Stitching Along!

Having a fabulous day, have just been given the bestest-ever present... A new sewing machine!
It has been a while since I did any sewing that wasn't darning or fixing, or hand sewing... This machine is a beauty and my old clanger that got rocked in the earthquake looks prehistoric beside this one that could almost make coffee...! Thank You Honey - it was a lovely birthday present.
What to sew first? Theres a few with requests, Barbie clothes, Dolls House furnishings, fishing rod carriers...  Knew my fabric stash might come in handy one day :)

Haven't been up to a lot of gardening after last week, have not had as much time on my hands to potter and get engrossed in the weeds as last year, but the garden has responded well to the mulch/composting it got just before Winter... There hasn't been the waterlogging I had previously, and the plants seem to have suffered little (so far) from Frosts and wind.

Well thats me for today, I'm off to make ice cream & eat cake with the extended family, thats an extra lap around the block for tomorrow no doubt :)

Take care & Keep Warm :)

XXXXXXXXX
EB

Catching Up!

Our Fur Pal, Pops

Long time, no write.
It seems like the past three months have sped by. Weve been on school trips and had visitors to stay which as been awesome - lots of fun, even if it was a bit squishy (See photo of one of the visitors).  EQC arrived, weve had some tentative repairs done... Still waiting for the Big Tick, but it is much warmer, and the new paint smell is fading. Loving my new outside lights!

The older lads are off doing their own things - One on a school tramp the week of the snow (brr!), and the other, to Rarotonga this week...
School Assessments happen soon, May went and with a hiss and a roar, June came and went, and July is busy tying up ends. I start at my new work in August! Just six months til Christmas ... gulp!

This week Im better able to take a breath and catch up with lots of things - and people... but the Mount Foldmore pile (washing) is waiting and so are the weeds. Yesterday I started on the weeds... a beautiful balmy day, slight breeze but warm ~ I like days like these! I finally planted some garlic... and tucked it down into a warm composty bed.

Today is Cultural Day at school. We are having shared lunch and I can hear the kids already.
They will LOVE getting outside after being cooped up while it is cold. I saw some bare feet before, more than one set!

Danebrog Poppy

Tomorrow we are continuing with the school Survival unit, the children will be weeding and planting... in the hope that when they return after the holidays, *something* will have grown! I sure hope it will :)

Have scattered some new flowers this year to attract more of the usual suspects - bees, butterflies, beneficial insects... Lots of blues - lobelia, forgetmenot, scabiosa, larkspur, delphiniums and cornflowers. I love cornflowers, theyre such a happy flower! Have short and tall sunflowers, also some lovely danebrog poppies and double opium poppies... cant wait to see them flower!

Well, break's over. Time to hit the ground running... Off to harvest some yams for dinner and cast an eye over the washing... sob. Might wait til later...

Have a happy day!
Plant something :)
EB
XX

Washington the cat... Walk on the Beach, Aloe, Aloe?

We have our own star, our own LOLCat. I dont know if youve ever seen the website, but my two Littles love flicking through it. So we took our own photo of our quaky cat - Washington.
Shes finding winter brisk this year, in her advancing years (you know what its like :-) )
So here she is, showing me the foundations of our house. She does the silent miaow at me, and talks constantly sometimes, which makes me think she might be my mother-in-law reincarnated...Yes, they need replacing Washington... she is not impressed.
I think shes part Persian, or maybe the wind changed?...

Have been for a jaunt to the beach, it was wet and sandy ... a bit chilly (hats etc), but the sun was fantastic! We saw birds, hills, sun... and noone got their feet wet for a change *grin*

Footprints

The Culprit...

Have been  checking the Aloe veras, planting the small pups into their own pots. Am using a different mix this year, to see if  I can get them to root deeper into the soil. Its a blend of indoor plant mix and orchid mix. So far, so good theyre starting to plump out into bigger plants. Have almost 40 plants now, have started to give some of the larger ones to new homes. Im running out of room!

Cant believe the holidays are nearly over yet again. In a city where people find work, Im very proud to say my Mr almost-16 has just found a part time job. Hes really pleased and cant wait til his first day! Well done You!

Well, Im off to a warmer place,
Hope you sleep well!
Keep Warm
Love,
EButterfly
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Brrr Frost you say? ... KEEP WARM PEOPLE!!

