Tuesday, 3 January 2012

cleansing for the new year

It's an ancient Irish tradition to clean your home, top to bottom, for the New Year - a way to make room for new memories and to rid the place of old unwanted ones, fears and spirits. Like all little superstitions it may sound a little childish but I like to try and do them...to keep a connection with my family from the past.

The house didn't get cleaned, in fact it's a mess with things still sitting about from Christmas and half finished home improvement projects which (with the best intentions in the world) a week off for Andrew was simply not long enough to complete. Plus, lets face it, who wants to spend their only moments between eating, rushing around visiting people and the all important naps, sorting out what can stay, what can go to the dump and what ought to be kept for that car boot sale you have been planning to do for the past year!

But. The lottie - now that we DID make time for and a good cleansing was done there on New Years' Day. Despite the drizzle and the cold (my bum was frozen!) we worked hard and it felt good. I want it to be known now - I get a kick out of ripping out dead plants, chopping down (excuse me, 'pruning') back others and generally tidying up. I love it almost as much as harvesting crops....no, that's a lie - I love it more, I love constructive destruction! Plus, to top it all off, we were there completely alone :)

Before

2 hours and 5 trug loads of weeds and dead plants (plus loads of blasted Wall Flowers  - sadly I have decided I hate them) later.....

After
I know, I know. I doesn't exactly look amazing but I did a thorough job and long dandelion and thistle tap roots were completely removed :) Sadly, and this is really heartbreaking, I didn't see one single worm. Those bloomin' New Zealand Flatworms seem to have got the lot and moved one to some other poor plot! Aarrgh!. There was a healthy dose of spiders and beetles, slugs (aaarrrrghhhh!) and 1 only ladybird. But I am still in mourning for my little wiggly wormy friends.....

The weather being as awful as it is, you must forgive me as I drag this one trip out over a couple of posts. Goodness knows when we will get back, but just to assure you and reassure myself, the place is in rather good condition surprisingly :)

Lots of love and may 2012 be a happy, healthy year for you xxxx
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12 comments:

  1. Celia Hart3 January 2012 at 15:28

    Horrid to read about the flatworms - I'd forgotten about those, how maddening.

    But hurrah to read that you enjoyed tidying the lottie :-) I did a little pruning and tidying yesterday - just scratched the surface of the task! But it feels so good doesn't it?!

    Happy New Year!
    Celia
    x

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  2. Mo3 January 2012 at 15:52

    Happy New Year to you and yours.
    Great start to the New Year for your Lottie. We are windswept and wet at the moment :)

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  3. Sara3 January 2012 at 15:53

    Happy New Year, Carrie!

    I love this term "constructive destruction." That's a great term and something we ALL need now and then.

    I'm glad you got to the lottie and did cleaning. Hopefully, the worms will return.

    I wish you a wonderful and green new year:~)

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  4. Sue Garrett3 January 2012 at 16:32

    Seems its a Scottish custom too tpp clean everywhere for Hogmanay - thank goodness I am English and have no guilt feelings!

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  5. EB3 January 2012 at 16:57

    I'm impressed! The weather's soggy and blowy here too. Love your bit about the tradition of (very early) spring cleaning; it would feel too early for it to me but interesting to read of.

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  6. Diana Studer3 January 2012 at 18:22

    Good to read that the lottie is your friend again. May you have a good year!

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  7. Caro3 January 2012 at 19:20

    Looks like you had a really good day there and came away with a real sense of achievement. Well done for staying out, even with a frozen bum! Happy new year and all the best for 2012.

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  8. nikkipolani4 January 2012 at 07:04

    Ah, Carrie, I've been following your dip into the "valley of the shadow of death" and meaning to write but I just didn't know what to say, except that I'm thinking of you. You're sounding much more avid, ready to tackle the new year and I'm so glad. I like that Irish tradition. My roomie must be part-Irish because she's got the itch to empty all the cupboards and attic and toss/donate/clean/reorganize. Well done, you, for tackling the lottie even in the rain.

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  9. Anonymous4 January 2012 at 16:11

    I'll pass on that Irish tradition if I may! Well done on on doing some plotting, as all I've done is plenty of armchair gardening.
    Take care, Flighty xx

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  10. Miss J4 January 2012 at 19:51

    Clearly your New Years resolution wasn't for bigger thicker pants HA HA HA. Goodness that takes me back to school days eurk. I'm just jealous as my foot is still preventing me from going to the lottie but soon I will be there. Keep posting as you keep me cheerful. xx

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  11. Anonymous4 January 2012 at 22:49

    Wow! You have been busy. Shame on me! In my defence, I have thought about the allotment a lot. I was worried about the worm count this time last year, but they did rally once the weather warmed up. Maybe they go deeper when it's cold? Wiser heads may know if that's true or not. All the best to you both. Steve, Liverpool

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  12. Damo4 January 2012 at 23:13

    Don't think I have any Irish ancestry then as the duster hasn't seen the polish for some time in this house! Well done for getting the lottie clearing done, I haven't done anything, even in the garden, so you're putting me to shame!

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