Yer, May already.

I’m potting up cuttings and stuff and planting out more leeks and garlic.
And bought myself a tunic pattern to make myself some longer tops, to the knees, and with large pockets that’ll be a bit like an apron that you don’t have to take off to go to the shops, lol. I can wear them for winter also with leggings and long sleeved t shirts or skivvy’s. Some will be kept clean, others for gardening.

Happy Potter said:

Yer, May already.

I’m potting up cuttings and stuff and planting out more leeks and garlic.
And bought myself a tunic pattern to make myself some longer tops, to the knees, and with large pockets that’ll be a bit like an apron that you don’t have to take off to go to the shops, lol. I can wear them for winter also with leggings and long sleeved t shirts or skivvy’s. Some will be kept clean, others for gardening.

May I claim this as my month? ;)
52*60=3,120 of them?

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Yer, May already.

I’m potting up cuttings and stuff and planting out more leeks and garlic.
And bought myself a tunic pattern to make myself some longer tops, to the knees, and with large pockets that’ll be a bit like an apron that you don’t have to take off to go to the shops, lol. I can wear them for winter also with leggings and long sleeved t shirts or skivvy’s. Some will be kept clean, others for gardening.

May I claim this as my month? ;)
52*60=3,120 of them?

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Yer, May already.

I’m potting up cuttings and stuff and planting out more leeks and garlic.
And bought myself a tunic pattern to make myself some longer tops, to the knees, and with large pockets that’ll be a bit like an apron that you don’t have to take off to go to the shops, lol. I can wear them for winter also with leggings and long sleeved t shirts or skivvy’s. Some will be kept clean, others for gardening.

May I claim this as my month? ;)
52*60=3,120 of them?

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

you were supposed to work out which week. ;)

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

May I claim this as my month? ;)
52*60=3,120 of them?

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

you were supposed to work out which week. ;)

it’s already in my calender :)

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

you were supposed to work out which week. ;)

it’s already in my calender :)

I’m famous! ;)

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

May I claim this as my month? ;)
52*60=3,120 of them?

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

you were supposed to work out which week. ;)

3,120 /52 = congrats the big one !

justin said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

I know it’s your birthday this month, but not sure of your maths…

you were supposed to work out which week. ;)

3,120 /52 = congrats the big one !

:) soon.

justin said:

3,120 /52 = congrats the big one !

The big “6”… I just worked it out on my calculator…and thirty-nine years since the Rough Barkeds’ became an item?

Pardon my punctuation…
“… 39 years since the RoughBarkeds…”

Dinetta said:

justin said:

3,120 /52 = congrats the big one !

The big “6”… I just worked it out on my calculator…and thirty-nine years since the Rough Barkeds’ became an item?

wow you are good.

Dinetta said:

Pardon my punctuation…
“… 39 years since the RoughBarkeds…”

now it is starting to sound like a sordid tale.

Good morning Gardeners. Two degrees here and clear sky.

Cold, with mild frost that wasn’t forecast. Not that I mind. But new ugg boots are on the list for morning treks to feed the chooks. Got frozed toes.

Some trailer stuff to do today. Pick up a freebie chicken tractor cage to bring home, then figure out where to put it, lol. Then to pt cook for a load of pebbles and these will go into the 2nd ap grow bed.
Brekky and hot hot cuppa.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

justin said:

3,120 /52 = congrats the big one !

The big “6”… I just worked it out on my calculator…and thirty-nine years since the Rough Barkeds’ became an item?

wow you are good.

Can I just reassure you that, coming from a small country town, I tend to remember this stuff?

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Pardon my punctuation…
“… 39 years since the RoughBarkeds…”

now it is starting to sound like a sordid tale.

Oh no no…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Pardon my punctuation…
“… 39 years since the RoughBarkeds…”

now it is starting to sound like a sordid tale.

Oh no no…

I was attempting early morning humour. ;)

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

now it is starting to sound like a sordid tale.

Oh no no…

I was attempting early morning humour. ;)

That’s alright then… (whew!)

Just wondering Happy Potter felt the Earth move early this morning?

Dinetta said:

Just wondering Happy Potter felt the Earth move early this morning?

Nah, at that time I would have been in a deep sleep. Max makes more movement getting on and off the bed.

Happy Potter said:

Nah, at that time I would have been in a deep sleep. Max makes more movement getting on and off the bed.

How’s he going?

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Nah, at that time I would have been in a deep sleep. Max makes more movement getting on and off the bed.

How’s he going?

About 10% better, his head is slightly more straight. Pumping the antibiotics. I’ve sold whatever I can to help pay for them, but need time to pay for new ones tomorrow. Not whinging, but gees it’s a challenge. We’ll get there.
If another weeks meds work, then we’ll be over joyed. If they don’t, then specialist vet and surgery will be needed. But I’m afraid that won’t happen. I don’t want to think, brain hurts.

Good morning Gardeners. We have nine degrees and gusty wind….so it feels a bit colder. I’m off to work shortly.

5.8ºC here. No wind and sun is shining.

A pleasantly chilly 18C here, with a southeasterly of 13 knots keeping it there…

Morning. I’ve been mounting a small piece from an Aust’ native button orchid onto a slice from a tree fern trunk. I’m not an orchid ‘sort’ but it was given to me by a good friend so thought I better see to it.
This friends place inside and outside is wall to wall orchids, very passionate about them. They still don’t do anything for me. Ho hum.

Lazy day today for me, just topping up one AP bed with small stones, then later picking up more tablets for Max.

Happy Potter said:

Morning. I’ve been mounting a small piece from an Aust’ native button orchid onto a slice from a tree fern trunk. I’m not an orchid ‘sort’ but it was given to me by a good friend so thought I better see to it.
This friends place inside and outside is wall to wall orchids, very passionate about them. They still don’t do anything for me. Ho hum.

Just you wait until your first orchid bloom, Happy Potter, just you wait!

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Morning. I’ve been mounting a small piece from an Aust’ native button orchid onto a slice from a tree fern trunk. I’m not an orchid ‘sort’ but it was given to me by a good friend so thought I better see to it.
This friends place inside and outside is wall to wall orchids, very passionate about them. They still don’t do anything for me. Ho hum.

Just you wait until your first orchid bloom, Happy Potter, just you wait!

button orchid? What is wrong with tongue orchid?

that’s more what it looks like than buttons. Dockrillia linguiforme (formerly Dendrobium)

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Morning. I’ve been mounting a small piece from an Aust’ native button orchid onto a slice from a tree fern trunk. I’m not an orchid ‘sort’ but it was given to me by a good friend so thought I better see to it.
This friends place inside and outside is wall to wall orchids, very passionate about them. They still don’t do anything for me. Ho hum.

Just you wait until your first orchid bloom, Happy Potter, just you wait!

button orchid? What is wrong with tongue orchid?

that’s more what it looks like than buttons. Dockrillia linguiforme (formerly Dendrobium)

Yes that’s it, same leaves. Thanks RB.

But nope, it still doesn’t rock my boat.

Ok, can no longer stand my shoulder length hair, going in for the big chop. The hairy man is coming with me. Read, being dragged.

Happy Potter said:

But nope, it still doesn’t rock my boat.

Well if it’s easy to grow and makes a nice show, you’re ahead I reckon!

Right, back to short hair, relief :) Oh, and I was in a deli and this lady was going on loudly about buying crap saffron.. where the good stuff she says. I says at my place! lol! Well, told her how to grow it yourself, ended up with an audience and had to write down the name of what bulb to get, how to grow, etc.
Then the deli keeper wanted to give me $40 a gram for it. Flew home, got one gram, back to the shop and after looking at it and comparing with the Spanish import stuff they sell, sold it immediately. It was for her chef husband. $ goes into Max’s medication fund. Roll on more pretty purple little flowers :) I’m up to 175 blooms so far this year. About what I expected.

Happy Potter said:

Right, back to short hair, relief :) Oh, and I was in a deli and this lady was going on loudly about buying crap saffron.. where the good stuff she says. I says at my place! lol! Well, told her how to grow it yourself, ended up with an audience and had to write down the name of what bulb to get, how to grow, etc.
Then the deli keeper wanted to give me $40 a gram for it. Flew home, got one gram, back to the shop and after looking at it and comparing with the Spanish import stuff they sell, sold it immediately. It was for her chef husband. $ goes into Max’s medication fund. Roll on more pretty purple little flowers :) I’m up to 175 blooms so far this year. About what I expected.

Funny, I was wondering if you would be able to sell some of your saffron to help with Max’s expenses.

My problem when I tried to grow some, was telling the fine leaves apart from the weeds it grew amongst! I should try again one day.

