A Protective Tree

 

It's a Scottish tradition to plant a rowan tree by your house as a protection against witches. We had loads in Orkney, there were one or two on the  property when we bought it, and when we planted our wood we planted lots more. We didn't really think we could uproot one and bring it south, so we decided we would need to buy one pretty smartly after we arrived. That was in part what our trips to local garden centres were all about. Unfortunately we couldn't  find a healthy looking rowan in any of the three we tried so the OH got on the web and ordered one.  Apparently the foliage turns red - possibly in the autumn? I don't know . It's certainly green at the moment. I'd have been perfectly happy with a bog standard one, but there you go ....

It was supposed to be delivered last Thursday. We had a text to say it would be arriving between 2 and 4  We'd had   plans but changed them so that we could take delivery. Much excitement when we got the text to say we were next in the schedule. Less excitement when a little while later we had a text , accompanied by a picture of the sign with our road name on it, saying they couldn't find our house and delivery would be rescheduled. . Honestly all they needed to do was drive up the road a bit further examining the quite large number plates on the houses. They could even have called and we could have talked them through it! but obviously the driver had decided he would rather go home for the day. 

They rescheduled delivery for the next morning, between 10 and 12. That mean I couldn't go to knitting group and again we stayed in. The OH kept a keen look out at the front window whenever he heard an engine louder than a motor scooter, and it's just as well he did as just before midday he caught sight of the delivery van doing a three point turn just outside the house and  and then driving away from it. He hared down the road after it and returned about 10 minutes later carrying the tree! We were not impressed with the delivery service whose name escapes me, so I can't name and shame. I would if I could. Anyway there is the tree, we repotted it, but it has still blown over at least twice so it needs a much bigger heavier pot to go in, at which point we should be able to transfer it to somewhere near the front gate. To scare away the witches.