What a Wonderful Life!

Spider Lilies

2012-01-30T09:52:00.000+11:00

A year or so ago my gardening friend Joan gave me some Spider Lilies to plant
During the first winter I thought they had died and blamed it on Dad overspraying the garden edges
I didn't realise that they recede into the ground during winter
Happily I discovered they weren't dead the next Spring when they appeared again
This is the second year they have flowered in one bed and the first in another
They seem to be different flowers but of the same species so it is interesting to note the differences
I would like to collect more of them as they are very hardy especially the red/crimson ones.

Without any further ado I will post the photos below.
Enjoy!

Getting ready to bloom

Looking very exotic with rain drops on it

Some sort of bug inside this one

Brazilian Cherry

2012-01-21T11:32:00.000+11:00

At this point in time I'm wondering if the Brazilian Cherry is a friend or a foe
'Why?', you may ask
Well, our local fruit nursery sells them and advertises them as an ornamental shrub which produces delicious fruit
On the other hand there is a page from the Australian Weed Committee National Initiative saying that the Brazilian Cherry is considered a weed.
I have to say that I have found many young seedlings sprouting in my garden which I pull out while doing my rounds. Thay are very fertile and are spread by birds and other animals, bats etc injesting the fruit and dropping the seeds afterwards.
While out in the garden just now I found some ripe fruit on the shrub.
I rushed in to get my camera before I ate them all.
The fruit are fire engine red when ripe so are hard to miss
I have tried them before many times and like there sweet/tart flavour
I kept the seeds so as not to distribute the tree if it is a pest
Actually, I've been wondering whether I should cut it down if it is a pest/weed
I will share with you both web references below and you can decide for yourself
Also below are the photos I took this morning

The various stages of the fruit ripening. Green, yellow, orange and then bright red.

A spiders web cleverly spanning the branches. Below you can see the small insects trapped in it.

YUM!

When the shrubs are bigger and produce lots of fruit jelly can be made out of them.

Below are the links mentioned above:

http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/brazcherry.htm

http://www.weeds.org.au/cgi-bin/weedident.cgi?tpl=plant.tpl&state=&s=&ibra=all&card=T40

Wheelbarrow Garden

2012-01-21T08:05:00.000+11:00

I had this old steel wheeled wheelbarrow sitting in the shed for a long while
When Patrick was here last week I decided that it was time to do something with it
I bought some Petunias at the market on Sunday for this very purpose
The bottom of it had rusted out so I had to do something about that
I found some plastic cardboard from an old political sign in the shed
Folded up it came in very handy as a base.
Next came the potting mix
Then the planting and watering
This is when Patrick got into the action
He dug the holes with his hands, squeezed the pots and gently placed the plants into the potting mix
He then used all his muscles to water the Petunias in
It was a great activity
I am so pleased with the results!
I am now the proud owner of a Wheelbarrow Garden!!!

What we started with

How it finished at the end of the project.

What a great helper!!!

Taken this morning the flowers have grown since we planted them

I think I need one more to fill up the gap in the front there

With the morning dew on them these Petunias look even more fabulous!

Garden Pathway

2012-01-21T07:43:00.000+11:00

On the first of January I posted about setting up a new garden and pathway
It is now the 21st of January and I have accomplished what I set out to do
All I have to do now is wait for the plants to grow for it to look extra good

Below is a photo of what I started with:

Below is what it looks like now

I put bark chips down on the pathway and large bromeliads to the left of the path

On the right side I planted lavendar, daisies and a frangipani. (See below)

I know it doesn't look that different now but when the plants get a bit bigger it will be a lovely garden.

I will repost when that happens.

Bird Bath

2012-01-07T16:28:00.002+11:00

A little while ago a friend of mine gave me a bird bath
She and her husband had sold their house and had to move
I saw the white paint flecked cement edifice in the back yard and asked if they were taking it with them
The answer was 'No', 'Would you like it?'
Of course I said 'YES!'
Later that day it was loaded into my van and made its way back to the farm
I wanted to put it somewhere where I could see the birds use it
I put it in my favourite bit of garden across from the house so I can see it from the kitchen window
The variety of birds that use it are amazing
Some are shy, some are wary, and some are just fly in for a chat and a drink
Then there are those who do actually bathe
I really enjoy watching birds splash around and enjoy the water
They have to be completely relaxed and at ease to do this
When they have finished their bath they sit up on the garden chair or in a low branch to preen and dry themselves
I am very pleased with this latest addition to the garden
(and I suspect, so are the birds)

A magpie enjoying a drink while the other one sits on the garden chair and dries out

Peacock Chicks

2012-01-07T10:22:00.001+11:00

The peahen hatched out 6 chicks on the 2nd of January
The sitting period is about 29 days
She was so well hidden we didn't see her for the first 3 weeks. She was very close to the house but very well camouflaged.
Now they are out and about and following their protective mother around everywhere
It is lovely to have babies around but I wonder what we will do with them when they are grown
Of last years chicks only 2 out of 5 survived. It was extremely wet though whereas we having great weather right now.
We will have to see how they go and follow their progress. I will keep posting as they get bigger.

Following behind their mother Day 2

Having a feed and a drink at the bowls Dad put out for them

All a bit bigger and very curious like their parents.

So cute!!

Shipping Container Clear Out

2012-01-06T17:24:00.001+11:00

We have had a shipping container on the farm for use as storage for at least 6 or 7 years
It was used to store all the beds and bedding that was used when we had students staying here
We used to be able to accommodate groups of up to 55. Mainly primary aged students and their teachers or parents here for a few days holiday on the coast.
Well, that was in the past and now all those things have been stored for many years
No one has bothered to do anything with the contents since they were put in there
Now a scrap metal murchant is interested in taking away the container and the beds which have rusted
The container wasn't exactly waterproof, we found out.
There are lots of blankets and doona/doona covers in there
I phoned up the Salvation Army and asked them if they want them. They said 'yes'.
The rest goes to the dump.
It will be good to get rid of the container and its contents.
A fairwell to an end of an era.

A trailer load of junk to go to the dump

The container which was full of stuff to clear out.

I will be glad to see it go.

Peacock Feathers

2012-01-03T11:25:00.002+11:00

Today I discovered peacock feathers in the garden
It happens around this time every year
When mating season is over the male doesn't need his plumage any more to attract the fenales
It's funny because yesterday half a dozen pea chicks hatched out and are now running around the garden with their mother. They are so cute! I will take photos and post later.

The colours are amazing!

With his full plumage. Sitting looking out over my garden.

Creating a Pathway

2012-01-01T12:13:00.002+11:00

The photo below is part of my new gardening project for Jan/Feb 2012
The chicken shed is rather ugly and I wanted to plant some things around it to disguise it
The choko vine has taken off and will provide a bit more shade for the chickens over the summer
Along the side I have planted some rather tall purple flowering shrubs
I have to create borders around my plants to protect them
If I don't my father thinks they are weeds and sprays them
The blue ginger cuttings I planted last year are starting to take off and will be flowering soon.
I am creating a designated pathway so that my plants don't get trampled by guests not knowing where to walk.
It will look a lot more civilised and a bit prettier when I have finished with it.
Stay tuned for further updates on it.
I am hoping to get a shade house built to the right of the hen house gate so I can have an area for potting up cuttings. I need a space where the peacocks can't get in and let their curiosity take over. Their curiosity knocks over pots and creates a lot of mess. Potting up cuttings to plant out will save me a lot of money buying potted plants. I can also make money out of selling pots of anything I don't want to keep myself.

I will put bark chips down to create a pathway. Inside the rocks I will plant some colourful flowering ground covers.

Peahens Sitting

2011-12-30T12:14:00.001+11:00

All our peahens have gone to ground (literally)
They come out once a day for a quick feed and a stretch and then disappear back to their nesting sites.
They are incredibly well camouflaged so it is really difficult to find their nests
A few days ago when I was gardening I was lucky enough to find this one pictured below
She is nesting in the banana patch across from the house
It's great because when we get visitors I can show them
It's pretty special so I'm glad I found her
The unfortunate thing about peahens is that they nest on the ground
During the year they all sleep in the big tree opposite the house
We watch them go to bed every evening at sunset. First they fly up onto the shed roof and then up into the limbs of the tree. The mature male always takes the highest limb and faces towards the prevailing wind (his tail is rather heavy so I guess it helps to position himself this way).
The nesting peahens are rather vunerable with their nests on the ground
There are foxes in this area due to many people having chicken coups etc.
We will see how this years brood has faired in a few weeks time when they come to present their chicks at the feeding trays.
In the meantime we will just have to wait.

Can you see her?

She is very well camouflaged!

A bit closer up

Zooming in with the flash off

The only thing that moves are her eyelids.

Red Ginger Flower

2011-12-30T11:46:00.000+11:00

I'm a bit mystified about what kind of flower this is so for now I will call it Red Ginger
If anyone out there knows exactly what it is then please let me know
The flower came out first
See the photo below

Then when the flower died the leaves came out.

I described it to a lady at the local markets who sells ornamental ginger and heliconias. She suggested it could be a Curcuma. I Googled Curcuma and the flower looks nothing like the Curcuma images.

So I guess it remains a mystery so for now I'll just call it a Red Ginger Flower.

How it looks now.

In the winter months it will completely disappear, like some gingers do.

Do you see the porcelin ant eater looking very cute?

He is in the top right of the photo.

Mum loved to have quirky figurines in the garden.

Heliconias

2011-12-30T09:00:00.000+11:00

A few days ago I found out my heliconias were flowering.
They are in a section of garden I had let run riot
I had over planted it.
Granted, it needs some attention but when I make time to do it
Hence there are Daisies, Geraniums and all sorts grappling for attention around the Heliconia
It was only when I was pulling weeds that I spotted the red and yellow flowers in the 'jungle' that has become my garden. (It's not that bad but almost!)
I quickly found some snippers and cut the stalks out that had the flowers attached.
I was SO EXCITED!! because these flowers are some of my favourite exotics
Never before had I grown something so exotic looking
The 3 stems were put in a vase on the dining room table for all to see
Here they are below for your perusal

PS. As soon as I make time I will sort that garden out so that these beauties can be seen from near and far!

