Garden – Page 9 – Head in the Clouds

Garlic – Tick!

Hello! Winter is doing its best – starts off nice, ends up dodgy!
I picked a bunch of my thyme to put in my hanging basket to dry out. I haven’t tried drying thyme before. It smells so good!

I risked a bit of laundry – although its currently finishing off in front of the fire.
I also spent a LOT of time filling in forms and applying for a special registration for a ‘project’ next month. I’ll outline some details when I know a little more!

Finally… out to the garden to get the last of the garlic in. I was able to fit another 120 cloves in this patch, so all up I now have 180 planted! A good start to the growing season later this year. I want my out-the-front-stall to go well!
Since I have so many cloves I was also thinking of potting up a few just for the novelty value…

Seems I don’t have to rush off to court tomorrow. Their current trial must be longer than expected. We are not due back now until next Monday.

I got some yarn in the mail!! Exciting. I used a couple of vouchers that I had to buy them via Amazon.

I made a new style of glove out of one of them (the start of which is below)

It looks quite pretty, but the finished product is not quite right so I need to pull it all apart and try again!!
I enjoy these projects – I think I am in the middle of about 10!!
Once spring returns there won’t be as much time for this.

Hope everyone’s week is going along beautifully!
Cheers!

More Digging

Hello!
Monday – what an annoying day! I don’t usually have a problem with Mondays! I was trying to get ready for getting into court and I kicked over the cats water. Wet sock.
Emptied some water out of a cup into the sink and it magically hit some curve of the sink. Wet pants.
Somehow when getting into the car, half the keys on the chain flipped off somewhere and took me 5 minutes to find. (Actual car key was one of the ones that mysteriously disappeared)
Get to the courthouse. Drink bottle leaked cordial through my bag. Wet everything.
I was starting to get really titchy by then!
Several other little irritating things also followed so I really wanted to just go back to bed and start over!!!

Luckily today I wasn’t chosen to be on the jury panel (I heard what the case was about and I am very glad not to be participating for that one) and also luckily the day was a stunner. So no sulking and going back to bed.

Jeff got out in the garlic patch with me and did an amazing job getting the second plot ready (he is way more meticulous at weeding than I am!)

I am hoping to fit at least another 100 cloves into this area. That should give me quite a few extras to sell if they grow nicely. Organic garlic is easy to sell.
All part of the grand plan to really make some $$ out of the garden next season.

I dug through the lime and blood and bone but we didn’t get the cloves in. By that time it was getting chilly. Still, hopefully tomorrow it won’t take me too long to get them all in now that the plot is all prepped!

Hopefully everyone had a less annoying start to the week! 😀

Cheers

Not Much Court!

Well – I dutifully trotted off to court this morning… only to find nothing will be happening until Monday. They did a role call and pretty much told us how it all worked (ie not like you see on American TV haha)
There were so many people!!! They put us all in a room to do the role call – a big enough room if you don’t try to stuff 100 people in there. So glad there were 50 no shows!!!

So… back home I went, via the shops to do some menial tasks… post something, rearrange doc’s appointment, supermarket and wheat for the freeloading slack chooks! (No eggs)

I thought I would try to get some garlic in, despite the incoming weather. I dusted the first plot with lime and blood and bone and dug that in

Then I decided the tree was too close

So out with the saw…

Much better!

I only ended up planting half the patch because the rain had started and wasn’t letting up. It was just coming down harder and I was getting colder.
So I woosed out, stocked up on some firewood and went inside and lit the fire!
Rain forecast for the next few days… well, pretty much up until I am due back at court!! Of course!

Cheers from soggy Tasmania!

Garlic Patch Start

A good amount of sunshine today so finally got out of my pjs and wandered down to the duck yard garden where I intend to put my garlic this year.
I got to meet the new neighbours first…

Soon I had a bunch of them crowded around staring at me. Weeding must be a fascinating thing to watch for a cow!

Anyway, down to work! Found a lot of big fat worms!

And a lot of potatoes missed when we first harvested them!

I planted a couple straight into the hothouse just to see what they will do over winter.

Anyway, I got one section done but I think I need more as I want to plant heaps of garlic!

