BOP Autumn Weather.

During the day BOP Autumn weather continues to be warm. Night temps have dropped but we  expect that in May. 

 Chrysanthemums are Autumn flowers. I picked these for a vase on the kitchen bench. I like their smell and they keep so well picked. They came from a plant, now in the garden I call Cherry #2, which I have just re weeded. The Chrysanthemum was originally a potted plant but has transferred to life in the garden very happily.

I have planted some white mini cyclamen here as it is mostly a shaded garden and white flowers show up best.

 Yesterday I re weeded the asparagus bed and the blueberries and applied a full bag of seaweed and manuka mulch. I hope both crops will thrive behind their netted cages.

 In the old poly house which I also weeded I am still picking some tomatoes and I salvaged some small aubergine when I pulled out the deteriorating plant.

 This pathetic offering made a delicious savoury bake for dinner.

I cooked some pasta then  R  sliced and baked the little aubergines. In an oiled  baking dish I layer slices of eggplant; tomatoes; pasta; grated  cheese and  yeast flakes and poured over tomato puree ( from the freezer ) and sauce and sprinkled oregano and lastly chopped bacon (as R likes that ). It was surprisingly tasty.

 To not waste the produce we have R has been dehydrating apples.

These are Splendour apples and now he is working on Granny Smith which are less sweet but also a yummy snack. Everyone, young and old who has tried the dried apples loves them. They are a way of keeping fruit without any added sugar and they transport well in lunch boxes, even pockets. 

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 When not in the garden I have done about half of a knitted navy vest for elder Grandson and I am making covered padded coat hangers for the sales table at our Exhibition in September.

 ( This shows it partly done ) 

 At P and Q we have all been encouraged to start making items for sale NOW as time has a way of disappearing fast. These hangers which are kind to shoulders of clothes especially knitteds require some machine stitching and some hand finishing.( I have plenty of batting and fabric scraps )  As I was winging it to some extent I have refined my pattern to waste less fabric and have written myself notes on" how to,"  for another time. I am also beginning some felt needle cases. 

Hanging on the double doors is my wall hanging .......I need to finish that too. It  has to happen before September.

 Maybe I'll stay in and sew more when the weather gets colder.

 At the weekend my neighbour took me around another walking track nearby we are allowed to use. That will give me more variety when I walk. 

( We have been here 10 months now and I didn't get to hear about this till now! )

Hot January Weather.

This week things are quiet again at our place. The Grandsons and their parents had to return to the big smoke ( for work ) at the weekend. After days of much washing, ironing ,and cleaning today I have done jobs off my, " To do, " list like weeding under the hedge at the top of a retaining wall while clinging by my toes above a 4 foot drop; removing the decorations from the Christmas tree then taking  it down.  Weeding and watering and planting some new purchases.
 Most of the plants were for the front entrance at the end of a quite long driveway.

 These few cornflowers I planted from seed direct some months ago. On each side of the drive where it turn out to the road is a quite large magnolia tree. That makes under planting quite tricky because of the many surface roots.

I put in 2 Hostas and a Vireya Rhododendron called Just Peachy. Behind them is a patch of seedling Asters I grew from seed myself in a tray. ( just by the sensor for the lights ) 

 On the opposite side of the drive the garden is a bit smaller ( as yet ) but there I put 2 red Vireyas and a hosta. It will sort of match but not precisely. The magnolias constantly drop leaves on everything below.

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 Things I planted earlier, in the small side garden where I dug out the box hedge, are now rewarding with colour and pickable roses.

 I have also weeded  under the 2 cherries I have circular garden around.

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 The Billington Early plum tree s laden...plums being given away. Loads still to pick.

 Maybe I better make some plum sauce. ( they are red fleshed and sweet ) 

 Both sorts of beans ( my scarlet runners and R's small green ones ) are producing profusely.

 The tomatoes now cropping well and the sweet corn about a week away from ready.

 Finally to prove I did finish smaller Grandson's felt embroidered Ball for him.

Gardening.

This morning we had a frost. We don't get many but the low temp is good for killing off bugs. While we have been enjoying some fine Winter days I have been gardening every afternoon. I looked around the garden to see what plants were already providing some colour and polyanthus was one things already doing that.