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

Right, back to short hair, relief :) Oh, and I was in a deli and this lady was going on loudly about buying crap saffron.. where the good stuff she says. I says at my place! lol! Well, told her how to grow it yourself, ended up with an audience and had to write down the name of what bulb to get, how to grow, etc.
Then the deli keeper wanted to give me $40 a gram for it. Flew home, got one gram, back to the shop and after looking at it and comparing with the Spanish import stuff they sell, sold it immediately. It was for her chef husband. $ goes into Max’s medication fund. Roll on more pretty purple little flowers :) I’m up to 175 blooms so far this year. About what I expected.

Funny, I was wondering if you would be able to sell some of your saffron to help with Max’s expenses.

My problem when I tried to grow some, was telling the fine leaves apart from the weeds it grew amongst! I should try again one day.

Oh yep, weed free area is a must. Mine got covered with clover, red cover at that, so figured it could only do good and left it. When the bulbs started coming up I used the claw hand tool to scrape the clover back so I could see the bulb leaves. Many more came up when I did that.

My saffron pot has leaves coming up now.

buffy said:

My saffron pot has leaves coming up now.

I’d get some but I have too many things to do with my time now. How long does it take to pick and dry $40 worth of saffron?

Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

roughbarked said:

Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

My saffron pot has leaves coming up now.

I’d get some but I have too many things to do with my time now. How long does it take to pick and dry $40 worth of saffron?

Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

Yay Buffy :)

A week or two RB depending on how many bulbs you have. I’ve no idea of numbers of bulbs as they have increased and set bulblets. They flower over a 3 week period so you have to be around for it. The flowers only open for a day. The leaves get taller after flowering and I water them once a week along with the rest of the garden. Or when I remember to. Like bulbs, once they die down I give them no attention at all. I might top dress with manure or compost. A gram for me is roughly 6-8 dishes worth. 3 grams would do me for a whole year. Each year gives me about triple the threads of the previous years harvest. I had trouble keeping up the picking this year, but kept count of flowers and so far I’ve gotten 178. I assumed I’d get about 200 or so.

I saw them at the plaza yesty’ in big w, one bulb was $5.95. That’s triple what I paid for mine.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

I bought mine from Diggers the year before last. I suspect I bought two of these lots:

http://www.diggers.com.au/shop/product/BSAC9/SAFFRON%20CROCUS%20%289%20bulbs%29.aspx

But I really don’t recall how many I got. They are in a long pot.

Can’t find a photo of them, but these are out now:

Pretty impressive, huh!?

Here you go, one of these long green things:

Just ignore the paleness…I bought the bulbs, forgot about them, they shot in the brown paper bag and I had to hurriedly stuff them into some soil…..they are better this year, the leaves are green.

:)

buffy said:

Here you go, one of these long green things:

Just ignore the paleness…I bought the bulbs, forgot about them, they shot in the brown paper bag and I had to hurriedly stuff them into some soil…..they are better this year, the leaves are green.

:)

:)
The flowers pop up suddenly too with morning sun so keep a close eye out.

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

buffy said:

Can’t find a photo of them, but these are out now:

Pretty impressive, huh!?

Yep

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

(that’s better)

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

(that’s better)

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

(that’s better)

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

(that’s better)

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

digital scales abound these days.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

digital scales abound these days.

Cool. Mine are digital but start at one gram, under that doesn’t register. I’ll do a search on smaller ones when I get back :)

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

digital scales abound these days.

Cool. Mine are digital but start at one gram, under that doesn’t register. I’ll do a search on smaller ones when I get back :)

This review is from: Jennings JScale HP-100X Gram Precision Digital Pocket Scale 100g x 0.01g with 100 Gram Calibration Weight (Office Product)
From an accuracy standpoint this scale is very good. No complaints there. The scale is very easy to calibrate and it hasn’t required recalibration after several uses. My shipment came with one 100 gram weight inside the package and another 100 gram weight packaged separately in a plastic bag. I don’t know if this was a mistake by Amazon or not, but it was a nice bonus to get two calibration weights with my purchase. Here are my main complaints about this scale:

1. The auto shut off feature – This is extremely irritating and is the #1 reason I’m buying another scale. If you are trying to measure something that takes longer than 30 seconds to manipulate onto the measuring surface, like anything granular for example, then this is not the scale for you. It will drive you crazy that it times out before you are finished with your measurements. You have to constantly remove whatever it is you are measuring, zero out, and start all over again…in a rush no less…and try to finish before it shuts off again.

2. The lid cannot be removed because it is also the digital display, which is fine, but it doesn’t lay flat when the scale is being used and that’s an issue. The measuring surface is rather small, which was expected because it is a pocket scale, but because it is so small it would be helpful if the lid laid flat so we could use a separate (and larger) tray to measure whatever it is we are measuring. The attached lid stays open at an angle which prevents the option of using a separate and larger tray. This forces you to use the small measuring surface which contributes to the timing issue I complained about above.

In summary, if you are measuring harder items like gem stones then this scale would be perfect for you. But if you are measuring anything that takes time to manipulate, or if you like using larger trays to make measuring more convenient, then you should avoid this scale and find another model.

roughbarked said:

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Indeed! (Who are they kidding??)

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

(that’s better)

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

Yes, I wondered about the colour when the flavour wasn’t there…back in the day when saffron was relatively unknown as an ingredient…about 20 – 30 years ago? if one happened on some saffron back then it lived up to it’s reputation…then it became scarce, just couldn’t find it (in a rural town)… now we’re expected to be grateful for the rubbish as described by Happy Potter…

Hooray it’s not possible to hijack the Chat threads, lol!

For those suffering drought,as I am. Here are a couple from when the big drought started a mini break. August 2010.

Dinetta said:

Hooray it’s not possible to hijack the Chat threads, lol!

you are being watched. ;)

roughbarked said:

For those suffering drought,as I am. Here are a couple from when the big drought started a mini break. August 2010.

The top one is a stunner, they’d have to be irrigated fields? What are the sheep grazing on?

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Hooray it’s not possible to hijack the Chat threads, lol!

you are being watched. ;)

eek! beady eyes and all…

:P

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

For those suffering drought,as I am. Here are a couple from when the big drought started a mini break. August 2010.

The top one is a stunner, they’d have to be irrigated fields? What are the sheep grazing on?

Dry area wheat and wool mixed farming..

OMG you certainly got a body-language expression of dismay there, lol!

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

digital scales abound these days.

Cool. Mine are digital but start at one gram, under that doesn’t register. I’ll do a search on smaller ones when I get back :)

This review is from: Jennings JScale HP-100X Gram Precision Digital Pocket Scale 100g x 0.01g with 100 Gram Calibration Weight (Office Product)
From an accuracy standpoint this scale is very good. No complaints there. The scale is very easy to calibrate and it hasn’t required recalibration after several uses. My shipment came with one 100 gram weight inside the package and another 100 gram weight packaged separately in a plastic bag. I don’t know if this was a mistake by Amazon or not, but it was a nice bonus to get two calibration weights with my purchase. Here are my main complaints about this scale:

1. The auto shut off feature – This is extremely irritating and is the #1 reason I’m buying another scale. If you are trying to measure something that takes longer than 30 seconds to manipulate onto the measuring surface, like anything granular for example, then this is not the scale for you. It will drive you crazy that it times out before you are finished with your measurements. You have to constantly remove whatever it is you are measuring, zero out, and start all over again…in a rush no less…and try to finish before it shuts off again.

2. The lid cannot be removed because it is also the digital display, which is fine, but it doesn’t lay flat when the scale is being used and that’s an issue. The measuring surface is rather small, which was expected because it is a pocket scale, but because it is so small it would be helpful if the lid laid flat so we could use a separate (and larger) tray to measure whatever it is we are measuring. The attached lid stays open at an angle which prevents the option of using a separate and larger tray. This forces you to use the small measuring surface which contributes to the timing issue I complained about above.

In summary, if you are measuring harder items like gem stones then this scale would be perfect for you. But if you are measuring anything that takes time to manipulate, or if you like using larger trays to make measuring more convenient, then you should avoid this scale and find another model.

Thankyou RB. I appreciate the info so I can avoid wasting dollars and save time researching. It is time consuming weighing spice threads as they tangle and fine tweezers are needed to separate them. I have the same problem with my kitchen scales timing out, it’s very annoying. The bowl isn’t big enough either but I spent a lot on it so not planning to replace it anytime soon.

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

From the “fresh food people”? Aghast, surely not! ;)

Same rubbish that the deli woman was complaining about. Same pack colour and brand. It’s not pure and often adulterated with turmeric, so you could be getting anything. I can spot the difference in the colour now. That was a skill I was not expecting to learn.

Another 15 or so curled flowers about to open as soon as the sun appears. I have a meeting to attend so will grab them when I get back. My kitchen scales can’t weigh part of a gram, methinks I need some jewellers scales or if theres special spice ones. I will sniff some out for prices.