For more information on Heliconias follow this link: http://members.iinet.net.au/~meckms/Heliconia%20Information%20Page.html

Bird Of Paradise (BOP)

2011-12-08T16:52:00.001+11:00

On Monday I had a big planting day
I had two Blue BOPs to plant out. They had been sitting in pots for a long while
I also had 24 small normal BOP's sitting in pots. Some of them had died so I needed to do something about them.
On the Saturday beforehand I had tidied up the farm track where some old pines had been cut down and the stumps burnt out. It wasn't an attractive look so this was the opportune moment to plant out the BOP's.
I planted out the two big blue BOPs and 12 of the normal ones. That's as far as I got. The other 12 are still waiting to be planted. It's been raining ever since so there has been no opportunity to do so.
Here they are before I put them in

The blue Bird of Paradise. They are larger than the others.

The original Bird of Paradise in seedling form.

Hopefully they will grow quickly and flower readily. It will be great to see them put on a show

as I drive up the farm track.

For more information see below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia_reginae

Bottle Trees

2011-12-06T08:41:00.001+11:00

I planted 4 Bottle Trees on Monday
A friend of mine sourced them for me
I am hoping they will be a real feature tree for the garden/farm
I planted them in a Southern Cross configeration on the cross roads of the farm track (one on each corner)
The Southern Cross has 5 stars in its configeration but that's how I like to think of it anyway
Bottle trees were of great use to the aboriginals
They used various bits of the tree for different purposes
Today they are used mainly as feature trees for gardens
I saw one in a car yard the other day and wondered how old it was. Its trunk was fairly round so it was a mature tree. My little ones are only seedlings by comparison.
It has rained every day since I planted them so they should have a good start in life.
Here they are standing tall before being planted

My hope is that they will outlive me and give joy to many people.

Agapanthus

2011-11-23T22:05:00.001+11:00

I was lucky enough to meet a woman last week who wanted to give away all her Agapanthus, Clivias and Dayliliies
She had had a stroke a few years back and is unable to tend to her garden as she used to
Sue wanted to simplify her garden
Sue said I could have the plants if I could get them out and take them away
I gladly agreed as I have somewhat of a penchant for Agapanthus
I had also been to Springtime on the Mountain in September and afterwards had a strong desire to aquire some Clivias
As for Daylilies, I have always liked them.
This morning I drove to Sue's place and got to work.
I took some sugar cane mulch to put down in place of the plants I took out. This will help prevent the weeds from overtaking Sue's garden when summer comes.
After 3 hours of hard work I came away with a van full of plants
When I arrived home I had a rest and then got to it planting the proceeds of my garden adventure

These are all the Agapanthus on the back of the tractor. I got most of these planted this afternoon.

I have about the same again in Clivias still to plant out.

I planted the Daylilies this afternoon

So all in all I had a very busy and fulfilling day

I can't wait to see the results when these start to grow, multiply and start to bloom.

Papaya (paw paw) Pruning

2011-11-08T10:19:00.000+11:00

Today Dad and I decided to prune the red papayas which are located in the garden across from the house
They really needed it.
The fruit was so high off the ground it was impossible to reach, even with a ladder

The fruit is way up high and no one could reach it, only the birds and fruit bats.

Follow the trunk until you see it.

We cut it off at a height where it is reachable.

There are small branches coming out already. These will support fruit but will need props underneath them when the branch gets laden with fruit. The branch will snap off with the weight of the fruit if we don't do this.

Dad wrapped silver foil around the cut off point and tied it with string.

A pot was then added to add protection.

If the top is not protected the tree will suffer from fungal disease and eventually die.

I hope this tree has a long life ahead of it and many delicious fruit for me to pick.

Cactus Flower

2011-11-06T22:28:00.000+11:00

Last week I cleaned up the garden behind my Dad's place
It had been left to its own devices since my Mum passed away 4 years ago
The only living things were a hibiscus shrub and weeds, both being very hardy
I decided to pull the weeds and plant a few tough plants out the back and see how they went
Sugar cane mulch around the gazinias and gardineas will help keep the weeds at bay and the moisture in the soil
Hold on a minute, I just got ahead of myself
Before I started on the job I found a very sad looking cactus plant
It too had survived the arid environment under the eves of the roof
I took it and put it somewhere where it would get a bit more attention
I soaked the pot in water so it could get a good drink
A few weeks later I saw flower buds starting to form
Amazingly enough it flowered yesterday
Somehow I knew it would be spectacular, and it is
I only wish I had a macro lense so I could zoom in closer and get a bit more detail
Now I can't wait for the other flower to come out

I just love the vibrant colour!

A friend of mine suggested I put it in a big pot but I think I will dig it staight into the ground as soon as it stops flowering.

When it gets bigger I can take cuttings of it and put more out around the place.

Silverbeet Gone to Seed

2011-11-05T17:05:00.002+11:00

I have been rather fascinated by this silverbeet plant which has gone to seed
Never before have I seen this happen
It is almost as tall as me
I can't see any seed heads on it yet but I'm sure that will happen soon
I wanted to get a photo of me with it just in case something happened to it in the meantime
I will post again with pictures of the seed head if I can
In the meantime here's the photo below...

Me in my work clothes.

The head of the plant is up to my eyes.

Double Delight Rose

2011-11-02T14:30:00.001+11:00

The Double Delight is probably named this because of the two colours it exhibits
It truly is a delight to have one of these flowering in my garden
Gradually all of the roses planted back in July are flowering.

Here are some photos of the double delight as it opened up to face the world at large
It surely lives up to its name!

Not only does it look lovely its fragrance is too!

It seemed to get more crimson around its edges as it opened up

Today.

Double Delight!!

PS. The strangest thing happened! This morning (the day after I wrote the comments above) I went to check out my roses and found the Double Delight had changed yet again! The creamy pigments from above (yesterday) have changed to the same crimson colour as on the outside of the petals. See below.

What a difference a day makes!

Nature truly is wonderful!

Spring Blooms

2011-10-28T10:16:00.000+11:00

Spring has certainly Sprung!
The flowers in my garden seem like they are on steroids
They are so boisterous and out there
The Straw Flowers are experiencing maximum growth
The Daisy bush is going haywire and the Geraniums are going all out too
It might be time soon to give it all a good prune
I will take cuttings and plant these treasures out around the farm to add colour and beauty to an otherwise bland environment

Behind these shrubs and flowers is a whole range of ginger plants and Heliconias which will flower sometime this Spring/Summer.

Coleus

2011-10-26T16:22:00.002+11:00

I'm quite taken with Coleus
I 'stole' a piece from one of my friends back yard a while ago and since then I've been collecting them
The leaves are so pretty and they grow so easily
I just put a stem in the ground and off it goes
They are a good garden filler and inexpensive and easy to propagate
Here are some of the ones in my garden

The original Coleus that got me hooked. Thanks Caroline and Graham!

I can't wait for this one to grow bigger and put on a good show

This one has quite delicate little leaves

Such beautiful big leaves

The latest edition. Hmm... now where did I get this?? I think a neighbour gave some pieces to me.

My absolute favourite, hands down!

I can't wait for it to get bigger so I can strike more cuttings and scatter them around the place.

Hippeastrums

2011-10-26T15:45:00.001+11:00

I have a few different styles of hippiastrums
This one is probably my favourite
I am hoping to 'steal' some new varieties in the next few months
When I was out the other day I noticed a pretty pale pink one
I asked the lady if I could come back once they stopped flowering and get a few bulbs
She was very nice and said 'yes'
They are so easy to grow and put on a good show for at least a month in early Spring

They provide shiny green foliage in the garden all year round.

Garden Produce

2011-10-22T17:34:00.001+11:00

This weeks produce from my veggie garden:
Some eggplants

I've never picked eggplants until today.

They have prickles on them. Can you see?

They hurt so I pulled them off the bush by the purple bit.

Silverbeet freshly picked.

I will sell it tomorrow at the farmer's market.

Mr Lincoln Rose

2011-10-15T11:35:00.000+11:00

In July the new rose garden was planted out
At the time of planting they looked like little sticks coming out of the ground
Now with all the Spring growth they are well on their way
The Mr Lincoln rose is my favourite
It is a very traditional rose and very fragrant
I have taken dozens of photos of the few flowers it has produced already
The rose that is out at the moment is simply spectacular
Every time I walk past I admire it
Most times I will lean over and smell its delicate perfume
Nature is truly wonderful for producing such beauty!

Below, a few hours earlier this morning before it opened up

I wish you could smell it. It is extraordinary!

Taming the Jungle

2011-10-15T11:24:00.000+11:00

This weekend is work free
I was going to go and visit a girlfriend in Brisbane but have decided to stay home and enjoy the quiet
It's an overcast day and I have tonnes of pruning to do
I started by pruning back the poinsettias and geraniums under the flame tree
Then I got the pruning saw out and took to the flame tree itself
The branches were hanging down and it made it difficult to mow underneath
When this was done I dragged one of the wooden lawn chairs over and put it underneath the tree
Of course I had a sit down to see what it felt like and have a rest
Taming the jungle can be exhausting
But it is rewarding, almost instantly I can see results
See below for what took an hour or so this morning

Before

Clearly there is a lot more pruning to be done before I am finished this job but I like what I've done already.

The palm grove needs to be cleaned out so as to prevent it from becoming a snake haven in the summer.

I will need a chainsaw and some Roundup for that job.

Gardening is good for the Soul

2011-10-14T19:09:00.003+11:00

This afternoon I needed to think about something else so I went out and attacked the herb garden
It had been sadly neglected and been left to seed
Most of the herbs had gone 'wild'
They needed to be ripped out
I will re-plant next week.
It was a welcome distraction from my thoughts.
When I am gardening I lose myself in it
I feel like the garden tells me what it needs and when it needs it
So I listen and willingly obey
It feeds my soul with simplicity
Touching the earth with my fingers helps connect me to my 'self', my soul
It nourishes me and calms me
So now I am rejuvenated and re-newed
Just like my herb garden

What wasn't ripped out was pruned.

