News at Hand - 2015

Change is afoot! 
And I find, Im needing more than a hand to do so :)
Hello from Woolston.
We have a new home!  In a city where exorbitant rents are rife, and fixed homes happen slowly, our house in Avonside is finally getting fixed. We wont be going back, the repairs are going to take months to complete, and after that the landlord has decided he has had enough and will sell it. How sad it was to say Goodbye to twelve years of memories. And my Garden. Oh dear :(
So here we are.
It took me almost four months to find this place, affordable - only just. And it has no garden to speak of. It has however, carpet without holes or mould, and a gorgeous new bathroom and kitchen. A beautiful kitchen, that means I have space to bake and cook and preserve and ... well its just really blissful!
We have no garage at present, which means we have boxes in the lounge. I went to pick up the keys and asked about the garage plans. Oh no, they said. No immediate plans to build the garage within the next eighteen months, but we will let you know.
The following Saturday, a rather large man knocks at the door. Im Andrew, the builder... About that garage... We start on Monday...

So, we have foundations in place for a huge double block garage. And a carport. And here I was, just hoping for the washing line to be erected... It was another casualty of the EQs :)

No photos as yet. I can find the camera, but have no idea where i put the box with my batteries...
We have had to downsize, sadly, our cat family. Sam and Zander , the old boys. remain and we have at present two kitten and their mother. She came to us as a foster cat who was pregnant. Shes a delight and will make someone a really gorgeous pet. I have the tabby kitten, Trudie, sitting in front of my computer at present. She makes it very hard to type, but shes undeniably cute and gets away with all kinds of things.

So Im just taking stock of what I have by way of seeds, space and enthusiasm. Im a little sad at all the plants I left in my garden, but I reckon theres a reason for change, and maybe the next person who goes into that home will need those plants even more than we did/do.

One observation I have made, is that although we only moved a mile as the crow flies, away from our previous home, the soil here is quite different. Not a lot of nutrients in it, it is very sandy with no *guts*. Plenty of mulch and some compost is needed. Give me time, and it will get what is required, I have started the list already. I also need a new compost bin or two.

We have 2 peach trees here, a golden peach and a (yum!) black boy. The black boys have fallen due to the bad winds we have had in the past two weeks. Ive been boiling them up for breakfast on cereal.
The back section has been subdivided and sold on, so we have what amounts to a very small courtyard garden. I have my pots that have lemon trees and tomatoes and strawberries growing in them. Ive planted pots of dinosaur kale and coloured lettuces to get us through the winter. The yard is sheltered and mainly concrete, so I have to remember to water regularly because things wilt quickly. I also planted two rhubarb crowns so we wont lose that valuable nutrient-filled treat!

Next to go into the garden, is the chilean guava - nz cranberry plant. I love these, if grown efficiently in a hedge form, they smell heavenly - like candy floss in fact! They taste like heaven too if the berries are left til theyre large and juicy!
The kids can be found sitting around the bush when they are ripe :) I hope to let this one grow a bit, then take cuttings. The school could do with some to plant in their edible garden.

Wanting to utilize all my space, I have some wall planters here that I want to plant out with something that will attract bees. I also have my favourite chilli - Rainbow Thai, growing inside on the windowsill. It gets full light and some warmth there too. I hope it will grow well throughout the season, as they are handy to have, but also, they sell well.

So there we go, an update on whats happening. Time to make changes, and to plan for more positive things ahead!
Hoping all is well in your world,
Happy Gardening!!

Earth Butterfly 

Friday Morning Sewing Club - Community Hub - Coffee & Chat

Had a brilliant morning with the Schoolie from the Salvation Army that we have at our  Primary, she is an inspirational whizz. A dynamo of a person, and one with a gorgeous heart. She has so many great ideas, and is so amazingly capable.
The sewing went sideways after a little while. It was a beautiful day, good coffee and a real desire amongst us to connect. We ended up teaching three of the mums how to knit. It was awesome, I love seeing people trying something new, and when they get what theyre doing, theyre away like a train ... Brilliance.
The cake was awesome (at this rate we might need the Zumba lessons after all!) and I went on to help with the childrens sausage sizzle. There, there was a need to learn what to do, and master the art of the sausage bread, sauce, sausage and wrap motions. I got there :-) Thanks Room 9. I hope you enjoyed them.

