I have only sat and stitched about twice this month which means little progress has been made.
The orchard has been needing lots of work - thinning the kiwifruit. It is hot and humid but at least in the shade. We have a big problem with Passion vine hoppers which is going to spoil and reject lots of kiwifruit especially around the edges of the blocks. They love the heat. We are not allowed to spray with anything that really kills them. We are trialling some new products next week which we hope will halt their progress and further generations of them.
We have been flat out trying to keep up with processing all the vegetables that are ready.
This morning I made courgette soup which tasted quite good. I froze most of it. ( some days there have been 10 ready at once )
I have been cooking beetroot. The sweet corn is all finished now but was tasty while it was young and fresh.
I steamed this first Kamo kamo and put butter on it. Someone a while ago said they didn't know what one was so here is a pic to show the size next to my secateurs. Its a member of the pumpkin family.
I found this little preying mantis. It had changed colour which is unusual. Ours are just green normally.
The gladioli we planted ( late ) are growing. 24 out of 30 so far.
The fruit on the 2 new passionfruit are starting to ripen so that should be yummy.
I have also been cleaning our cupboards and finishing or throwing stuff away. Making room which is good. Even in the food cupboards. I need to do my sewing cupboard next! My quilting mojo might be hiding in there. It's certainly missing.
Most days I fit in some weeding of the flower garden, when its cool. The places in the shade are weeded most frequently.
There is nothing like eating freshly picked and cooked sweet corn, so lovely, especially with a pat of butter. The mantis might be a South African one, my mother told me that they were taking over from the native NZ mantis, or perhaps they are interbreeding with them hence the colour changes.
ReplyDeleteYes pip , they might be. We have egg cases for both NZ and SA ones stuck on our outside walls and window sills. The NZ one's case is brown and the SA case is white and bigger. Yesterday I found a similar size one ( maybe half grown ) to the one in my photo inside the house - it was green all over.
ReplyDeleteThey do eat aphids, white fly etc. so I try and return them to the garden.
Your garden certainly is keeping you busy. Thanks for showing a Kamo kamo.
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