I also found a heap of snow peas that have self seeded among the weeds! Left them alone too, just to see what they will do in these colder months

A lot of this evening (after a decent shower) was spent in front of the fire with my crochet… very enjoyable indeed. (Exciting Saturday night huh?)

Happy Weekend everyone!
Cheers

Gates, Seaweed & Jungle Clearing!

Well… another beautiful winters day.
To be honest I am itching to just sit in front of the fire all day and work on my latest crochet project, but the weather is just too nice to waste! It will turn horrible soon enough!
Jeff got out and chook-proofed the gate he recently put in. He did a great job of actually installing it by himself. Before we just had a dodgy arrangement with a steel dropper and some old chicken wire.
This is MUCH easier!!

The slope of the land means gaps. Chickens are squeezy so we have to make sure they can’t find any little spots to pop through.

I started by working on one of the raised garden beds and decanting my kelp juice.
Step one: weed garden

Step two: Stare at revolting fermenting kelp.

Step three: remove kelp

I covered the garden bed in the used kelp… I am sure there is probably some goodness left in it and it might also slow weed regrowth.

I gathered all my saved milk and cordial containers and filled a fair number with the kelp juice. There is still about a third of the barrel full of it but I have run out of containers.

I used some of the leftover juice to give the cabbages a good dose.

I am so pleased with how they are looking!
The covering of seaweed mulch has been brilliant – very few weeds have popped up and those pulled up easily

I hope they heart up well!

So… whats next? Yeah. The poor old hothouse

I fully intended to pull all the tomatoes, capsicum and cucumber out.
But…

I contented myself by pulling up all the finished cucumbers and cutting back and taking out most of the tomatoes. I have left a few since there is still fruit happening

The passionfruit has gone mad.

It clearly adores its new home in the hothouse. I suspect I will have to get tough and start cutting it back so it doesn’t take over completely. As it is I can’t shut the door anymore!

I am just hoping that it will produce a ton of fruit in the next season – very excited about the prospect of that! If it doesn’t it will certainly get a severe haircut!

Hope your week has started well!
Cheers!

Garden Progress

If this weather keeps up I am going to have to go out for a hike!
Its so lovely!
Today I finished off my weeding/clearing project in the herb garden and extension.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I like before and after shots. So satisfying!!
One more… Before:

After:

The oregano that I accidentally planted in a pot is going really well. I plan to do a lot more of these soon-ish and get them established and happy – then hopefully sell them out the front.

The Salvia is still looking good although its past its best. It really is a bright spot in the garden!

Hope your weekend is going beautifully too!
Cheers

More Weeding

The other day I managed to go to the supermarket in my gumboots!
Erk… I was almost in town when I realised! It was difficult to pretend I was just finishing up a hard days work in the paddocks since I had gone to the effort of putting my nice jeans on and my new beret…
Mostly I tried to ignore my feet.

Another lovely day out there today (Mind you the nights are really chilly!) so I got a small load of washing done and on the line. They mostly dried and are now finishing off in front of the fire. (Anyone recognise the super-hero symbol?) 😀

Time to tackle another section of my garden.

I actually was only going to do the section along the fence, but I was really enjoying it and wanted to finish up the entire middle part of the garden. I sacrificed splitting more kindling in favour of staying in the dirt

Quite the improvement.
Haven’t looked at tomorrows weather so not sure if it will be a garden day or a crochet day.

I put out some wheat and the young girls got in there and frantically pecked away… until one of the older birds sauntered over. You can see they are being a little braver by getting back in there to snatch a bite!

Today was the first day of winter!! Its really cold now. Icy night because there is no cloud cover. I need to pluck up some courage to go back out the back to stock up on some wood. I like to have it all inside by the fire then, in the interests of gaining more ‘wife points’ I get up at about 6.30am to re light the fire so Jeff comes back in from his night shift to a cosy house.
(Its about 4C (40F) right now and will get close to zero tonight.)
I just looked at the forecast – a few nice days ahead so hope to take advantage and get more outside work done.

Nice little butternut pumpkin made into soup tonight!
Easy dinner with some home baked bread on the side and banana fritters for dessert!

Hope you have a great weekend planned!
Cheers!

Outside Jobs!

