You start to garden, then half way through it begins to rain. So, we embraced the soothing symphony of cold raindrops down the back of the neck. (snort).” This is not an example of sunk cost fallacy”, I said to Senior Son. Though to be fair I think in many cases pushing on is more good sense than fallacy.
“Nope”, he said as we finished clearing the terrace even though the rain had increased from a drizzle to steady rain. “This is just rip, shit and bust.” We were scooping up the last of the debris and endless ivy to unearth the hidden bright orange terrace. It was heavy work in the rain but if we waited for a dry day that might be my next visit!
“It’s an example of plain old determination,” he said, “plus we are already wet so we may as well just get it done,” he said. Furthering my argument for the sink cost fallacy as we carried all the firewood we had found in yesterdays mission up three flights of steps to stack it to dry under the eaves of the new terrace.
This particular fallacy is not always a bad one, I thought as I eyed the overgrown roses for for the next job. Rainy Day Bliss.
My objective was to have a glass of wine on the new terrace by nightfall. But by late afternoon it was pouring. And my hair was officially soaked into a mass of dripping curls. But we got the job finished.
My oil skin gardening coat was full of mud and debris so I looked at the washing instructions hidden inside. ‘Hang on clothesline and hose down’ it said. Huh. I hung it over the gate in the pouring rain and called it good. Then went inside for a hot shower accompanied by the glass of wine!
Kiwi Humour.
We cleared around the old fig too. I could almost hear the tree exhaling with relief as we released it from the bondage of invasive saplings that had grown up through its branches and the cold damp weeds grown high around its trunk.
While clearing ivy from the railings I found this female weta hibernating amongst the debris.
She has been relocated. This is the shortest short but shows her creeping off into a new spot to hibernate.
She was almost two inches long so they are quite something to find. Especially when working fast. Maybe just a tiny fright when I realised how close I had come to cutting her in half with my secateurs.
Have a great day!
I will be out in the weather cleaning up the rose garden!
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
27 responses to “Gardening in the Rain with Wetas”
Absolutely wonderful reveal of that brick patio and so happy the fig tree is taking deeper breaths tonight. Had to look up what the heck a Weta was. Fascinating creatures.
Wetas are amazing – some get quite big but the Wellington Weta is smaller . Good morning Camille!
That’s so funny! My friend Audrey in New Zealand, sent me pictures of the Squealing Pig wine in May, which I sent to my siter, who found it in Calne, home of the Witshire ham cure, where she lives in the UK!
It is the pig and wine combo which is so incongruous! Fancy your sister finding it all the way over in the UK. these wines get around. Have a great day.
Pigs and wine are just as interesting as goats and wine. Many places here carry a lovely brand called Goats Do Roam- a South African brand but apparently very popular in the US 🙂
There are some Spanish pig wines too! They now go in for very interesting names and labels.
I call my sister “Pig” – she seems not to mind and does make pig noises from time to time… Anyway, she loves New Zealand white wines and went out to look for it not long after I sent her the picture!
What a wonderful, difficult project completed by Mom & Son together in the rain, though Ms. Weta’s little plans were all gone awry.
We disturbed a number of wetas as we worked – they are such cool creatures.
I looked up your NZ wetas & they remind me of the giant lubbers that used to launch off the hibiscus onto onto the porch screens & peer in at us when we lived in South Florida. I encountered them in the garden too. They were huge yellow grasshoppers with red wings too small to lift & fly them off. Mostly they sat & stared or slowly lubbered along. They made a big impression whenever I encountered them.
A ready made terrace and it’s lovely! I hope there is a dry day soon for the wine in that newly uncovered space.
I hope so too – I only have two more days here!
Oh Celi ~ you’re working too hard ~ especially in pouring down rain! Ugh I couldn’t do it in the soaking wet rain
conditions! I had to Google weta! Didn’t have a clue!! Enjoy every minute!!
I like to work! And I especially like to garden in the rain! What I do not like is sitting inside looking at weeds out the window! I bet you are the same Carol!
Blimey, take it easy won’t you. What a silly thing to say to you! What a beautiful terrace you unearthed, you certainly deserved that wine, will be looking out for that! Weta? Fascinating! Where to now for you?
In two days I am off to Tauranga – where my brother lives. I have not seen him in a while!
Weta Workshops have been an award winning creative media company for many decades … like the Kiwi, Wetas have become a global symbol for quality and innovation , which is amazing as NZ is a very small remote pacific island ! Despite the prehistoric appearance, Wetas are completely harmless .
Cleaning up is so good for the soul, is it not? Never met a Weta before!
Beautiful terrace.
It’s funny when our adult children quote us. But it is also satisfying. That terrace looks great. I do hope you get to enjoy a glass of wine on it one day.
It was funny right?
WOW!!! What an amazing and gorgeous little brick patio under all that!!! Definitely some wonderful wine drinking times to come! And you said there is a hammock tree in your last post! Who could ask for anything more? So happy to be on this journey with you! xo
Do you see the tree? It will be great for a hammock chair. The kids will love it.
Wow what a treasure to uncover such a nice tiled terrace! How was that wine? I must add it to my list to try if I see it here. We try a lot of NZ wines and have had some very good ones.
Lovely rain! It makes me glad to see the photos.
Are you very dry where you are?
Unfortunately, no more gardening for me, unless it is the raised bed vegetables. But I do enjoy looking out at what the gardeners achieve inmy very small garden.
I think small gardens are wonderful. Melbourne is full of the most perfect little gardens!