The Garden was abuzz at lunchtime with small and bigger people asking if they could help. Unfortunately nothing was planned, and I had one very keen young man helping me weed, compost and split the rhubarb, which had unfortunately started to rot in the crown. I hope we got to it soon enough, and the four pieces will take off. If not, I have a spare one in my own garden that I can place in the garden. The idea is to have rhubarb and custard at some stage. Im not sure they have enough for the whole school... yet. It will not take long if we continue adding the compost. The bokashi units look interesting. I peered into a couple today and wrinkled my nose. I know that smell (composting fruit) so this is good stuff for the soil.
We got some bread today from the leftovers at the sausage sizzle too, which will go down well in the bokashi. Ive seeded the garden with some of my worm farm inhabitants too, I know theyll love their new home, and work behind the scenes to bring the garden to success.

So thats me... all that.  A whole day doing fun things with neat, good people!
Im a bit stiff and sore, but there is half a babys hat knitted somewhere, and a whole garden dug over, waiting for its potatoes to go in next week...

Love to You all,
My Heart to Yours,
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Thats the Last Time I... Early Hosing... Garden Report!




Thats the Last Time I...
How many times do we say that? And usually its NOT the last time, for whatever it is.
This morning, my first thoughts were...
Whats that noise? Why am I awake? Is it morning already?...
Then...

...Thats the Last Time I sleep with the window open!
I bounced out of bed when I realized it was light. I could hear little birds singing their hearts out, so I decided it must be a respectful hour. I had been woken initially by next doors shower, their gas heats the hot water, and when it starts is makes quite a racket... Not that I had noticed before today.
So, up I get.
Greeted by a purry furry cat who wants fed. Nuzzling. But not friendly nuzzling, insistent. I want FOOD Skin-Mother. Food, not cuddles.
My life is easier if I feed the four of them first, so out I go. Cat meat in hand, Cats in tow, and just out the door when an aftershock hits. Gulp. Cats Scatter - no, theyre gone, various directions. It was a bit rocky, but nothing specially big, just a rude awakening to someone who has cat meat all over their hands and is barely awake, a 3.9, centred somewhere in North Brighton, poor Buggers!



Old Soldier Cat

 So. Its watering day. Hose in hand, I make my way through the garden, sprinkling water...
Hmm, pink morning sky, big clouds, easing into golden sunlight and still more big clouds. Then its just greyish dullness, but it gives the impression its going to clear because it is still very warm. Odd for early morning, but great stuff for the task at hand. Exit Jacket. Shorts on. Coffee in one hand, hose in the other. Great Stuff!

I start realizing things... Its very warm, light and rather pleasant. But very quiet for a Wednesday morning. Its Rubbish day, and maybe the rubbish trucks are late? ... Keep watering. Sip of Coffee.
Along one neighbours fence... watering my wee heart out, no noise from them. Hmm, he will be late for work... Other side... Hang on. I wonder...
I wonder what time it is? Gulp. Maybe Im up too early? ... Rubbish trucks are usually here at six.
So I wander back in, feeling very sheepish. Check children, still fast asleep, tucked up all nice and warm.
No movement at all since I looked earlier.
Turn computer on. Note to self - GET A WATCH
It was five thirty. And I had been up for almost an hour.
I can hear the neighbours now, over their porridge or their oat bran, or their Kornies...
Did that crazy woman next door wake you up with her hosing early this morning?
Did you hear her??
- Whats WITH that?
Oophs.
Sorry folks.

