So… I decided to go for some Wife Points by finishing stacking the wood
Sorted. And then… drum roll and cue Cousin Jeff
Sob. Haha… I am just being a drama queen. Its good to get the wood in and stacked up early
I got this lot partially stacked.
I did however tackle the path and edges
I like before and after photos!
They please me
Jeff got in a few days later and cleared out weeds by the veranda
Onto the next mess..
A fair bit to do in this area
Had to stop for some head butting and quality cat time
Pip eventually hunkered down and I got on with the job
The middle area I want less work and less weedy… so cardboard and sawdust it is…(Will probs top with straw later)
Working through tasks section by section
You have to take advantage of the good days – because its still swinging back to cold and snow in Tassie!!
Planted some apple cucumber seeds and transplanted a lettuce that I found when weeding this plot!
I am getting to eat a few strawberries too… slowly coming along
Been meaning to scrub the decking for an eon (and it looks it)
Hard work but satisfying when seeing what I did. Mind you, after I posted this bit on Facebook a friend took pity on me and dropped in their electric water pressure cleaner today! I am super keen to have a go but have a market tomorrow so Sunday might be the day…
After all that we are going to need to do some staining too.
The smaller cherry plum trees are laden, but the big old one doesn’t have much on it this year 🙁
Enjoying the flowers around the yard
Okies, I have to finish prepping for tomorrows market! Have an excellent weekend! Cheers
Well… its snowing around Tassie at the moment!! I am glad I delayed putting my seedlings out. Its not snowing at our place but I sure do have the fire back on!! The last couple of evenings I have sat in front of the fire after dinner with some Netflix on and making up soap dough flowers for future projects. I found a little set of daisy flower cutters which makes the process… faster!
One of my cousins came around the other week to make a few of her Christmas Presents ! We had a fun morning
Which reminds me… I like this swirl method and need to try it again
Beck also decided on using the Oatmeal Milk and Honey fragrance… always a comforting scent!
I got to and made my last Christmas soap batches and was pleased with the results
Above was Apple and below, Apple and Peppermint
I had another workshop the other weekend too – only three people this time but it was a nice group of ladies, they found other common ground with bee keeping and other things so that was lovely
Nadeane chose the Anjou Pear and Lemon Zest… with lovely ribbons of purple and yellow through her soaps. She also had a bit of fun with the decorating
Her daughter Emmy wanted to use the same fragrance but in the end opted on something different so they could share (Crisp cedar and amber)
That fragrance caused the mixture to thicken a lot more quickly so we abandoned the ‘drop swirl’ design and did a manual swirl with a skewer. Turned out great!
Kay had a go at a Taiwan Swirl, and with those soft colours – it looked gorgeous
Smells amazing too… Lemongrass and Exotic Lime
My demo to cut soap I used Lemon Verbena… mmmm
I might have been in a hurry as the shimmy design was a bit chunky – but still cool and exciting enough for the cut.
I decided on Australian Lavender for the show off demo soap with some soft colours
I think we were going to call it ‘Nanna’s Retro Kitchen’ Its still sitting in our dining room smelling lovely!
I haven’t done a lot more with soap since then – the nice weather said “Get your butt into the garden!”
I did start a new basket… using the raffia this time. Its been growing quickly
Its nearly finished… just have to cut some more flax from the garden to do a few more rounds. Finishing with the blue/green again.
Of course, why finish a project when you can start another? Grabbed some of the crazy vine at the side of the house and made this open air basket!
Pretty quick and fun to do! (Although it probably won’t hold water…)
Thats about it from me! Fingers crossed the weather gets warmer again. I’d love to get some tomatoes in the ground as well as the pumpkin and plant the corn! Its mid-November after all… time to get a crack on!
Hello Again! The weather lasted long enough for me to get another solid days work weeding that raspberry patch
I’d put the sprinkler on after the first go to soften the ground up as I knew I’d be tackling that horrible creeping buttercup
All the chooks got right in to ‘help’
Funny but so pesty!
This was a slow tedious task… the creeping buttercup puts down tentacle roots that hang on. And as it branches out, it has elbows in the branch that ALSO throw down those roots!! In among the canes makes it hard to get out easily
I relocated a bunch of canes that were too far out. Hopefully they wont even know they’ve been moved!
Looking more hopeful
I simply dug the shovel under the patch of weeds at the front and sliced off the problem plants.. came up reasonably well as they were growing on top of the woodchip and not too far into the soil
The girls had SO much fun!
I was done in… and it rained on me 15 minutes before I was done! Of course
Yesterday Jeff came down to help with the netting and stringing side of things
Just stretching out the net to check it was usable
We immediately trapped 4 chooks inside it haha
From there it was a matter of getting all the sides pinned down, putting some blood and bone through the patch and mulching it
I watered it in again to soak in the fertiliser and from here I should be able to pop into the patch weekly to pull up any weed that dares poke through. Don’t want to go through that again!!
Lots of raspberries in the making. Looking forward to sharing these with all the family when they arrive early January!