Greetings from the bitterfly cold Garden City.
It certainly is frosty this week! Ive been a bit busy this week with one thing and another, and its proven to be a challenge not to run inside and find a warm place to tarry.
I dont mind the frosty mornings when I have a full complement of warm clothing, but where did that bitter wind swing from? It drops the temp down completely. Thank god for woollen hats.
And for the wonderful help our schools receive from KidsCan. You guys ROCK :-)
They have provided warm lined & waterproof jackets to some of our local schools, and these kids NEED the warmth provided... Have a read on their site - FINALLY a charity that HELPS LOCAL CHILDREN. It isnt sending money for food to children in Africa, It isnt helping wild animals survive and breed, it is putting children first. And I think its the right place to start - here. In NZ. Our children.
THANK YOU from a Mum who really appreciates you helping our neighbourhood!

Mr 12 and I had a great day yesterday, once the business side of things was over (doctor) I think half of Canterbury is at the doctors this week, Ive heard of so much ill health...
Keeping our houses warm is so hard! I know we are not as bad as some, but Weve doubled our efforts here. Having gaps in gib and holes in the floor doesnt help keep the heat in however. The heat pump IS struggling. One heat pump in a disorganized style of house like ours, is hopeless.


Ive heard of people putting bubble wrap on windows as insulation, to keep the heat in.
Theres also window insulation you can purchase... but whose got the extra dosh after paying the power bill?

Have a look HERE - Perhaps you qualify for the Red cross Winter Assistance Grant. Seriously. If in need - APPLY Because this is why the money is available... We cant have our elderly, sick and young people suffering.  Wear layers, gloves, hats, scarves...

IF you HAVE EXTRA gloves, hats, scarves, blankets, hot water bottles -  how about donating them?
It makes such a difference to someone who cant afford to get their own. The Salvation Army, the Red Cross, will take them. Im sure there are other places who will take them too, Church groups etc. 

Here in Canterbury we NEED to look after our own neighbourhoods, our children, our people.

We use our hot water bottles and extra blankets at night. And theres no way its a fashion competition when going to bed, its layers baby!, any colour but layers... ooh la la, trendy!  Little One has leg warmers this year to put over her pants. She loves them, and Ive had several comments on the idea. The thing is - I  upcycled a black mohair jersey (adults) to make them... I used the arms, cut them off the jersey, measured how long I needed them, to just above her knee, then I cuffed them, with elastic in the hem, top and bottom, and they work nicely. Toasty warm. Im tempted to make myself some wrist warmers too... Mr 12 isnt interested, he would rather die than be seen in something Mum made *grin* oh. Except for his beanie. His ears are warm... and theres no chance of earache with that much snuggly wool  around his head.
Again I say... Thank God for the generosity of SHEEP - Thanks for wool  LMAO 


Fill them up in the mornings - CEREAL is great, with some fruit, but PORRIDGE is hot, sticks to their ribs, is digested slowly and fills them up for longer... Warm Porridge ... yumm!!
My kids are ALWAYS eating at this time of the year. Noodles, Fruit, Toast, Pikelets, Scones... The kids love helping make things.
Variety is good.

The kids seed envelope stuffing

DONT FORGET ... If you want some seeds to help you with next seasons garden, drop me a line
There are plenty available, and I want to share with you! 
Thank You for reading my blog.
I wish I could do more to help where it is needed.
Take care, and remember Hugs keep you Warm :)

Love
E BUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXXX

Long Shaking Nights, Cold days...

Have just been out, on my way inside, to check on the plants.

Have suffered no losses so far, thanks to the shelter.

Early days tho.  I see the strawberries have taken off, dancing across the garden and digging in whereever they like. Some even have flowers which makes me kind of keen to nurture them, strawberries in winter sounds awesome! I bet the birds think so too, and quite frankly, they need them more than we do.

Its been very cold today, another sign of impending doom (lol) theres obviously more where that came from and Im not sure Im a winter person. I feel sorry for the school kids with shorts on :(

We had a shaky night - just one, but close, and rather sharp and shallow, which meant I had a small person by my side afterward, which kept me quite warm!

While waiting in hospital hallways of late, Ive felt the need to be getting my Knit on, so Im getting rid of the stash to knit some hats... 

At the moment, I need a good hat eh! Still Im in good company, and I cant knit them fast enough to keep my fingers warm...

