The First Days of Summer

Pretty red geranium seems to like this spot at the back door.

Chickens working on their tans under the avocado tree

Two little newcomers to Nanne's garden

Beans doing well and carrots just starting, thanks for the help Sammy

Boysenberries about ready...

and suddenly they're here. A bowlful every evening. Friends dropping in will soon have scones with boysenberry jam and cream, or maybe even boysenberry and white chocolate scones.... or muffins. The possibilities are endless!!

Cos lettuces and tomatoes are doing well. LOVE ceasar salads

A budding young gardener putting petunias and alyssum into the children's garden. The sunflowers in behind will nicely shade the cubby house during summer days.










The cubby house with its Christmas decorations.

Why I Love Spring

Spring is definitely my favourite season. There is just so much colour in my garden that I love to wander around just soaking it in. It seems something new bursts into flower every day.But there are many other things to love too, like                               


coffee on the front terrace



spring flowers

the exquisite iris

the firey red pigface along the driveway

more salads, less soup

more sandals, less boots

lush green grass and contented ponies

the Faraway tree in blossom with a background of bluebells

 

Goodbye Winter

Spring is here at last and it's time to say goodbye to winter. 

 

For starters, that means clearing out the freezer of all last year's fruit and veges to make room for this summer's crops.

The pumpkin soup for lunch with nice homemade bread on the last few cold days;























the boyseberries into jam (should go nicely with scones and cream for our visitors this week);
raspberries into sauce and the last zuchinnis into casseroles.














It's also time to pick the winter veges. Remember the peas and broccoli that went in in June. I'll need some helpers to help pick all those peas.

Here are the sunflower seeds that Jamie planted.
They'll be ready for the children's garden at the cubby pretty soon.

 Look at these gorgeous little kids from next door to Uncle Cam's farm. Just a few days old.

 
 
 
 And two sleepy girls in the morning sun

This year's knitted rug is ready for use. Mostly done while watching TV. Just goes to show how much time we can waste if we just watch!!!

I call this one my 'Licorice Allsorts' rug.

Blossoms appearing on the Faraway Tree and colour everywhere in Nanne's Garden

A 'Herd' at Last

Mez has a mate at last. Little cutie Cindy, the Welsh pony. Lots of fun days ahead for little (and big) girls.

 

Friends forever

Busy Little Chooks

Chooks have such a busy life.

Start out with breakfast

followed by a nice dust bath (stand back or you'll get sprayed)














then a good preen to get all the feathers looking good
(pardon my fluffy butt)

bit of a sun bake, for my suntan

lay eggs for the family (still waiting for the 4th egg)













look for worms and bugs....

eat 'em

so busy, buzzzzzzzzy

 ('scuse me, I need a nap)
 
 
 
 

While the chooks are dozing, here are some other photos of Nanne and Pa's garden:

 
     daffodils

















Pa making a nice new front gate
           old plants out

some new plants in

                                                       GRACEHAVEN front gate.   Nice eh?

'The Chop'

Winter is a time when a lot of things get 'the chop'. Here are a few that have been happening in Nanne's garden.

First of all Pa has been busy chopping wood for our fireplace. A friendly farmer from church told Pa he could have free firewood if he wanted to pick it up. Pa was straight off with his chainsaw and trailer. Here he is getting the job done at home,

and here is the result. A lovely big pile for keeping us warm on wintery nights.








There was also a big pile of sawdust when he had finished,















so the chooks got a lovely new 'carpet' in their chookhouse for all their hard work laying eggs for the family.













The fruit trees got 'the chop' this week, a haircut to help them grow better in spring. You can already see the buds forming on the branches. Later they will be flowers, then fruit (nectarines...yum!)












The roses got 'the chop' so they make more flowers in summer. You can see the new shoots here too.












Even Mez got a haircut this week, and a tail cut, so she looks smart for Riding Club. She really liked being fussed over.





























And lastly, I have had 2 naughty chooks jumping out of their yard, a lot, so finally I said "RIGHT!  time to give your wing tips 'the chop' ". Problem fixed. No more jumping out, as they can't fly as well with clipped wings.