Yes, I wondered about the colour when the flavour wasn’t there…back in the day when saffron was relatively unknown as an ingredient…about 20 – 30 years ago? if one happened on some saffron back then it lived up to it’s reputation…then it became scarce, just couldn’t find it (in a rural town)… now we’re expected to be grateful for the rubbish as described by Happy Potter…

The more I grow the more I am shocked that what I used to know as good food, isn’t. But the more I discover and grow, the more empowered I become to grow it better, the more I get burnt out. Then I need more nutrient dense food. lol.
I hope that makes sense. I know what I mean lol.

Batteries charged after coffee and oat banana cake, got saffron to pick, chooks to move about, housework and washing and AP grow bed stuff to do. until I drop.

Hello Gardeners. I have been to Casterton, mowed until the petrol ran out and decided I couldn’t be bothered going to buy more. So I dug over a veggie bed – and was very disappointed to find dust a mere 3mm down. Oh well, I dug the damper stuff deeper…… Then I dismembered some more of the Buddleia in preparation for another chipping marathon. Not sure when, maybe next weekend. Came home and did some washing and pottering around in the backyard. This involved cleaning out the chooks nests of poo, collecting dog poo (is there no end to the poo?!) and then tidied up the kitchen. I have visitors coming in a bit under an hour, so I thought it might be nice to have a bit of tidiness if we chose to sit by the fire in the kitchen.

Morning. It’s freezing!

I’ve a gardening event to attend today, just a bunch of gardeners gathering in the home of one once a month and getting to know one another. These groups are great and bring communities together. When you need advice or help with heavy gardening jobs, gardeners are there to ask. It will probably become fortnightly, or even weekly. I’m giving a lift to my bestie permaculture orchardist friend. I forgot to tell him it’s take a plate to share so I’m making pikelets to take and mini strawberry muffins from him. Plus he’s a crap cook so I know he will be rapt, lol.

Other than that, staying warm :)

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

buffy said:

My saffron pot has leaves coming up now.

I’d get some but I have too many things to do with my time now. How long does it take to pick and dry $40 worth of saffron?
Then how far does that $40 worth of saffron go, in cooking?

Yay Buffy :)

A week or two RB depending on how many bulbs you have. I’ve no idea of numbers of bulbs as they have increased and set bulblets. They flower over a 3 week period so you have to be around for it. The flowers only open for a day. The leaves get taller after flowering and I water them once a week along with the rest of the garden. Or when I remember to. Like bulbs, once they die down I give them no attention at all. I might top dress with manure or compost. A gram for me is roughly 6-8 dishes worth. 3 grams would do me for a whole year. Each year gives me about triple the threads of the previous years harvest. I had trouble keeping up the picking this year, but kept count of flowers and so far I’ve gotten 178. I assumed I’d get about 200 or so.

I saw them at the plaza yesty’ in big w, one bulb was $5.95. That’s triple what I paid for mine.

a good topic and well done HP
you are a natural marketer – not everyone can find willing buyers as well as you do it.
I am thinking of getting the crocus but thinking is all I’ve done.

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

If it’s fresh, a little goes a long way…

Oh OK, what I meant by fresh was, not that shrivelled-up stuff you find at WW, processed and imported and usually aged to the point of stale…

Dried is best, the flavour intensifies. They take a day or two to dry wrapped in kitchen paper.

what is the definition of fresh?
with corn and lemon verbena I would say ‘fresh’ was less then one hour old.
the sugars decompose into starch very quickly once they’ve been picked.

Dinetta said:

Hooray it’s not possible to hijack the Chat threads, lol!

I can start a couple of new threads if you’re feeling deprived or unloved without the hijacking LOL.
HP is on a roll with saffron and digital scales.
I do have digital scales with a removable tray – Salter – but less than 1gm is impossible to detect, the tray is plastic, cracked and always covered in flour. not particularly good scales but cheap and serviceable.

roughbarked said:

geez – surreal – what’s the light in the background? – and what’s falling out the sky?

roughbarked said:

bird house or letterbox?

roughbarked said:

I was goind to say letterbox, but it’s a very stylish bird home! Wow!

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

Dinetta said:

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

Yeah, buy a new car!
No idea I’m afraid, unless you can jack up the front to ease the wheels off the ground then the steering wheel should be movable.

My ‘HWMBO’ is getting a foot in the rear if he doesn’t start moving about. Oh I hijacked lol

justin said:

roughbarked said:

geez – surreal – what’s the light in the background? – and what’s falling out the sky?

I’m shooting through a walnut tree. The light in the background is reflected sunlight(probably off the back fence). The rainbows in the sky, falling are water from the sprinkler again refracting the light that is reflecting. There is also a red ribbon tied on a branch to remind me which trees had been sprayed with fruit fly bait.

Dinetta said:

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

get the ambulance to move first.
ask someone there to help. normally juggling the wheel is possible somehow.

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bird house or letterbox?

it’s for the birds.

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

Yeah, buy a new car!
No idea I’m afraid, unless you can jack up the front to ease the wheels off the ground then the steering wheel should be movable.

My ‘HWMBO’ is getting a foot in the rear if he doesn’t start moving about. Oh I hijacked lol

The spare key doesn’t need activating..

justin said:

Dinetta said:

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

get the ambulance to move first.
ask someone there to help. normally juggling the wheel is possible somehow.

Yes it will be a system of wiggling both key and steering.

roughbarked said:

Yes it will be a system of wiggling both key and steering.

groan

This means I have to lock the dawg in the house…shutting all the windows and as many of the internal doors, etc…

OK, second coffee downed, now for some street clothes and I’ll have another go…

When I say the key needs activating, I mean when the key goes in a little red key symbol comes up…a little red something anyhow…

roughbarked said:

justin said:

Dinetta said:

Me car is stuck in front of the ambulance, that’s where I park it to go to the grocers. The key is that worn it will no longer turn in the ignition, I wanted to activate the spare last year but HWMBO said “it’ll be right”… so I thought must be OK… I’m parked in a public space in that I’m not parked on handicapped space or emergency space…however I can’t wind the windows up with no car power (dog came for a trip and the windows are at half mast)…

Will have to go back down and lock the glove box and clean out the ash tray (spare coins)…

When I say stuck I mean the steering will no longer jiggle which is what I used to have to do to get the key working…

Any ideers?

get the ambulance to move first.
ask someone there to help. normally juggling the wheel is possible somehow.

Yes it will be a system of wiggling both key and steering.

People generally aren’t aware that heavy key rings can wear out the ignition lock.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Yes it will be a system of wiggling both key and steering.

groan

This means I have to lock the dawg in the house…shutting all the windows and as many of the internal doors, etc…

OK, second coffee downed, now for some street clothes and I’ll have another go…

When I say the key needs activating, I mean when the key goes in a little red key symbol comes up…a little red something anyhow…

The spare key wouldn’t be a spare key if it didn’t work. It probably just needs a new battery.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Yes it will be a system of wiggling both key and steering.

groan

This means I have to lock the dawg in the house…shutting all the windows and as many of the internal doors, etc…

OK, second coffee downed, now for some street clothes and I’ll have another go…

When I say the key needs activating, I mean when the key goes in a little red key symbol comes up…a little red something anyhow…

The spare key wouldn’t be a spare key if it didn’t work. It probably just needs a new battery.

Both keys match the lock. As such they are both activated at the time of sale.

roughbarked said:

People generally aren’t aware that heavy key rings can wear out the ignition lock.

This one has the ring only, it’s never had much hanging off it…this key is 1999 vintage, so 14 years old…it is just a piece of metal, almost no shape and definitely no key “teeth”…locks the car doors OK most of the time…the “new” key fits in OK, just that the light comes on…like a silent alarm…

roughbarked said:

The spare key wouldn’t be a spare key if it didn’t work. It probably just needs a new battery.

This key does not operate on a battery, has to be inserted into a lock…the key “head” is sealed plastic, with a little red thingy on one corner?

Hi everybody. It’s me, Pomolo. I know I’ve been missing for a few weeks but not gone. Been away from home on a couple of occasions so couldn’t log on. Back to normal now so should be a regular again.

Have to say I love that photo you took of the noisy miner under the sprinkler RB. Well done.

Weather has turned the corner into winter now. Days have been beautiful. Clear and warm but the nights are cold. Last night was 9c when I looked. We don’t usually get into single digits till real winter is here.

Our local area had their Garden Expo this weekend so we attended yesterday and came home when we ran out of spending money. Picked up some nice plants and some good info to boot. I took along four plant cuttings for identification. Jerry Colby-williams was at the plant clinic booth so he got the job of ID. He did well too. One plant had to be sent to Land Care for id. It’s most likely a native to our area so JCW wasn’t in the race.

I spent this morning sitting on my bum weeding one of the Iris beds. It was a mess and it annoyed me but now it’s lovely. Watered it then mulched and re watered. It will probably rain tonight. lol.