Riding on, getting those fingers clacking!
See you next time, not sure when! :)
E B

XX

Girly Gardening... PINK! Ulluco...

Have had limited success with our ulluco. Aka Peruvian Yams or bifurcated carrots. 
Not as big as I had thought they might be, but after reading, I know why. Theyre gross feeders, and obviously theyve been on a bit of a diet of late, as I have not been in the garden at all.
In fact, at present, I am almost hoping it turns to grass in my abscence :)

These are a cheerful wee plant. They look like and taste like spinach from the tops...

Underneath, theres a fistful of wee balls... Very girly pink and gorgeous deep yellow. Next years crop will be better... after all, Im just learning.

Hope all is well,
E BUTTERFLY in Winter Mode!
XXXXXXXX

The First of March -
Canterbury's weather, this week, took a turn for the wet and windy, cold and dewy. I cant believe it - it was like clockwork. This week has been very different from the last. I knew darker mornings were to be expected but we havent even reached Daylight Saving and the mornings are already darker, the evenings a little shorter. The dew is heavy and the foggy drippy windows let me know its colder out there...
The North had their first Winter Weather Bomb, a  violent storm that left its mark on gardens and property throughout NZ. We were lucky, we got just the glancing blow. Not so fortunate were our Northern neighbours!

Big Son (18) has had a couple of days off and has been working on my car, and spent his hard earned cash on some neccessities. Bless him. He loves getting in and doing it, reading up on what to do and away he goes...

Hes changed my oil and my oil filter, done a few other things and replaced the rocker gasket, which didnt sound like much fun, but it looks  & sounds so much better and runs nicely! Hes cleaned the whole thing and Im so thrilled and so,so grateful!
Still have to replace a Speedometer cable. Its in such a fiddly place... sigh.
Cars! Cant afford em, cant live without em!?
Thank You Son! Mummy Loves You!

Clutter, Clutter!Im feeling shut in and cluttered already.
It doesnt take much, I dont like being inside when there are things I feel I need to do outside. I can hear my intuition telling me to make a List of things (Im a list kinda gal!) to do when *those* days close in... And I mustnt ignore it this year, as I do tend to get the Winter Blues easily if I cant get out and about in the garden.

Ive started de-cluttering inside... AGAIN.  Its funny how every year, we bunk-in. We change the house around so we can live in the warmer parts of the building during Winter and close off the other parts. This year, with chimney removal and such, cracks in walls, missing putty in windows, holes in stained glass, drips here and there... its going to be interesting to say the least. Theres a ... massive... gap in the front door between the door jam, and where the door closes - in fact, the door barely locks and a good shoulder to the door handle would open it easily. It was a vital part of the emergency repairs that got *overlooked* ... EQC and Landlord *forgot* about that part I guess?
However, its the CLUTTER that does my head in. Why, oh why... do we have so much crrra...rubbish.
Im dealing to it. I simply cant do it fast enough. I hate tripping over stuff, or looking for something you cant find... and it happens here regularly. Old clothes - out. Old plastics - Recycled. Cardboard Boxes - Recycled...
Oh and then theres the school fundraiser - a box of CHOCOLATE to sell... groan. They know my weak spot...Perfect for those cold Winter days and nights...

Good News... and yes, there IS some, Im not just here to whine endlessly throughout this post *grin*, though it might seem that way...
We are getting BROADBAND tomorrow. An extremely inexpensive, good deal + Troublesome and Useless dialup = BROADBAND... As my 18yo said in a text when he heard... Welcome to the 21st Century Ma!... Cheeky brat.

So Im makin' a Youtube list of Things to Watch - Any suggestions?
I need to catch up on a couple of my favourite programmes Ive missed along the way, but Im really keen to view some of the stuff Ive missed for years as people have sent me links to videos, and Ive had to delete cos of my s-l-o-w connection... NOT ANY MORE :-) Can you see me grinning from here?
I resisted signing up for broadband for so long... but anything! for no more dialup hassles. I like learning from Gardening sites, like OOOBY and similar...