 In other areas I have red ones being a bit slow and another area has lemon/ yellow ones.

 The sun is too bright in this photo to show the colours up, but that's tidied that area.

Yesterday I spent all afternoon trying to fix a sloping bank that has partly collapsed onto the shell path. Birds make dust baths in the soil and the rain washes it down. I am probably the only person who will notice the difference. It involved a lot of digging and shovelling.as well as some new plantings - 2 white azaleas  and some poppies.

 Other areas of the garden that have Winter flowers are the Ifafa lilies that I have been growing here since 1980. A lady gave me a few bulbs back then and as they are happy I now have several clumps.

 I spotted this now uninhabited paper wasp nest in the Itty Bit camellia bush, when I was taking photos.

This morning while I was eating my breakfast 4 large native pigeons - Kereru sat puffed up and jumped about in the Copper beech tree. One then drank from the bird bath but was frightened off by a Tui who wanted a bath - he was showing off cause the water must have been near freezing.

 My photos didn't come out well as it wasn't light enough and I was too far away.

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 Felt ball # 25 is well under way. It is for Belinda's first baby girl, due any day now so I have been hurrying.

 The 12 pentagons in 2 halves that make up one ball outer.

 The 2 halves with a pin holding them where I need to join them. It is important to sew the right seams together .

 Elizabeth, Yes I do have a pattern and set of instructions with pictures that I have given to interested people. Only one ever sent photos back and she had made a very poor effort of it. It is best to be shown I think. Patience is a major requirement too.

 Last night I made 2 more motifs ready to put on so progress is good.

 I have also started the next baby quilt - no photos yet.

Garden Pleasure.

We had 23 mls of rain over night. Thank you.

 Charles Austin ( my favourite if I have to pick one ) rose is flowering. Of the many roses I have if it had to be just one, this would be it. It has lovely buds, good full out blooms and full rich rose perfume.It is  sturdy & and easy to grow. ( I must do a count up out of curiosity to see how many roses I am growing .)

 This deciduous Azalea is making a big splash of colour in the front border. It's smell nearly knocks one sideways .

Also in the orange, yellow lime spectrum is this end of the border.

 Further along the lupins planted last year are now doing well , here in front of Sally Holmes rose.

 Unfortunately Sally has a problem. Luckily it is a large hardy rose so it only makes her look unsightly.

 Bronze beetles are eating her and a few other things. They are cunning little blighters and drop to the ground when disturbed. I have to have one hand underneath to catch them then squash them...but I never get them all and each season they re emerge from the soil below and start chewing again.

 Look closely to see one crawling along on the right hand petal. I cannot spray or use insecticide on them as there are too many bees around and bees are our essential friends in the garden and the orchard.

In my small triangular vege patch down from the house my peas and beans are doing well.

 We have been working hard in the orchard, the first few flowers are out so bee hives in shortly. I am now helping with zero pruning as my flower thinning is completed. There is plenty to do and this just stops tendrils from tangling and climbing ( which makes next winters pruning difficult ) and wastes the plants resources.

 Yesterday Bay Drilling came and put in a new deep hole for us . The old one was almost full and we want somewhere deep to dispose of the leaves and canes with signs of psa.( We are still finding odd canes or leaves with early signs )

Last night I sat up late and sewed blocks for the quilts for "Sandy, " suffers. ( see Bumble Beans site ).

 I have also made 2/3 of a wee Ella bag, I'll show it when it's finished. It has been put together in 10 minutes snatched sewing times.

 This morning I have made the first stage of my Christmas cakes.( I make a double mixture and divide it between tins and loaf tins ) Why so early?  My recipe has fresh orange zest and juice in it and our lovely oranges are nearly all gone; so now was best.

Clear Blue.

We have had a week of amazing fine weather. Every day the sky has been this colour.These are tall gum trees growing behind the house.

 Today there are some white fluffies in that clear blue, but still a brilliant run of weather.

 This has meant lots of work, work, work. Yesterday I said, "No kiwifruit, I am spending all day doing garden things."

