The July garden update

It's the last day of the month. Just enough time to squeeze in some news about what has been happening in my garden. I haven't done an update for a while. It was already the start of July when I realised I hadn't done an update for June. I did mean to do one a little late but that didn't happen. 


Things have been going along quite well in the garden despite little input from me in July. It has been reasonably wet so I haven't needed to water quite as much. A good thing or some of the plants would be exceptionally thirsty I think. I have planted some beetroot seedlings which seem to be growing very well. I look forward to trying out some salad, dip etc recipes in the not too distant future. Yum! You can see some of them in the next photo, amongst the grass and other weeds. 

I have quite a bit of silverbeet in one of the garden beds and it is very tall. I need to find some recipes soon I think! A little while ago I picked a lot of the rainbow silverbeet and made a very yummy side dish with pine nuts and raisins. It was very tasty and super healthy too I'm sure. Here is a link to the recipe I used. 

I have masses of parsley in the garden, both the Italian parsley which self seeded from last year and the parsley I rescued from Bunnings which certainly no longer needs rescuing! 

Some of the cabbage is getting eaten by snails. It is quite interesting how the different bugs will almost completely eat one plant and yet leave another nearby alone. The Kale is next to the cabbage and not touched at all. There are also some broccoli florets starting to form. The onions I planted a long time ago are getting bigger. The lettuce is still growing well and is the biggest lettuce I have ever seen! I also have lots of rocket in the garden at various stages of growth. The last photo below is of some flowers from one of the rocket plants which has gone to seed. I really like those flowers! I hope to get some time soon to do some caring for the garden and also get some more things planted. I guess it will soon be time to plant some summer crops. Tomatoes! Yum! 

Looking back through some of my posts too, I was amazed at how much my 'Magic Harvest' plants have grown. Maybe I should post some before and after pictures soon. 

and now I am actually posting this on the first day of August. With a teenager in the house there was strong competition for the computer and I lost so the post I started yesterday wasn't posted. 

Six Word Saturday - July 30th, 2011

Happy Birthday to me! (for Monday)

It's the closest Saturday to my birthday so I thought I would take the opportunity to use Six Word Saturday to wish myself a Happy Birthday. I plan to have a wonderful day! I have had a lot of fun finding a video to post here and finally decided on this one: 

and here's a link to a comic I found rather cute. It appeared in the Adelaide Advertiser on Friday! 

http://www.gocomics.com/fredbasset/2011/07/29

Happy Birthday to me! (for Monday)

Six Word Saturday - July 23rd, 2011

The beach is fun in winter. 

(this week's six words brought to you by Bri, age 10) 

We (myself, Alysha, Bri and one of Bri's friends) have enjoyed two visits to the beach in the last two days. Today we made a large sandturtle together. I took lots of great photos and planned to post them but unfortunately can't find the cord to connect the camera to the computer. I was annoyed when I discovered the camera had no memory card in it but there was enough internal memory to take quite a few shots. Oh well, maybe I will be able to post those photos soon. In the meantime, here are a few snaps I took with my phone. We really are lucky to live so close to such a gorgeous beach!

Three Word Wednesday - July 20th, 2011

A little late with my Three Word Wednesday submission this week. The words are early, jiggle and quality. Here it is: 


It's school holiday time for us three 
I ponder an escape from technology 


Long nature walks, sleeping under stars 
Somewhere away from the noise of cars 


But facebook remains the preference of the teen 
Her younger sibling also called to the screen 


On breaks from computer they turn to the Wii 
Giggles erupt with buttons pressed early 


To take turns to jiggle a remote is fun 
Get the timing right and your Mii will run 


To laugh together is quality time 
However it happens will be just fine 






...escaping into nature still seems like a good idea to me though! 

Six Word Saturday - July 16th, 2011

Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter! 

It's the start of what I call 'birthday season' around here. First up is my oldest daughter's birthday. Fifteen on Monday! 

Here's a photo of the card I have made for her. (I hope she doesn't read this and see it early - I think that is rather unlikely.)

For my Grandma

Katherine Eliza Rachel Mathews (18/7/18 - 14/7/98)

I remember you waiting for me out the front when I came to visit.
I remember meat pies with their lids off and sauce inside.
I remember you telling me about your trips to the supermarket ,
to buy my favourite cordial and ice-cream.
I remember a White Knight bar at the movies.
I remember two Minties after dinner - no more and no less.
I remember the time I had to write, to sing, to dance,
to invent new games when I stayed with you.
I remember meeting your friend in the city.
I remember, at your urging, reciting the limerick I had written about her.
I remember, it started:
"There was an old lady called Walk,
Boy, did she know how to talk..."
I remember how proud of me you both were.
I remember laying in bed, talking for ages, before calling out the final goodnights.
I remember the stories you told me.
I remember how your eyes lit up when you saw me.
I remember that you were always happy to see me.
I remember that you loved me.



originally written 14/7/09

photograph - my Grandma holding Alysha 4/8/96

Six Word Saturday - July 9th, 2011

Listened to some amazing poetry today. 

I finally made it to a Friendly Street Poets meeting. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I seriously contemplated reading some of my own poetry but then this week got really busy and I decided to take the pressure off myself and just go along and enjoy listening to other people read. I'm glad I made that decision today. Yes, it probably would have been great to read and I probably would have felt amazing afterwards but I also know that I would have been very anxious waiting for my turn and that would have impeded my ability to listen and enjoy. Ah, it's always such a balancing act... 

All of those who read today were amazing. There was a great mix of poetry, presented well by seasoned and new readers alike. I am fairly confident now that my turn to read will happen in the not too distant future. 

As written on their website, Friendly Street Poets  "is Australia’s longest running community open mic., uncensored poetry reading  and publishing group in the southern hemisphere." They also publish an anthology each year containing some of the poems read at meetings throughout the year. I bought the latest one today - "Sorcerers and Soothsayers" edited by John Pfitzner and Tracey Korsten. I look forward to some serious poetry reading sometime soon! 

Three Word Wednesday - July 6th, 2011

A short one from me for Three Word Wednesday this week. This week's words are cease, heat and nasty. 


emotions heat up 
nasty comments fill the screen 
she wants them to cease 

Six Word Saturday - July 2nd, 2011

A day to stay inside today. 

I could hear the rain when I woke up this morning and it has been reasonably steady all day. That is a change. The weather for the past few days has been quite glorious. It has been hard to believe that it is winter here. I have had conversations with friends about whether it is autumn hanging on or spring coming early. We decided it felt more like spring. Today, though, it is clearly winter! 

The July river of stones has begun. Click on the badge for more information about this fun challenge. I wrote my small stone for today as I looked out my lounge room window. 

The road is dark with water

The lavender shivers 

A Saturday to stay inside 

To read more of my small stones visit my other blog, Pausing to pick up small stones, and let me know if you decide to join in too. Part of the fun is reading other people's small stones! 

Three Word Wednesday - June 29th, 2011

The words for Three Word Wednesday this week: Bump, Knuckle, Transfix. 


Knucklebones 


My friend's hand flipped over and back 
Up and down 
Sweeping the ground 
Fingers pinched together then apart 
Almost too quick to see 
I watched transfixed 
Thirty years in the past 
I didn't want for the latest gadget 
TV show or You Tube video 
But the tiny packet of coloured plastic pieces 
And the hours of practice 
Knucklebones 
To bounce and bump against each other 
The joy of the perfect turn