The glove box does not lock, so I cleaned it out…cleaned out the cassette thingy and the money in the ash tray…need to go back and clean out the whatevers in the wagon, and the bog rolls and warm socks from under the front seat…

Well hello stranger…was wondering the last couple of days where you’d got to and also was wondering if it was something I said…

Was the Expo in BrisVegas? They sound fun, those gardening Expos…

Further on the spare key for my car, I’ve had a look and the red plastic corner is still flush with the main key-head corner, whereas on the old key, the red plastic corner has popped out. I’ve read the manual a couple of times and it seems the key needs to go to a Nissan dealer, complete with number (which we’ve got) and the dealer will wave his or her magic hands and the red plastic corner will pop out.

Hello Gardeners. I went for a bike ride to a local B&B for morning tea. And then back again. Next time I will remember that it is mildly uphill all the way there and I’ll check for even a zephyr of an East breeze (you travel East to get there). Took 32 minutes to get there and 22 to come back again.

I’ve also cleared out a small section one of the veggie beds, so I’d better bury some chook poo under there and plant out some lettuce seedlings if I want lettuce to eat. I’ll interplant some beetroot and I can eat the young leaves with the lettuce and then leave the beetroot to mature after the lettuce finish and come out. I still have a few cabbagey type seedlings to deal with too, so perhaps I should think about getting them in as well.

roughbarked said:

I’m shooting through a walnut tree. The light in the background is reflected sunlight(probably off the back fence). The rainbows in the sky, falling are water from the sprinkler again refracting the light that is reflecting. There is also a red ribbon tied on a branch to remind me which trees had been sprayed with fruit fly bait.

the explanation is as fantastic as the piccie.
I can say I have seen -” reflecting, refracting, falling rainbows from the sky.”

pomolo said:

Hi everybody. It’s me, Pomolo. I know I’ve been missing for a few weeks but not gone. Been away from home on a couple of occasions so couldn’t log on. Back to normal now so should be a regular again.

Have to say I love that photo you took of the noisy miner under the sprinkler RB. Well done.
Weather has turned the corner into winter now. Days have been beautiful. Clear and warm but the nights are cold. Last night was 9c when I looked. We don’t usually get into single digits till real winter is here.
Our local area had their Garden Expo this weekend so we attended yesterday and came home when we ran out of spending money. Picked up some nice plants and some good info to boot. I took along four plant cuttings for identification. Jerry Colby-williams was at the plant clinic booth so he got the job of ID. He did well too. One plant had to be sent to Land Care for id. It’s most likely a native to our area so JCW wasn’t in the race.
I spent this morning sitting on my bum weeding one of the Iris beds. It was a mess and it annoyed me but now it’s lovely. Watered it then mulched and re watered. It will probably rain tonight. lol.

welcome back

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

oh yeah! Alexander will have a baby brother or sister around Christmas :D

bluegreen said:

oh yeah! Alexander will have a baby brother or sister around Christmas :D

Lovely! I can recommend having the bubs close together…it pays off when they’re teenagers…this was advice from a lady who had 7 kids!

pomolo said:

Hi everybody. It’s me, Pomolo. I know I’ve been missing for a few weeks but not gone. Been away from home on a couple of occasions so couldn’t log on. Back to normal now so should be a regular again.

Have to say I love that photo you took of the noisy miner under the sprinkler RB. Well done.

Weather has turned the corner into winter now. Days have been beautiful. Clear and warm but the nights are cold. Last night was 9c when I looked. We don’t usually get into single digits till real winter is here.

Our local area had their Garden Expo this weekend so we attended yesterday and came home when we ran out of spending money. Picked up some nice plants and some good info to boot. I took along four plant cuttings for identification. Jerry Colby-williams was at the plant clinic booth so he got the job of ID. He did well too. One plant had to be sent to Land Care for id. It’s most likely a native to our area so JCW wasn’t in the race.

I spent this morning sitting on my bum weeding one of the Iris beds. It was a mess and it annoyed me but now it’s lovely. Watered it then mulched and re watered. It will probably rain tonight. lol.

Welcome back:) The Expo sounded good.. came home when the money ran out, hahaha.

I thought about you today. I was at a gardening event and I was handed this giant Anzac biscuit, the size of a bread and butter plate, and remembered you saying you made them this size. It took me all day to eat! lol.
I’m not long home and JJ and youngest daughter made tea and waited until I got home to show off their culinary talents. I was so not hungry! lol.

bluegreen said:

oh yeah! Alexander will have a baby brother or sister around Christmas :D

Woohoo! Congrats! :)

That’ll teach him.
Story: Mrs Daughter and her youngest sister and baby Tia were at the local plaza. Also at the plaza were Mrs Daughters very much loved mother and father in law. The young ins didn’t see the in-laws and the father in law thought he might play a silly trick on my Daughter.
He snuck up to the girls who were deep in conversation looking at something and gently pulled the pram with bubs in it away. My daughter let the handle go thinking her sister was holding it.

Automatic savage reaction from mum, took a shoe off and clouted him with it with all the fury of a mother lioness, but not realising who he was she’d drawn blood from the heel of the shoe pounding his head and face.. he had to shout it’s ok it’s ok it’s me! She continued to belt into him as she screamed at him, couldn’t see who it was or hear him. Her sister had to pull her off him!
He nearly gave my girl a heart attack. He couldn’t apologise enough, but young mum was in tears.
He is a fab bloke and known for his funny practical jokes, but this one went too far and he learnt a lesson. Don’t mess with this young mother. He had to go get cleaned and patched up at a nearby doctors surgery.

Happy Potter said:

That’ll teach him.

something he won’t forget in a hurry.

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

That’ll teach him.

something he won’t forget in a hurry.

Nope. Especially when he will have to go to work and explain he was bashed by his very petit daughter in law.

Dinetta said:

Well hello stranger…was wondering the last couple of days where you’d got to and also was wondering if it was something I said…

Was the Expo in BrisVegas? They sound fun, those gardening Expos…

‘Twas in Gympie.

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

bluegreen said:

oh yeah! Alexander will have a baby brother or sister around Christmas :D

That sounds nice.

Happy Potter said:

That’ll teach him.
Story: Mrs Daughter and her youngest sister and baby Tia were at the local plaza. Also at the plaza were Mrs Daughters very much loved mother and father in law. The young ins didn’t see the in-laws and the father in law thought he might play a silly trick on my Daughter.
He snuck up to the girls who were deep in conversation looking at something and gently pulled the pram with bubs in it away. My daughter let the handle go thinking her sister was holding it.

Automatic savage reaction from mum, took a shoe off and clouted him with it with all the fury of a mother lioness, but not realising who he was she’d drawn blood from the heel of the shoe pounding his head and face.. he had to shout it’s ok it’s ok it’s me! She continued to belt into him as she screamed at him, couldn’t see who it was or hear him. Her sister had to pull her off him!
He nearly gave my girl a heart attack. He couldn’t apologise enough, but young mum was in tears.
He is a fab bloke and known for his funny practical jokes, but this one went too far and he learnt a lesson. Don’t mess with this young mother. He had to go get cleaned and patched up at a nearby doctors surgery.

He was lucky she only had a shoe for a weapon by the sounds of it.

justin said:

roughbarked said:

I’m shooting through a walnut tree. The light in the background is reflected sunlight(probably off the back fence). The rainbows in the sky, falling are water from the sprinkler again refracting the light that is reflecting. There is also a red ribbon tied on a branch to remind me which trees had been sprayed with fruit fly bait.

the explanation is as fantastic as the piccie.
I can say I have seen -” reflecting, refracting, falling rainbows from the sky.”

:) oops I waxed lyrical.

justin said:

pomolo said:

Hi everybody. It’s me, Pomolo. I know I’ve been missing for a few weeks but not gone. Been away from home on a couple of occasions so couldn’t log on. Back to normal now so should be a regular again.

Have to say I love that photo you took of the noisy miner under the sprinkler RB. Well done.
Weather has turned the corner into winter now. Days have been beautiful. Clear and warm but the nights are cold. Last night was 9c when I looked. We don’t usually get into single digits till real winter is here.
Our local area had their Garden Expo this weekend so we attended yesterday and came home when we ran out of spending money. Picked up some nice plants and some good info to boot. I took along four plant cuttings for identification. Jerry Colby-williams was at the plant clinic booth so he got the job of ID. He did well too. One plant had to be sent to Land Care for id. It’s most likely a native to our area so JCW wasn’t in the race.
I spent this morning sitting on my bum weeding one of the Iris beds. It was a mess and it annoyed me but now it’s lovely. Watered it then mulched and re watered. It will probably rain tonight. lol.

welcome back

Ditto. :)

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Are the cuttings from the mature wood or are they suckers from the base of the tree?

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

oh yeah! Alexander will have a baby brother or sister around Christmas :D

Woohoo! Congrats! :)

+1

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

We make our own mixes.

Dinetta said:

Further on the spare key for my car, I’ve had a look and the red plastic corner is still flush with the main key-head corner, whereas on the old key, the red plastic corner has popped out. I’ve read the manual a couple of times and it seems the key needs to go to a Nissan dealer, complete with number (which we’ve got) and the dealer will wave his or her magic hands and the red plastic corner will pop out.

