Rain Has been Forecast......

We need rain. The sky has clouded over, the air become chill.... I  hope it starts gently and gives us our fill.
Some plants are just beginning their producing lives so I hope they don't get trashed.

 Like these first Iceland Poppies. ( Poppy Wonderland Mix - Kericell Nursery )

 And this first Abraham Darby  - English Rose. ( Matthew's Nursery ) ( Auscot ) 

 I picked it just in case the weight of it broke the branch. It has 10 more buds getting ready . Smells good already.

 While outside I picked these for the beginning of a salad for tonight's dinner. These were all planted by me since we moved here so I am chuffed with that result.

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 This morning we went into the city as I wanted a second opinion on 2 paintings I saw yesterday. The exhibition was on just across the road from our Patchwork and Quilting building in Tauranga.

 R liked both my selections so 2 new art works came home with us. There are still at least 2 other hooks awaiting art in the future.

 After that we went to The Lion's Used Book Sale at the racecourse.

 I got 11 books and 3 for Grandson. R got 14 books.

 A good morning's  work; well leisure actually.

Improving the View.

 Yesterday this happened.

 We parked our vehicles up the driveway.( the truck is on the left behind the tree. ) (one there is Merv's not ours)  so the driveway was clear down in front of the house for the tree removal truck and chipper to get around the back. Luckily it just squeezed around the corner to the back lawn(s).

 Extended Family members own the Arbor Barber Business and were removing a China Doll tree which was obscuring our estuary views and bullying a small peach tree beside it.

 They worked really carefully and did no damage. It wasn't too noisy either. (Not like we were used to when felling gum trees on the orchard ) 

 This is a before View.

Its the big tree on the left that's to be removed.

 After looks like this .

That's Zac up the tree ( not a family member ). Hes a very slight chap and ideal for this type of work.

 The tree gets smaller.

 It didn't do this I assure you. Please turn your head to view.

 He then cut the last trunk sliding down and re gripping till it is just a stump.

 That is probably the first of quite a few trees we will remove to give fruit trees priority.

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 The first flower on my Graham Thomas rose is out. Lovely. The new pink one is only a day or 2 behind and it is going to have lots.

Things I've Planted Now Producing.

 We moved here on the 4th July. I planted these climbing snow peas shortly after that and am now picking the first pods. The garden had good soil here and compost bins full. I am putting in more every now and then.( they are the sort you can eat shell and all. )

 
 The broad beans have tiny beans forming ; they will take a week longer, the first flowers being slow to pollinate .I've seen one bumble bee and many ordinary bees but they like the lavender and cherry blossoms best.

I removed the unsightly frame from around one bed . R had made a very smart strong bird protection frame for my strawberries. All 4 plots here are the same size so it is movable when I want to put strawbs elsewhere another year.

The lids come up in 2 halves - nice and light.

 Grandson will be very pleased. He loves picking and eating strawberries. To have ones own strawberries after the recent sabotage of punnets for sale will be reassuring.

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This pure wool 4ply scrap blanket is now finished. the weight on the needles was getting heavy so a good time to stop.

 We have seen 2 more adult rabbits yesterday and one today. R can only get a shot at them if there is no neighbour's  house behind. Meanwhile I am covering every little plants I plant out. 

 On my next post I will show how I am getting on with newest Grandson's Felt embroidered ball.

Getting the Feel of this Place.

I think the reason it has taken me ages to get to feel as though I belong here is someone else had done all the work. Gradually I can look around and think I did that or changed that or planted that, so maybe I'm / we are taking possession. The weather has warmed up beautifully, that makes me happy. My health has returned to normal along with my energy levels. Yesterday we were out with friends for lunch for R's Birthday and they had the dreaded bug we struggled with for the last few months and they too were feeling awful.( altho on the mend now )

 Here is a photo of ( dead )  rabbit # 6 who was being a digging pest in our garden, especially where there was newly worked soil. I already had wire netting cloches but not enough, so today got some more.  Cover and protect is a necessity.

At the weekend elder Grandson almost 3 and I made and sailed little boats made from saved walnut half shells.We launched them from the jetty and the side of the estuary. Most soon became water logged but we had a happy hour and a half mucking about with boats and sticks and other stuff.

 That photo is on it's side ↺

 ( does anyone know a way to rotate photos once in Blogger? )

 Theses are sideways too. I change them and they don't stay when I up load them here!

 Unique rhododendron coming into flower - there seem to be about 8 all the same one.

 Clivias orange and lemon are doing well. 3 tiny pink and white azaleas next to them don't seem to clash. This shade area is the best part of the garden. The previous owner wasn't into flowers.

 We are glad to say one tatty half dead box hedge has been removed. 18 agapanthus overhanging one grape vine have also gone. It's a start of the many changes and improvements we wish to make with the garden, Inside the house lights have been changed and the sound system finally got going in the lounge.

 R went and bought a hedge trimmer as there are many, mostly photinia red robin, hedges to keep cut.

At the moment they are bright red with Spring growth.

 Sewing = 0

 Knitting = a blanket using left over wool is  almost complete.

 I am on the way with newest Grandson's felt embroidered ball too.

 The table I hope to use for sewing finally arrived last week. So maybe my quilting mojo will return sometime soon.