I'm sure it will come back to its usual vigor very soon, just as I will.

Pruning the Poinsettias

2011-10-14T18:58:00.000+11:00

It's that time of year!
The poinsettias have been flowering since May.
5 months on some are still looking OK but most of them are top heavy with flowers
The branches are long and gangly
Lets just say they are not looking their absolute best
There are so many poinsettias in this garden that I have to stagger the work over a week or so
I put the cuttings in the ute (truck) and take them down the hill to dump them
I'm not sure how many loads I did yesterday but it was alot
I sure slept well last night!

One thing is for sure - the garden looks really different with them pruned right back
It's the one time of year where the other plants growing around them get a real burst of sunlight and growth
It will only take a few months for them to restore themselves
With the warm, wet weather of Spring they will bounce back quickly
It is nice to see the change as I know that a little pruning is good for the soul (and for my poinsettias as well).

Before pruning. A few weeks ago.

This afternoon after pruning. It looks like a totally different garden.

From the other direction. You can see the pruned poinsettias to the left of this picture.

Can you find the pea hen in this photo?

She is very well camouflaged thanks to her brown feathers.

Peacock Feathers

2011-10-08T13:27:00.001+11:00

Our peacock is flashing his tail feathers whenever he gets the chance
It's mating season so that's the reason
When December comes the big tail feathers will start falling out
We will find them everywhere around the garden.
He will go back to looking like the hens but with iridescent blue neck feathers
Even the small blue feathers on his head (or comb) will fall out
Come autumn he will start growing his tail feathers again
It takes 6 months to arrange this sort of plumage
Oh yes, and hours of grooming on a daily basis
He sits and preens himself for hours on end
It seems to have paid off
The females look interested and there should be more offspring come December

That's our boy!

Striking colours!

The two hens looking like they may be interested while the juvenile male tries to deflect their attention.

Peacock Dancing

2011-10-04T13:15:00.002+11:00

Dad's peacock is busy displaying his gorgeous plumage
It's mating season, Spring, so they do that to impress the 'ladies' or peahens
He is really quite handsome, don't you think?
This time of year the peacocks are noisier than usual too
They squawk a lot
I think that is something about attracting other females to join the harem
It worked once so it may work again
About 6 months ago a loan female joined the 'flock'
It took her a while to adjust but she has now assimilated quite nicely
We now have 2 mature females, and 2 adolescents, one male and one female
We are not sure whether the juveniles are ready to mate or not
The young peacock spreads his tail out for all to see but there's no coloured feathers
He still practices though
I will try to get a photo of him doing his thing as well
In the meantime here is a photo of Dad's peacock shaking his tail feathers

Springtime on the Mountain

2011-09-30T09:03:00.005+10:00

Today I am going to Mt Tamborine
The annual Springtime on the Mountain Open Gardens Trail is on
Last year it was a wet weekend so I didn't go
Today is bright and sunshiny so I am taking advantage of the lovely weather to enjoy some other peoples' (OP) gardens.
Here is the brochure for you to look at.
I will post some photos either later today or tomorrow

http://www.tmbotanicgardens.org.au/web_images/Springtime%202011%20Brochure.pdf

Roses Blooming

2011-09-23T10:29:00.000+10:00

Pictured below are the first blooms to appear in my new rose garden
There have been pre-emptive blooms - let me explain that....
There were buds that never got to open up due to a mysterious disappearance
They were snipped off just before they were due to open
I suspect it was the peacocks happily grazing on whatever they could get their beaks on
Rogues!
Needless to say it was an anxious wait to see if these yellow buds would come to fruition
It has taken at least a week for them to open and then fully bloom.
Finally today they are both open.
Cause for celebration! Yay!!!
This rose garden was planted in mid winter - this July
It is now the end of September so it didn't take long for them to grow and flower
I put it down to our magnificent soil and warm sub-tropical weather
Other rose bushes are budding up and promise to flower shortly as well
I can't wait to see the fruit of my labour!
It is truly a delight!

My first roses for a very long time.

Yes, it's a little bit eaten by some kind of bug but it's still lovely!

3 more buds ready to open

The next blooms to open.

Hippeastrums

2011-09-21T09:19:00.000+10:00

The hippeastrums have started flowering!
Most of the year they are just foliage in the garden
In Spring they come out in all their glory
They are so vibrant and pretty
It is a real joy to see them come to life in bloom
Here are some photos I took yesterday

Up close and personal

The welcoming committee at the entrance to the driveway.

Looking up the driveway towards the house

A group of 4 beautiful flowers each facing a different direction

The mailbox sure looks pretty this time of year!

Pecan Nut Tree - Early Spring

2011-09-20T16:08:00.001+10:00

There's only one pecan nut tree on our farm and it produces quite well for something that doesn't get much or any attention.
Today I noticed that it had started to bud and shoot
This is a true idication that Spring has sprung

At a glance it doesn't look like anything is happening

Buds on the end of a branch. A spider web shines in the afternoon sun.

The only shoot but not for long!

Kingscliff Beach Today

2011-09-15T21:25:00.002+10:00

I took these photos from the verandah of the Surf Club this afternoon
It is good to see the sand coming back to the beach
Fingers crossed for a beach to swim from this Christmas holidays....

Looking south towards the northern rock wall of the Cudgen Creek

Big sand deposits are obvious as the tide recedes

Looking north towards Fingal

The big sand bags are to help prevent erosion in front of the Kingscliff Caravan Park.

Mt Warning View

2011-09-14T14:13:00.003+10:00

About a week ago we had a big windstorm overnight
It blew some of the limbs off various trees on the front lawn area
One of the trees that lost a limb was a gravillea tree
Amazingly enough this tree losing its limb now provides me with a view of Mt Warning from the house
I was really overjoyed because I love the symbol of Mt Warning
It is the centre of the Tweed Valley
It has been a landmark I have known since my early childhood
It also has Aboriginal spiritual meaning
It is special in more ways than one

So what did I do? I took photos and here they are below.

And then I zoomed in....

It's almost as if the mountain is framed by foliage.

Lovely! It makes my heart happy to see it!

Hilda's View

2011-09-13T15:45:00.001+10:00

Hilda and Robert built this beautiful duplex unit next to their son and daughter in laws
I last saw it when it was at lock up stage
They have been living there for 8 months now
Hilda is the kind of woman who likes everything to be perfect
Today was the day for 3 of us to go and see the finished product
We did the tour, looked at photos and then came the catering
Hilda had cooked up a storm!
We had homemade fruit cake with tea served in gorgeous tea cups
Then came the homemade pumpkin soup served with fresh bread and butter
Last but not least there was Camembert cheese and biscuits
It was a feast!
I love to be fed good food so I was in heaven
Before we left I took some photos of Hilda and Robert's view
It was so nice to sit there and enjoy it!

Looking west up Cudgen Creek towards Salt from the north side of the creek at Kingscliff

New Garden

2011-09-13T09:37:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I planted some of the plants I had bought weeks ago
They had been waiting patiently for me to have time to plant them
I am establishing a new garden in between the house and the vegetable patch
I am doing it to keep the weeds down. It has always been a raggedy piece of land and I want to make it pretty and attractive.
Ultimately there will be a seat and and vine covered arbor. For now there's just baby plants waiting to discover their full potential.

I also planted out some Irises, New Zealand Flax and a pink Geranium

I never plan where I will plant things. I just put them in and see what happens.

It seems to have worked so far ;-)

Looking towards the vegie patch. Silverbeet in there at the moment.

Tomatoes, radish and capsicums are planted but not big enough to see.

Looking towards the chook (chicken) pen (top right).

The agapanthus I planted a few weeks ago are doing well and may just flower this season.

3 dark red frangipanis are in and waiting to leaf up.

3 Lavendar plants which will be spectacular when they grow.

Lots of sugar cane mulch to helps the soil stay moist and encourages worms and other microbes.

It also helps keep the weeds at bay.

I can't wait to see this garden flourish!

We will see what it looks like in a few months time and will post again on its progress.

Winning Entry at Twin Towns and District Flower and Garden Show

2011-09-11T05:12:00.002+10:00

It was just so exciting to walk into the hall yesterday morning to find out I had won a first prize placing
I couldn't believe it!
I won the 'Produce - 1 variety section' and also came home with a red ribbon saying I was 'Reserve champion Fruit and Veges'
I find this completely hilarious but I'm also very chuffed.
The paw paw came from a tree outside my Dad's place. It was what I call a 'feral' which grew up from a seed a bird must have dropped. It does not receive any special attention, it just produces nice fruit.

I also placed second in the 'Collection of Pansies'

My entry is the small one at the back on the right.

Why I placed has something to do with how the pansies were facing upwards??

These are things I did not know before the competition, it's all very official!

Flower and Garden Expo

2011-09-09T18:38:00.001+10:00

This afternoon I submitted some entries into the Flower and Garden Expo run by Twin Towns and District Garden Club. It is a one day only annual event. It is the biggest event on the calendar for the garden club.
I entered several categories
1.Collection of Pansies
2.Collection of one variety not otherwise specified ( I submitted 2 in this category)
3.Stem of one flower ( 2 submitted in this category)
4.Produce - 1 variety

I probably could have entered more but it was raining this afternoon and it was all I could do to get what I picked into the hall on time.

When I walked into the civic centre hall I was in awe! There were flowers everywhere and it smelt like heaven. I quickly took my entries, filled out the required forms and then placed them in the various categories. I couldn't wait to have a good look around and take some photos.

Category - Collection of one variety not otherwise specified.

My entries are the straw (paper) flowers at the back on the right

and the ?Cherry Pie (the purple one in front at the right)

Category - 1 Stem of Flower not otherwise specified

My entries are the unopened irises on the left front and the straw (paper) flowers behind the irises.

I am hoping the irises open up overnight.

A magnificent camellia

Succulent gardens

Baskets of Spring flowers - very pretty!