Garden Report this morning - MUST WEED LOTS. I have a need to Weed before the weeds breed...
(No? Sounded better in my head!)
This morning my pumpkins have four flowers, three have big bottoms - thats pumpkins-in-the-making right - Im hopeful?
Theyre trailing madly along the pathway now, which is great. Just what I wanted. Theyre Winter Pie, and I hope theyre going to be giving us enough to store for a bit. We love the idea of Pumpkin soup using our own Pumpkins. Also we have a Red Warren plant under my window... Ive mulched him, the smell of the rat is putrid, but once mulched I cant smell it Thank God! Let him rot, and do his job. Feed my Pumpkin!
We have many poppies out today, I didnt count. Miss 5 and I were looking last night and seeing what would be out today, to see if we could guess who would show their heads today. We counted 11...

Our beautiful rhubarb just keeps growing and growing. It is amazing. We cut some off last week, and have three plants. As soon as one gives us a load of yum, the others get into gear, and we are set for more.
Ive stewed it, but unfortunately the children arent as fond of it as I am.
Weve had several handfuls of raspberries. That truly has to be The Taste of Summer, a fresh raspberry!

Boysenberry

Well enough of me... I guess its time to go and hunt some breakfast and decide what today will bring. Im sad it is Wednesday already. The days I have the children home from school are so quickly passing by.

Love to You and Yours,
Hope you are Happily Gearing up for the New Year
Love,
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Dreams and Aspirations...

Night Light

Im grumpy.
Ive just spent the past day trying to organize my thoughts into an online forum for self reliant gardeners. It didnt work, and Im annoyed with my lack of skill, and that I spent so much time to amount to nothing much at all. Oh it looks pretty. Thats it. I cant decide where I have gone wrong.

So... Scrap that idea for now.
Ill continue when Ive done a bit more learning. Im quite keen to have a NZ based board to network with other gardeners who want to get some self sufficiency going. Know any? ... Id love to hear from you. I want to network with other people who are struggling to make their food budget stretch. Those who eat from their gardens... any tips, ideas, sharing experiences would be fantastic. Theres a growing trend of people going *back* or moving forward towards utilizing their gardens again. Fruit and vegetables are so expensive. Amongst us gardening folk, that doesnt have to be so. We gather seed, we could share it. We can share our bounty, or perhaps take a look to guide the hand of a new gardener... It doesnt take much to share your expertise, your skills to help someone who isnt so sure of whats what.

The library is a good place to start if youre a newbie to gardening, but then, so is the internet these days...
I love reading other peoples blogs about their gardening passions. It can be a small garden plot in the back yard that they pluck their herbs from, or a self-made brewery that makes cider from their own apple trees they propagated and grew themselves. It is all awesome, and its exciting to see the progress. We can empathise and commiserate in the losses, but celebrate in the successes! Nothing like watching your own sown seed grow into something you can harvest, or drink, or bottle, dry or sell... Or donate, bake, cook... The list goes on.
Ok, so now Im finished my bleat, and now that I have *talked it through* I dont feel so bad about my lack of success. Perhaps I ll stick to Gardening in the Real World, instead of trying to take it into the Cyber World. 

I love my garden. Oh wait, you knew that.

But I do.

Peas (Easy Peasy)  and Beans (Borlotti *Red Rooster*)

Seedlings - Radish, Beet, Carrots & Lettuce

Onion, Coloured Chard & Lemon Balm

It is still in its infancy, but it is starting to take shape. Not a definitive one yet, it would probably be classified as a Blob. Not a Square or a Circle yet. I still have to shape it to perfection. But I think that is the goodness of gardening, it is always small snippets of perfection - never the entirety, just glimpses... that make you want more...

Garlic on the Up!

New Raspberry Cane

Rhubarb

Roll on Spring, we have daylight saving which turns the bodyclock topsy turvy for a week
Then Wha-lah!! Time for planting, long days, crisp mornings... sunny skies.

Red Currant

Alpine Strawberry - Yellow Fruits

Rhubarb

So there we be.
Tomorrow is the start of another week. We are counting down til school holidays again...
I hope all your plans are fruitful, and you are keeping safe and well,

Til next time!
Love and Violets
EButterfly