Green Girl Gardener

Today I dragged hubby to see Christopher Robin at the cinema. I have been counting down the days till this was released. I’ve watched the trailers on YouTube umpteen times, I’ve entered competitions to win tickets to the premiere at Leicester Square (no luck) and I’ve checked daily to see if any cinemas were having early releases (nope) but finally it was released.

We were planning to go to the 3pm showing, but I was little Miss Impatient so we went to the 11.45am one instead. Imagine much grinning and clapping of hands (not while I was driving …. alright: only once or twice, maybe!) I decided to treat myself to some snacks as it was such a special occasion and I settled on these ….

Mmmmmm …….. scrummy! Raspberry yoghurt coated popcorn.

I impatiently tapped my foot through the adverts and trailers (although I did take a sharp intake of breath and let out a little squeal of excitement when the Fantastic Beasts: the Crimes of Grindelwald trailer came on – love love love Harry Potter). Eventually it started. Don’t you just get goosebumps when you see this and hear that iconic music?

Or is it just me?

I had a momentary wobble at this point! What if it wasn’t all I was hoping for and expecting? Sometimes trailers are really misleading, they take the only six good scenes of a film and trick you into watching the rest. I needn’t have worried for a second. It was absolutely amazing. It was funny and sad. Sweet and even slightly dark (in a heffalumps and woozels way – it is only a PG). Nostalgic yet completely of the moment. I think I smiled for the entire one hour and forty three minutes!

The whole film was quintessentially ‘Pooh’. He did his stoutness exercises, Pooh sticks was played, hunny was eaten. All his friends were there, Eeyore was fabulously grumpy, Tigger bounced, Piglet cowered, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo were, as ever, happy with their supporting roles.

I’m absolutely sure you could analyse the film to the nth degree and come up with endless metaphors and lessons, but I prefer to keep it simple and just enjoy it for its simpleness, its innocence and its pure ‘Poohishness’. I will just point out that personally I think we could all take instruction from Pooh and his Hundred Acre pals occasionally through life.

I won’t explain the title of this entry because I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but suffice it to say that it’s a theme of the film. I think it’s a fabulous notion, especially when taken literally.

I’ve been lucky enough this past week to receive several things for nothing – zilch, nada, rien – and I intend to make something out of them.

First I noticed this fern in the garden. It just appeared, all of a sudden, and it definitely hasn’t been there in previous years so it must have wafted in (from paradise? – am I showing my age there?) It wasn’t in the most aesthetically pleasing position, so I dug it up and moved it.

Then, I was gifted not one, not two, not even three but four plants this week! Lucky lucky girl!

The two on the left are houseplants and were from a special friend who shares my love of all things horticultural. She took these babies from her own parent plants and potted them up for me. The one on the left (the one that’s so tiny and delicate that you can barely see it) is a Ceropegia Woodii, otherwise known as Chain of hearts. If I manage to nurture it well it will have masses of trailing heart shaped leaves. The one on the right is a Pilea Peperomioides or Chinese Money plant, and it will grow up to have voluminous waxy leaves.

The two on the right were given to me by our lovely cleaner at work who’s heard the aforementioned friend and I chatting about all things planty. She took them from her own garden. The top one is a Hosta. These thrive in shade or semi shade so I know the perfect spot for it once I’ve got it a bit more established in its pot. At the bottom is an Alchemilla or Lady’s Mantle. This one will apparently spread like wild fire.

My final ‘nothing’ I found growing between work and my haven (aka Notcutts).

Teasels! I’ve never seen these growing wild before, much less where I actually found them. I’m deducing that the hot weather must’ve enticed them. They’re currently hanging up in a bag so they can fully dry out and then I’ll be getting creative with them. More to come on that!

See I really will be doing my very very best to make my best somethings out of all these nothings.

Just quickly before I let you go, I have a Blue Peteresque (is that also showing my age?) ‘here’s one I made earlier’ to show you where I certainly made something from nothing.

I got this wheelbarrow with a flat tyre for free from freecycle with an idea in mind that was inspired by Notcutts’ displays, and now it looks like this …..

Nice huh?

TTFN.