Pip snoopervised of course. Pictured below sitting in the scattered patch of straw that the chooks immediately kicked about everywhere before I noticed!! Little darlings. (I had dumped an armful of straw there then had to do another task – I looked back to see them all in there kicking it to bits!!!) (Hence waiting until netting the patch before mulching!)
Hi there. We’ve had some lovely spring days. The potatoes are sitting up nicely through the mulch now
I weeded the second garlic patch… also threw mulch on and fed both patches some ‘power feed’ (Run out of kelp juice so I need to take up beach walking down at wynyard with a collection bag.)
This patch doesn’t look great but overall because I’d kept a heavy mulch on it over winter… it wasn’t too bad
Ready for … something!
And here is my problem child. The raspberries are soldiering on despite me not getting back to them I wanted to pull everything up and create raised beds but… didn’t happen for this season.
It was a long afternoons work and I am only halfway through!
I had the Bug Squad keeping me company
Kinda cute and kinda smelly – so nice of them to drop ‘Doo-Dahs’ right next to me when I am weeding. Pong.
Still doesn’t look super fabulous but a def. improvement Hoping to get back out there in a minute and continue. Once both rows are done I’ll give them a good feeding and mulch.. although I’ll leave the mulch until Jeff is away and can help me re net the area. Otherwise the precious little chooks will kick the hay right back out again.
We are getting a few sea mists recently. Kind of cool watching it creep over the hills
It gets to the point of heavy fog everywhere
Out the back I pulled up most of the borage Its a super bee attractant but they were getting too big and taking over. Lots of smaller plants have seeded so they’ll be back soon
I can walk down the path again! Although that lemon balm needs another haircut!
Lovely herbs
(Sage flowers)
The remaining apple tree is half dead but has put out some blossoms anyway. Doubtful we’ll get apples…
Don’t have the heart to cut it down while it is trying… and don’t need another tree to clean up just yet
Calendula
OKies, Pip has been yelling at me for the whole time I’ve been typing this so I am going to go and take him for a walk outside before I explode having to listen to the constant whining haha Then I’ll go tackle the rest of that raspberry patch!
Clearly I have not hurt myself in the garden by overdoing it haha
Poor potatoes
The weather hasn’t been kind, so with that and madly having to get my Christmas soaps done and dusted to cure in time… I’ve not done heaps in the yard
This was a Dodgy Brothers weeding job… mostly hoed stuff up to upset it, ripped out handfuls then just smothered it with the straw. Today the potatoes are popping up through the straw nicely already!
Little wisteria by the chook run is looking sweet
Then the other day it was on to the raised beds by the back veranda…
ummm… No real convincing excuses for this tragedy
And this travesty
Even Pip was judging me…
Time to get into the dirt properly
I dug up a squillion cape gooseberry plants. Took a bucket full down to Farm it Forward Tasmania where I do my workshops and basketweaving etc and we put them out the front for people to help themselves.
Lots better. The straw should keep any recurring weeds down until I decide what to plant (Salad greens most likely)
Pip’s creative Siamese Knot tying skills…
We’ve had three sunny days in a row!!! I am really hoping it will continue! Jeff got out and did a huge effort with the lawns (out the front was pretty bad) Between weather and work he hadn’t gotten back to them and at this time of year… things grow fast!
Meanwhile I thought I would be a clever clogs and stack all the wood that Cousin Jeff dropped off.
Looking back I think this was a bit ambitious for one days work…
First stacked wall…
I started the third wall… but had to quit as I was getting pretty sore! I took a break and weeded, fed, mulched and netted one of the strawberry patches, came back and did another couple of barrows but then gave up. There really isn’t much to go and I was miffed to not finish it off, but I needed to be able to walk and stand upright today.
Body still hates me today haha
So… in other exciting news, I went into town with my friend & Market Buddy Maureen last week and spent a good portion of my saved Soap Money.
What did I buy I hear you ask??
Well, since you asked… I bought tickets to go to Japan!! (I haven’t rung and told my parents all about it yet… so cue phone call in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1,… haha)(Yes I’ll call them tomorrow and regale them with the details!)
I had wanted to take Margie with me to Japan since she has never been out of the country – but she has only just moved back in to her renovated home that is AMAZING, but took forever and of course went over budget. I don’t think I’ll pry her out of the place for about 12 months 🙂
It had always been a dream of Maureen’s to go so we have been working at our markets with the goal to save and go. Then covid happened. Then Maureen got breast cancer – so she had a long recovery road… and has done incredibly well. So finally, she is well, Japan opened its borders again and I lucked out on some fabulous accommodation so we dashed off and secured our tickets! We are booked to go next April, hopefully in the right time for cherry blossoms! Looking forward to it hugely!
Poor Jeff and Pip have to stay behind although Jeff and I are planning to return later next year and incorporate a lot of hiking into the trip
I love being able to plan again!!
Anyway… thats all from me! I had a soap workshop today so right now I am feeling a bit tired! Hope your weekends were fabulous Cheers!