OK so it may not have been activated to prevent loss into the wrong hands but it seems silly to have a spare key that doesn’t work. Anyway what this probably means is that the steering lock is what your problem is. This is probably part of the security mechanism which somehow needs repair..

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Further on the spare key for my car, I’ve had a look and the red plastic corner is still flush with the main key-head corner, whereas on the old key, the red plastic corner has popped out. I’ve read the manual a couple of times and it seems the key needs to go to a Nissan dealer, complete with number (which we’ve got) and the dealer will wave his or her magic hands and the red plastic corner will pop out.

OK so it may not have been activated to prevent loss into the wrong hands but it seems silly to have a spare key that doesn’t work. Anyway what this probably means is that the steering lock is what your problem is. This is probably part of the security mechanism which somehow needs repair..

It could be that the electronics in the key or in the ignition, have gone bonkers and have forced the steering lock on but it sounds more like a fault in the steering lock.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

Further on the spare key for my car, I’ve had a look and the red plastic corner is still flush with the main key-head corner, whereas on the old key, the red plastic corner has popped out. I’ve read the manual a couple of times and it seems the key needs to go to a Nissan dealer, complete with number (which we’ve got) and the dealer will wave his or her magic hands and the red plastic corner will pop out.

OK so it may not have been activated to prevent loss into the wrong hands but it seems silly to have a spare key that doesn’t work. Anyway what this probably means is that the steering lock is what your problem is. This is probably part of the security mechanism which somehow needs repair..

It could be that the electronics in the key or in the ignition, have gone bonkers and have forced the steering lock on but it sounds more like a fault in the steering lock.

No, I think the key has to be taken to the Nissan dealer, with the little metal plate that has the key ID on it…will ring an 1800 number tomorrow, and ask if there’s someone in town I can go to, otherwise I have to wait for P to get here, then take the key back 100km to the nearest dealer…

Morning. 3.3 C brr. When the frost lifts, I will plant out another garlic bed and pick eggplants and capsicums. Top of 17C forecast.

The man is ok finally and has put himself back on the work list. Thank goodness, because he’s been driving me mad, lol.

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

We make our own mixes.

“We?” I knew you would. What about everyone else? Not having your knowledge in this regard we tend to buy it mostly. I know my Dad used to use river sand which he nicked from where ever. We don’t have that access. I often just stick stuff in something and hope. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

pomolo said:

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

We make our own mixes.

“We?” I knew you would. What about everyone else? Not having your knowledge in this regard we tend to buy it mostly. I know my Dad used to use river sand which he nicked from where ever. We don’t have that access. I often just stick stuff in something and hope. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Could say I used the royal ‘we’ but I know that several posters here do make up their own mixes. I haven’t yet found a commercial potting mix that satisfies the needs of the plants or the conditions. I add things to any potting mix from a packet. Usually sand and or crushed gravels/minerals.

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

roughbarked said:

We make our own mixes.

“We?” I knew you would. What about everyone else? Not having your knowledge in this regard we tend to buy it mostly. I know my Dad used to use river sand which he nicked from where ever. We don’t have that access. I often just stick stuff in something and hope. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

Could say I used the royal ‘we’ but I know that several posters here do make up their own mixes. I haven’t yet found a commercial potting mix that satisfies the needs of the plants or the conditions. I add things to any potting mix from a packet. Usually sand and or crushed gravels/minerals.

We do likewise for potting mix. Even the good ones can be made lots better.

I’ve got more to write but D is ready to do a trip into town so I had better get up to speed. He’s good at waiting but not that good. L8r.

pomolo said:

I’ve got more to write but D is ready to do a trip into town so I had better get up to speed. He’s good at waiting but not that good. L8r.

great to have caught up with you. :)

My seedling mix that I make is standard potting mix with goodies added. To a bucket of potting mix I add a handful of washed river sand, 2 handfuls of perlite and that amount again of worm casts and a cap of seasol. Moisten and mix as per xmas pud.
Not much doesn’t come up nowadays :)

Happy Potter said:

My seedling mix that I make is standard potting mix with goodies added. To a bucket of potting mix I add a handful of washed river sand, 2 handfuls of perlite and that amount again of worm casts and a cap of seasol. Moisten and mix as per xmas pud.
Not much doesn’t come up nowadays :)

Should see what comes up when you mix in sheepshit or emu pats .. whatever.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

My seedling mix that I make is standard potting mix with goodies added. To a bucket of potting mix I add a handful of washed river sand, 2 handfuls of perlite and that amount again of worm casts and a cap of seasol. Moisten and mix as per xmas pud.
Not much doesn’t come up nowadays :)

Should see what comes up when you mix in sheepshit or emu pats .. whatever.

Now sheepshit, yes that would be great. Not sure where to get it from around here without forking out quite a bit though. I haven’t seen any emus about, but I do know a lady in rockbank that keeps them. Her two live with chickens on a large property and they are so funny. Sent me a video of them running across the paddock when she took hens feed bucket out. It’s always hilarious when you see an emu running, lol.

it is the backwards knees and the floppy skirt..

Yes, the gypsyt lore says that the droppings of the ewe are gold.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Are the cuttings from the mature wood or are they suckers from the base of the tree?

small mature branches from higher in the tree, not suckers.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

OK so it may not have been activated to prevent loss into the wrong hands but it seems silly to have a spare key that doesn’t work. Anyway what this probably means is that the steering lock is what your problem is. This is probably part of the security mechanism which somehow needs repair..

It could be that the electronics in the key or in the ignition, have gone bonkers and have forced the steering lock on but it sounds more like a fault in the steering lock.

No, I think the key has to be taken to the Nissan dealer, with the little metal plate that has the key ID on it…will ring an 1800 number tomorrow, and ask if there’s someone in town I can go to, otherwise I have to wait for P to get here, then take the key back 100km to the nearest dealer…

this is all very complicated and sounds a big pain :(

Happy Potter said:

Morning. 3.3 C brr. When the frost lifts, I will plant out another garlic bed and pick eggplants and capsicums. Top of 17C forecast.

The man is ok finally and has put himself back on the work list. Thank goodness, because he’s been driving me mad, lol.

A minimum of 12C last night apparently…oooh no, a temp of 8.5C at 06:00, about half of what they were predicting…I like it for a change…

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Are the cuttings from the mature wood or are they suckers from the base of the tree?

small mature branches from higher in the tree, not suckers.

Well, many nurserymen bury hardwood cuttings upside down in moist pit sand to encourage root callus but it isn’t entirely necessary. The best way to keep the cuttings moist until spring planting though.

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Morning. 3.3 C brr. When the frost lifts, I will plant out another garlic bed and pick eggplants and capsicums. Top of 17C forecast.

The man is ok finally and has put himself back on the work list. Thank goodness, because he’s been driving me mad, lol.

A minimum of 12C last night apparently…oooh no, a temp of 8.5C at 06:00, about half of what they were predicting…I like it for a change…

My garlic is 150 mm tall already. Eggplants still fruiting.. Planting broad beans and peas.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Are the cuttings from the mature wood or are they suckers from the base of the tree?

small mature branches from higher in the tree, not suckers.

Well, many nurserymen bury hardwood cuttings upside down in moist pit sand to encourage root callus but it isn’t entirely necessary. The best way to keep the cuttings moist until spring planting though.

and thereby burying the whole cutting?

Happy Potter said:

It’s always hilarious when you see an emu running, lol.

They bite hard, speaking from personal experience…:P

bluegreen said:

this is all very complicated and sounds a big pain :(

Well I have been on the phone, the 1800 number put me on to the dealer in Dalby when I asked for Emerald…Dalby said there’s no dealer in E any more, but there’s one in Charleville…we both had a chuckle over that…so I asked if the original dealer was still going in RockVegas and she said yes…Rang them and explained the problem, gave them P’s number as he’s better at organising than I am (I’m the support person)…

It’s a right royal pain, BlueGreen…the person at the end of 1800 had no idea about key activation…

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

small mature branches from higher in the tree, not suckers.

Well, many nurserymen bury hardwood cuttings upside down in moist pit sand to encourage root callus but it isn’t entirely necessary. The best way to keep the cuttings moist until spring planting though.

and thereby burying the whole cutting?

Yep. You can fig a hole or you can make a sand box on top of the ground.. uses a lot of sand the latter way.

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

this is all very complicated and sounds a big pain :(

Well I have been on the phone, the 1800 number put me on to the dealer in Dalby when I asked for Emerald…Dalby said there’s no dealer in E any more, but there’s one in Charleville…we both had a chuckle over that…so I asked if the original dealer was still going in RockVegas and she said yes…Rang them and explained the problem, gave them P’s number as he’s better at organising than I am (I’m the support person)…

It’s a right royal pain, BlueGreen…the person at the end of 1800 had no idea about key activation…

Anyway, you could do what the thieves do and pull the ignition out and cross the wires.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

this is all very complicated and sounds a big pain :(

Well I have been on the phone, the 1800 number put me on to the dealer in Dalby when I asked for Emerald…Dalby said there’s no dealer in E any more, but there’s one in Charleville…we both had a chuckle over that…so I asked if the original dealer was still going in RockVegas and she said yes…Rang them and explained the problem, gave them P’s number as he’s better at organising than I am (I’m the support person)…

It’s a right royal pain, BlueGreen…the person at the end of 1800 had no idea about key activation…

Anyway, you could do what the thieves do and pull the ignition out and cross the wires.