Orchids in bloom

As you can see there are some amazing entries. I will go back tomorrow and explore some more. There could be another post about this event coming your way soon, so stay tuned!

Azalea - The Teacher

2011-09-08T15:58:00.001+10:00

Earlier this year I planted a memorial for my mother
It is situated under what used to be her favourite avocado tree
We transplanted a white azalea from the garden near the house and planted 3 new ones
One of the varieties was called 'The Teacher'
Little did I know how pretty it would be
In a post written when I was constructing the garden I commented on 'The Teacher' being a symbol of what I had learned from my mothers passing.
When I see the azaleas flowering I know that she would be happy to have them adorn where her ashes are buried. She loved azaleas.
This variety will grow up to 1.5 metres in height. When it does it will be so specatacular! I can hardly wait.
Today I took some photos and wanted to share them with you

Such a small shrub with so many flowers!

So delicate and beautiful!

Below is a link to the original post when I was setting up the memorial garden in March this year.

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3314139164053312491#editor/target=post;postID=5810835734917991369

Visiting Anne

2011-09-08T12:29:00.001+10:00

I arrived at Anne's at 6pm Monday night
She picked me up from the train station
From the minute she saw me to the minute I left her presence Anne spoilt me
I loved every minute of it, of course!
Anne had spent the day spring cleaning and cooking in preparation for my arrival
I called her a couple of times throughout the day to let her know what my plans were. Every time I called she was in 'happy' mode joyfully going about her day.
When we arrived at Anne's I was greeted by the beautiful artistic space she has created for herself.
I have always adored Anne's way of putting things together to make a space radiant and welcoming
We sat for a long while out under the trees and the half moon sky
I sat on the swinging chair. I have a thing for swinging chairs. They are so comforting and cozy
The cat came and made herself comfortable on my lap and purred up a storm
Anne opened an amazing bottle of red and we indulged in some local marinated olives and sweet cherry tomatoes while catching up
A seafood platter of prawns (shrimp) and fish was presented with homemade aoli and lemon wedges
It was so tasty! The presentation was sensational as well.

Seafood plate with all the trimmings - YUM!

Without the flash. I love the muted light.

Up close. It was so yummy!

We ate the seafood accompanied with a picolo of bubbly which made it even more special.

In between courses.

All the ornaments and crystals hanging in the tree catch the light and add some flair.

Anne looking up at the half moon

The cat sitting on my lap.

The pasta was a gourmet delight. It tasted sensational!

On the drive to the station the next morning I suggested to Anne that I might come down and stay with her again in summer. Austinmer has a beachside pool that gets filled daily with fresh salt water from the ocean. It also has fantastic rock shelves to explore. Plus it would be great to spend time with my buddy and indulge in lifes simple pleasures once more.

Anne's Garden

2011-09-07T12:18:00.001+10:00

While I was in Sydney and surrounds I visited a dear friend of mine Anne
Anne and I have known each other for 19 years
We are both big fans of 'Women Who Run With the Wolves' by Clarissa Pinkola Estes and it was this book that bought us together. The book was first published in 1992 and that's when Anne and I met.
I had summarised the book for myself and gave her a copy of my notes. (I wish I still had them)
Over the years we have kept in touch and when we could we would catch up face to face.
Anne is an artist, feminist, mother and grandmother, adored friend and breast cancer survivor
Whenever I have the opportunity to visit Anne's house I take lots of photos
Anne's house is arty. It's how I'd like my house to be more like.
She uses colour and texture (even broken crockery looks good in Anne's world)
You may have a friend like Anne and be able to relate.
I'd like to share with you my beloved friends space
Enjoy her piece of paradise!

The entrance to Anne's garden

To the left of the steps in Anne's garden

Not sure what these are called but I'd like some in my garden!

The comfy swinging chair out on the front porch. Such a great space!

This area looks out onto the garden near the steps.

Out by the fish pond

Scupture in the garden

A pretty bird bath

A ceramic vase sitting on some rocks looks fabulous

As does this one

A warratah, NSW's flower emblem growing in Anne's garden.

Double Yoker Egg

2011-08-31T08:41:00.000+10:00

Last week I took an egg out of one of the nest boxes that was way larger than any of the others
It weighed in at 90 grams or just over 3 ounces
Normal eggs weigh in at about 55-60grams or just under 2 ounces
I suspected because of its size that it would be a double yoker
(I did feel sorry for the chicken who laid it by the way)
Since I picked up this egg there hasn't been any more that big.
Most of the eggs I pick up are around the 55-65 gram mark
At the moment they are laying about a dozen a day. For 17 chickens that's not too bad.
We use them or give them away to neighbours and friends.
This morning curiosity got the better of me and I had to crack the big egg open to see what was inside
Photograph evidence shows that it is and was a double yoker
This meant I only needed one egg for breakfast. Cooked up with some tomatoes it was delicious!

The odd one out is the 90g egg I suspected was a double yoker

Ta da! As suspected.

Breakfast this morning proved my theory :-)

Gazineas and Daisies

2011-08-30T11:36:00.000+10:00

I bought a lot of potted flowers at the markets last weekend
They are cheap and cheerful and tough enough to stand a chance in my garden
I also bought 4 small lavender bushes to plant out. That's already been done.
All of these plants will bush out and flower most of the year
Once they are planted out, mulched and fertilised they will be able to fend for themselves.
We are coming into growing season with Spring just two days away so it wont take long for them to take off
I can't wait to see them thriving and flourishing

I have to plant them first, of course!

I love the colour mix. All of them are so bright and cheery looking!

Mango Flower

2011-08-27T14:08:00.000+10:00

Spring has almost sprung and the mango trees are in flower
This doesn't necessarily mean that there is a good crop on its way
We get a good crop every 4-5 years, that's why we took a lot of our mangos out and replaced them with avocados trees.
My theory is that we need a very dry winter and spring to produce a good mango crop
We have just had a week of rain so we will see how much fruit sets and forms in the next few weeks/months
Mangos are starting to appear in the shops transported all the way from the Northern Territory
It seems strange to think that their crop is ready to pick when ours hasn't even been pollinated yet.

Below is a photo of a mango tree in full bloom.

Before and After

2011-08-25T15:26:00.001+10:00

Before. A weedy, snake haven. 3rd February, 2011

Cleaned up. That's how it stayed for quite a while. 3rd Feb, 2011

The shrubs grew back and will be kept pruned so they don't turn into a jungle again.

Looking civilised and mulched ready for the summer growth phase. August 2011

Finally some sort of order! I love it!

Re-inventing a Garden

2011-08-24T17:56:00.001+10:00

Maybe I should have called this post 'Inventing a Garden'
Where there were weeds and rocks there are now plants that will flower and put on a good show. (I hope)
All the agapanthus I was given a few weeks ago have found a new home in this garden

I was also given some Hippeastrums and some Ti (cordyline) plants. Ti plants are very popular in Hawaiin gardens. When I was last in Hawaii I went to Dole Pineapple Plantation and toured their garden. The Ti plants hold a spiritual significance to the Hawaian people. In the past they were used for thatching roofs, food containers etc. Cordylines are called the 'good luck plant' in Hawaii so most people have them in their gardens.

The 2 Frangipanis are the deep red variety. I am going to add another one to it tomorrow so there will be 3 altogether. These cuttings are starting to shoot now so we might actually see some of these precious, fairly rare coloured flowers come summer. (Fingers crossed)

I have some ginger plants that will probably go into this garden bed too.
I don't plan things when I'm gardening. I just get out there, get inspired as I go and it just happens.
I like it this way. I'm not really a planner but I had been thinking about this patch of dirt and weeds for a while wondering what to do with it. Today it got some attention.

Before I got started.

After 3 hours of hard work. Still not finished but on the way.

These poor plants needed to be released from the poinsettia which had cascaded over them.

I pruned it back to give these guys some light.

Cant you see the Frangipani desperately leaning towards the light?

A beautiful orchid. These are a variety that don't need to be planted. They are air plants.

Yellow Sapotes

2011-08-24T10:46:00.001+10:00

We have had this one Yellow Sapote or Canistel growing on the farm for years.
Most years because there's just one tree the fruit gets forgotten about and rots on the ground
For the last few years I have been picking custard apples with my Dad in winter
The tree is over near a big patch of custard apples.
When I told Dad the fruit is was on the tree he would pick them and give them to one of his friends who loves them.
Never, until this morning have I tried to do anything with the fruit. I have tried the flesh when ripe but not ventured further than that.
I always remember one of my bosses saying you mix the flesh up with cream and passionfruit
This morning was rainy so I decided to open up the two ripe fruit and make them into something

The ripe fruit. One open and one still in one piece.

I just twisted it open with my hands.

I took out the large seeds. See one is sprouting! I will plant it.

The skin is really thin so you could probably through this in the mix too. (I do that with black sapotes)

The bright yellow flesh which is the consistency of cooked egg yolks.

Now I know this needs a bit of work!

I mixed up the mashed up flesh with some cream.

(I didn't have enough cream because this wasn't a planned exercise)

The trick would be to mix it to a creamy, smooth consistency and maybe add a little liqueur but not too much and not a strong flavoured one. The taste is very subtle so you don't want to drown that out.

I think it would make a fine mousse or even a cold pie filling.

Stand by for news of further product development :-)

Bromeliads

2011-08-23T19:32:00.000+10:00

I don't have many bromeliads but I like the ones I have. They are probably common varieties as I have been given them or bought them very cheaply.
I find it hard to kill bromeliads. Not that I try, but they are hardy which is good if you are a plant in my garden.
Some bromeliads have stunning flowers and some don't
Have a look at the photos below and see which ones you like.

I'm pretty sure that's the flower. The centre bit inside the pink leaves. I could be wrong though!

I love this one! Yellow and red flower buds. The flower stem lasts for months.

It's a pity the leaves are so sharp. My arms get scratched when trying to move this plant.

(It's staying where it is for now)

I love the red with purple tip combination!

This one is up against a big gum tree.

These are so cute! Purple with bright blue bobbles on the end.

These are under a gum tree as well.

