks to David's hard work over the past few weekends the last path in the stock beds is edged and gravelled. What a difference 

We decided to swap our day out to Monday as the forecast for the Tuesday is awful. We headed out for an afternoon out in the borders and to visit a garden in Jedburgh. It ended up being a bit of a disapointing afternoon. The garden despite its online description was completely abandoned and over grown  I didn't even take a photo! There was nowhere suitable for lunch with a doglet in tow in the town apart from sitting on the edge of a pavement next to a busy road. So we headed to Woodside garden centre on the way home, always an inspiration and good food from their tea room. Lunch was all in take away packaging which is fine, makes all the social distancing and operating of the cafe work under current circumstances. We sat under one of the gazebos and Bracken joined us too. Home to tea and David out on another survey. Battening down the hatches for the forecast bad weather.

Even Coulter's Candy is getting on on the whole wearing a mask thing in Galasheils this afternoon. In case you were wondering what the connection is:

"Coulter's Candy", also known as "Ally Bally" or "Ally Bally Bee" is a Scots folk song.
It was written by a former Galashiels weaver, Robert Coltart (1832–1880). The song was an advertising jingle for the aniseed-flavoured confectionery that he manufactured in Melrose, and sold around the markets of the Border towns. The recipe is no longer known, but the song lives on.
The word bawbee refers to a halfpenny coin.
Coltart died of a brain tumour,[5] penniless, and was buried in an unmarked ("pauper's") grave[1] in Eastlands Cemetery, in Galashiels.

Lyrics
Ally bally, ally bally bee,
Sittin' on yer mammy's knee,
Greetin' for a wee bawbee, (crying) (a halfpenny)
Tae buy some Coulter's candy. (to)

Poor wee Jeanie's gettin' awfy thin, (awfully)
A rickle o' banes covered ower wi' skin, (bones) (over)
Noo she's gettin' a wee double chin, (now)
Wi' sookin' Coulter's Candy. (sucking)

Mammy gie's ma thrifty doon, (give) (money box) (down)
Here's auld Coulter comin' roon', (old) (around)
Wi' a basket on his croon, (with) (crown/head)
Selling Coulter's Candy.

When you grow old, a man to be,
you'll work hard and you'll sail the seas,
an' bring hame pennies for your faither and me,
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy. (more)

Coulter he's a affa funny man, (very)
He maks his candy in a pan, (makes)
Awa an greet to yer ma, (away) (cry) (your)
Tae buy some Coulter's candy. (to)

Little Annie's greetin' tae,
Sae whit can puir wee Mammy dae, (so) (what) (poor) (do)
But gie them a penny atween them twae, (between) (two)
Tae buy mair Coulter's Candy.

Useful plants from the garden -

“Variegated Apple Mint” or “Pineapple Mint” This attractive mint has a lax habit but will still take over the garden if not contained. The leaves have creamy-white margins. Small clusters of purple flowers appear in summer. H 40cm, S 90cm

Mango Mint Salsa
This very refreshing salsa can be used as a sauce on chicken or fish or dip into it with veggies or tortilla chips. Serves 4.

2 ripe mangos, peeled and finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup finally chopped pineapple mint
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Set aside for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving at room temperature. Keeps well, covered and refrigerated up to a day. Makes up to 1 1/2 cups.

Title quote -  Sam Keen

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