Apart from the fact that if you can’t get the steering unlocked, all it will do is go around in a circle.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Well, many nurserymen bury hardwood cuttings upside down in moist pit sand to encourage root callus but it isn’t entirely necessary. The best way to keep the cuttings moist until spring planting though.

and thereby burying the whole cutting?

Yep. You can fig a hole or you can make a sand box on top of the ground.. uses a lot of sand the latter way.

don’t have the sand and digging holes is not really an option. How about deeply sunk in a pot with a plastic bag over the top?

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

and thereby burying the whole cutting?

Yep. You can fig a hole or you can make a sand box on top of the ground.. uses a lot of sand the latter way.

don’t have the sand and digging holes is not really an option. How about deeply sunk in a pot with a plastic bag over the top?

Bog pot or poly box.. yes.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Yep. You can fig a hole or you can make a sand box on top of the ground.. uses a lot of sand the latter way.

don’t have the sand and digging holes is not really an option. How about deeply sunk in a pot with a plastic bag over the top?

Bog pot or poly box.. yes.

You still need sand but as I suggested by digging a hole, the sand doesn’t need to run out holes in pots so some soil on bottom of pot first.

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

don’t have the sand and digging holes is not really an option. How about deeply sunk in a pot with a plastic bag over the top?

Bog pot or poly box.. yes.

You still need sand but as I suggested by digging a hole, the sand doesn’t need to run out holes in pots so some soil on bottom of pot first.

I will try and pick up some sand today as I need to go into town, and see if the greengrocers have some spare poly boxes. Thanks for the info RB :)

Ahoy…

Some of the birdseed from my parrots’ cages has sown and grown. We have plants that look like broccoli leaves with flowering spikes that have little yellow flowers – in fact it all looks very broccoli-ish w/o the nommy vegetable bit. WTF is it?

Don’t ask me to take a photo of it, please :P

kii said:

Ahoy…

Some of the birdseed from my parrots’ cages has sown and grown. We have plants that look like broccoli leaves with flowering spikes that have little yellow flowers – in fact it all looks very broccoli-ish w/o the nommy vegetable bit. WTF is it?

Don’t ask me to take a photo of it, please :P

Rape or more commonly known as Canola. (Monsanto branding?) You can eat the florets like broccolini.

roughbarked said:

kii said:

Ahoy…

Some of the birdseed from my parrots’ cages has sown and grown. We have plants that look like broccoli leaves with flowering spikes that have little yellow flowers – in fact it all looks very broccoli-ish w/o the nommy vegetable bit. WTF is it?

Don’t ask me to take a photo of it, please :P

Rape or more commonly known as Canola. (Monsanto branding?) You can eat the florets like broccolini.

Italians use it a lot around here as minestra fasoulu which loosely translates as weeds and beans

roughbarked said:

roughbarked said:

kii said:

Ahoy…

Some of the birdseed from my parrots’ cages has sown and grown. We have plants that look like broccoli leaves with flowering spikes that have little yellow flowers – in fact it all looks very broccoli-ish w/o the nommy vegetable bit. WTF is it?

Don’t ask me to take a photo of it, please :P

Rape or more commonly known as Canola. (Monsanto branding?) You can eat the florets like broccolini.

Italians use it a lot around here as minestra fasoulu which loosely translates as weeds and beans

Since many local Italian descendants either own Canola farms or have chooks and vegie gardens and etc., canola is one of the many ‘weeds’ they use as minestra. Chickory is another.

If not they go buy some broccoli from the shop and mix it with pasta.

I’m going to offer it to the parrots.

thanks – :)

kii said:

I’m going to offer it to the parrots.

thanks – :)

parrots may or may not be fussy about some greens. but they do love many greens and green seeds. They love the grass seed heads at the milky stage and that sort of thing.

roughbarked said:

Anyway, you could do what the thieves do and pull the ignition out and cross the wires.

Hopefully they didn’t do that!

roughbarked said:

Apart from the fact that if you can’t get the steering unlocked, all it will do is go around in a circle.

It would only go straight at the moment, when I say the steering is immobilised, I mean cactus…

roughbarked said:

kii said:

I’m going to offer it to the parrots.

thanks – :)

parrots may or may not be fussy about some greens. but they do love many greens and green seeds. They love the grass seed heads at the milky stage and that sort of thing.

My chookens love the green panic seeds still on the head…the parrots corellas and galahs like the native pasture seeds…

I would not recommend growing green panic in the suburban back yard…

roughbarked said:

‘allo’allo, wots you doing then? :)

roughbarked said:

now THERE is someone who loves his greens :D

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

now THERE is someone who loves his greens :D

roughbarked said:

they look alien that closeup – nice one.

justin said:

roughbarked said:

they look alien that closeup – nice one.

|_______________| I could have cropped it a bit. ;)

these guys are sheer muscle and leverage.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

kii said:

I’m going to offer it to the parrots.

thanks – :)

parrots may or may not be fussy about some greens. but they do love many greens and green seeds. They love the grass seed heads at the milky stage and that sort of thing.

My chookens love the green panic seeds still on the head…the parrots corellas and galahs like the native pasture seeds…

I would not recommend growing green panic in the suburban back yard…

We have lots of panicum seed growing on the roadsides round here. Finches love it. that’s the only time we get to see small birds.

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

propagating sand 1: organic compost 2: cowdung 1: coir seed raising block soaked in 9 ltrs water.

roughbarked said:

Not exactly attractive is it? Lovely armour though.

justin said:

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

Hi folks. A packed weekend for me. Worked Saturday morning, then had M & B & Alexander over until this morning, then church, then went to to the Seed Savers Group this afternoon. It will probably take a week of sleep ins for me to recover! lol!

The house we went to today had plenty to look at, including the largest olives I have ever seen (Giant Kalamata variety.) Also a lovely crab apple, of which I have a bag of fruit and some cuttings.

With the cuttings, I am thinking a mix of premium potting mix and perlite in a pot. Do you think that will work? I don’t have any propagating sand. Will it need heat, or just keep moist and see if they shoot in Spring?

Speaking of propagating mixes. We have tried probably half a dozen different brands and haven’t found one that we would buy again. Some look exactly like potting mix and some seem to be nothing but bark chips. Haven’t found one that has lots of sand in it.

What does everyone else use?

propagating sand 1: organic compost 2: cowdung 1: coir seed raising block soaked in 9 ltrs water.

That sounds interesting. D and I sourced some river sand this morning. Off to nick some later this arvo. I’ll put in some additives and see how we go.

Thanks for contributions folks.

roughbarked said:

Wowsers! Fantastic!

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

now THERE is someone who loves his greens :D

Must mention about your bit of pink ribbon in the second pic. You find stuff like that around here too. I’m always marking certain plants for differnt reasons. Most often it’s because of a sport that has taken off. Right now I have threads around a clitoria because the flowers are turning out to be varigated. Purple and white. A newy on me.

I have a beautiful vase full of pink plumbago sitting on the dining table. They are from plants Bubba Louie gave me and this year they have excelled themselves. I can’t help looking at them.

Pomolo do you have the Birds in the Backyard thread bookmarked?

pomolo said:

I have a beautiful vase full of pink plumbago sitting on the dining table. They are from plants Bubba Louie gave me and this year they have excelled themselves. I can’t help looking at them.

:)

Back at the vet in a min with Max for a check and see to his medication supply. He’s so fat now, a round barrel shape from steroid medication. He’s about 40% better now, still has a slight head tilt and not stumbling about as much. Little steps.
Come on roly poly puppy..in the car.

going to sulk today – throat hurts :(

might cook up those crab apples into crab apple jelly.
might make a zucchini slice.

might….

bluegreen said:

going to sulk today – throat hurts :(

might cook up those crab apples into crab apple jelly.
might make a zucchini slice.

might….

Lemon Thyme and Yarrow tea with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Sip it as hot as can and breathe in the fumes as it cools.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

going to sulk today – throat hurts :(

might cook up those crab apples into crab apple jelly.
might make a zucchini slice.

might….

Lemon Thyme and Yarrow tea with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Sip it as hot as can and breathe in the fumes as it cools.

haven’t got any of that, what about lemon grass and ginger?

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

going to sulk today – throat hurts :(

might cook up those crab apples into crab apple jelly.
might make a zucchini slice.

might….