That is the end of my brom collection at present. I have others but they haven't flowered yet so it's a mystery as to how the flowers will turn out. I can't wait to see them though!

Pansies

2011-08-22T18:27:00.001+10:00

I planted 5 punnets of pansies around the border of the azalea garden in mid-July
Being mid winter they really didn't do too much for a while
About a week ago they started sending out flowers
They are so beautiful! Each one so different, with its own personality
I can't wait for the whole border to blooming with them!
Maybe I can enter a posy of them in the flower show in September (that would be nice)
Here a few photos of my newest 'babies'

Gardens Transformation

2011-08-20T11:32:00.000+10:00

In February this year I started working on the garden across the driveway from the house
I posted this blog on the 15th of Feb. http://whatawonderfulife.blogspot.com/2011/02/before-and-after.html
It includes the photo below.

This morning I got excited looking at this photo because I know how it looks now
The transformation is amazing!
Take a look at the photo below

I am very proud of the results. This is what I see when I look out the kitchen window. A riot of colour, a feast for the eyes!

Passionfruit Season

2011-08-19T10:57:00.000+10:00

It is definitely passionfruit season
Yesterday I picked up nearly all of these off the ground under the vine. That is how you can tell a passionfruit is ripe, when it falls to the ground.
The vine these came off grew from seed. I used to throw some fruit and vege scraps under the avocado tree down near the packing shed BC (Before Chickens. Now I give my scraps to them). Obviously one of the passionfruit seeds has decided to go forth and multiply. It is certainly flowering and producing a lot of fruit.
How do they taste?
Well, it's hard to explain but sweet and juicy and maybe a bit tart as well.
They have lots of seeds so that's why they call them passionfruit.

Below is a picture of yesterdays harvest.

When they get crinkly they are super sweet. There's no need to wait for that but if you can it's worth it.

You might like to take a look at another blog I did on this same passionfruit vine. Click on the link below:

http://whatawonderfulife.blogspot.com/2011/08/passionfruit-flowers.html

Toastmasters Competent Leadership Manual

2011-08-19T08:54:00.000+10:00

Having accomplished my Competent Communicator Manual mid year I started working diligently on the Competent Leadership Manual
I had accomplished some of the tasks but not a whole lot. The behind this was that I had a goal to attain Competent Communicator in my first year in Toastmasters.
Last night at Toastmasters I was looking through my Leadership Manual figuring out how many projects I needed to complete before I finished it.
It was very fortuitous that Lynda presented an Educational on working your way through to Distinguished Toastmaster (the highest award in TM) This helped me get things into perspective.
Her advice to me after the meeting was to 'plan ahead'. Hmmm, now there's some good advice!
I took it on and yesterday when I was at home I planned out the next 4 months of Toastmaster jobs for myself.
If I keep on track I will finish it by the end of the year.
Just to cut myself some slack I decided that if I didn't accomplish Competent Leader by the end of the year I could easily finish it by the first two meetings next year. This would give me some elasticity which is important for me. For instance I took a week off meetings when Dad was in hospital.
So now all I have to do is let the appropriate people know exactly what I want to do and when and book myself in.
I am excited at the prospect of finishing the CL manual 18 months from when I joined. I can then work on Bronze Leader etc.
Oh yes, I will have to start working on some speeches as well. I'll have to dust off the new manuals and get going!

The manual is not in pristine condition. It looks well used in fact.

Growing Coffee

2011-08-16T13:26:00.000+10:00

Coffee is easy to grow in the sub tropics. In fact it's almost weed like.
The beans are very fertile and will come up as seedlings if left on the ground. Soon you have a forest of coffee trees.
The flowers are small, white and fragrant and the trees crop at least twice a year
Processing the coffee for drinking is quite a complicated process and hence, quite time consuming
I don't bother with it since I only drink coffee on rare occasions
My brother in law used to go through the rigors of making his own coffee
It always tasted burnt to me, probably roasted for too long...?

I thought I would show you some of the fruits I took a photo of today
They are a really beautiful colour

Kingscliff Beach 15th August 2011

2011-08-15T11:23:00.000+10:00

Kingscliff Beach has struggled with erosion issues for a year or more now
When the loop road at the creek disappeared into the ocean things deteriorated from there
Local and State governments fought about how much they should contribute
A rock wall was put in place to secure the foreshore and the creek was dredged to replace the beach in time for the NSW (New South Wales) SLSC (Surf Life Saving Club) competitions in March this year
The event was successful but only a week or so later the sand had been gouged out again
Further north the erosion continued until the cement wall that was built to protect the surf club was exposed
It is now battered on a daily basis when it's high tide
One has to thank whoever was responsible for placing this wall there. If it hadn't been constructed then the surf club would be no more.
Next door to the surf club the beach at the front of the caravan park was severely eroded
The cabins had to be moved to a safer vantage point
For weeks now there have been big trucks and diggers on our beach
They are filling up one tonne sandbags to try to secure the foreshore
Hopefully this will help matters as the sand begins to return to the beach at the southern end

These are some photos I took this morning

This was taken at the southern end of the bowls club.

Giant diggers and trucks inhabit our beach to help stop it from disappearing.

Notice the heavy machinery tracks on the beach. The water looks great though!

Didn't spot any whales this morning but they are starting to migrate south again with their babies in tow.

Passionfruit

2011-08-12T21:42:00.003+10:00

Two passionfruit vines have sprung up as seedlings down by the fruit packing shed
One has a trunk at least an inch thick and has wound itself around the branches and leaves of an avocado tree
The other is doing the same to a paw paw tree or two
Passionfruits grow on vines and vines need to sprawl and grip onto things with their tendrils
These passionfruit are yellow on the outside, full of pulp and super sweet
Passionfruit fall to the ground when they are ripe
I usually leave them for a few days after they are picked up before I eat them. It gives them a chance to sweeten up just a little more.
I am addicted to these passionfruit. I have them with yogurt or just scoop them out with a spoon and eat them as they are. Their pulp is also great in cold drinks.

The passionfruit flower

Up close and personal. They are a beautiful and delicate flower. Rather spectacular in fact.

The trunk of the vine is clearly visible. See how it winds its way upwards.

Vines everywhere in the top of the picture!

From centre to right are not quite mature fruit. To the left along the same vine are the flowers that will form the next fruit.

The yellow passionfruit full of pulp.

The Tweed Valley

2011-08-10T17:09:00.000+10:00

This morning I headed over to Murwillumbah
There is a spot along the river where you can see the sugar mill and Mt Warning. I stopped and took some pictures.
Here are a few of the best ones.

The sugar mill runs on green energy - the steam produced from processing the cane into raw sugar.

There is a houseboat on the river. This is a popular way to see the Tweed.

Poinsettias

2011-08-09T16:52:00.000+10:00

I always enjoy coming up the drive to the house
I especially like it in winter when the poinsettias are flowering
They are a cheery colour and almost form a guard of honour up the driveway
The tibouchina tree on the front lawn is in bloom most of the year with its royal purple flowers
All round it makes a great show!

Making Yogurt

2011-08-08T12:52:00.000+10:00

This morning I decided to make some yogurt
I took the EasiYo container out of the pantry and washed it
The sachet of EasiYo made it so easy (surprise, surprise!)
I simply read the directions and followed them
Now all I have to do is wait for it to 'cook'
It takes 8-12 hours to set
I will be able to have delicious mango flavoured yogurt on my breakfast tomorrow morning
Yum!

Here is the website if you would like to have a look

http://www.easiyo.com/index.html

Easiyo is made in New Zealand which is known for its pristine pastures. They also make drinking yogurts so I will have a look at making them too, if I can buy the sachets.

Honey Bees

2011-08-07T20:47:00.000+10:00

Yesterday we had some new arrivals
They came in boxes after sunset
When they woke up this morning they flew into a totally new environment
This afternoon when we went to check on them they seemed relatively content
They were quite docile in fact
Yes, I'm talking about the bees.
We have had bees on the property for pollination purposes since I can remember
The old hives had to be removed as they needed repair
We bought new hives and set them up in a location where they can be better managed
We also have a new beekeeper
Hopefully I can get some honey to sell at the farmers markets as a bi-product of the pollination

8 new boxes. One of them is full of honey.

Soon to be 9 new boxes.

When this lot swarms our beekeeper will capture them and put them into a new box.

We have to keep an eye on them and let him know when it happens.

It is very interesting to watch.

Renovations - Floors Polished

2011-08-06T13:05:00.000+10:00

At great risk to my health I stole a look at the newly polished floors
It stinks so much and my eyes and nose are both offended
I snuck up the stairs and poked my camera around the corners at the top of the stairs
The final coat (number 3) was put on this morning
The floor guy shut all the windows so that no dust could settle on the final coat
We have to keep the front door closed too
In 5 hours time we should be able to walk on it in socks or bare feet
Despite all the horrible odours the job looks amazing!
Below are the photos I took just now

The Master Bedroom

One of the spare bedrooms. Notice the reflection of the power outlet on the floor.

I will post more at a later date, once the smell has diminished.

I must evacuate the house now as it is really getting up my nose!

Dad's Garden

2011-08-06T02:52:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I cleaned up the garden outside Dad's place
It had been needing some attention for quite some time
Finally I couldn't stand it any more and got it done
I had to tear a lot of creepers out and some nasturtiums which were overtaking the lawn
When Dad came home he got a pleasant surprise to find that the job was done
He decided to spray the leftover vegetation to help deter it from coming back
I still have to put down a thick layer of mulch to help stop the creepers re-appearing
It will help keep it clean and tidy over the growing season which is about to come with Spring just around the corner.

How it looked before I started.

After, from a different angle.

Don't you just love that giant staghorn! It is growing on the stump of an old poinciana tree.

Dad spraying around the tree to kill off any remaining weeds and vines.

Notice there are at least 4 paw paw (papaya) trees growing and producing fruit. These were not planted there. They just grew there from seed that was dropped by birds.

