Not much from me today! I did get a barrel of rocks chosen and on the tumbler 🙂 Jeff got me some new grits for Christmas!
We are in danger of losing the cherry plums this season. They seem rather late ripening – guessing because of the weather dipping back to cold so often. Now squadrons of birds have found the trees and are happily pecking a hole in each fruit and dropping them to the ground!!! What a mess and waste.
So, we attempted to get the nets in and around some of the branches which is a pain in the rear job as you can’t do it properly and netting is so hard to work with!! Still, we might get to save a few. I did pick some green ones to see how they go ripening inside. If they do, I’ll pick a lot more before they get pecked!
Speaking of dodgy brothers jobs… this is the pen of shame for our broody chook. Today I got the top right so she was stuck in there without escaping. I think the phrase ‘Not Happy Jan’ works in her case! Hopefully after a day or two in here she forgets about her broody state!
She’s just lucky that she is not living back in Ruby’s day – who said they put broody chooks in a bag, hung them on the clothesline and squirted them with the hose!! Apparently they soon forgot about being broody!! This half way horrifies me and half way makes me laugh. Torn.
Once the evening cooled off, we got out for a lap around the river track. It was really nice out there. Going to look at the current tides to see when I can sneak in a paddle!! Its certainly the weather for it! Hope you are enjoying the first week of the new year! Cheers!
Hello. Oops. I seem to be two days into 2019. Well done. 😀 Just a few updated photos of how the new patches are progressing. Oh – Fiona dropped by today. I didn’t go for a hike but she came by with a hiking souvenir… a small black kitten!! It was adorable. She found it where it certainly shouldn’t be – up in the National Park where I have seen more and more cats lately. I love cats BUT – not the place for them. Anyway, she hiked the whole loop with a kitten on her arm, then drove into town to the vets and bought some milk before coming back to me! It was so thirsty poor beggar. I carefully introduced him to Pip who was VERY interested indeed… then when he finally worked out it was a small version of himself, he gave a gentle hiss and retreated in disgust under the table!!! Fiona took mini kitty home and will find a place for him we hope. (I know – I should have gotten the camera out but I was too busy oohing and ahhing and cuddling)
Back to the garden. I suspect we are going to lose most of the plums this season. They are so late ripening and the birds are in there already. These ones are from the smaller trees behind the hothouse. The big tree’s fruit doesn’t even look close to colouring up. If we get a chance Jeff and I will try to net a few branches…
Some of the self seeded tomatoes have been hiding little surprises!! yay!
The leafy garden is halfway there. The silverbeet and basil are a bit half hearted but the next lot of lettuce and beetroot look fine!
Those tomato laterals are all looking pretty good! I had to get in and tie them up as it got a bit windy the last day or so.
I love pumpkins. They rush about looking so awesome. There are a few flowers and false starts, but they will get there eventually! The watermelon are looking ok I suppose. A flower or two on them but since I haven’t ever grown with success its all new to me! Keeping my fingers crossed anyway.
The almost dead spring onions are making a comeback
Still not sure what to fill this garden with. The spring onions are along the back corner. The capsicum are going slowly but the three lettuce seedlings took off ok. The eggplant and rocket seem happy.
Despite the rabbit and chook incidents the second corn patch is looking pretty good! The first patch is still a bit woebegone. (The third patch seems ok but yet to photograph its recent achievements)
One slightly out of control tomato patch! I think I need to start tying them up!! The self sown runner beans are also twining themselves around the tomatoes… its all a bit messy in there!
Getting lovely little carrots from here and eagerly awaiting more beetroot to be ready – so I can make more pickles.
My ‘from seed’ tomato patch is slowly making progress. I am hoping they produce because there are some yellow tomatoes in there and I enjoyed them the last time I grew them.
My $2 bargain tomato flowers are not pollinating. Lots of flowers. No fruit at all!! I planted these marigolds around them to attract bees so now I am cheering them on to get the flowers to get the bees to get the tomatoes!!!!
Still fabulous is my rhubarb!
I love it when the potato patch is at this stage! Just a lovely sea of plants.
The garden is far from Magazine Worthy, but I am just happy its got food. The prettying up can come later.
I’ve actually made a few dollars out of the veggies so far this season – without even having a stall yet!! I’ve sold $40 worth of garlic plus a nice amount in snow peas and zucchinis. If the tomatoes ever get going, thats when I will start having the stall again. Everyone loves stopping for home grown tomatoes!!
I think its time to pick more of that rhubarb and make more of that raspberry/rhubarb jam!!
Anyway. I am working on getting to bed early (earlier for me) as I saw the doc today and explained my less than ideal sleeping habits. He raised his eyebrow somewhat and was very subtle in his suggestions about trying to fix that haha. So…. before the clock gets close to midnight… thats me signing off! Hope your first days of the New Year have been lovely! Cheers!
