Garden colour

 

I shared here on Monday with you the edible part of our garden so with Autumn unfolding and Winter just around the corner I thought I would share a bit of mid week colour with you.

Does anyone have any ideas on what holds it's colour over the colder months?  I love having potted colour around me and am wanting to do a little more.

Can you believe it is March already?  Easter is just around the corner.  Tell me your plans for the month ahead, go on!  Hope your week has been a good one so far?

Hello new readers!  And thank you as always for stopping by and for your friendly, helpful and encouraging comments....... Elaina xo



 

Happy mail

According to my amazing Swap partner Lisa from Sprouting Creative Wings, that's what you call Swap mail.  And she is right.  Nothing nicer than going to the letter box for some good old fashioned snail mail.

Here are my wonderful goodies from the Send a Little Love Swap.  I was so blown away by everything Lisa had put together, well and truly spoilt.  And the doll - vintage sheet bloomers, dress and sash.  Love her.  Along with the handmade doll where baking ware, a jam recipe book, beautiful scented soap, chocolate, quilt pattern and fabric.

Thank you so very much Lisa, for putting together such a beautiful swap parcel xo

Note to self...........do not open swap parcels when children are around.  As there is always chocolates or sweets of some description and you will no doubt feel obliged to share.

You can click here to see what Lisa received from me.

 

Thank you to Tracy for organising such a great swap.



 

The garden share collective - March

 

My courgettes are growing well, but this has appeared on a few of the leaves, does anyone know what it is?

 

  

 

 

 

 

Roseanna and Betty - room with a view.

I haven't watered much over the last week or so and it shows.  The pump for the bore water has broken so I have been watering with buckets, and it is so time consuming.  But I have a plan to sort it this week and I still have my fingers crossed for some rain to come.  Looking forward to spending more time in the garden these coming weeks.  Our busy February has finished and last week I found out that George has a place at the kindy we have had our names down for.  The waitlist was huge so I was just going to keep him home with me till a spot came up.  I will now have three free mornings a week........can you imagine??!!

 

Growing in the garden I have:

Courgettes
Tomatoes
Capsicum
Celery
Carrots
Silverbeet
Lettuce - nearing the end.  Not sure if I'm going to replant.
Strawberries

The sun and white butterflies have not been kind to the following which are only just hanging in there:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Pumpkin
Watermelon
Rockmelon

Herbs - basil, parsley, flat leaf parsley and a rosemary hedge.  I need to re-plant the coriander as it has been dug up by a toy truck and squashed.

Fruit trees - Peaches.  Golden Queen and a white flesh variety.  Both are beautifully fragrant.

Expecting to harvest/sow:

Lettuce is nearing the end.
Tiny tomatoes are starting to show.
Plenty of strawberries.
Peaches
Capsicum

To do list:

Monthly weed and soil turning.
Large vegetable garden - currently empty but composting under layers of lawn clippings.  This needs to all be turned over.  I'm planning a garden path through the middle and a good layer of garden mulch put through in readiness to plant in the winter vegetables - This was on my February to do list, but it has been such a busy month I have only kept up with occasional watering and some weeding.

Joining in with Lizzie from Strayed from the table.

"The Garden Share Collective is a group of bloggers who share their vegetable patches, container gardens and the herbs they grow on their window sills. Creating a monthly community to navigate through any garden troubles and to rival in the success of a good harvest we will nurture any beginner gardener to flourish. Each month we set ourselves a few tasks to complete by the next month, this gives us a little push to getting closer to picking and harvesting. The long-term goal of the Garden Share Collective is to get more and more people gardening and growing clean food organically and sustainably."



 

Nine/52

 

"A portrait of my children together, once a week, every week, in 2014."

 

 First day of Autumn, Fish n Chips at the beach for dinner and a run around.  The sea breeze was cool, warm clothes were required.  The day before was 29 degrees!  It was such a beautiful evening.  We must do more of this before the cold weather really sets in.

Bell
Tom

George
 

Joining in with Jodi's "52 project".



 

Today

 

 

A birthday today, my birthday.  36 years old.  Slowly creeping towards another significant number.  I'm in no hurry though.  I'm enjoying my thirties.

 

I've been spoilt, lots of lovely surprises (and chocolate galore).  I'm going to try and string it (cheeky) out for a bit longer, a birthday weekend of sorts.

 

Presents opened - mainly by Tom - he loves a birthday, even if it's not his.  Coffee, sweets and savouries at a favourite café with a good friend and my little sidekick George.  Homemade card from Bell and a big bunch of flowers delivered to me by Mr H.  Swimming and hot dogs for tea, followed by a movie, popcorn and sweets.  And I'm having a bubbles or two.

 

It's been an easy day, a really good day.

 

Happy weekending everyone!

 

 

 

 

Sew sweet swap

Thank you to Cat from Catalina's cottage for organising such a great swap!

This the second swap I have joined in with.  Sew Sweet Swap.  A zippered pouch (or similar) with filled with yummy treats to be packaged up and sent to your swap partner.   I had a sewing lesson with Fiona last month on how to make one, so I had a good start but jeez, the zipper was a bit tricky.  Not to mention my swap partner was Cat herself, who has a Black Belt in crafting.........no pressure then?!

But like Cat said, it is all fun, and a great way to get sewing.  I made a quilted pouch (with dodgy zipper) and filled it with chocolates.  I also added more chocolate (to make up for the zip), material, ribbon, washi tape and a scented heart soap.  I love putting together the extras for these swaps.

My package was such a nice surprise.  A very sweet pouch filled with sweets and chocolates (eaten before I photographed them) material, Chai Latte syrup, yum and the most beautiful crocheted daisy chain.  You can't tell from these photos but part of the zippered pouch has been made with a vintage napkin.

I LOVE a good Chai Latte, now I can make my own.

Prettiest daisy chain I have ever seen..........

Thank you Cat for putting together such a beautiful swap parcel. xo

Happy week to you, I'm off to sort out my zipper technique.............

 

 

 

 

Eight/52

"A portrait of my children together, once a week, every week, in 2014."

 

 Sitting in the shade after dinner, it has been so very hot.  I am also beginning to realise that photographing them altogether is a lot harder than I thought it would be.  I had some great shots for this week, but a certain someone is picking their nose in most of them!

Bell
Tom

George
 

Joining in with Jodi's "52 project".