Hi!!
Well… all day yesterday it looked light twilight! So dark and gloomy!
Today was the polar opposite with lovely sunshine and clear skies!
I figured that I should be getting back into some work. If I don’t have a plan I won’t get through anything.
I am hoping to do a small section of weeding and cut and split a few more of those fence palings, if not daily, then close to it. I also have vague plans of making sure I cook one batch of something out of the freezer per week to lessen the population in there of tomatoes, raspberries, plums and chillies

Its easy to get overwhelmed by all the work needed to be done. Also easy to think I will put in a big day and do heaps of gardening.
I erred on the side of sensible and picked one nice modest patch that needed attention.

I’ll add to my list of Things To Do a trip to the beach for seaweed. This needs to be ‘bedded down’ with newspaper and topped with seaweed so the weeds won’t come back so quickly.
All the garden stakes should be stored somewhere dry so I can reuse them next season

I reluctantly left the garden, brought up a load of firewood then got the tools out to cut/split kindling

Remembering how much my bottom hurt last time I sat on the besser block splitting kindling, I found an old rug and padded things up somewhat!

I don’t think I overdid things today, but I am a little tired tonight!

Yesterday I made a bunch of tags for my berets and finally took them down to the local handcraft shop in the hope that I will sell a few

Strawberries and cream coloured?

I think this new one below is real wool but have no idea where I picked it up from. Its really cosy.

Then last night I stayed up until stupid o’clock learning something new to crochet on youtube!

Eventually it will be a blanket! I bought some new yarn to do it in today – sticking with some specific colours. I made a start on it tonight and its rather fun to do!

Anyway, back to the couch and fire for me!
Cheers!

Little Bit of Garden

Hello all! Happy Mid-Week!
I was a bit slow today – probably in shock from vacuuming yesterday.
Still, a walk in the garden, a trip to the shops and a few barrow loads of firewood moved up to the back door and that wakes you up.

I also baked a cake as we are expecting visitors tomorrow!

My fennel is looking pretty great! Pity I haven’t ever used it in cooking before. Another ‘gunna’ job to look up non-scary recipes to try it out.
I just like the way it grows where it pleases and thrives.

I can’t tell you how much I am longing to throw myself into my garden. In among the weeds and scruffiness, the herbs are happily doing their thing.

I have four or five beautiful thyme plants. I think it should be next on my list to dry.

I have parsley like some people have lawn.

The lemon balm has well and truly seeded and more young plants are popping up. Does anyone make tea out of this? I haven’t used this in my cooking either, but its another plant I love just having in the herb garden.

The oregano is also doing so well… I need to cut back all the old stuff
I accidentally pulled a bit up – reminded me that I need to get in and pot lots of it, nurture it and sell it on my street stall in spring.

An easy enough task since it pulls up roots and all…

Anyway – I have an early start tomorrow, so best make my way towards bed!
Hope you all have a great day!
Cheers

Varied Day – Getting Better!

I can tell I am on the mend. Apart from my appetite returning and lots more energy… I also snapped off about 60 photos of various things that were happening today. Iron clad proof that I am getting better!

Like our sapphires? Jeff was let into a secret spot to do some gemstone fossicking! I didn’t go because I classed it under ‘Possibly Overdoing It’ but Jeff brought me home some sand to pan and it was great! Found a couple of the above sapphires.

The creek is full of zircon and hematite – although some have looked at the photos and also suggested garnet but will have to look into that.

There are all just tiny scraps but so pretty!

Then I started on a long long long overdue job – turning Ruby’s old fence palings into kindling!

Out with the saw horses and power tools!
Also a mallet and splitter

I did a good number without going mad and split quite a few

Our kindling box was looking a bit grim

Much better – just have to get back out there more regularly to work through those palings and get them out of the way. They looks so rubbishy hanging around!

Pip whinged for ages about coming outside. So I opened the door – and he walked away. I closed the door, he returned and looked sad. I opened the door… he walked off… If you own a cat, you’ll get this!! Eye Roll.
Eventually I just grabbed him and suited him up in his harness and took him for a walk

I thought it was time to introduce him to our new chooks
There was initial shock as they all stood stock still, necks stretched up watching our every move!

Then they sought safety in numbers with the older girls

Curiosity got the better of a couple of braver ones who returned for a closer look…

Then, for no reason, they thought something was going to eat them so all six sprinted up the other side of the yard! (Chickens are hilarious when they are running flat out)