So… is anyone else spending New Years Eve crocheting and completely sober? Speaking of crochet – I didn’t share before as I wasn’t sure if my nephew was occasionally reading my blog, but I eventually finished Rileys Christmas present – and managed not to take a photo of the final product, but this is it nearly at completion point.
I hoped it wouldn’t be too daggy giving a Nanna-Knee-Rug to a 14 year old boy, but its in his favourite Aussie Rules Football team colours and his reaction on the phone seemed pretty happy, so all is good!! I gave the other one I made earlier this year with the ruffles and purple colours to my niece Georgia.
I have just made a start on one for my Canadian Niece, Ella. In blues. I had to go back to Youtube to remember how to do all the little twiddly bits! I’ll have to start taking some snaps of it. I think its looking pretty already. Thats REALLY getting a head start on Christmas next year!
Most excitingly – I think we’ll have cucumbers soon! I spent some time today arranging my new soaker hoses so I don’t have to stand about hand watering so much. Don’t get me wrong… I love hand watering but wow… there is a lot of space here to water. It’s just going to help a bit with my non-existent time management.
The zucchinis are being nice and steady. So I made a zucchini slice yesterday. Goes nicely with all the salad we have at the moment. I am also selling a few things to a local friend. She is happy to take my excess as their garden hasn’t happened as normal this season.
She bought some garlic and loved it, but mostly all I have on offer is snow peas and zucchini!!
This self seeded tomato is looking quite good so I have decided to leave it where it is in the hothouse, but try to really tame it into shape so I am not fighting it. I have enough of a fight on my hands with Tentacular!
Speaking of my stupidly big passionfruit vine, its still as happy as Larry and some of the fruit is quite big! Others rather petite.
There are a few tomatoes here and there – nothing with colour as yet. Not a lot of fruit really compared to the size of the plants though!! Still eagerly waiting.
I found a little self seeded basil pushing away the cucumber plants for a spot in the sun!! I have moved it to the basil patch so it has a better chance! The eggplants are growing well too.
Today I think I was finally starting to feel more ‘me’ again since the B12 boost. Its been a bit of a struggle which has annoyed me. (Because I have so much patience with these things haha) I actually got in and did some housework (overdue) got some laundry done, hung and dry. Not folded (no surprises there) I’ve done two more loads tonight which means its going to rain heavily all day tomorrow. 😀 I’ve washed a few dozen eggs and am thinking I should put the stall back out the front and see if I can offload some there as well as some rhubarb, maybe some raspberries if I pick in the morning and some jam… I still have a few weeks to go before I can start putting out a really interesting stall.
Is anyone doing resolutions or goals for 2019? I don’t think my 2018=hermit year actually worked out for me. I don’t have any intentions of making resolutions and my goals are ongoing so I am a bit boring in that respect. I really admire people who can sort out a list of things and work through them. I get about as far as point two then see something shiny and get totally off track.
However – a big THANK-YOU to you all for sticking with me for another year of stories from North West Tasmania, gardens, hiking, international guests, tree issues and so on and so forth! I’ve loved getting your messages and interacting with people from all over and I really appreciate your support, advice and just taking the time to see whats happening daily around here! I hope your 2019 is completely wonderful! All the best xxx
Good Evening! So close to the end of the year!! This afternoon we decided to buzz up to Stanley, have a look around and walk up The Nut. Megumi is going to start viewing us with great suspicion every time I suggest a walk haha
The first zig-zag trek up is a leg killer. And it was a ‘bit’ windy up top! But still gorgeous views were to be enjoyed all around.
We finally found a few Australian animals lurking about to show Megumi which was nice. The top of The Nut has never let me down yet for producing these little pademelons for visitors.
Jeff found a quaint, tiny nest on the ground. I wonder what babies were hatched in this?
Best hidey hole for animals and children!! There is quite a space under all that draping greenery.
It was a clear enough day to see right back to Table Cape (Just behind home really)
They’ve done a lot of work up here with the path and weed clearing. Still a way to go.
The seas were beautifully calm today.
Yes, thats where we were!! (legs wobble wobble – its almost as tough coming down as it is going up!!)
Hope your day was less taxing on your limbs! Cheers!
Hello! I have been struggling a bit… so Jeff made me an appointment with the doc to get a B12 boost. Not sure its entirely kicked in yet, but had to really get out and do something. Decided to take Megumi on her first decent hike.
We didn’t do the full loop – too hot to drag ourselves up the hills, so just went over to Anniversary Bay and back.
Such a gorgeous day – hot even!
I enticed Megumi in for a paddle but she was too much of a refined lady to go plunging in clothes and all like I did! haha
It felt so good and my clothes kept me nice and cool for the walk back up the hill!
