| ACountryLife Articles > Croatia, the secret garden of Europe (part 3 Springtime) Springtime in Croatia |
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Submitted by : Croatia Keith |
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Croatia, the secret garden of Europe (part 3 Springtime)..by Croatia Keith Its been 3 months since my last update on life in Croatia, how time flies when you are enjoying yourself. Since cold and snowy February, we have watched the land and forests around us change little by little every day into the many shades of green and brown we have today, spring is well and truely here now. Apart from last years very general preparation of our veg patch/allotment area, the last three months have seen Michele and I working out in the garden almost every day, and wow is it hard work! Michele is an early starter, usualy awake before sun up and having got a few hours work done by the time I arrive on the scene at 7am or 8am. I know it makes sense to get going early, especialy when its 25 deg by 10am, but getting me out of bed in the morning while its still dark is always going to be an uphill struggle. The work this year has been especially hard as much of the hard "labouring" has had to be done by hand as our trusted old "ZETOR" tractor decided enough was enough. Needing four new tyres, a new battery, oil pump and starter motor, not to mention a good service, it was time to let the old girl retire gracefully into the welcoming arms of a tractor restoration enthuiast, we wish her well. The lawnmower and strimmer also both needed attention before we could get them back into full time use and to cap it off the rotervator developed some very strange "expensive sounding" noises which all tolled have left us with aching limbs, but a satisfied glow having dealt with all the jobs by hand. Satisfying as it may be, another tractor is now a priority! Some how "the boss" mislaid this years planting plan and has had to wait for the veggies to start showing themselves to see where she put what! Oh the best laid plans........ We seem to have a visiting hare who pops in overnight for a buffet on our early shoots. He seems to prefer the spinnach patch to everything else and so far all attempts to catch him have failed misserabley. Not to be outdone, various plans are in the pipeline and we hope to have him out of the allotment and into the pot quite soon now. The pheasants are getting ever more gallant and now sit atop our garden fence less than 30m away daring me (or the dogs) to try and catch them. Just like their friend the hare, a nice snug, warm pot awaits soon.......... So here I am at the end of another days weeding, planting, watering and generaly hot "grubby" work, sitting in the shade of the terrace with a cold beer in my hand, allowing natures beauty to absorb me, just as it does each day. As I look across the pond with its first pink water lilly of the year, open and flushed, two bright blue dragon flies chace each other around, swallows ducking and diving creating ripples over the waters surface, sparrows fighting for the crumbs on the bird table just a few feet from my head, two small bright yellow butterflies leapfrog each other in the orchard, the dogs laying at my feet fast asleep and as if on que, the pheasants have just appeared on the wall. Nature never fails to impress, especialy in springtime. |
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