Long Time, No Blog... LOTS of Progress Outside.. School Holidays and All

Dear Diary... Well, thats what this seems like sometimes...
Its been a while since I wrote. Ive thought of doing so often, I just didnt quite make it inside to hover long enough... outside the weather has been GORGEOUS and sunny and we are LOVIN' IT!For a start its School Holidays.
The first week is nearly over, and we have survived. Not too many disagreements as yet. I dislike school holidays, as they usually end in arguments. Teenagers who dont want to be home etc. and have that dislike for Parental Controls, Rules, and Generally Anything At All ...

So far, so good. We have cut down some seriously big trees, made piles of green stuff to be chipped or mulched, or composted. But, do not fear, Dear Devics,  I have plans to replace said felled Trees. Lots of Ideas.
The front trees have been trimmed.

 Ive begun clearing the vines down the side of the property, and as you can see, we removed a huge overbearing cabbage tree from the house guttering, which lets so much more light into the front porch. Weve also sorted out some pea straw and mushroom compost.

The roses have been pruned rather harshly, given its the first time in ages, and Weve used all the recycled bricks from out of our chimneys in the garden edging.
I have my fingers xed that they stay there post quakes, but I guess time will tell. Ive heard it looks attractive, I have yet to be happy with the result, it will look MUCH better when there is something growing in the front garden. I am not sure, but Im thinking FLOWERS! ... The pretty cottage garden type perhaps. It reminds me of that song... Nana Mouskouri...Uh Oh, here I go again *sings*

In An English Country Garden

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow

In an English country garden?

We'll tell you now of some that we know

Those we miss you'll surely pardon

Daffodils, heart's ease and Phlox

Meadowsweet and lady smocks

Gentian, lupine and tall hollihocks

Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, blue forget-me-nots

In an English country garden

How many insects come here and go

In an English country garden?

We'll tell you now of some that we know

Those we miss you'll surely pardon

Fireflies, moths, gnats and bees

Spiders climbing in the trees

Butterflies drift in the gentle breeze

There are snakes, ants that sting

And other creeping things

In an English country garden

How many songbirds fly to and fro

In an English country garden?

We'll tell you now of some that we know

Those we miss you'll surely pardon

Bobolink, cuckoo and quail

Tanager and cardinal

Bluebird, lark, thrush and nightingale

There is joy in the spring

When the birds begin to sing

In an English country garden

How many kinds of sweet flowers grow

In an English country garden?

We'll tell you now of some that we know

Those we miss you'll surely pardon

Daffodils, heart's ease and flox

Meadowsweet and lady smocks

Gentain, lupine and tall hollihocks

Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, blue forget-me-nots

In an English country garden

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Lately, we've talked endlessly about seeds. Today, we sat down and sorted through. Ive just bought a large quantity online, and cant wait for them to arrive so I can start growing things. Several new varieties of Tomato, some lettuce, carrots, onions, Chamomile, Soapwort, Chard and Silverbeet, oh and some Parsnips, Pumpkins and Snapdragons!
I got given a pumpkin last week that Ive saved the seed from. I tried finding out about it, as we are used to the typical grey crown variety... This one just happened to be DELICIOUS, and rather pretty! -  a Winter Luxury Pie pumpkin... It is really yummy, thick and sweet - SEE HERE

I would like a couple of citrus trees, and Im investigating growing lemon trees from seed. I know it takes a while (up to five years) for them to fruit, but Ive got plenty of time, and theyre an attractive addition to the pots whilst they grow big enough to plant out... 
A lime, a mandarin or two, and a couple of Meyer Lemons are on The Planting List... and now I have the perfect sunny spots for them. We cut away the jasmine or honeysuckle vine that had been growing there since goodness knows when! It will come away again, and be away in no time I guess, but this time we can train it. I have replanted a seedling pittosporum. I love the crinkly leaves, and in no time it will be a good hedging plant.
We are clearing room for a huge root veggie crop. In mind we have some maori potatoes, some sweet potato (kumara) and some potatoes of the mashing kind ( our kids favourites!) ... Looking forward to seeing it all come together. Also want to add some yams. Boy they taste good when roasted...

It is really nice, seeing things coming together... One step further to the Goal of being Self Sufficient!
Going to hire a mulcher and use all the bits weve collected as a bed to the things we would like to grow.
The conifer we cut down was left as a stump that looked reminiscent of The Eiffel Tower, until our dear neighbour came over with his chainsaw and took it off at the base for us. It now is a lump of quite nice fire wood... The pine needles piled high at the base as the tree fell and we have added bucket fulls of them to the compost pile.

Bucket of *Chocolate Hail* - Conifer needles

We had some lard and bird seed with mince pieces inside it, hung on the tree for the birds

LOVING these dear little creatures. Waxeyes or Silvereyes are so pretty... Love watching them!

Another bed in progress. Got to get out the flaxen plant thats swamped my red rose... Loving Memory



We grow the finest silverbeet and spinach.
We also grow the fattest laziest of black moggies youll ever find... Love him tho! (Zander)




This is my Island in the Sun!! Zandy loves his new bed of peastraw!



Occarina - the smallest of our mogs, she is feisty and independent. Not often seen for a photo.

And so there we be... Waiting for the postie and the seed parcel... Ive just found another place to look online http://www.rosesonline.co.nz/

And the next step is getting into sprouting some new plants for the new beds...

Hope youre keeping safe and well... And if youre in our part of the World, that you are safe, well and WARM! Weve just had a heatpump put in, and my lord it is bliss! Changes the whole energy of the house when you dont have to be constantly concerned about childrens cold feet, bare chests, coats, hats etc.

Lovin' the good weather and getting outside!
Take care,

Love

E BUTTERFLYXXXXXXXXX
Love especially, to those in the Coromandel.Miss YOU!
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