Blossom and Rain

The blossom is out for spring and drizzly rain greeted us soon after we arrived.

 

However, on our way in we had to stop and clear up a few trees that had fallen further. These were cut by Terry and Ellie last time but had now inched lower so the car would have been scratched on the way through.

 

 

Even Geoff's new fruit trees were flowering and looking well so the watering system must be working. We are now considering extending this new watering system to all the fruit trees.

Geoff experimented with his new time lapse video camera. The results were good but more experimentation is needed.

Grey Shrike-thrush

 

Grey shrike-thrush eggs in the tool shed

Subsequent note from Ellie: Yes, it is a Grey Shrike Thrush.  It looks like a male and the eggs look right too. Apparently there are 3 to 4 eggs and both parents sit on them. The female is smaller and has a streaky throat or breast... It must be their large eyes that make them look curious or inquisitive. They have a few really lovely clear calls.  

Our main job for the weekend was to start mending the chairs that were becoming quite dangerous. We were hampered a little by the fact that we did not want to disturb the bird in the shed sitting on three eggs. We think it is a Grey Shrike-thrush. Next time we'll be able to use some chisels and files rather than just a screwdriver to clean out the old glue. We did mend one chair (only took about an hour) and now we know what we are doing any further work will be a bit quicker.

 

 

Red Squares

I have recently finished another quilt and have added it to the My Quilts 2012 page too. Read more about it there. I just love it.

Now I MUST finish some of my UFOs (unfinished objects) to clear a bit more space upstairs for some more quilts.

A few more changes in the garden

 This week's work with Kim was varied. She and Craig bought me a present - a flat pack garden seat. So one of our jobs was to put it together and then enjoy it. We found it was a great place to have lunch.

A few tiny but awkward changes in the study means that it now looks much less crowded but I can have my keyboard talking to my computer again.

We hung the extra painting of my Granny's with her others and now the wall looks a bit more balanced.

 When all those tasks were completed we continued in the garage but now pics of that until it is completed. Next weekend I'll join the queue of people taking their old paint to the recycling collection area. If you want any of my old paint you have to tell me before I put it in the car on Friday.

Spring has sprung in my garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underhill was cold in September

Geoff and I went to Underhill on a very cold day in September. It had actually snowed the night before and we arrived to just a little still on the ground.

We really only went down to check on Geoff's watering system for his new apple trees but as that was working very well we found other jobs to do. I wanted to test out cutting and bending hooks in weldmesh to hang tools. It worked fabulously so now I will try it at home as well.

We decided that the Casuarina that we had left behind the shed really had to go before it got any larger. It would have been a real fire risk. Geoff decided he could cut it down by hand so between the axe and the bush saw we now have it down.

We went for  a walk to the far dam which is still looking healthy.

 

 

Preparing for the first birthdays in their new home

Alex and Luke enjoyed their birthday parties in their new home.

They now have the pictures hanging that Thea did for them. How cool! Original art works in their bedrooms. Thanks Thea.

 

Back Garden Progress

Today I finished off a watering system for my new gardens and tidied up the area outside the back windows. I thought it was about time I published an update of my back garden (note, I no longer refer to it as my back yard).

My new look paving along the back wall

Along the sunny side fence I have tidied up a bit, had a sick tree removed and made a new tomato and bean garden with concrete blocks and bamboo. I did it here because it is such a sunny position and is very narrow.

The view from the back of the drive.

My first carport is my washing hanging area. I can put washing out in the rain and it can stay out for days if it needs to. The sweet peas are doing well and should be flowering in a month or so.

My second carport is now my garden shed with cupboards from Geoff's old kitchen for storing tools etc in. Of course there are bamboo lattice walls here as well so I can see the roses in their pots on the other side.

From the third carport I can also see the roses and water garden across the lawn. The pots along the edge of this carport  (in the foreground) have grape cuttings in them. The plan is for them to grow up the bamboo lattice and shade the area for sitting and enjoying lunch. Sunny in winter and shady in summer.

The view from the gate to the chook yard looking south back down towards the house.

The view from the gate to the chook yard looking north towards the chooks. Note, the old brick incinerator and copper constructions have now been demolished. This has made the area a much more open space but of course I have planted some Tagasaste trees along in front of the chook cage.

Here you can see the rubbish that used to be stored in front of the incinerator and copper that Kim and I have now removed.

August at Underhill

We had quite a crowd at Underhill last weekend, at least on the Saturday. Elaine came down with me and we stayed over, Geoff came down for the day as did Evelyn and Greg, and Terry and Ellie came on Friday and stayed till Sunday. 

We achieved so much with so many willing workers. Geoff was able to plant his new apple trees, raspberry canes and tayberry cane. We were able to get the cages around them and the watering system altered to water them from the tank off the caravan roof. Everyone also worked hard at gathering stones to put inside the cages as a bit more deterent for weeds and animals.

Everyone helped keep the fire stoked with all the fallen and dead wood from the clearing, preparing a little better for the summer bush fire season.

Terry and Ellie spent most of their time rehanging the front gates. They had become quite precarious after 35 years and now we have two free-swinging gates and some fencing both sides of the gate.  

 

On Sunday morning we investigated the extent of our ground orchid population that Terry and Ellie had seen along the drive. There are thousands this year. Maybe they have always been there and no-one has noticed them. We collected a small patch to see if I can keep them going in Sydney. They are so beautiful in flower. 

 

Thank you to Terry and Ellie, Geoff, Elaine, Ev and Greg for a wonderful weekend and so much help. Even with all the chores we were able to sit by the fire and relax. Terry's broken leg is mending slowly but still restricts his activities a little.

Geoff is enjoying having a car that copes with his needs, especially at Underhill, but it does guzzle fuel.

 Greg photographed this tiny dragon who was enjoying the warm sun.