A year in My garden September (3)A year in My garden September (3)

 

 

I just realised the clocks go forward tonight... So now it's after 2am and I've started this ......Better not ramble on too much then :O) 



I've had Job interviews last week  !!!! ....

 

 

 

So here's the rub ...Within the same 1/2 hr I was offered a job and turned down for another job ....Turned down for being too senior and too experienced for the role..they Thought I wouldn't enjoy the operational focus of the role (??)

 

So I've a certain company who have offered me something - The role isn't as 'chunky' or as senior as I'm used too... but looks an interesting role and probably has good potential (seeing the state they are currently in)....Not only same company but same department as where McD works !! (expected that to go against my being hired...) The money really isn't great which bothers me ........The job market here even in IT isn't boyant..I have another possible opportunity coming up but no guarentees of getting it...Then the possibility of nothing else Or something else more suitable ...who knows when though ...... what to do - what to do ...

 

 

 

Work on  the raised borders continues albeit slowly. Spring is a time when every day you witness the miracle of life....Seeds little more than dust are bursting out with new life. And sprouting at an incredibly rapid rate....I've Planted far too many seeds of some …whoops … Interesting how other seeds  take that much longer to sprout…. But one thing you have to have in this gardening game is patience …

 

 

I’ve also potatoes and Maori purple potatoes and yams to plant out – maybe … I’m starting to run out of space – even for dustbins etc … we’ll see… Meanwhile we have harvested some of the broccolini we planted over winter which was very nice. We also have a couple of squares of bright-lights beet and some squares of kale that provide a regular and abundant supply of green vegetables …

 

 



Don't mention the fence - it's on the list "o) 

 

We never plant things at the right time – always something that gets in the way …Broad beans that we bought from the garden centre have grown, but not grown particularly tall and judging by the seed sown ones next to them are probably quite spindly as well …. But they are flowering profusely  …. We bought some lavender bushes in pots and flowering. We’ve put those around the broad beans in the hope to bring in the bees … The early flowers haven’t set …. True to form the bumble bees are working the lavender but I’ve not seen them on the broad bean flowers yet ….

 

 

 

I’ve also had to start on the flower borders …Too overgrown and full of weed and grass (above picture)… I’ve pruned the silver ferns as well that are at the end of the border …as well as the small almost bracken like ferns that are in front of them… they are already shooting up new fronds and looking good …..



Much to McDs horror I cut down some 'scrub' bush at the back edge of the border. It’s changed the look completely as you can now see down into the forest that surrounds the garden.

 

 



The 'after' picture but see how there is now a pleasing depth to what is a very narrow border - comments please :O) do you agree or is the 1st picture preferable?? 

 I think she is happy with the result though. 

















From the edge of the garden there is a 6-12 foot drop down onto the lower hillside. Our patch of the forest continues then down to a small trickle of a stream. The whole area is a mix of the giant and very prehistoric looking Black Tree Fern and our native beech trees … It’s nice to be able to see into the forest and indeed further across to the next hill that starts up from the stream ……..





These fronds are huge ...So impressive



One year that will be my project – to renew the paths through there and extend them properly down to the stream …If we stay here … Some debate on that

A year in My garden #11

Well finally we have Spring !!!! This weekend we had temperatures hitting 24C in my garden. Just confirmed this (new thermometer just bought) at our local Stokes valley weather station who has the detail on the web.. The chap who does it is just a little way up the road from us so pretty close for weather guaging :O)

We sat out on the house desk for the first time ..>So nice ..>So relaxing.....

Cola

I won't go into detail here as McD has written a nice little entry on her with some lovely pictures etc ... The Bottom line is though that she was back into the vets last week for a few days but there is nothing more they can do for her .. .She is now at home enjoying the warm weather and McDs love care and attention ... One day at a time we wait for the inevitable ...Bu t at the moment she is happy enough..

If you have time - visit McDinzies Blog on Cola

I've had a birthday !!! :o\ 49 now !! :o\ ..I've warned McD that this will be a difficult year for her and me... I've started to create a bucket List for the last year of my 40s ... just to try and make it a little different to the rest of the decade .....Of course it all starts next saturday when someone (Ahem - Me!!!!) has to win the $30m lottery The highest it can get to in NZ....

Meanwhile We actually got stuck into the gardening and building more raised borders on Saturday...Then went out for a meal at a malasian restaurant called Monsoon Poon with B my son. Unfortunately B had just that morning been dumped by his girlfriend of some time ...All went well but I get very upset and angry as B won't get himself sorted in life... He will be 29 soon but still looks and acts like a uni student.....

Oh well ...He's probably happier than I was having worked for 11years or more by that age ....

Today we were back into the gardening again ... But our bodies are showing signs of too long a period of inactivity and are tired and achy especially now .....

McD bought me a little plastic green house for my birthday !! I now can house my seeds and seedlings properly instead of on top of the dining table covered in plastic ...

All the plants seem to be growing well at the veggie plot. Garlic looking more and more tempting to have young wrapped within a nice butterflied leg of lamb ... McDs Mum will most probably visit in a couple of weeks as we have labour day public holiday .... You can guess the rest :O)

The Pole beans I planted outside came up but are not looking too healthy in one of the beds ...Suspect the extended cold weather did them no good ... If they don't look too good in a week or so I will replant them as I have time on my side still ...

Meanwhile we are trying to complete another 4-5 raised beds of varying sizes ASAP.. The plot of land we are using is causing problem after problem and it was already terraced (badly) .. so the latter few beds may not be as big as I had hoped .... But at the end of the day we will have enough to keep us fed hopefully in fresh vegetables just about all year ... Just wish it would hurry up :O)

There is also so much else to do - tidy up the veggie patch. Dig out the dreaded gorse root before it grows again. Laydown weed mat and bark around the beds, sort out the pathway proerly up to the vegie patch before one of us kills ourselves (it's muddy and steep and needs a couple of extra steps putting in) ..

This is McD's seeting arrangement util we can get a proer piece of decking put in .... Works a treat Though a little snug with the two of us .... great spot to look out at over the valley though and down the other valley to wellington and it's harbour..

And then there;s the rest of the garden .......

This was the pot sposed to me M-in-Ls prezzie ... now waiting to be taken onto the decking of the house

Potatoes in Dustbins and buckets :O)

The purple Moari potatoes coming up nicely ...Though doubt they will be ready by Xmas.

Waiting for the dahlias to grow...

Azalias weeds and all

allotment, flowers, gardening, kitchen garden, New Zealand, Photography, pictures, potager garden, raised beds, spring, square foot, tomato, vegetable garden