This included a trip to the garden centre, for a few punnets , some mustard seed, 2 new cyclamen and some more moth traps. (I want to protect the walnuts from moths when they are stored in the shed.) Last year's cyclamen is getting buds too I see. We are still picking lots of beans which I never tire of. Courgettes too.

 I worked really hard weeding and planting. Today I helped R take the tomato frames away to store for next year. He dug all the rest of the potatoes yesterday and is going to plant some mustard seed soon to try and cleanse the soil. All this outdoor progress has meant little sewing time, but I have cut out some flower shapes which I am trialling on a panel down each side of the quilt I am working on.

 The colour is right. I will make more and move them around. Do I want them free standing or attached to a plant? I quite like them just scattered . I'll play with it.

* Walnut tally = 537.

Verdant View.

I had just finished making the bed when I looked out the bedroom window and realised just how green everything was looking.

 This is the view I can currently see from there.The Viburnum tree on the left was bare then covered in white flowers just a few weeks ago. The lawn is very green and now the big oak has young leaves  of that almost chartreuse colour . ( it has tasseled flowers that are yellowy bronze but the green is now more dominant ) Beyond that are the Kiwifruit vines in block 2b and they too are now green.

 Of course there are lots of colourful patches of  flowers in the garden but I think all that green is having an influence on me. I need to stand and stare at the very blue sky for a while to get some relief. I come in here to my blog and green all around it. I like green but it's not my favourite colour; just the colour of growth and new leaves and the bush. Am I Irish. No. ( that too was a very greeen lovely place. ) NZ is very green! That photo above is looking due North and the morning light from the East shines through all the leaves lighting them up, so it is less bright later in the day.

Probably that is why I like to grow bright flowers. This is just outside the office window and the rain we have been having every night ( and some days ) lately has made all the alstromeria and the kangaroo paw flower well.( I always mistakenly thought the kangaroo paw would like it dry because of it's Australian source - but not so. )

 2 things I am excited about. Growing so much lovely broccoli, that must be picked right now before it is too mature. I planted it out shortly after we got back from our holiday in August, so that is how long it took to be ready.

Ooops sorry - more green.

The 2nd thing I am pleased about is the campanulas plants I put in last year are about to flower.I know they are a northern hemisphere temperate plant but not many thing make you wait more than a year to reward . I can't remember now if they are the cup and saucer variety, but this one looks to have pink buds.
 Well I am off now into my green world to do some work. Tomorrow I am up very early as we ( the girls and I from patchwork group )are off on our annual bus trip to Northshore Stadium in Auckland to Calico Christmas.
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* I just tried a  purple surround. It was more difficult to read. Eyes vary and some backgrounds make it hard to see, so  maybe I will  just  stick  to white and green 

Not the Bee's Knees but the Bee's Bottom.

Fine weather has meant 3 straight days with both of us working at garden and properrty maintenance. R has cleaned all the cobblestone and concrete path areas. I have mowed lawns, weeded, dead headed and collected leaves. My camera has been out taking garden photos.

I cleaned the birdbath so now I can see reflections in it. Hope the birds still like it. The tuis are the best customers.

I don't think this kingfisher was about to have a bath - he likes the creeks or larger areas of water where  edible things to catch live.

As I was planting these anemone corms, I discovered the cosmos from last Summer have left seedling everywhere I dead headed them; so good I get lots of free plants.
 I was also really surprised when down at my little extra piece of garden laying on compost that the old green bean plants still had some usable beans. So did R's row in the main garden, so we had a final serving of beans with our roast last night. I also dug some Heather potatoes from down the paddock. We must get them all out of the ground shortly. Yum, scrapable spuddies still.( not much mint left to put with them. )

The yellow Pokers flower first and now the red hot ones are out too.

See how blue the sky has been . The Luculia flowers look amazing against that backdrop.( The bees are busy  - see in the flower on the right ) They are also loving the single camellia flowers, which are beautiful at the moment. I am picking them for the house.
 This afternoon we both have appointments at the optometrist. I need stronger glasses . I have been making typos and can't read maps easily and I need to be able to. It is 2 years since I was last tested so maybe my eyes have deteriorated.