So things I can do this Winter if I cant be out and about include... Knitting some winter woollies - Id like to knit some socks, have never tried... Revamping the lounge - making a cushion or something to brighten things... Selling off some of the kids toys/books/baby clothes online... Jam! Preserving,... Making seed envelopes... Some more Prepping... Making some copies of my online Recipes... Im sure I will find more to do, besides Housework :-)

So thats me...
Still here, tidying and passing time til tomorrow at 9.30am or thereabouts...
Love to You and Yours,
E Butterfly
XXXXXX

Fishy Smarts... Fishy Tails - A Good Sunday

Watering day today, and its grey, cool and misty when I wake.
How did I know before I even opened my eyes?
A fluffy tail complete with raindrops and a wet cat-nose in the face let me know before I realized it was morning. She is very determined to be fed these mornings, is our Washington.
So, it was a good day to catch up on the housework, do the inside things, and perhaps take a wander. The boys were restless, so they wandered off to meet friends at the bridge around the corner to take in some fishing. The Avon isnt well known for its fishing. Its Whitebaiting maybe, but not in the past year or 18months, due to silt, sewerage and other nasties that poured in. Its ok, we wont be baiting our hooks and eating our catch...
Its just for the experience of doing something interesting and inexpensive, and the kids love it.

So off they go, theres a few regular fisher-guys who hang out on the bridge too, and Mr 11 is the youngest by far. The tales are colourful - almost as colourful as the language, but if you can get past that, its interesting to hear the Fishy Tales.
What made great sport, was a huge rainbow trout swimming below.

Fishy Smarts 
The Grandaddy, they reckon. The Guardian of the smaller fishes, I say. He wasnt being caught by anyone! In fact, he seemed to throw the smaller fish in front of him so they were caught in his stead.
Its obvious theyre all keen on the dangling bait but this fish has got to a very nice size by not being tempted, and again today, it seemed to use its innate sense of which pieces of bread werent on hooks to eat, very nicely Thank You, and escaped anyones hook! It will live to taunt exasperated fishermen another day. ( And to be killed when we catch it tomorrow says a very keen young Fisherman from behind me!) We also see big eels and tiny bait fish under the water, so there is plenty of life left in the Avon River, despite people saying otherwise.


Fishy Tails

The yellow-eyed mullet run in and out with the tides - we live in tidal Avonside, and the Avon goes in and out daily, swelling as the tide fills, and the boys hook the mullet on small hooks and sinkers, with bread for bait. Its exciting, when, from standing up on the Bridge, you see them nibbling your bait below... nibble, take and there you have them. They hit hard when theyre hungry and are taken up onto the bridge easily by the kids.

We dont eat these fish, they do however, provide a nutritious feed for our cats, and the guts/heads/fins etc are excellent in the garden. My new rose today got the benefits, a bucket of fish buried deep alongside its roots.

How will we make ends meet if our society changes?
What skills will our children need, that we have ourselves forgotten? This is why I have no objection to taking my children fishing - of course, theyre of an age where they can take themselves, but sometimes as parents, we need to make sure they are provided with the wherewithall to do these things easily... Learning is best done when its fun, before the need is there. Fishing experience is an excellent skill to have here in NZ because our landscape lends itself to us being able to use it for fishing for food.

So, for us its been a really Good Sunday. The Bestest Day of My Life, Miss 5 told me as we wandered home. So - Whats next?
Im in the process of planting out the cabbages and broccoli for Winter, sowing parsnip seed, and watching the pumpkins swell. I cant wait for the beets to do their thing, and I have potatoes to dig soon. The garlic has dried nicely, and the tomatoes are changing colour daily - slow, but getting there! Life is good.
I hope with fingers xed that Ive got it right for some continual harvesting later in the year, as with the climate changes, the good weather is pitifully absent, and we may incur some losses.

Heres hoping things in your garden are growing nicely, with abundance.
Love and Blessings
E Butterfly
XXXXXX

Winter Again ... Gardening On The Inside

Its freezing cold today. Arlais has just told me the *Scary Sky* means the clouds are chasing one another, and I think, given the wind, she may be right. The grey/black clouds are chasing the big billowy snow clouds away. Its rained, hailed and blown all day.
It hasnt stopped The Process though!
Im having computer issues, and havent got a clue how to fix it, so I ll stick to what I think I know - Im Gardening On The Inside today - the dreaming, scheming, reading and planning... From the warmth of the lounge, with the awesome bank of knowledge I can find in others books, Mr Google and similar...
Real hard work I tell ya!

Ive also been checking the pots... We have some more little shoots rearing their heads... I feel like an expectant parent, but theyre making some good progress...

