Property Improvements.

Using the truck ( to get the rocks ) and the Hustler with trailer to transport them down to the jetty area this job is finally done.

 The rocks to stop any further erosion have  taken R quite a lot of time to fill right along. This is our waterfront to the estuary at the bottom of our garden property. The rope fence is the boundary on one side. I took the photo standing on the jetty. On the other side of the jetty it is sloping grass that doesn't seem to get eroded and is good for launching the kayak.

Down in this same area we put the bigger garden rubbish into a pile for a bonfire.

 With fire permit of course, this morning R lit the fire. It burnt away quickly as the palm fronds I had added were quite dry.

Behind the fire the other project to drain a very wet area is taking place.

 In the garden at the moment the Queen Protea is coming into flower. It has numerous buds.

 Down amongst the fruit trees this hibiscus had been cut down by the previous owners. I let it grow up again and am pleased with its colour and look.

 Lots of gardening jobs including boring things like edges and hedges have been dealt with. Lots of weeds are springing up after the rain, so there is plenty for me to do.

 No sewing and only a little knitting has been done.

 ( next rainy day ) .

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.

Is Spring Here?

Maybe it is Spring...we have sun this morning but it's very, very cold out still. We have had rain for some or all of the last 16 days. Windy too. We really need some warmth now - so do our kiwifruit vines.
The garden has been trashed day after day but still some things flower.

 These were all standing up but not any more - they still keep flowering.

 The New Zealand Rata is just out.

The purple sparaxis are looking good. The part of the lawn ( to the right )I resowed is still greener than the rest but it looks okay now.

 This is e first of my Hostas to pop up...better get some slug bait there.

 Spanish bluebells ( and mauve bells ) are opening daily and actually look brighter than they do here.

 My seedling wild flowers are surviving. I have recovered them.( I haven't needed to water them )

 This flower got finished during some of the rainy time. The next one is partly done...the end is not too far away now.

 Yesterday we went to the movies to see "The Lunchbox," which we enjoyed but I didn't like the uncertainness of the ending...it could have been one of several ways and I will never be quite sure. Worth seeing tho. It  starred  Nimrat Kaur ( Life of Pi  ) and the lovely Irrfan Khan.

Bright Spots in the Garden.

Gentle drizzle is falling over BOP this morning. It is 28 days since we had any significant rain so it is much appreciated. It is forecast to get a lot heavier later. Knowing  it was coming I have been out yesterday wandering with the camera, looking for colourful delights and wondering what season it really is...late roses mixed with daffodils ....certainly some very mild days for Winter just lately. Come with me for a look around.

 Penelope rose, is it late or early?

 This certainly says early Springtime..what a depth of yellow.

Orchids happily flower outside.

 Pretty pink Polyanthus nestle in beside the grey of a Curry plant( a bit of weeding needed there )

 Newish lemon ones mixed in with older ones.

 Stelatta magnolia is getting lots more sun since the big trees were felled.

 Stelatta is ahead of Charles Raffles magnolia but he is big and showy and far too high up to photograph easily.

Itty Bit camellia always puts on a fine show of smaller pink flowers - a very compact camellia for near the house.

A pink geranium with a Narcissus cheerfulness ( or Winter Cheer ) - oh the perfume!

 Some of the delights are edible.

 Lots of meyer lemons and limes are ready and being used and given away.

 Not this though. This was so yummy....

 The large one was eaten last night, the other is getting bigger. Grown in a blue sided raised tub the soil is kept warmer than the garden soil. The ones in the garden have done all right too......just take a little longer.

The kiwifruit vines are now all pruned and tied down. The prunings have been mulched with the big mower and all the blocks ( this is 2B )  look neat and tidy.

 When I went for a walk the other day I notice that the pine tress in the area are all covered in flowers. That fills the air, clings to the car, along with lots of bee poo ( so needs a thorough clean ) and makes some folk sneeze. A lot floats over from Matakana island's pine plantation  as well.

 Ah, the rain is getting heavier. I have lot of garden jobs ( planting ) to do when the rain has moistened the soil. Meanwhile I will sew. Both projects are progressing satisfactorily.

 Have a happy weekend friends. 

Flowers.

The destructive winds have gone and the sun is out. Yesterday was really warm. Everywhere I turn in my garden I see plants flowering. Weeds of course are flourishing too, but I will get to them soon. I do so love flowers and being able to go into the garden and pick a vase full of bright delights makes me very happy. Here I have picked irises ( 2 types...your favourites Sooziii ) little roses, watsonia; renga renga lilies and Azalea mollis.
 Lots of veges ready too. More lettuce and broccoli than we can eat. It is lots of work but the rewards outweigh that.
Have a great weekend everyone.

Quilt Ready to Show.

The calendar tells me we have been home in NZ for  a month - it now seems much longer. What have I been doing?

I sewed the binding on this quilt ( black on black - what was I thinking! ) and made a label to match. It may be the only thing I have ready to show at our annual exhibition in 3 weeks time. All the other quilts I made in the last 12 months have been given away. Maybe I have some small items for the sales table.

Aren't blue and yellow wonderful together.......these are 4 lemons from my small new bush in the flower garden...unblemished , but the tree needs them off to grow well. I made 4 lovely jars of lemon honey ( curd or cheese. ). The secret to that is using sharp tasting tart lemons ( meyer ) and putting in lots of fine zest. Yum!

I've been gardening . Weeding ( lots ) planting and sowing seed. A little new wobbly row of radish.

Some Spring colour - wow I have yellow freesias seeded everywhere.

The mizuna plants will go to seed and should be pulled out or I will have them everywhere, BUT the bees are so enjoying it.20 on one plant. Unfortunately that is close to the clothes line so the bees have you know what all over the washing...especially the pale blue sheets. So anything white ( shirts or tops ) are being hung inside or put out over night. BEE PEE is not a ligitamite embellishment or accessory.
This area behind has been cleared for a new deck that hasn't happened yet. ( the birds are using it as their #1 dust bath area.)

 I treated myself to a copy of the September NZ gardener magazine and it has some new and interesting plants to try. I saw it had an article "Slime Fighters, " Isabelle, but it doesn't really come up with anything new for trapping/ Killing slugs and snails - beer, coffee grounds; sharp shell; diatomaceous earth. The most likely are hedgehogs or birds - as I thought.Or go out at night with a torch and squash them!

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 This isn't in my garden wish it was. It is just a simple idea but looked so good...I wonder if I could find one of those for old pumps for our garden? ( taken as you can read outside  Piskey Cove which is in Pentewan,... in Cornwall. )