Lemon Thyme and Yarrow tea with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Sip it as hot as can and breathe in the fumes as it cools.

haven’t got any of that, what about lemon grass and ginger?

Probably useful but I haven’t tested it so cannot say for sure.

Happy Potter said:

Back at the vet in a min with Max for a check and see to his medication supply. He’s so fat now, a round barrel shape from steroid medication. He’s about 40% better now, still has a slight head tilt and not stumbling about as much. Little steps.
Come on roly poly puppy..in the car.

Hope roly poly puppy improves a bit quicker now.

bluegreen said:

going to sulk today – throat hurts :(

might cook up those crab apples into crab apple jelly.
might make a zucchini slice.

might….

Ahem. Just clearing my throat in sympathy BG.

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

fleabane is my problem weed atm.

pomolo said:

Happy Potter said:

Back at the vet in a min with Max for a check and see to his medication supply. He’s so fat now, a round barrel shape from steroid medication. He’s about 40% better now, still has a slight head tilt and not stumbling about as much. Little steps.
Come on roly poly puppy..in the car.

Hope roly poly puppy improves a bit quicker now.

A treat from the vet for the dog and a big bill for me, he is improving :D I just can’t let up with the medications, and we will win the war. He might, just might have a bit of residual semi permanent head tilt.
He can get on the bed ok, using the poofe cushion, but getting off is a bit of a splat action, but at least rights himself and runs to catch up with me.
But today, a plumbing block happened, again, and after I dug this ruddy great hole to find an access pipe that water ppl told me to, Max fell into the hole and just lay there on his back looking stupid. Oh he liked it, was in no hurry to get out silly dog, lol. There’s new smells down there.. I had to call someone to get him out.

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

Happy Potter said:

But today, a plumbing block happened, again, and after I dug this ruddy great hole to find an access pipe that water ppl told me to, Max fell into the hole and just lay there on his back looking stupid. Oh he liked it, was in no hurry to get out silly dog, lol. There’s new smells down there.. I had to call someone to get him out.

Good news about Max’s improved health (Y) : this is the fb symbol for thumbs-up…

What is it with dogs and smelly smells, lol!

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

fleabane is my problem weed atm.

everyone’s problem atm.
Fleabane has spread very rapidly in recent years to be absolutely everywhere in plague proportions.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’d like pictures of them all. Common names don’t cut it.

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

fleabane is my problem weed atm.

We have our share of that one in Q too. They seem to blame the use of Glypho on it’s spread. Bare ground, after glypho alows it to germnate or something like that.

Happy Potter said:

pomolo said:

Happy Potter said:

Back at the vet in a min with Max for a check and see to his medication supply. He’s so fat now, a round barrel shape from steroid medication. He’s about 40% better now, still has a slight head tilt and not stumbling about as much. Little steps.
Come on roly poly puppy..in the car.

Hope roly poly puppy improves a bit quicker now.

A treat from the vet for the dog and a big bill for me, he is improving :D I just can’t let up with the medications, and we will win the war. He might, just might have a bit of residual semi permanent head tilt.
He can get on the bed ok, using the poofe cushion, but getting off is a bit of a splat action, but at least rights himself and runs to catch up with me.
But today, a plumbing block happened, again, and after I dug this ruddy great hole to find an access pipe that water ppl told me to, Max fell into the hole and just lay there on his back looking stupid. Oh he liked it, was in no hurry to get out silly dog, lol. There’s new smells down there.. I had to call someone to get him out.

That’s why dogs dig holes for the fun of it. It’s the earthy smells. Same goes for chewing shoes I believe. It’s the earthy smell of them.

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

fleabane is my problem weed atm.

We have our share of that one in Q too. They seem to blame the use of Glypho on it’s spread. Bare ground, after glypho alows it to germnate or something like that.

Yep. It loves a clear seed bed but also washes with water or blows via wind to such spots.

roughbarked said:

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

I would have said she’s starting her deep knee bends at an early age… these days they’re called “squats”, aren’t they?

Must be something going on north of me.. As three police helicopters just flew over in formation heading due north.

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

bluegreen said:

fleabane is my problem weed atm.

We have our share of that one in Q too. They seem to blame the use of Glypho on it’s spread. Bare ground, after glypho alows it to germnate or something like that.

Yep. It loves a clear seed bed but also washes with water or blows via wind to such spots.

Morning RB. It sure does all of the above.

pomolo said:

We have our share of that one in Q too. They seem to blame the use of Glypho on it’s spread. Bare ground, after glypho alows it to germnate or something like that.

If that’s the case, I’d look at encouraging grass or other ground cover as it would appear that, like parthenium, it doesn’t compete well …

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

I would have said she’s starting her deep knee bends at an early age… these days they’re called “squats”, aren’t they?

Yeah.. squats.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

sticky seeds. Is it a grass or a broadleaf?

pomolo said:

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

Nor am I…

roughbarked said:

Must be something going on north of me.. As three police helicopters just flew over in formation heading due north.

Fingers crossed that it’s not over serious.

roughbarked said:

Must be something going on north of me.. As three police helicopters just flew over in formation heading due north.

Fingers crossed that it’s not over serious.

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

sticky seeds. Is it a grass or a broadleaf?

It would be classed as a broad weed. Round shaped leaves.

roughbarked said:

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

Never. Once they are up, they’re up for ever. She’s beautiful.

pomolo said:

roughbarked said:

Must be something going on north of me.. As three police helicopters just flew over in formation heading due north.

Fingers crossed that it’s not over serious.

Who knows until it hits the news if ever.. Could even just be a training exercise.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

I would have said she’s starting her deep knee bends at an early age… these days they’re called “squats”, aren’t they?

Yeah.. squats.

Ready to spring into action

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

My latest whinge is WEEDS. Sometimes I get tired of the battle. We’ve been here for 16 years and i have finally rid the house pad of pig weed. (purslane) I’m still working on bindi even though I have never allowed any plants to ever reach maturity in that time. The seeds either stay viable for a long time or they are washing down to our property from further up the hill.

Now I have made a new discovery. It’s a weed that has sticky seeds. I’ve seen it before but not here until this year. I think it will be fairly easy to gert rid of with Glypho but there is heaps of it. That’s more than I can say for a few of the others. Some are very slow to die but they do die in the end. Some don’t even look affected by glypho at all. Some have long tap roots so I can’t just yank out. Even when the ground is very wet they still hold on. That’s where the sit down and get stuck into them comes in. I don’t get up and down as easily as I used to either.

The war isn’t over yet.

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

send it to me? I have a folder in my p’bucket named Poms pics :)

Gotta go, more dirt digging and moving things so the sewer rats with the big heavy hoses can get in without damaging my garden.

I ripped them a new one I can tell you. This has been a problem since the Friday of the Labour Day weekend 1989. That’s the day we moved in. If they’re going to rip up part of my garden so be it, they may as well do it now while I am able to put it back together.

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

She’s been walking for a month but now it looks as if she’s giving up going back to crawling.

I would have said she’s starting her deep knee bends at an early age… these days they’re called “squats”, aren’t they?

Here’s a video of her early attempts at walking. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenabub/8716288811/in/photostream/

roughbarked said:

Here’s a video of her early attempts at walking. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenabub/8716288811/in/photostream/

Gosh, she started early!

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Here’s a video of her early attempts at walking. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenabub/8716288811/in/photostream/

Gosh, she started early!

Her mother did too.

Well the waterworks ppl have finished and rolled up their hose and windy tool thingo, assorted other machinery and left over piping and left. They had to re sleeve the pipe, it’d shifted.
You wouldn’t believe the mess. At one stage they flushed the drain and whoosh, the fernery breather pipe exploded with sewerage. Great. Well for the ferns it might be. They did wash it down but I’m going to give it another clean with the karcher.
Hubby and I are cleaning up and refilling the big hole we dug, but then thought if we ever have to find that access pipe again we better mark the area. An even better idea was to shove a 6 inch length from our pipe stash and build it up so the cover sits flush with the soil surface. It’s another little plant stand ;)
Done now, a cuppa then we refill the hole. Poor chookens have had to stay in their pens, but after we’ve done the fill and levelled it, I’ll let them loose in the area. They have been lined up at the fence watching the proceedings. Funny things lol.

Up and atom…

Good morning Gardeners. I’m not about the forums much at the moment, but life will slow down a bit soon I hope. Happy gardening.

:)

Dinetta said:

Up and atom…

must I?

is there a war on?

roughbarked said:

is there a war on?

only in my stuffy sinuses :(

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

is there a war on?

only in my stuffy sinuses :(

Winter is on its way.

Well her mum being one of those women of caliber that Tony Rabbit has been abbotting on about, she has gone back to work and of course baby wants to know where mummy suddenly went. Here she is finding out about mummy’s work.

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Up and atom…

must I?