So Onward We Go - Snow if you will!
It wont stop the Creative Juices flowing.
Our fenugreek seedlings have set their next lot of leaves, the Tomato Gang - Albenga Oxheart, Black Zebra and Yellow Cocktail are going strong. No sign of Russian Red and his mates Bloody Butcher or Chocolate but Ive just noticed a little elecampane stretching up from its soily bed, - whose going to be next I wonder?

So Im going back to the gentle rest of my chair to sit and peruse the pages of someone else's wisdom
I have on my knee The NZ Organic Gardening Handbook by Brenda Little... so away I go.

Rest Easy,
Hope youre safe and warm

Love to All
E Butterfly
XXXXXXXXXXX

Catching Up on the Inside...

Ahh well, I guess the rain and cool weather had to catch up on us eventually. And sickness! This week both kids have had sore tummies and all that goes with it. Fingers xed, not me as yet...
So there we are, a week without use of an oven... and no sign of the blimmen electrician, who was due last FRIDAY. Seven days. Hmmpfff. He is *due* today, and is late. Not impressed, of course the landlord is laxadasical too, but as usual, he doesnt have to live with it. End of Rant... What doesnt kill us makes us stronger ;-) We DO have the use of a bbq... its just a bit cold out there for that this week! Im sure the Heat pump has made us lazy!

So! We gathered our seedlings into the warmth of the front room for better growing conditions hopefully. A good decision! We decided to log which seeds came up (or didnt) and I feel very impatient waiting... but I didnt have to wait too long!
Three days after planting, we had two Yellow Cocktail Tomatoes up. Now we have seven, but one looks particularly *munted* Im not sure why.
Yesterday I noticed an Albenga Oxheart seedling just barely poking its head up, today there are three of the much-awaited little fellas... And one of our Meyer Lemon seeds looks like it might be doing something. Growing I hope.
Its funny how basil seeds swell and go blue. I had noticed this last year, and again this year. My first thought was they were moulding! (see, ignorance is bliss!)

Ive just joined a very informative website/forum for Tomato growers. HERE- Tomatoville 
Ive spent the past two days reading the boards and learning a lot about all manner of gardening things...
Because the growing season in the US is at a different stage to us, it gives me impetus to get growing again... Already Ive added CUCUMBER to my list of Things I must Grow!

Weve enjoyed the days out in the Garden, Blaise planted his Nepeta (catmint) plant he bought with his own pocket money... Of course the funniest thing, is watching the cats trying to paw through the sticks we made into a tripod to stop them clawing at the plant. They rub and smooch everywhere.
It doesnt stop the Tribal Cat Wars we are having at the moment. We have two boys and two girls. All are fixed. One of the girls is quite indifferent to the other cats, but her brother, is a black and white Tom who just wants to fight everyone else. It is mayhem, the other cats are just not allowed to go anywhere near him. The neighbours cat has been badly beaten twice, and Ive been told to *do something* - Im not sure how we will resolve this issue... any ideas, Id love to hear please! My father always used to kid our Family Cat that he would go *Under The Grapevine* if he misbehaved. I have a grapevine... and that is where our dearly departed cat went several years ago... sigh.

Back to the Garden...
Weve been making growing boxes out of pallets. It seems the most economical way of getting what we need for what we can afford. The soil weve been using is bolstered with pig pooh, dryed and sieved, and some Supa-Grow. I think that has a bit of everything, and is quite mulched already. And then topped off with some peastraw.  We are getting there slowly...
And then it rains.

But this is good things, and it gives me a bit of time for reading, researching and getting ready.
Everyone seems to be so excited about the Rugby World Cup this year... I couldnt care less, Im excited about seeing what grows in my garden :-)

Hope youre keeping warm, - I hear theyre predicting SNOW again next week!! Hmm, it was fun the first time... not sure Im quite ready to do that again :-)

Love to all
E Butterfly
XXXXXXXXXXX

Sunday for Thought...

