AUTUMN FLOWERS AND UNRULY CLIMBERS

Happy hens demanding food scrap treats

Happy hens demanding food scrap treats

Cleaning up the garden for the open garden in April

 

Zucchini tromboncino in umbelliferae bed

Sunflowers in the driveway

Raised earthbag garden beds in autumn

Maize in the orchard

Pots on the deck

Pepperfish chilli varigated leaves

 

Watercress in the bird bath

Yellow viola bordering the legume garden bed

Eating green beans in the garden

Purple violas in the legume bed

Harvesting beetroot

Orange poppy in the legume bed

Legume bed with flower and herbs around the border

White zinnia in the brassica bed

View from legume bed into solanace bed

Painted lady runner beans

Garden beds in full autumn flush

 

For a while the garden was inconsolable, having missed the spring flush it went into a right sulk, but with autumn here, not even the shyest runner bean has been able to resist unfurling for a sun bake. We have been in a mad flurry trying to get the garden into order for our open day in April. Through January and February beach weather demanded a lot of our attention, but now with the threat of judgmental strangers raising a questioning eyebrow at wilting vines and sorry spring remnants we have to get to the business of patching up the render and getting onto that damn earth oven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue Reading

A SEASIDE CHRISTMAS

Fruit salad, Grey River Christmas

Putting up decorations for Christmas at Grey River

Toasted croissants, Grey River Christmas

Breakfast BBQ for Christmas at Grey River

Christmas muffins for breakfast at Grey River
Fruit salad, Grey River Christmas

Christmas Breakfast, Grey River

Linesman fixing powerline, Grey River Christmas

Little Dog receives his present with suspicion, Grey River Christmas

Dylan's Christmas present Swainston's Fish of Australia, Grey River Christmas

Charlie and Little sitting on dad's lap, Grey River Christmas

Tom taking Wardy out spearfishing, Grey River Christmas

Fisherman and fisherdog on the beach, Grey River Christmas

Trout, Grey River Christmas

Watercolour fish, Grey River Christmas

Gracie dog decorated for christmas, Grey River Christmas

Hash browns, Grey River Christmas

Christmas Dinner, Grey River

Birthday cake, Grey River Christmas

Chess, Grey River Christmas

Stormy weather took out the power lines so Christmas  morning began with a crackling fire and smokey toasted croissants. Traditions of plastic trees, turkey and shouting matches are made to be broken: family, friends and fishing are much nicer. Chocolate birthday cake is pretty delightful as well.

Continue Reading

A GARDEN COMES TO LIFE

 

Raised earthbag garden beds with scratch coat of render

Little next door neighbour chatting with the chooks

Raised earthbag garden beds with first coat of earthen plaster

Beginnings of an earth oven

Legume crop rotation garden bed

Raised garden beds planted out

 

Our raised earth bag garden beds are rendered like a patchwork quilt, marked by dozens of helpful hands. Little details are cheeky and drag on for months and months and what began as a fun excuse to revert back to early mud pie days took gritted teeth to finish (let’s not talk about the fact that this is only the scratch coat).  It was such a relief to get some green back in the garden, bare earth is something I hope has been banished from our garden for good. Luckily we have agreed to show our garden as part of a permaculture open garden scheme for our local council in April, nothing lights a fire under you quite like the fear of public humiliation!

Continue Reading