Renovations - Floor Sanding

2011-08-04T15:49:00.000+10:00

The floor sanders arrived at 7.30 this morning and stayed until 3pm
I was out on the farm picking fruit most of the day to avoid the noise and dust
It truly is good to have some 'movement at the station' (progress)
I feel uplifted to think that a large part of the upstairs renovation is nearly over
There's only the bathrooms left to do upstairs and it will be finished

The sanding equipment is having a sleepover in the master bedroom

Brian and Dave preparing and sanding the brush box flooring in the master bedroom.

Every nail had to be hammered in some more and puttied up before the sander could go over it.

The master bedrooms walk in robe. The floor looks great already.

Floor Sanding

2011-08-03T14:22:00.000+10:00

The floor sanders have arrived
How do I know?
The sound of constant hammering above
There are two workmen at opposite ends of the house
They are hammering in the nails of the hardwood floor on the 2nd storey
I guess they are working towards each other
They will start sanding the brush box floors tomorrow
In 3 or 4 days it will all be over - the noise and the tradesmen
It will be nice to be done renovating for a while
Moving back upstairs will be nice
When the time is right the en suite and upstairs bathrooms will be renovated
For the time being I will be happy just to get the floors done and enjoy what has been accomplished to date.
In the meantime I am going to vacate the house and let them hammer away before I get a headache.

http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3314139164053312491&postID=1907316809741499485

This is a blog entry from the 23rd of May showing the carpet which was removed and the floorboards.

Hastings Point Headland

2011-08-02T16:55:00.001+10:00

Today was the perfect winters day
Dad and I went for a drive to check on a few things
On the way back I felt like an icecream so we stopped at the Hastings Point store
I drove out to the headland and we stopped the car and ate our icecreams. They were so Yummy!

Hastings Point headland is a great lookout
You can see right down to Byron Bay to the south. The lighthouse is a good landmark and you can see that on a good day
To the north is Cabarita Headland
All in all it is a great vista
In the months when the humpback whales are migrating you can watch the whales swim past quite close to the shore
Then there are the surfers who are always entertaining to watch
The fishermen fishing from the rocks etc
If you are ever in this area, go there, sit for a while and see what you can see
Today we saw yachts participating in the Sydney to Brisbane race
It was quite spectacular
The bigger (maxi) yachts finished yesterday. I saw it on the news last night.
Today the smaller yachts are making their way up the coast
It was a wonderful way to spend some time while eating delicious icecream!

A yacht racing towards Brisbane. What a lovely day to be out sailing!

The coast all the way around to Byron Bay.

The lighthouse sits out on the headland to the left of the photo.

It is the most easterly point in Australia.

Garden Colour

2011-07-31T05:23:00.001+10:00

I am very proud of my garden at the moment
I view it as a colour palette and see just about every one in the spectrum
It has a life of its own and kind of morphs. I don't plan anything. I just plant what I have or buy and see what happens.
At the moment I am particularly fond of the yellow and deep purple flowers in the front of the garden
Don't ask me what they are called, that's not my forte'
I like textures and colours. Bright yellow and deep purple go well together. This was a happy accident. I had no idea these plants flowered in these colours when I planted them there.
They are both perennials so will be there for a while and will grow in the meantime

The poinsettias in the background put on a stunning display every winter.

Yellow gravilleas provide nectar for the birds.

The herbs are great to pick and use in the kitchen

Straw Flowers

2011-07-30T21:08:00.001+10:00

My strawflowers are blooming
They are so lovely!
I have never grown them before
They self seed so once you plant them you will always have them in your garden
The flowers pictured below are in the same garden as the zinnias were
I took out the dead zinnia plants the other day, dead headed them and saved the seed (there are thousands)
Today I noticed that one of the strawflowers had dried off and produced lots of tiny seeds. I took them off and scattered them around the garden. It will certainly be interesting next time there is rain.... I wonder if I will get lots of zinnias and strawflowers come up? I will let you know.
Strawflowers can be dried and used in dried flower arrangements.I don't go for dried flowers so that wont happen here
When the flowers are finished I will keep the seed and scatter them out to sow at a later date. I might even take some to garden club so other members can enjoy growing them.

These gorgeous pink Strawflowers are very bold.

This golden colour is just amazing!

The ones with the brown centres are going to go to seed very shortly.

I will collect the seed and plant them out or alternatively sprinkle them around the garden and see what happens.

Azaleas Are Flowering

2011-07-28T17:07:00.000+10:00

The azaleas I planted not too long ago have started to flower
I was worried because the peacocks seemed to take a liking to eating the buds
They seem to have lost interest now which is a good thing
When I am at the kitchen sink I can look out and see the pink and white blooms starting to poke their heads out. It is truly delightful!
I have planted 9 of the same variety in one garden bed. I am a real pink person so I planted my favourite colour. I'm sure they will put on a good show come Spring. They have a lot of buds on them already..... (I'm getting excited!)

They are so pretty!

Home Garden's Produce

2011-07-27T08:31:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I picked quite a few things from around the garden
The basil was put in a vase for when I get time to make pesto
The paw paws (papayas) were picked from a tree just outside Dad's front door
Yellow passionfruit dropped off the vine (this is what they do when they are ripe) and I picked them up. The vine is wild. I'm not sure how it got there. It is climbing up an avocado tree near the packing shed.
Then there was a ripe custard apple which I picked up. It was perfectly ripe. I ate the top of it out in the paddock. It was so delicious, sweet and juicy, on a warm day it was just what I needed.

I put the passionfruit in my hat to make them easy to carry up to the house. This is a good reminder to me to wash my hat next time I do a load of washing!

Sugar Cane Mulch

2011-07-26T09:14:00.000+10:00

In the winter season when the sugar cane is being harvested sugar cane mulch is available at the farm gate
I buy bales of it for $4 each. I never buy one. I always buy as many as I can fit in the vehicle. Last time it was five, so that's how many I purchased.
Sugar cane mulch helps stop the weeds coming through and also keeps the moisture in the ground.
It increases nitrogen draw down and eventually breaks down to improve soil texture
I am in the midst of trying to get all my garden mulched before the growing season starts. The weeds grow as much as everything else and it will cut my work hours down in the weeding sector if I distribute it now.
Every gardener I know is champing at the bit for sugar cane season to arrive come June. If a good layer of mulch is put down then it will last a year.
I must go and start distributing ......
The sooner the better for a good result and happier, healthier plants

6 bales of sugar cane mulch ready to be distributed

Avocado trees in the background

Spread out on the new garden.

It takes a while to settle down, turn a greyish colour to blend into the garden.

Peach Blossoms

2011-07-25T09:51:00.001+10:00

Nature is such a wonderful thing!
I embrace it with every opportunity
This morning I took a walk out to take photos of the peach blossoms
We have two peach trees. We used to have a lot more and nectarines as well. They needed too much attention (spraying, pruning etc). The flying foxes also took a great liking to the fruit. Now only 2 trees exist out of quite a few hundred.
At this time of year (mid winter) we get an early flowering and setting of fruit
Later in the year (Spring) there will be another flowering and more fruit
It's a double dip
The days are quite warm at the moment
Come August it will cool down again with the southerly winds
September it will be Spring again and there will be more blossoms and fruit setting
Nature is truly something to celebrate!

This is a variety of tropical peach that can be grown in this area.

Tiny peaches setting. The dried up flowers are still visible on the ends of the fruit.

Herb Garden

2011-07-24T18:17:00.001+10:00

My herb garden is going nuts!
Everything is growing like crazy
Today I bought more plants to go into it
Sage, Kale and 2 tomato plants (I know tomatoes aren't herbs but who cares!)
I bought another lemongrass plant too. In this climate I will need to put it into a pot to control it
I love lemongrass in Thai cooking and just cut off and made into a tea (it's so refreshing)
I pruned the basil this afternoon. It was going haywire. I discovered a oregano plant struggling to survive with a big branch of basil fallen on top of it. It now has a chance of living. I will make pesto tomorrow -yum!
The dill is huge. I'm not sure what to do with it. I will have to look up some recipes. Maybe I'll just sell it at the farmers market.
Oh yes, I tasted the snow peas right off the vine. They are just awsome! So crunchy, sweet and delicious!
The mint is going gangbusters as well. I planted that in a big urn type pot and it is starting to tumble over the sides.
The Corriander is amazing too. Maybe I should make a pesto out of it too. I want to make a Thai Pumkin Soup this week so some of it will go into that.
What else have I squeezed into this small area?
Some fancy lettuce and some rocket. I have a Thai basil plant to go in. It's so lovely with its aniseed flavoured leaves. (Also good for cooking Thai food.)
I also bought 2 pots of unnamed herbs today. The people selling them didn't know what they were. They looked healthy and the leaves tasted and smelt nice so I bought them. I might have to expand my herb garden, I'm thinking..... May have to Google herbs to find out what variety they are.

I forgot to mention the flat leaf parsley and the 2 types of chili plants (one is a bell shape and other is long and mild)

I planted the Kale yesterday afternoon. The sugar cane mulch helps keep the weeds down and moisture in the soil. I buy it bails for $4 each from local farmers.

Snow Peas

2011-07-22T15:39:00.000+10:00

The snow peas are flowering and setting ? fruit
They have been very persistent and grown even though it has been cool
I can't wait to eat them straight from the vine

Dad's Back Home

2011-07-21T21:39:00.000+10:00

I went in to see Dad in hospital today and he was sitting up in his chair dressed and ready to go home
It was great to see him ready to leave
He wanted to walk to the car
The first stop was the butchery to purchase fresh meat for his dog and cat
Barney was so happy to see him and the cat heard his voice and rushed inside
It was a happy homecoming!
Dad will be happy to sleep in his own bed tonight
It's good to have him home
The doctors told him that he's not aloud to do anything for a week and no lifting for 6 weeks
That means extra duties for me but I don't mind
It will be a joy to have him around again

Dad in Hospital

2011-07-19T10:17:00.000+10:00

I haven't blogged for a few days because Dad has been in hospital and other priorities have taken precedence
Dad went into emergency for tests on Thursday and was admitted that evening
He underwent surgery on Friday and it seems to have been successful
Yesterday he was sitting up eating his 'dinner' (it was all liquids) and complaining about the food
He told me that the doctors said that if he hadn't had the operation when he did he'd be dead by now....
Well, better to be complaining about hospital food than not being here to eat it at all
When he starts to complain he is feeling better
When he starts flirting with the nurses it will be time for me to bring him home
It should be anytime in the next few days
Then the challenge will be how to stop him from doing too much, too soon.....