Another Sunday almost biting the dust. Its been the coldest day weve had for a long time, and we arent happy. The kids are climbing over each other to get out, so out come the hats and jackets, and out they go... Except for the one who has to do homework... Lots of reading, murmurs and plans there...
But Wait Theres More! ...
We had a stellar day yesterday!
Saturday at its very best! Mr EB and Young Sir of 11yrs got down and did some carpentry. Chisel, hammer and nails and some boards, and Voila! If only I had a camera ... Will have to look into it, they have made me the most wonderful gardening boxes!!
Lots of nodding, measuring and the occasional dark cloud, but the results were fantastic! And they have plans to make more...
We bought our first Lemon (Meyer) and put it in a gro-bag so it can be moved, should we move...
Its awesome to have, it has some fruit on it too, which is kinda neat to see when you look out into the garden.

Seeds are IT at the moment - weve started sowing them for our new growing season.
Mostly tomatoes - Black Krim, Yellow Cocktail, Albenga Oxheart, Purple Calabash and Bloody Butcher so far...,



BASIL



Fenugreek

Some Basil - Red Rubin and Genovese, but also some fenugreek. It is growing nicely, so far so good.

Basil Red Rubin

Seven shoots of Rosemary have taken off nicely, theyve just been planted in Supa-grow after spending a few weeks growing roots in a glass of water... one is even flowering, the tiny little blue flowers lead me to think it might be similar to Rosemary *Tuscan Blue*

So thats it for now... Im hoping that for the start of the week, the wind may subside, it is bitterly cold with the wind today and makes working outside really unpleasant.
Or I may just have to make myself a warm hat :-P

Love to all
Keep Warm and Safe!

E Butterfly
XXXXXX

Early Morning Shake Awake!

Time for an Update.
It seems like ages since I sat down to write...
And why not write now --- I cant sleep. I dream of Gardens lately, but this morning my dreams came to a standstill by way of a 4.3 that just seemed to go on for a while, and Im not good at settling again. I tossed and turned, but meh. Im up now. Early Bird, ME!!
Things have gotten quite busy, and we are making good progress with the new garden and other things.
Since the EQC people put us on the *Critical Fix* list, we have had a few visits from people doing things. First it was the Landlord putting in new curtains and filling in holes and gaps... Then the Heat Pump was installed. Ahh, instant heat!
Well, we have since had two or three visits, and we now have no chimneys, just the spaces where they were. Yesterday and today saw our second chimney being taken out, giving us back the corner of a room and soon our second heat pump will be installed. We have a big *gap* where the old fireplace/wetback was, and our room looks so much bigger! Theyve gibbed it all, and are replacing the tiles in the roof and its hard to imagine there was ever a fireplace in the corner at all...
The front room too, is quite appealing now with the extra warmth, the kids love it.
We also have a new instant hot water unit, thats powered by gas! The landlord put it in, and changed the size of the pipes, so we have added pressure in the shower, which is like hot massage needles... Awesome when you get in from the Garden in the evenings!!
So thats inside.
Outside...Another gorgeous block of Winter weather here in Canterbury.
We got through the snow, and came out the other side with gorgeous days full of high blue skies, no cloud, but frrrreeezing cold frost in the mornings.
Almost like Spring in fact! Wheres the rain gone? I dont know, but I hope it catches up soon. We need the cold snap to help kill off the bugs in the soil, so towards the Spring, the plants can grow furiously... In my new Garden!!!!!!

Im going to take photos *of course*, but for now, just imagine bricks. Lots of them. All lined up in rows ... beds of soil... full of Compost, Mulch and other good growing stuff...
Canterbury has a dearth of bricks at present, given all the chimneys that have been removed! We have edged our gardens, and it looks nice... but will look better when things start growing over the edges of the bricks...
Ive started some seeds off. Planning beds of herbs and flowers like Parsley, Marigold, Calendula, Basil and Heirloom Tomatoes... Some wildflower mix in the front garden will add colour to our bland expanse at the front
Amazingly enough, after me thinking it was too early, the seeds I have sown are already poking through the soil mix at four days old! Maybe theyre just really keen to be here, or my luck is changing!

Have had a wonderful week, a bit stiff in the shoulders, have raked, bricked, dug, weeded, planted, sown, sighed, slept, and thunked about Gardening... and really enjoyed it all.
Even the kids got in on the act yesterday, out there with shovels and forks... Giggling and helping.
Nice family unit we have going on there...
I love it. This is definitely where I belong.
What is it they say --- *Bloom Where Youre Planted*
Im glad I was planted here. Im grateful for what I have.
I love them all.
Just been reminded of where I belong.
Firmly planted with my family, which is where my home is.