Not a bad afternoon out! Meanwhile Jeff had picked the raspberries for me!! I think I might have some jam to make tomorrow!
Hello! I hope everyone is relaxed and happy after all the festivities! Look at that luscious basil! First time to put some in the salad!!
I bravely took Megumi out to Spotlight today (yarn shop) as the Boxing Day sales were on – she wanted to get some yarn to make a rug (I think I mentioned I am teaching her crochet) and I wanted more to make a rug for my Canadian niece for her next years Christmas present (Nothing like getting pre prepared right?)
Then it was onto the garden
I think I could safely say my sweet peas were done. Time to clean up this whole garden.
Since its not a food garden its had to take a back seat. But really… it was getting pretty tragic looking
Jeff weeded this end for me. I dug up and transplanted some sunflowers and mulched it with what seaweed I had left. Hopefully they will perk up again after their move!
I also have a lot of marigolds all clustered together in the herb garden (where else?) so I did a lot of marigold moving
I also plan to put in a few snow peas at the back of this trellis. Not sure, it might be too late in the season, but I might as well try.
This garden has also produced a few self seeded tomatoes (of course) so letting them go to see what I get.
Here is a mystery. One of my zucchinis looks like its on its last legs!! The other three are doing just fine!! I wonder why?
I was rather excited to pick my first beetroot. I am really looking forward to having pickled beetroot again.
More fresh lettuce and more freshly dug potatoes for dinner. I do like having my own produce shop down the back!!
Well.. its way past time for me to buzz off to bed. Spent an hour or so mucking about on the ‘help’ line for the phone/internet service because it was taking 20 minutes to upload an image. Not cool. And really NOT what I wanted to be doing with my evening. You all know how much I LOVE dealing with Telstra!! haha
Happy Christmas everyone!! I hope your day was/is very merry!! I hope there was a lot of laughter, love and good food. It was quiet at Norwich House. Jeff got in off a nightshift and stayed awake long enough to do the present thing. Megumi was really chuffed there were presents there for her too! We popped in on Ruby and Margie for a Christmas cuppa and spent some quality time in the raspberry patch!
I didn’t do any Christmas cooking, but figuring the home made strawberry ice cream kinda counted!! (oooooooh my, it was ahhh-mayzing haha) And Megumi found a huge strawberry which she scoffed all in one go! 😀
I spent a good portion of the day on the phone to family catching up and hearing about their gatherings and presents – and food!!!!
Anyway, time for me to sneak into bed with a book and plan a guilt free sleep in tomorrow!
So… who is ready for Christmas?? (Those of you who celebrate it) I finally got around to doing something about a tree – first time in two years!! I think Megumi was amused when I went out into the yard with a little saw and took the top off the young Macrocarpa. We wanted to get rid of it anyway before it could grow bigger and fall on our new fence. But it grew too big to use all of it inside.
I chopped off the lower limbs and we popped it in a barrel of water for a couple of hours so it could soak for a while before coming inside. I also pruned back a lot of the branches as they stuck out a long way. It fails to achieve that nice pointy Christmas Tree shape, but its home grown so that’s got to count for something right??
Then of course comes the fun part. First because most decorations in my boxes were completely neatly packed away and ordered and not tangled at all, we simply pulled out each item to start decorating. OK… stop choking with disbelief Mother-Dearest. Of course my Christmas boxes were a hodge-podge of lights, tinsel and baubles. Step one. Untangle and test lights.
Actually they weren’t too bad really. We just had fun making sure the lights covered most areas of the tree and hung the baubles and tinsel everywhere we could reach
I even found an angel to put at the ‘top’ (Which in our trees case, ‘top’ being in the middle sort of at the highest point-ish…?)
Finishing touches were made (putting the presents under the tree)
And I connected up the glowing angel for extra atmosphere – she changes colour constantly which is rather pretty.
So… job done! Actually Jeff is scheduled to work Christmas Eve on a night shift so he will sleep away Christmas Day. I plan to pack a picnic and hike to a beach to eat something with Megumi and enjoy the forecast sunny weather. (This could all change of course… being Tasmania) Hope the lead up to your festive season has been relaxed and non-stressful! What is everyone else doing? Big gatherings and dinner? Small and casual? Would love to know what your own family traditions are!
Hello!! The day lilies have started to bloom. I really like orange flowers!
Yesterday I washed about 5 dozen eggs and sorted the ones we already had! Jeff hasn’t been a work for a couple of weeks so I’ve not offloaded them as quickly as usual. Happily, both Ruby and another friend, Shirley needed 2 dozen each. No probs. I also grabbed them some rhubarb from the garden as well.
I had to give Tentacular another haircut. It was getting harder to get into the hothouse. Plus the extra bits I took off actually did help a little with the light!! I still can’t get over how mad this plant is!