Dad's dog, Barney is bored without Dad being home.

He lies out in the sun staring down the driveway like he does every time Dad goes out.

Gentleman Farmer

2011-07-15T17:29:00.000+10:00

Patrick loves helping drive the tractor
He is very good with the steering but his legs aren't long enough to reach the peddles just yet
He loves showing his Mum and Nanna how well he can drive the tractor when they come to pick him up
He is not that keen on other aspects of farming that involve getting dirty
I laughed the other day when he took his jumper (sweater) off to show his Ralph Lauren T-shirt underneath - and it was white! No self respecting farmer would wear white!
We were picking custard apples and he got 'farmer's friends' stuck to his clothes. He couldn't stand it and asked if he could go back into the house.
He is only 5 going on 6 and is such a good boy
A true delight and one of the lights of my life.

Patrick and I on the tractor yesterday morning

Bubba

2011-07-13T17:51:00.000+10:00

Pat is having a sleepover at the farm
He is 5, almost 6 years old ( in September)
When he has a sleepover sometimes he brings his Bubba and sometimes he doesn't
It's his comforter
He has had a Bubba since he was a baby
Of course the Bubba's have been replaced over the years when they got a bit ragged and grotty
I thought I'd take a photo of Bubba because one day Bubba will be a thing of the past becoming part of Pat's childhood
So just for posterity I thought I'd post a picture of Bubba for the archives

Formal Entrance Garden

2011-07-12T15:53:00.000+10:00

Yesterday the finishing touches were put on the latest garden bed
'Yahoo!' is an appropriate response
It has taken two weeks to get to this point
My blog from the 28th of June documents that is when we put the pathway from the verandah to the carpark
http://whatawonderfulife.blogspot.com/2011/06/renovations.html
It's strange, in this day of reality television that we expect things to happen instantly
In real life it doesn't happen that way unless you pay a team of workers to come in and do it for you
I have really enjoyed doing this job, it has been a labour of love
It was a combined and collaborative effort
I'm sure all the hard work will be rewarded for years to come
I can't wait to see the roses bloom and the azaleas grow, spread and put on a show
Now I have to move onto another project and wait for that to happen

From the entrance looking out

The azalea bed in the foreground. Pansies are planted on the edges in this bed.

Roses are planted in the L shape with violas and dianthus as a border.

New Guinea Impatiens are planted over the storm water drain along with a few ground covers.

I can't wait to see this garden in a few months time!

I will post again on this garden then.

In the meantime I am starting another one with the plants I bought home from garden club yesterday!

New Pathway

2011-07-10T15:54:00.000+10:00

Every day we get a step closer to finishing the garden
This afternoon after lunch we made a bark pathway bordered by rocks off the farm
It helps finish things off a bit
Tomorrow another load of soil will be brought in and I will plant it out
A few more coppers log edges and it will be done, finished, completed.
All I will have to do is mulch it and wait for Spring!

It will be nice when the 'construction site' look has been replaced by the 'finished' look!

I will take a photo one the morning and post it, the light will be better.

The purple flowers on the Tibouchina tree with the Poinsettias underneath set it off nicely.

The Garden

2011-07-09T17:14:00.000+10:00

This afternoon I planted some more 'pretties' to brighten up the garden
They are border plants
I'm not sure what they are called but they will spread and make a nice show come Spring
It's a bit of colour in the garden while the roses and azaleas take hold and grow
Click on the photos for a better look

It's still not finished
Sometimes it feels like the never-ending project
Hopefully sometime early next week we will have a finished product!
I will breathe a sigh of relief when that happens.

Renovations Continue

2011-07-07T17:09:00.000+10:00

The renovations continue
I am waiting patiently for a partial completion before posting any more photos
Hopefully tomorrow will be the day
Some of the handrails went up today
Tomorrow we will finish the storm water drain at the front of the house
A load of garden soil will be bought in and I will plant it out
Stay tuned for the hopefully finished product (or very close to it)

Free Range Eggs

2011-07-04T20:44:00.000+10:00

We have 17 chickens
I call them 'the girls'
They come and go on and off the lay
These 28 eggs probably took 3 days to lay
It has been wet so the eggs get dirty and I have to wash them
I was working over the weekend so it was a job that got put off
I was able to give away 2 dozen of them to my friend Claudia
She gladly accepted them as her son Thomas loves to eat eggs
Today I picked up another 10 eggs so they were soon replaced
It's so nice to give fresh healthy produce away
It is one of life's joys!

I love the colour of 'the girls' eggs. They look so healthy.

The Pitter Patter of Tiny Feet

2011-07-02T17:00:00.000+10:00

Yesterday my friend Claudia and her son Thomas came to visit
I'm not sure how long I've known Claudia but it seems like a long time
Long enough for her to complete her Masters, PHD and to have a child
Thomas is 15 months old
He's such a cutie
Patrick was also here yesterday
Patrick is 5 and was able to entertain Thomas a bit
So I had one of my favourite adults and 2 of my favourite children in the World here yesterday
How lucky am I?
The answer to that is 'Extremely'

Thomas in his pyjamas this morning.

We have a long corridor which he was zooming along having a great time.

Tailor Season

2011-07-01T09:50:00.000+10:00

It's Tailor season here in Northern NSW
Dad is going out every morning at dawn to catch one or two for his dinner
He has always been a keen fisherman
Nothing gets wasted
The heads go to the dog and other bits to the cat
Last night we marinated the Tailor in fresh Asian herbs and baked it in banana leaves
Served on a bed of rice it was delicious!

Before cooking

Storm Water Drain

2011-06-30T12:43:00.000+10:00

This morning we dug a storm water drain across the front lawn
It goes from the verandah across the lawn and then slopes down to beside the chook (chicken) pen
There was a lot of digging involved
I took to the shovel and moved a lot of dirt
It was a fun and wonderfully aerobic activity
I found lots of worms and grubs in the soil which means it's healthy
My muscles got a good workout - both my arms and my abs - yay!
Now the lawn looks like a total mess but I know it's for a good cause
The front lawn has always been low and when it rained a pool of water remained
Now it is hoped that the excess water will drain away with the help of this channelling
After lunch we will lay the ag pipe. Ag pipe is pipe with holes in it that the water will seep into. Once in the pipe it will drain away naturally downhill
Oh well, I'd better get on with it!
Never a dull minute around here!

Click on the photo to see that I have planted some of the roses already.

5 out of 8

So far they go red, white, yellow, white and then pink.

Very exciting!

Rose Garden

2011-06-29T16:42:00.000+10:00

This morning I woke up excited about having a rose garden
Why is this so? I wondered
When have I had a rose garden in the past?
Never
I did have one rose which I was very partial to when I was a teen
I planted a pale pink rose at the front entrance to the house
It was almost triffid like it was that robust and it flowered profusely
I know this is a little strange but I named this rose bush 'Flo'
You see my boyfriend Jeff and his family had moved to Florida for 6 months and I missed him so much I planted a rose bush in his honour. It helped to ease the teenage angst of being separated.
(I know, teenage reasoning.... but that's how it was)
Now I am an adult and I am planting my very first rose garden
I can't tell you how excited I am!
They are mere sticks now but come September they should have buds on them and be blooming by October
I can't wait to show you what they look like then so stay tuned!

Renovations

2011-06-28T16:10:00.000+10:00

It's all happening today!
We laid the pathway out from the verandah to the carpark
A garden of pink and white azaleas has been semi-established
A gravel drain has been constructed to direct rainwater away from the verandah
The painter has come and started priming the upstairs woodwork
It is exciting and rewarding to see results!

Still a construction zone but getting there....

4 pink and white azaleas planted and 5 more on order

I am hoping to obtain some heirloom roses from the rose expert at garden club to put in on the other side of the pathway. A hedge of roses will deter anyone from walking across the garden to get to the path.

Roses are a favourite of mine, especially the ones with magnificent scent which the heirlooms have.

The drain in the foreground has to be filled with river stone to be completed.

Check out the poinsettias and snowflake bushes in the background!

Life

2011-06-27T17:28:00.000+10:00

It's been a week since I last blogged
This morning I lay in bed half asleep wondering if I should put the blog to rest
I considered that it would give me more time to enjoy doing other things
Before blogging I drew alot. It was my creative outlet.
As I lay there I considered how my life had changed since I went through the breast cancer challenge
My reaction was considerable and took 18 months to play out
Having come out the other end of this now I wanted to set some new goals for myself
This last year I really pushed myself, to what end?
Has it enhanced my life?
Why did I push myself?
I think it was because I thought I wasn't 'enough'
I was listening to the wrong people
Now I know that I am enough I don't have to prove myself to anyone
I am strong and corrageous, lion hearted even
I am soft and warm and sweet
I am all that and more
I love my life and all its many facets it presents
I determine to find joy and love and laughter more and more for these are the gems of life
And I would like to share these gems with you as we walk through life
You and me always together, never apart
On a never ending journey called Life.

Office Bearers Training

2011-06-19T17:29:00.000+10:00

Today I attended the Office Bearers Training program put on for Toastmasters
Come July 1st I will be Twin Towns Toastmasters 'Sergeant At Arms'
Now that I've done the training I know what is expected of me
I didn't realise it was such a responsible position when I took it on
I'm sure I will do a good job, given time.
That's what's so good about Toastmasters - it's a very supportive environment
I will keep you up to speed with my progress!

Toastmasters Competent Communicator

2011-06-18T13:16:00.000+10:00

On May 6th I achieved a goal I had set out to achieve 11 months earlier - Competent Communicator
Competent Communicator is the completion of 10 speeches
These first 10 speeches are the basis for any speech as follows:

1. The Ice Breaker - To begin speaking in front of an audience. To discover speaking skills you already have and skills that need some attention

2. Organise Your Speech - To organise your speech. Select an appropriate topic and make the message clear using back up material. Transitioning from one point to the next smoothly. Creating a strong opening and conclusion.

