A big hello! The last few weeks have been all go and no slow but I am back to show you what I have been up to. Today we had the most amazing thunder storm, forked lightning and heavy rain...it was beautiful! Long growly rumbles followed by deafening claps that shook my little house and then flashes of lightning...A symphony of nature at its best. Looking out to sea and right over the house were the most lovely blue/black/grey clouds...a sight in themselves, I love the skyline here it is always changing minute to minute, hour to hour. Sadly no photos of our impromptu show though, my camera objects to being taken out for a shower. Here are some photos of how well the garden is enjoying this crazy weather though...brrr, it’s getting chilly! The house looks like a Chinese laundry at the moment...
Last week I had two little guests stay for the week which
meant Aunty was up extra early and then I was banished to my bedroom early,
though once they were snoring their little heads off I could sneak out for a
cuppa. Because it was such a busy week the poor gardens got neglected a little
but it did them not harm them at all...in fact everything had gone nuts! The
sunflowers are starting to really show themselves now and starting to be out of
Sugars reach, I am going to have to put some longer stakes in to support them
and remove the little ones to use for the gherkin and eggplants that need to go
in.
The corn is coming along nicely though the second lot I put
in only half a dozen grew but I am happy to see how it goes as this year is a
year of learning what varieties I like,
what grows well here and the best times to grow and plant the seedlings being
so close to the coast. The beans and peas and looking lovely and most are growing
quite well (I did lose a couple), the spinach is looking so yummy I am planning
on an omelette stuffed with spinach and cheese soon.
My biggest surprise was the Urenika which had grown to the
top of the drum. I got some dirt quick smart to top it up but will need a few
more buckets to get it all done. Did a good weed in there the other day and it
is looking fabulous.
The new tub has two crown prince pumpkins in it, a gherkin
plant (the only one that come up) and the eight or so bantam corn in it so far.
The pumpkins which have been in longer are growing very happily and have quite
a few leaves on them.
Here are the two luffa plants I put into the terracotta
pipes in the hope I can train them to climb the balcony, they are slowly
getting bigger but look healthy so I am not worried. The tomatoes in the garden
under the stairs are so much bigger and healthier than the ones in the big
garden which I am putting down to the dry windy weather we have been
getting...they are rather exposed in their current positions. The tomatoes in
the wire baskets are looking great and getting so much bigger, soon it will be
time for a trimming.
The white sage has grown a lot in the last few weeks so I
should be able to make some more smudge sticks soon. My other sage is growing
much slower but hopefully once the weather picks up it will burst forth so I
can sage the chook house. I went and picked them up two fresh bales of hay last
week for their bedding, hopefully that will last a little while...and keep them
happily laying lots of delicious eggs for me!
There are loads of red currants on my bushes at the moment,
I have saved some of the seeds to see if I can raise some more. The raspberries
and cranberry have lots of little flowers and berries starting so I am getting
excited about scoffing those in a nice fruit salad. The seedlings I planted are
slowly getting there...I have quite a few dragonfruit, two types of
passionfruit, goji berry and at last, what seems to be a cape gooseberry.
There
are four more types of tomato to go in and some basil...tomatoes like basil. I
do need to get some mix to repot the tamarillo and passionfruit this week, they
loved the sunshine we had.
Now this I need to share just because it’s so cute. Mr found
the shade sail...the perfect spot for sunning himself in the large hammock with
bush and sea views I installed just for him...well, you would think so anyways!
It seems to make the big lump quite frisky and he appears to quite enjoy
swatting the dog as he walks past. Yesterday, while he was slothed out in it,
the wind picked up and he was riding it like a wave. It looked so funny but Mr
Cool just hung on and rolled with it...he is such a dude!