I decided to get in and clear things out a bit – get rid of the table and put some more things in the dirt before the season disappeared on me.
I found some spare timber that I could line my basil strip with – I think it makes it look a bit neater. Then I optimistically planted two rock melon plants and a watermelon in the corner. Also popped in three more capsicums that were doing so well in their pots I thought they deserved to stretch their legs in real soil. Its all I can sensibly fit in here this season. If the passionfruit do the right thing then it will be totally worth it!
Anyway, moving right along. Time to transform that second garlic patch into a tomato patch!
I had a number of potted tomatoes overdue for transplanting not to mention umpteen self seeded ones still needing a home.
I was a bit slack about the soil prep, but each plant got a generous amount of mushroom compost around its base
And to be honest… I have to now quit with the tomatoes. I think I have around 70 planted. Probably enough.
Despite the earlier sunshine, by this time I was getting steadily rained upon! But I was into it and wanted to finish the jobs that I had had on my mind. I put some snail bait down around the corn just to make life easy and got some netting up. I am really hoping that this patch won’t get ravaged by rabbits, possums or chooks! And argh on the chooks. The stupid broody one (Who I had locked out of the coop) got straight in here when I was on the other side as the wind blew the unlatched gate open (I was out for, you know, five minutes!!) She. Does. Not. Herd. I have never met a stupider chook. She proceeded to trample everything in her bid to avoid me and somehow avoid going in any direction that was even remotely close to the gate!! Even running towards me at times when I was being extremely clear about where I wanted her to go! In the end I tackled her after she flew into the fence in a bit of a panic. We were both rather unimpressed! At least the corn shoots were safe from this Little Incident.
I am loving fresh food on the dinner plate every night! I pulled up a few more baby carrots, lettuce, snow peas and got pretty muddy in my search for some new potatoes! It was all pretty good!
After a much needed shower I headed into town with Megumi to the supermarket. I had about $60 to spend from my rewards card and I wanted to do some frivolous shopping (like something that included Camembert cheese and whatnot)
It was pretty wild in the Wynyard supermarket! Pretty sure thats why I feel extra tired tonight!! 😀 Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Cheers
Before I even got in the front door at Ruby’s today I was dashing down into her paddock, camera in hand to snap a photo or two of her mad hydrangeas!! Its amazing!
We hadn’t really introduced Megumi to Ruby and Margie properly, apart from the fly by to raid the lemon tree last week! It was nice to put the kettle on and sit and chat and catch up in a civilised and leisurely manner!
We even got a bit posh and brought out the tea trolley! Might have fallen down on the presentation of the milk though… 😀
Megumi was doing a fine job practicing her English and conversing with everyone.
She gave Ruby a beautiful Japanese scarf! Margie was given a gorgeous Furoshiki cloth, but I failed to get a photo… will put that on my to-do list!
I also delivered a present to Ruby from Mavis over at 100 Dollars a Month!
(Sorry for the dodgy photo!!!) Mavis sent Ruby one of her beautiful ornaments – the gorgeous red and bold stripes are so much fun and Ruby was so thrilled! Fancy being sent something hand made all the way from the USA!
Ruby was quite tired today. She had ‘slightly’ over done it in the garden this morning – hurrying because of the rain. Then she had a few visitors! Mind you, when I suggested I take Megumi around the garden there was no way Ruby was going to be left out of that picnic!!
Here I am hopping along trying to get my shoes on, while Ruby has gotten Megumi by the hand and got her half way up the garden!!!Â
Its looking quite fabulous and very productive! Margie has spent a lot of time in it this season and its a credit to them!
Ruby had a lovely time pointing out this and that to Megumi (walking sticks are so handy for multiple reasons!!)
They have got a marvellous potato patch (or five) happening.
The zucchinis I put in for them are slow… but look healthy enough. Probably just waiting for a nice long stretch of summer days to really kick off.
Isn’t she just the Queen of the Hothouse? Proud as punch about her ripe tomatoes!! As she should be because its pretty hard to get them that far along before Christmas in Tassie! I keep telling her I can’t talk to her about the tomatoes. (I am way too jealous)
Oh – and speaking of garden successes… here’s me thinking I am such a smarty-pants gardener with my garlic and Ruby is like “Oh here’s mine”
I simply can’t talk to her about that either!! Haha!!
I tell a lie. I did speak to her about them. They grow crazy tall – then flower like this. Its actually a very old variety because its what her mother used to grow!! She just kept up planting them or leaving them to self seed at will!!
I was lucky enough to be given some ‘pups’ as Margie calls them so I will put them in the ground and give them a go!!
Anyway, we had such a lovely afternoon. Wonderful to take time finally to catch up properly!
