Hope you like your greens...

A few more garden shots

Lemon tree from Ally surrounded by herb garden.
Some pots and some seeds in punnets.
The random rebel pumpkin who escaped from the compost and decided to grow all by him/herself.

Garden update

These pictures were taken by Aaron the other day. Don't worry I have mulched since then but haven't taken anymore photos. The frog bog has also progressed but I haven't got pictures to add to that blog either. Stand by as will get on to that asap.

Every silver lining has a cloud...

The back garden is going crazy. Tonight I took great pleasure in picking basil, spinach and lettuce for dinner. The tomatoes are going great guns - a fact which seems to just fascinate Sarah, and overall it is becoming very productive. We are very lucky to have soil which is incredibly easy to dig. The soft soil just seems to go on and on and on and on with no trace of the clay which allegedly lies beneath. I have of course been digging in lots of compost and manure and relying on our trusty seasol to get everything going. The only problem is the weeds. They are so opportunistic and with the great top soil they have no trouble poking through and taking hold. I seem to be constantly chasing them down - I need time off from all other duties so I can tackle them head on - but I'll just have to persevere and of course Mulch Mulch Mulch.
With the drought there is still a shocking lack of water and I finished off the last of my stored water yesterday. Luckily it has finally started raining and hopefully it will continue throughout the night.
The wind is my other enemy, it snapped off two squash plants the other day- but I've reinforced the others.
Over the weekend I planted the lemon tree Ally gave me for my birthday. Last night I planted some coriander in the herb garden and some lavender between the squash, zucchini and pumpkin to encourage bees to pollinate them for me.
Hopefully we'll get round to taking some pictures this weekend.
Indoors I have two new pots with Japonicas in. It really gives a whole new feeling to the place.

Cheers

I had a birthday

Yet another birthday has gone by. Not a bad one at that.
I got to go nursery shopping on the Saturday- the frogbog just got a lot closer.
We also went to the Ivy for dinner with a few friends. I had drink and cake on the Friday night at work - even the kids got in on it with a cute message on the white board and heaps of wishes on MySpace.
On Sunday - the actual day - I was thrilled to find flowers on the zuccinnis, tomatoes on the tomatoes and carrots looking close to picking. I've even got a capsicum happening.
I had breakfast with mum, she gave me a Balance Hanging with positive Chinese messages. I collected Dee as well so she could come up to see her mum. We stopped at a few places along the way, saw Ally, did the mandatory exchange of plants. Went home via everywhere imaginable - ending with chips in Camberwell.
I also received champagne and flowers from my gorgeous neighbours and on Monday morning there were roses on my desk from a secret admirer (who revealed his identity by lunch time - Aaron didn't feel at all threatened!!!!)
I really should take some garden photos so I can post them but oh well- another day.

Nothing to see here...move on

Really, there's nothing to report on the home front. No new plants, no new pieces of furniture, no new landscaping or finishing of the deck in the alfresco, no new fruit trees, no new work on the frog bog, no nothing!!!!
Unfortunately there aren't likely to be any additions any time soon. With Aaron still off work plus the cost of his specialist bills and medication and now Sarah having medical complications and also having to see specialists and try all sorts of exotic (read expensive) medications, there is literally nothing in the coffers to go towards the house. My secret stash has of course been eaten up with things like school camp, last of the drama fees and medical bills and then of course just general house-hold expenses. I can't really go around buying things for me (garden) when we can't really pay the bills.
So probably the next addition to my front garden will be a large real estate sign and moving van in the drive. May have a giant garage sale as I think we'll need the room when we're renting a tiny bedsit in downtown Broadmeadows.
In other exciting news we had our first huntsman spider of the season. Not impressed considering there are no trees anywhere near us. My theory is it may have jumped on my car when I was under a tree at work and then moved onto the house. My other theory is that it may have been living in our garage undisturbed since we moved from Olinda (we had a couple when we first moved in almost a year ago that I know came from the hills) and as I'd moved the light in the garage to see properly when we were replacing my headlamp it may have decided to come out and explore. It was a bit of a lucky find. We were on our way out and I happened to notice a dark patch on our otherwise perfectly rendered portico. I said to Aaron (it was hard to see in the dark and it was just above the throw of my headlights) "Is that a spider or a dark patch on the render?" I felt a little silly as I have a brain that likes to imagine spiders that aren't there. It turned out it was a somewhat large arachnid so I pummeled it with bug spray and finished the poor thing off with a broom. I felt guilty as Bhudda preaches respect of all living creatures, however, I just can't stomach spiders and Aaron is even worse so it needed to go before it found its way inside. I just hope it comes back as something nicer and my karmic cycle doesn't bring me back as a spider for my crimes against our eight legged friends!
On the brighter side it is finally raining. It's a good solid soaking and the ground doesn't seem too sure what to do with it all. However, my vegies are loving a good long drink as opposed to the warm, dry northerly winds that have characterised their existence thus far. If it stops raining I might take some pics. The weeds are happy too!
One week til my birthday, maybe if anyone asks me what I'd like I'll suggest a Tattslotto ticket or plants for my garden.
All for now!