16 Aug 2015

on new secateurs


Two new, one old faithful. And sunshine!
 
You know that line about turning into your mother? Well, I think I’m turning into my father. The weekend I hired the gnomes was bitterly cold, but I came home, donned a parka, and pottered about in the shed. I re-arranged my pruning tools and brooms, sorted thru a bucket that had collected bits of junk (old tights, plant tags, very old secateurs, a measuring vial). Then I moved into the vegie patch and pulled some weeds (a lot of nettle, possibly from the sheep poo) and assessed the placement of the gnomes — could I see them from the back door? More importantly, could they see and talk to one another?

Then sense hit me and I decided it was Too Cold To Be Outside. I needed a cup of tea to wrap my frozen hands around, and I went in.

My dad would have happily ignored the weather and continued pottering about in his shed or glasshouse (we like to ‘potter about’ in our family). Tough stuff, he is.

What prompted all this pottering were the new tools I’d bought (along with the gnomes). I can’t resist a hardware store and this was my first visit to the new super-mega-store across the way from me. There’s a smaller branch right next door to my work (I know, I'm very lucky) and I am a loyal and regular customer there, but this new outlet? Mind-blowingly vast. They hand out maps as you go in.

I thought I’d check out the dustpans — aisle 57. Fifty seven! I happily trawled thru towering shelves of things I had never seen before or knew anything about. But there were many men and women crouched down, intently considering one shiny metal thing against another; or standing hands on hips, looking upwards towards suspended other things. This was hardware mecca. It was monstrous, and it was wonderful.

I bought two dustpan-and-brush sets (one for indoor, one for out; both with that rubbery edge which means no dust escapes); bright, grippy pegs for my mother; yellow zucchini and purple pea seeds for dad (in the hope he will get them going and pass some seedlings on to me); and secateurs and a trowel for me.

I did not need new secateurs. Or a trowel. But these were so new! And shiny! And ah, the trowel, so solid in my hand. I hefted it a few times, I turned it and mimed digging. Then I squeezed and compared secateurs. I’d been lured into the garden tool aisle by the bright pink secateurs. The feminist in me says no to pink girl tools; the girly part of me says oooh — pink! To compensate, I bought a second pair which are heavier and a utilitarian dull grey; more your blokey no-nonsense pair, mate.

But ah, I love secateurs; come the warmer days, when I’m outside, I reach for my blunnies, sunhat and secateurs automatically — they’re part of getting dressed for work. I always have a pair in my hand or pocket, just in case something needs a snip or a trim.

So now I have six pairs of secateurs. I know! Much like lipsticks or shoes, one for every occasion, need or mood. Options!

But really, I blame that mega-hardware store. It made me buys dustpans, pegs, seeds, gnomes and two pairs of secateurs in one day.

I won’t be returning for a little while…
Where all the secateurs live

14 comments:

  1. I love your secateur pot! I have two pairs because I put one pair down in the garden one day mid-summer, and I didn't find them again until mid-winter when all the leaves were gone! I think these pairs will last for at least ten years, and maybe I will keep an eye out for my next pair at a garage sale. I am really, really annoyed at the giant megalith hardware stores here. There are NO independent hardware stores left in town. None. Bunnings is owned by Coles and Mitre 10 by Woolies, who between them own about 80% of retail in Oz. It all makes me very, very cross..

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    1. jo, I too lost a pair once - I think those green ones - for a whole year. the green was too good a camouflage. so I always wear the little loop when I use them - or look for bright pink ones that stand out on a pile of prunings.
      no, there are no independents anymore; it's much like the loss of independent greengrocers, I think. but I guess my consumerist heart can't help but be dazzled by these monster hardware meccas. donlt hate me for it!

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    2. Of course I don't hate you for it! It does annoy me that we don't have that choice - I am sure both you and I would rather shop for shiny trowels at a locally owned hardware shop staffed by people who know all about hardware and gardening xx

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    3. very much, jo - I do support small and local businesses wherever I can.

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  2. Ooh, yes, I'd like to be let loose in there as well. I've got four pairs of secateurs I think, but only one of them works properly. And I think I have about seven or eight trowels, if you include the child size ones. My excuse - some live at the allotment, and if I pick up a trowel there, the children all instantly want one too. The same with the secateurs - everyone always wants to be doing the same thing at the same time. I like your thinking with the seeds, I hope your dad takes the hint, he sounds like a complete gem. Enjoy your Sunday. CJ xx

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    1. thank you CJ - hope you had a lovely weekend too. yes dad is a gem and it wasn't a very subtle hint with the seeds - I did tell him my plans!
      i must say, you though have very good reasons for multiple tools - multiple family members! i'm afraid I just like to amass certain things ... :-)

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  3. Haha, we are secateur polar opposites. I am currently using a pair (the only ones I have) that was given to me as a christmas gift two or three years ago, which are actually broken. The bit that makes the blades spring back apart after you cut something doesn't work, so I have to pry them apart after each cut. But still I don't buy new ones. I don't know what's wrong with me.

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    1. oh, that would annoy me! then again, I have a pair that are very excellent cutters, but when I use them, I need to carry a screwdriver around, so I can tighten a little screw, quite frequently ... but still I keep them (despite having many others).
      I admire your tenacity, monogamy and loyalty!

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  4. I do have secateurs, but I tend to leave scissors all over the garden to cut things. I much prefer them. They don't rust when it rains so I can forget about them. They all have bright orange handles so they can be found amid the foliage. I do bring out the secateurs for things like chopping up the corn or cutting the broccoli, but I have to be careful. I'm apt to put them down and get distracted by something else. Then they are left out to rust in the rain.

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    1. daphne, I have scissors too ... long, thin-bladed ones that I use for snipping out tomato laterals, and for deadheading flowers with thin stems (like my daisies) - jobs where a secateur's blades are just too clumsy.
      I don't leave my scissors or secateurs out, but I do leave some knives out in the veg garden, for slicing off rhubarb or silverbeet.

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  5. This is reminding me that I need new secateurs! I too am guilty of leaving them outside in the rain and not protecting them. Shame is my name!

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    1. oh jem, don't be hard on yourself. just see it as an opportunity to get a new PINK pair !!! :-) :-)

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  6. Ha love it! I have a thing about secatuers too! You can't have too many of them (I have a tendency to lose mine :D)

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    1. secateur lovers of the world, unite! ha, nice to meet a fellow fan, frogpond :-)

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