CONNIKA

IN THE GARDEN TODAY

Is Mother's Day the second Sunday in May all over the world or just down here in the Antipodes?

Day started with Church which was rather a nice way to start the day.  Had a look at Lois and Eunice, Timothy's ma and grandma.  Then off up to the German Coffee Shop as there was a farmer's market there and David wanted to buy some marmalade.  He managed to buy some cumquat marmalade and some Seville marmalade made nearby in Ravensbourne.

Then homewards.  Had a cuppa out on the verandah with our pullovers pulled tight.  Lovely day, but the breezes are decidedly cooler.

Into the kitchen to make lunch while David watched Songs of Praise.  I could hear Aled singin' his wee hert out while I cooked.

In the afternoon, I took myself upstairs and did some cutting out for the latest quilt and had a look at one Emma wants me to finish a top for.  Bit my lip for a bit and put that one to one side to have a think about another day.

David went into the garden to do something about our citrus trees.  Our citrus trees have not been looking the best; a bit mildewy, yellowy...not the best!  Emma gave me an article from one of her magazines..."Citrus are called 'gross feeders' because they have a high demand for nutrients, but buried liver gives that term a whole new meaning.  However, there's logic behind it, as liver is nutrient-rich, containing iron and phosphorus.  It is actually an age-old practice to plant on top of a lamb's liver or ox heart, but it does need to be covered with enough soil to protect young roots from direct contact.  I know of a woman on a rural property who routinely used a bulldozer to dig an enormous hole, put a dead sheep in the bottom and planted on top, avowing this gave the best results."   Well, as I don't have a dead sheep to hand, we are settling from some chook poo in the form of Dynamic Lifter.  

It's very smelly, so we will have to keep Miss Molly on her lead for a few days.  David took her for a walk and when he came back he let her off the lead!  "Good one Dave!" said I as I closed the door and watched the two of them running around the garden. 

Now it's dark and time to climb the stairs for a bit of telly.

How was your Mother's Day today? 

LILY IN THE POND

Well now all you interneters out there.  Bin wonderin where I got to?  It's bin a busy few months what with David's hip operation, visitors, Christmas and what-not.  Although it's been very busy, I wouldn't have it any other way, well perhaps not the hip bit.

We're having some lovely rain after a very dry spell where we thought this was going to be a drought year.  Summerfield is beautiful;  green and lush.

Couple of photos of a water-lily in the pond.

See ya sooner rather than later o lovely ones.

 

 

 

 

 

ESPECIALLY FOR GREER

It's rose time here at Summerfield and as Mr Cundall would say, "They're bloomin' gorgeous."  These are some of the Pierre de Ronsard roses on the verandah.  We have these roses scattered around the place and they flower forever. 

When the Crepiscule begins to flower in Spring you know the Melbourne Cup isn't far off.  This is one of the main flowering roses at Flemington.

Down at the fence the Sparieshoop is in flower always reminding me of dear Llois who introduced me to this beautiful rose.

This beautiful climbing rose is the Lamarque.  Its flowers are of medium size which form in small bouquets.  The petals have a touch of yellow at the base.  I took the first bloom to David when he was in hospital.  The fragrance is just wonderful.

 

And this wee beauty is the Climbing Cecile Brunner rose which grows near the water feature in the vegetable garden and also grows on the fence beyond the main garden.  Shall head back to my photographs and see if I can find a closer shot...

...And you know what I'm going to say now don't you?  Yes you're right, "That's yer bloomin' lot for the day."
 

WHAT A DAY IT'S BEEN

Left C's house around 5.00am to head home.   There had been thunder and lightening for what seemed most of the night.  Had to haul wee Dougal up on to the bed as the thunder was frightening the wee soul.  Every time the room lit up, he knew the thunder wasn't far away.  Sleepily, I spent half the night muttering words of comfort.  "There, there Dougal."  Finally got up, packed the car and made my way home.  Stopped off at the service station for petrol and milk.  The girls in the shop were running around in yellow coats and carrying torches trying to get the bowsers working.  So, no petrol.  Off again and the storm gathered again.  Turned up the radio to calm Dougie down and as I was heading down the dirt road towards home realized I would have to get out and unlock the gate.  Soaked to the skin, back in the car and out again to open the second gate.  Open gate, back in car, out car and close gate (we have dingoes hereabouts and a million wallabies).  By this time I was dripping and freezing cold.  Shall I park near the house or the garage?  Danny on FM102.7 announced a severe weather warning with hail.  Decided to put the car in the garage.  As I was driving in, the hail hit.  The noise!  I know I'm repeating myself, but poor Dougal.  We sat and sat and finally I got out the car and hauled down one of David's coats which was hanging on a hook.  Wrapped a towel around Dougal and headed up to the house.  Stripped off and into shower.  Then the power went out which not only meant no power but no water either. 

Kept myself busy organizing some old photographs and finally, after two hours, decided to head for town and do some of the jobs that have been on my list.

When I arrived home this afternoon, I took a look at the vegetable garden.  Oh dear! I think there will be a bit of work and replanting to be done. 

But...that's for another day.

 

 

THE HEDGE IS GONE

 
Following the floods in January, our lovely hedge became so waterlogged, it died.  Shall we plant another we mused?  Shall we plant climbing roses we asked ourselves?  Eventually we decided on a rustic fence and off David went, back into the forest.  Isn't it lovely?  And the white wisteria has already started decorating it.  Because of the hedge, the upper lawn to the right of the photograph was an enclosed garden.  With the new fence we now have a longer view from the house which has worked well with the size of the property.  We have also noticed  that the grandchildren are playing further afield too.

 

IN THE GARDEN YESTERDAY

 

Can you see the lovely trellis David weaved for the beans?  We saw something similar in the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh earlier in the year.  So...off he went into the forest and came back with some branches and twigs.

 
 Another one for the snow peas.

And the last of the lemons.  Tree is now blossoming.  Is there anything nicer than lemon blossom?

 
A close tie would be the mandarin blossom

 
And we can't leave out the apple tree.

 
 

IN THE GARDEN TODAY

 

IN THE GARDEN TODAY

 

FROM THE GARDEN TODAY

 

THE FLOWERING FIELD

 
Sorry people;  I just had to put in another one of the 'field'.   The blurry purple in the background is one of the many jacarandas in flower.