Keep Safe and Warm
Love til next time,
E Butterfly
Gardener!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

UPDATE on SNOW!!

I almost expect to see Santa...
Hehehe. You know how it feels when you crunch in hard pressed snow...?
Or walking outside while it snows - yanno, the flakes whizz past you, cover you, make you giggle?
Because it is SPECIAL MAGIC!
SNOW IS MAGIC!!! (only cos it happens so irregularly here in the city!)


So uhh...Hear that inane adult giggle outside?
You might live in our street... cos we LOVE snow... proper white thick, free falling snow!!! And I giggled like an idiot when I saw it... I went out and took photos... and it makes me feel very very childish, that young-at-heart kinda Good-Stuff-feeling.


Oophs Heres the Garden...



The Trees next to my bedroom...



Winter Wonderland...



Our Carebear Car under Snow Blankets!!

Hey Santa, Wheres ya Sack?

Letter Box with White Top!!

Mr almost-15 was on his way to bed when I heard the gasp... Mum, Mum, come and look, ITS REALLY SNOWING... so here are our updates on the previous post.

My poor, poor garden... My furr-babies are in the Garage, tucked up... And our street is quiet. All you can hear is the whizz of the falling snow, and some idiot giggling :-) *rolls eyes* yeah, thats me.

Uhuh, well Im up late, its Sunday, no school tomorrow thank goodness, cos there is NO way these two boys are going to sleep without another look at the Snow. Just in case it is gone by tomorrow (yeah right, like I needed convincing?)
So its off to dig out my winter-woolies, my hat, my boots and my Snow Board (grin) no, not a snow board...

But to be a Kill-Joy, they tell me its due to rain soon...

Magic, Its a Winter-Wonderland of Magic out there...

Skiing By Yours, dont forget to wave!!

Love

EB

xx

Worming Our Way...

Theres nothing like a bit of physical stuff in the Garden.
I moved half a tonne (seemed like it) of compost today. Gooey, brown, luscious composted stuff.
After all that, Im not entirely pleased with the outcome. Ive got some work to do on the design of the new bin, but for now this will do until the bin is ready...
An unusual sky today, but the birds sat up in the trees and serenaded me, which usually is beautiful.
One in particular today was very loud. A thrush maybe, but its call sounded like it was berating me - Youre A Geek, Youre A Geek!.... Youre A Geek - Nincompoop.
Seriously - I asked Mr 11 what he thought, but he just looked at me strangely and asked me if Id been outside too long... The fresh air got to me, maybe?

WORK IN PROGRESS

By the time Ive jumped all this down, it cant be seen from the top...

In my quest to tidy up that corner, the straggly plum tree thing with the nasty thorny bits has gone.
My hands bear the scars, but thats ok. Im thinking I need a garden plan though so I can do things in stages.

WORMS!!

And, the best part of moving the compost was finding small pockets of compost full of big fat juicy worms!

A real surprise, and a delight to the little Miss 4 who is curious about everything that creeps --- she is keen on worms now that she knows they dont have teeth. However, we arent too keen if they do the wiggly thing when she picks them up. That meant a loud scream in Mommys ear.

Very brave though, she was. Oh that sounds like Yoda from Starwars...

And with that, and the piles of *Spaghetti roots* we dug out today (Convulvulus roots throughout the compost!)

Im out of here ...

Happy Gardening!!
Love,
EBUTTERFLY
XXXXXXXX

Here Comes The Sun! Frosty out there...

Monday Morning... and here I am again.
HERE COMES THE SUN... just makes me wanna sing... doodin doo dum, Here comes the Sun!
Went out to do the school drop off, and boyo! It is COLD.
Came back through all the fog, and took some photos. Its very clear until you look ahead, then White. Love it. Guess this is what kills all the bad bugs off our plants, or spurs seeds on so theyre ready to Grow... Gotta love Nature in its Wonder!

Had a look at my garden. It may not have fared so well after this frost. Everything has drooped. Maybe they need the warm kisses from the suns rays to keep em going!



Silverbeet/Coloured Chard *Bright Lights*




My new Geranium plants... Ice, Ice Baby!



Bergamot

Still growing Tomatoes - Up the Tree. It is taller than my 5ft 10 high!

Parsley On Ice!

Time to go and find my handy dandy Gumboots :-)

Love.
EBUTTERFLYXXXXXXXX