3. Get to the Point - Getting to the point. Pick a specific purpose you want the audience to do after your speech. Reinforce your specific purposes.

4. How to Say It - Select the right words and sentence structure to communicate your ideas clearly, accurately and vividly. Use rhetorical devices to enhance and emphasise ideas.

5. Your Body Speaks - Use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact to express your message and achieve your speech's purpose.

6. Vocal Variety - Use volume, pitch, rate and quality to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. Use pauses to enhance your message.

7. Research Your Topic - Collect information about your topicfrom numerous sources. Carefully support your points and opinions with specific facts, examples and illustrations gathered through research.

8. Get Comfortable with Visual Aids - Select visual aids that are appropriate for your message and the audience. Use visual aids correctly with ease and confidence.

9. Persuade with Power - Persuade listeners to adopt your viewpoint or ideas or to take some action. Appeal to the audience's interests. Use logic and emotion to support your position

10. Inspire Your Audience - Inspire the audience by appealing to noble motives and challenging the audience to achieve a higher level of beliefs or achievement. Appeal to the audience's needs and emotions, using stories, anecdotes and quotes to add drama.

My certificate

Now I'm working to achieve the Competent Leadership manual.

Onwards and upwards!

Paw Paw (Papaya) Tree Falls Over

2011-06-15T13:09:00.001+10:00

There was a crash in the middle of the night
It's quiet here so you can hear all the night noises
I must have been semi-conscious at the time because I heard it when it happened
It woke the peacocks up and they started calling out to each other making panicked noises
First the crash and then the peacocks and then the neighbourhood dogs
So much for quiet country living! (Only joking!)
This morning it was revealed
The crash was made by a top heavy paw paw (papaya) laden with fruit
It finally succumbed to gravity and a shallow root system
I picked up the fruit and put them into boxes. I'm not sure if they will ripen or not
The tree is too heavy for me to remove. It will have to be chainsawed into pieces.
It took out a smaller tree as well
We are lucky that there are lots of small trees to replace this one
It had been on the list of jobs to prune these larger trees so that the fruit is not too high to pick
The ones that haven't fallen over yet will get chopped off asap so that we don't lose anymore trees

The fallen paw paw (papaya) trees

The salvaged fruit. Not sure if it will ripen or not.

Maybe this is the time when I make green paw paw salad?

Tweed Heads and District Garden Club

2011-06-13T14:01:00.000+10:00

This morning I attended the June meeting of the Tweed Heads and District Garden Club
I usually come away with a whole lot of plants to distribute into my garden
This morning I wasn't disappointed
I bought some heliconias, bromeliads and coleus from one of the plant stalls
I also bought some agapanthus and a potted succulent.
One of my gardening club buddies asked if I'd like to come around and pick up her blue ginger cuttings after the meeting. Of course, I said 'yes'. So now I have more blue ginger to put in, which is marvellous!
All I need now is some finer weather to get outside and put them in
I am really looking forward to Spring and Summer when all of the plants get growing and thriving again
Until then I will keep planting and nurturing them knowing that I will be rewarded in time

This mornings offerings. Very exciting!

Lots of variety in colour and texture.

More Before and Afters for my Garden

2011-06-12T14:59:00.001+10:00

A few months ago I attacked the weeds and rubbish at the end of the house
It was cleared and I have been gradually been replanting it
At least it looks half decent now
Dad goes through there on his ride on mower and keeps the lawn neat and tidy
I can't wait until the warmer weather helps the plants grow and flourish. It will be even more beautiful than it is now.

Before

After

Before

Notice the solar panels on top of the shed. This is for our hot water system.

After

The snow peas are just about ready to start climbing the wire up the side of the shed.

The herb garden is thriving in this position!

Succulents and Gazinias

2011-06-11T15:50:00.001+10:00

It has been on my mind to tidy up the driveway entrance to the farm
The only thing I have done to date is put some plants in around the bottom of the poinciana tree
Yesterday I planted a yellow frangipani surrounded by gardenias and geraniums
Today I bought an interesting looking green and yellow striped succulent. I have seen them in other gardens and was impressed with how big they grew. The only reason I hadn't purchased one yet was because I thought they had a spikey end to the leaf. Today I found out they didn't so I bought one.
I also bought some gazinias. Hopefully they will grow down the rock wall. Their flowers are yellow with maroon stripes so that will look pretty.
Hopefully once these plants go in that will be one side of the driveway done.
Next thing will be to work on the other side....
but that's another blog for another day!

Looking down towards the entrance

Poinciana tree on the left with Hippeastrums and Coleus underneath it.

The next one down is the yellow frangipani with gardenias around it.

This may not look like much now but come Spring the flowers will be wonderful!

I still have to mulch this garden.

The succulent and the gazinias ready to go in.

I have to leave a lot of room for the succulent to grow. It will get to 4 or 5 times this size.

House of Gabriel, Tumbulgum, NSW

2011-06-10T15:17:00.002+10:00

Today the BODs went out for lunch at the 'House of Gabriel' in Tumbulgum
Tumbulgum is an Aboriginal word meaning 'the meeting of two rivers'
It was a gorgeous winters day. The sun was shining and it was still.
The food at this restaurant/bistro was fantastic!
We all had something different and it was all good
It is BYO so you can 'Bring Your Own' wine, beer and the corkage is only $2 per person
We sat for 2 and a half hours and enjoyed every minute of it
The view out to the river was lovely
The realaxed outdoor atmosphere of the restaurant was delightful
It is a really nice place to sit and relax with friends for a few hours
Here are some photos to show you what I mean

The view from the pier opposite the restraurant.

A close up

From inside the restaurant looking out

Looking towards the back of the restaurant

http://www.houseofgabriel.com/

Clucky Hen

2011-06-09T18:45:00.000+10:00

This hen wouldn't leave the nest which means she'd gone clucky
We don't have a rooster so there's no chance of her having baby chickens
Yesterday morning I took her off the nest and put her into solitary confinement
She has to go a few days without any nesting material to pull her out of it
Tomorrow she gets released
I will soon be able to tell if she is still clucky or not
If she runs back to sit non stop on the nest again she will still be clucky
She doesn't like being on her own.
She can still see the others but is not in with them
I guess we will just have to see what tomorrow brings....

She was really quite nice and only tried to peck me once when I lifted her up.

Note the fake white egg on the right hand side. This is to encourage them to lay.

Green Tree Frog Rescue

2011-06-07T08:23:00.000+10:00

This morning I woke up before the sun and came down into the office
I didn't turn the light on as I was using the computer and the screen sends out enough light
All of a sudden I heard rustling and to me it sounded like it might be a rodent of some kind
I got up from my chair, saw a big shadow and thought the worst
In the kitchen I set the mouse trap hoping it was a mouse and not a larger variety of fury creature
When I came back into the office I put the trap down and turned the light on
To my surprise there was a green tree frog climbing up the office wall
I laughed! To think I was scared of a green tree frog!
I went out to the laundry to wet my hands (I had heard that before touching frogs you should wet your hands) and came back into the office
The frog was nowhere to be seen
I looked around and eventually found it in an opposite corner
Then it jumped on the waste paper basket and back onto the floor
Gradually I herded it towards the office door and then out onto the verandah where I shut the door behind it
I was so happy that it was a frog and not a fury creature I had to deal with!

He/she was a cute little fella!

Curiosity Killed the ?Peacock?

2011-06-06T09:57:00.000+10:00

No, we haven't had any fatalities in the peacock ranks
There are still 5 of them and they are still VERY inquisitive
On Saturday we pulled out a lot of stuff from upstairs in preparation for the painters
One of the items that came out of a bedroom was a mirror
I placed it on the front verandah and knew what would happen
About half an hour later the peacock family strode over to check things out
They found more peacocks looking at them through the mirror
'How Fascinating!'
They couldn't stop looking at themselves!
2 or 3 of them would sit down in front of it and the others would stare into it from a standing position
Needless to say the mirror couldn't stay on the verandah - too many peacock 'messages' to clean up
Yesterday I moved the mirror out to near the bird bath
They use the bird bath so I knew that they would find it there
This morning when I woke up they were all gathered around it again
One of the females is particularly attracted to it and is sitting beside it now
I just went out and took a photo of her

Gazing into the mirror and finding it fascinating!

Taking comfort in the mirror.

At least it doesn't talk back!

Sunset over the Ranges

2011-06-05T16:21:00.000+10:00

There's something about winter sunsets
They seem to be more vibrant, more crimson than in the summer
Am I imagining it or is it true?
To tell you the truth I'm not sure
I do know that in winter when the sugar cane farmers burn their cane before harvesting it effects the sunsets and sunrises. Small particles of ash in the air make for a greater concentration of colour for some reason.
I remember years ago when there was a volcanic eruption in the Philippines the sunsets were particularly wonderful
Since sugar cane harvesting season hasn't started yet and there have been no recent volcanic eruptions I'm not sure what the reason is for this wonderful crimson sunset
It doesn't matter, I don't really need an explanation
All I need is my eyes to see the wonder and beauty of nature
And a camera to capture it and share it with you.

Banana trees in the foreground.

Somehow the photo just doesn't capture it but it does a pretty good job.

Gardening's Blessings

2011-06-03T16:41:00.001+10:00

One of gardening's blessings is that of seeing results
4 months ago the garden across the driveway looked like this:

Then it looked like this.....

All the grass ripped up and taken out.

Today it looks like this:

Rosemary, chives, siverbeet and parsley are planted in amongst the 'pretties'

Notice the paw paw (papaya) seedlings coming up through the maroon plant.

The birds drop the seeds and they come up all over the place!

I see this garden from my kitchen window. It is a true delight.

All the effort was worth it!

http://whatawonderfulife.blogspot.com/2011/02/new-garden.html

My blog posted Wednesday 2nd of February.