What's growing....

With all this rain, stormy nights and steamy days the garden is growing with great speed.
I snapped these photographs a couple of weeks ago and thought I should share them quickly now before it all fruits, morphs, takes over the house or finds itself eaten and thoroughly enjoyed without even a peep for the outside world....or a reminder to myself of what was growing and what it looked like a very short time ago.

You can see the space for eating ice blocks had nearly been taken over (today being truly overgrown and fruiting) by some of our beetroot, cucumber and pak choi which has also almost all been tossed in the wok for Asian inspired dinners now....

The bananas are flourishing and sending up many suckers which is great for transplanting later for future leafy extensions to the food garden...

My Autumn Royal black grape was also shooting out nicely...it's just a baby though, being about a year old I think so we are another year or two off fruit from this vine yet. As of yesterday afternoon it is settling into a new home on the side fence behind my olive tree. It was at risk of being shaded out by our new building addition so the humble Aussie backyard icon, the choko, has been planted in it's old place.

And my sugar baby watermelons are also showing steady growth and have found the trellis up to the shed. I am hoping, in a kind of experiment, that they will grow up there as well as over the garden bed just as my pumpkins did early in the year.....well we need lots of space for lots of sweet summer indulgence don't we?

More updates to come I'm sure...... what's growing at your place?

Spring Vegetables....

Our beetroot is nearly all ready for harvesting so I plucked my first three for a fitting Spring vegetable dinner last night.

Just adding our cherry tomatoes, which have been booming, and some basil fresh from the patch and it's too easy to whip up a little something delicious (but quite difficult to photograph)....

I'm feeling quite fortunate today after enjoying our homegrown fresh goodies and the rain in the warmth and safety of our home. Sunday's spectacular storms have left many just on the other side of town in a natural disaster zone, who must be feeling quite wet, hungry and devastated with homes destroyed and sadly one life lost. There is a delicate balance in natures fury and today we are the lucky ones to have been able to admire it's show without the fear and loss of being in it's full wake.

Finding the way....

What do you do when you are feeling a little untethered....a little removed from your path....and it's predicted to be a 31 degree day?

Gather the family... pile them into the car, hit the road.... and drive.
A straight unstopping reliable path....

that leads us straight to our favourite stretch of beach hugging our perfectly aquamarine Pacific Ocean.....

Then, jump straight in.....

Watch your babies play......

and ponder for precious moments......

Release, re energise and be free.....

Explore.....

and discover.....

Then watch as storm clouds and lightening gather wildly from the mountains and over the sugar cane fields to follow our refreshed and tired souls home.....

Absolution

Please allow me another post on ladybugs?

Since my little battle with the cuties below on my potatoes and my awareness of just how many different types of ladybugs I have in the garden at the moment (a good sign of organic gardening I find out)....

I've had the opportunity, as coincidence would have it, to take part in an Australian Ladybug Survey and have my finds placed on a map (and you can too). It is a perfect opportunity to do my bit, as well as a chance to become involved and be even more mindful of the many many tiny ecosystems functioning together in my patch of earth......and maybe, just maybe pay some enjoyable penance for my strong dislike of the creatures a little while ago.

You can watch the episode that pointed me in the direction of taking part on Catalyst here and the wonderful website inspired by Adam Slipinski's tedious and longstanding commitment to finding and describing all the little critters here. After immersing myself years ago in botany and zoology as part of my University studies I have a huge appreciation of the grandiose and patient work they are doing....amazing.

All this talk of ladybugs reminds me of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and that famous ladybug quote.....

"when I was a kid I used to go out and try to look for and catch ladybugs, finally I got tired and fell asleep. When I woke up they were all over me." "Ladybugs Katherine, Ladybugs!"

How many ladybugs are in your garden?

::: By Artisan Hands :::

“A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist”
Louis Nizer

Our backyard project is almost complete......

I don't know if it is in my nature, being the Granddaughter of a carpenter, to love wood work and all things timber. I have been admiring the skill and pure craftsmanship involved in working with tool, timber and hand in my backyard for the last week or so. Not to mention completely drowning in the mathematics involved in building.....my goodness you lose it when you don't use it and become totally immersed in everything baby, earthy and crafty.

There really is something to simple hand tools though isn't there? The eye, the hands, the tool, the shaping and chipping away, and the satisfaction that must come with completing that last strike of chisel or hammer, cut with a saw or piece of fine joinery.

Roger has been using tools that belonged to both my Grandfather and his own Father. The sentiment in his hands today still using the tools that were once held to work wood by others hands, family, long ago is stirring. I think it leaves a little piece of everybody behind in this project along with a big bit of soul from the hands, brains and heart of today's builder.

I'm going to miss the sound (and smell) of sawing and hammering in the backyard; watching the creative process; making lunches and cups of tea and gathering in the late afternoon to admire the days progress and chat about changes and plans......

(photo by Mia...)

but the next stage of it's existence is also soon to begin after some minor "finishing off" by me and that is going to be even more fun!

::: Places to Perch :::

Have you seen the "Sit a Spell" Flickr group yet?

Sabrina from Mama Craft has been enjoying it also and has shared her most inviting, charming and much loved little bench seat in the perfect, I believe, bright and busy spot of her house. I'd love to join her for tea.

She has inspired me this weekend to think about all the spots around our home and garden that I gravitate towards when searching for, or simply just happening upon a moment to perch myself.....and just "sit a spell".

Of course my favourite pew is in the garden.....after a wander and flutter through quickly growing vines and newly planted veges; after checking the progress of sprouting seeds and newly flowering fruits; after planning the next shift or rotation or a new bed and admiring the constant changes taking place... I'll take a little seat here if my cup of tea is still warm and continue contemplating my little patch of eden or just simply sit...and breathe.

Dress Rehearsal

I've been working on another little project for a while now....and after using a little trickiness and running out of shirring elastic as excuses to let it "wait" for a week or two, I have finally completed a new little dress for the girl.

This is my first experiment and lesson in shirring. (Don't you just love a shirred summer dress?) It's quite easy and a little fiddly at the same time....and let me tell you another little secret....worn and dry earth loving hands make it all just that much fiddlier, but we got there in the end.

It seems to make its wearer feel rather special which makes it a successful rehearsal for me....

Foundations...

Do you remember a few short months back when there were some renovations going on in the backyard?
Renovations that ended in some happy chooks in their new and improved palace?

Well the yard is full of tools and timber again.... and the delicious smell of hardwood being cut.

Right next door to the "chateau" there is something else taking shape, changing shape and growing upwards in the most exciting way.....

Complete with it's own little bit of cute graffiti....

::: The Woolly Year :::

7 years ago today.....

a small group of our closest friends and family gathered in a tucked away, quiet corner of the world, beneath jacarandas and a large camphor laurel tree.....

by an almost dry creek bed...complete with our own little water nymphs...

to witness Kyle and I tie the knot and enjoy dinner and wine by candlelight on the rainforest deck til the wee hours.....

before embarking on a seaside honeymoon and married life together.....

7 years ago today.