Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Saturday 13 June 2020

(After) Life on my Balcony

all photos by Britta 

When I came back from the Netherlands, I was in for a tiny shock. Normally the little sons of my neighbours earn a bit of money on their first job ever by deluging my plants. This time their mother had told me that they had to go away for a week,  because her father was sick - but I would stay longer away, so that was ok.


When I came back the air in the big apartment smelled stale. And the sight of the flowers an the balcony: shock!
(Being a people-pleaser, as Tom reproached me recently, I cannot change instantly - Query: do I want to change and become a grumpy old woman instead?  : here on the photos I show you the result of my hard labour AFTER the little turmoil).


"I think maybe the neighbours had to stay for longer - the situation with the father might have turned worse", said the Flying Dutchman (right he was), but I heard it only from far away, already running with my green watering can to and fro from balcony to bathroom, from bathroom to balcony (which is a big one).


The lucky thing was that I had bought some white "pots" from Lechuza which promise to water your flowers for two weeks in your absence. They kept their promise.


The roses in the big pots - no photo here - sulked a bit, but I could coax them back to life (they are not spoilt on a balcony).


The oleander thought deliriously that he was back in Italy - hot air, no water.


Yet many plants in little pots had wilted and died - especially the herbs. I tried to copy the cool Moomin-Mother philosophy: "There had been WAY TOO MANY - anyway."



And enjoyed buying and planting new ones.


So, now I am able to invite you again - come in, please: there are more fine nooks and crannies on my balcony you haven't seen yet - please take a seat, and do you want a glass of wine, or some juice?

Let's enjoy the beautiful view of the evening sky!  Bliss!







13 comments:

  1. Your balcony is overflowing in colour and beauty Britta. If all of your neighbours have similar displays on their balconies then the building must look a credit to you all.
    If you have a cooling glass of elderflower cordial then that would be my preferred choice of tipple.

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    1. Thank you, Rosemary! I LOVE elderflower cordial - and my friend Christine can even prepare that herself.
      So - how do you want it? Mixed with Champagne? (That was as we once had it in Paris - lovely!)

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    2. Sounds delicious - that would be lovely💕

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  2. The flowers all look very beautiful now you have worked your magic touch on them and revived them Britta. Lovely colours and even the sky coordinated. I hope the wine matches the colours too. xx

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    1. Thank you, Rachel, they really came back to life.
      As you want a colour-matched wine, I can offer a "Schwarzriesling" from Baden-Württemberg (in France it is the "Pinot Meunier") - the colour a little bit darker than a Rosé. a bit more fruity but fresh - but of course I also have a dry Rosé. xx

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  3. Wine would be lovely thank you. Basking in the sun with the beautiful view of your flowers and a nice conversation with you will be just the thing.

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    1. You're welcome, Emma! I would enjoy it very much - and I am sure we have a lot to talk about!

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  4. Look at your flowers now!
    It used to take me at least eight trips back into the house to get water for the plants. Then I figured out how to do it in one trip. I think I'll post it soon.

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    1. Dear Joanne, I am interested how you managed the water supply! I have to run from the bathroom through the hall and the large parlour, the I am there on my balcony - but on hot days I need up to nine of these trips!

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  5. All in all, your plants survived quite nicely.

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    1. Yes, Terra - I am often astounded how resilient plants are!

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  6. Your balcony looks lovely! I do like the colour on your blue chairs. It must be a welcome sight during the gloomier months.

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  7. Thank you, Pipistrello! I looked a while around to find that coloured chairs - long time ago when I had a garden I found out that green in front of a tiny blue wall can look very satisfying. And yes: in grey days it cheers up.

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