Rain Means Change of Activities.

We got rained off at about 3 pm on Friday. Light showers on Saturday with a fine afternoon. Yesterday and last night we got heavier rain so now have add 2 inches....it was much needed. I think there will be more; judging by the clouds.( and the forecast )
 That meant lots of other things got done. Saturday might be one of the longest busiest I remember in a long while. Heavy rain woke me at first light so I got up and started in the kitchen. I made bread and Christmas cake. While they cooked I sewed more selvages to my blocks. In the photos the brown one in complete the other 3 red, yellow and orange are in progress. where I will find enough to complete the orange one I'm not sure. I just don't seem to have much orange fabric. In the afternoon it fines up so we got some careful spraying done around the driveway and steep gardens. That will save me so much time.I was totally exhausted but had that wow what a lot I got done feeling. So yesterday was much more leisurely.
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Do you remember a week ago I showed an egg raft I found in the vege patch? They turned orange 2 days ago. This morning I opened the jar and looked with my 10 times lens. They were hatching. Using google images yet again I am sure they are NOT psyllid eggs. I think they are green vegetable bugs ( stink bugs )They have a shield shaped back and stripes.

This doesn't show it but they are alive and wriggling about. They will die as pests when I am finished observing. So so glad they were not psyllids....but I will still keep watching and inspecting( the psyllid eggs hang on a little string like a cherry or Christmas bauble, but are oval shaped. )
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Charles Austin, rose. ( it is often more apricot coloured, the camera is lying )
 I found the book I thought I had and am currently rereading it. It is a very small NZ publication  I got from Touchwood Books many years ago. It is called, "Gentlemen in my Garden," by  Fay Clayton.( ETY publications )I discovered I have a huge number of the mentioned plants in my garden. She tells the origin and meaning of many, many plants names.
 I did my own little study using my planting record book ( kept for the last 33 years of plants in this garden/ property. )I wanted to see how many plants had peoples' names.
 I have roses called Charles Austin,( David Austin named many of his roses after family members. ) Meg, Penelope, Graham Thomas, Sally Holmes and Cecile Brunner. I have a hosta called Thomas Hogg and Burtonii freesias. A Viburnum called Eve Price and a walnut  called Wilson's Wonder. Rhododendrons who are called Virginia Richards and Percy Wiseman and Princess Alice ( I remember her ). Then there is the guem ( how do you pronounce that? ) called Mrs. Bradshaw - she has a lovely red flowers at the moment. Her friend Lady Strathmore didn't do well and died out so no yellow guems.
              Of course there are in my garden many other ladies. The only Hyacinth I know was on TV but I do grow and know ladies called Erica; Rosemary; Rose; Violet ( Hi V ! ); Pansy; Iris; Poppy( I know a wee baby called that ) Holly; Veronica and lily. I expect I have missed some. Oh, yes Heather my own middle name. Do tell me if you think of some more. I note that it is okay to name females after flowers and plants but generally not males. Mr. Bean being about the only exception I can think of. Some trees are also surnames.   Please tell me of any you can think of.
Have a great ( busy I expect ) week.