Nah…you need to gather your energies for A’s next visit, seeing as he’s mobile…

Luckier than many (knowing where Mummy works)…

been treating my cold with some sunshine. I’ve been collecting various bulbs for a while as people have been giving them away but I’m not sure I can remember what they all are! Planted some Belladonna lilies, and what may be more Belladonna lilies only the bulbs were a bit smaller. Also what I think are gladdies. I will find out when they flower!

Also to go in are some jonquils and some other bulbs that may be more jonquils or daffodils or something else. I think I have some Alstroemeria corms too.

I have also been given a whole lot of bearded iris corms of various colours too that need to find a bit of dirt to go in.

I have dug out some bulbs of a dainty little flower (Albuca Shawii) that I planted at some time but is getting overwhelmed by the thugs around it (lavender, prostrate rosemary, dietes). I think it will do better in a pot or somewhere with other dainty plants.

bluegreen said:

been treating my cold with some sunshine. I’ve been collecting various bulbs for a while as people have been giving them away but I’m not sure I can remember what they all are! Planted some Belladonna lilies, and what may be more Belladonna lilies only the bulbs were a bit smaller. Also what I think are gladdies. I will find out when they flower!

Also to go in are some jonquils and some other bulbs that may be more jonquils or daffodils or something else. I think I have some Alstroemeria corms too.

I have also been given a whole lot of bearded iris corms of various colours too that need to find a bit of dirt to go in.

I have dug out some bulbs of a dainty little flower (Albuca Shawii) that I planted at some time but is getting overwhelmed by the thugs around it (lavender, prostrate rosemary, dietes). I think it will do better in a pot or somewhere with other dainty plants.

Perhaps the slightly smaller Belladonnas were slightly smaller Belladonna. Otherwise if they were darker coloured they may have been Jacobean lilies Spreklia or more likely if they were bigger.. Hippeastrum?

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

been treating my cold with some sunshine. I’ve been collecting various bulbs for a while as people have been giving them away but I’m not sure I can remember what they all are! Planted some Belladonna lilies, and what may be more Belladonna lilies only the bulbs were a bit smaller. Also what I think are gladdies. I will find out when they flower!

Also to go in are some jonquils and some other bulbs that may be more jonquils or daffodils or something else. I think I have some Alstroemeria corms too.

I have also been given a whole lot of bearded iris corms of various colours too that need to find a bit of dirt to go in.

I have dug out some bulbs of a dainty little flower (Albuca Shawii) that I planted at some time but is getting overwhelmed by the thugs around it (lavender, prostrate rosemary, dietes). I think it will do better in a pot or somewhere with other dainty plants.

Perhaps the slightly smaller Belladonnas were slightly smaller Belladonna. Otherwise if they were darker coloured they may have been Jacobean lilies Spreklia or more likely if they were bigger.. Hippeastrum?

they had light coloured papery skins around them and about 5cm in diameter. The ones I know are Belladonnas were about 10cm in diameter. Time will tell :D

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

been treating my cold with some sunshine. I’ve been collecting various bulbs for a while as people have been giving them away but I’m not sure I can remember what they all are! Planted some Belladonna lilies, and what may be more Belladonna lilies only the bulbs were a bit smaller. Also what I think are gladdies. I will find out when they flower!

Also to go in are some jonquils and some other bulbs that may be more jonquils or daffodils or something else. I think I have some Alstroemeria corms too.

I have also been given a whole lot of bearded iris corms of various colours too that need to find a bit of dirt to go in.

I have dug out some bulbs of a dainty little flower (Albuca Shawii) that I planted at some time but is getting overwhelmed by the thugs around it (lavender, prostrate rosemary, dietes). I think it will do better in a pot or somewhere with other dainty plants.

Perhaps the slightly smaller Belladonnas were slightly smaller Belladonna. Otherwise if they were darker coloured they may have been Jacobean lilies Spreklia or more likely if they were bigger.. Hippeastrum?

they had light coloured papery skins around them and about 5cm in diameter. The ones I know are Belladonnas were about 10cm in diameter. Time will tell :D

Over the decades I have been turning all my bulbs to compost. I do keep some belladonna and spreklia.. but otherwise bulbs are weeds to me.

roughbarked said:

Over the decades I have been turning all my bulbs to compost. I do keep some belladonna and spreklia.. but otherwise bulbs are weeds to me.

I chucked some bulbs into the compost once that had been sitting in the garage in a paper bag for about 3 years and were all dried out and shriveled up. They grew!

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

Over the decades I have been turning all my bulbs to compost. I do keep some belladonna and spreklia.. but otherwise bulbs are weeds to me.

I chucked some bulbs into the compost once that had been sitting in the garage in a paper bag for about 3 years and were all dried out and shriveled up. They grew!

my daughter once dried out the creeping wood-sorrel in the sun. After it was dehydrated she watered it and it came back to life.

What a gorgeous day. Looking like the last warm day of the year, I’ve taken it off and ignored the housework. I took myself and First Friend Max for fish and chips on the pier. So relaxing. I had something to celebrate. The man has gone back to work :D
LOL

I love my bulbs. I just cleared the ground under the almond tree of bits and pieces and raked the old leaves off. They’ll go in the bin, there’s rust on them. Then I watered it well, chooks had a feast on little black beetles, as there’s hundreds of bulbs coming up. Mainly erlicheer jonquils, my faves :)

Happy Potter said:

I love my bulbs. I just cleared the ground under the almond tree of bits and pieces and raked the old leaves off. They’ll go in the bin, there’s rust on them. Then I watered it well, chooks had a feast on little black beetles, as there’s hundreds of bulbs coming up. Mainly erlicheer jonquils, my faves :)

I’m still throwing jonquills out.. though I’ve been doing it for decades.. weeds, I tell ya.

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

I love my bulbs. I just cleared the ground under the almond tree of bits and pieces and raked the old leaves off. They’ll go in the bin, there’s rust on them. Then I watered it well, chooks had a feast on little black beetles, as there’s hundreds of bulbs coming up. Mainly erlicheer jonquils, my faves :)

I’m still throwing jonquills out.. though I’ve been doing it for decades.. weeds, I tell ya.

Pfft, weeds. I love their extreme scent and can’t wait to bring a bring a bunch inside.

Happy Potter said:

What a gorgeous day. Looking like the last warm day of the year, I’ve taken it off and ignored the housework. I took myself and First Friend Max for fish and chips on the pier. So relaxing. I had something to celebrate. The man has gone back to work :D
LOL

We understand, lol!

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

Happy Potter said:

I love my bulbs. I just cleared the ground under the almond tree of bits and pieces and raked the old leaves off. They’ll go in the bin, there’s rust on them. Then I watered it well, chooks had a feast on little black beetles, as there’s hundreds of bulbs coming up. Mainly erlicheer jonquils, my faves :)

I’m still throwing jonquills out.. though I’ve been doing it for decades.. weeds, I tell ya.

Pfft, weeds. I love their extreme scent and can’t wait to bring a bring a bunch inside.

hmm, yeah.. but.. they are always where I want to plant something.

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

What a gorgeous day. Looking like the last warm day of the year, I’ve taken it off and ignored the housework. I took myself and First Friend Max for fish and chips on the pier. So relaxing. I had something to celebrate. The man has gone back to work :D
LOL

We understand, lol!

do we ever.. :)

I went down the south coast and picked up two pistachio trees yesterday.
we had chish and fips on the beach as well.
only trouble was a floating thing in the shallows – must have been a dead shark, whale or dolphin – and no one came to officially remove it – not a good look for a council whose motto is the dolphin.

a good op shop find yesterday was a book on one of those great houses in England with the signature of the author on the inside blank cover.
she turns out to be the tenth marquess of the county and inherited a house so big that the roof takes ten years to restore at a cost of $4 million.
not a bad read so far – the grounds are set out by capability brown and disappear into the distant vistas – a sort of ornamental farm.

justin said:

not a bad read so far – the grounds are set out by capability brown and disappear into the distant vistas – a sort of ornamental farm.

Now there’s a legend for you…altho’ I did read somewhere that sometimes his plantings can get overgrown and lose the “plot”, so to speak…

$4 mil on a roof! Obviously first laid in the days of serfdom or summat…

Happy Potter said:

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Chookens will eat your pigweed, it’s a delicacy for them…I think khaki burr (bindii) does have a long seed life, but continual pulling and glypho should contain it eventually…especially glypho…you do hit it before it seeds, don’t you…

Any chance of a picture of the “new” weed…?

I’m no good at putting pics on the forum. I’m no computer literate type. Sorry. I will try and find it on the weed sites though.

send it to me? I have a folder in my p’bucket named Poms pics :)

Thanks for the reminder. It’s just that it makes me feel such a goose. I may make use of your offer for something though. Not the first time I’ve felt like a goose and won’t be the last.

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

easy enough to do

Dinetta said:

justin said:

not a bad read so far – the grounds are set out by capability brown and disappear into the distant vistas – a sort of ornamental farm.

Now there’s a legend for you…altho’ I did read somewhere that sometimes his plantings can get overgrown and lose the “plot”, so to speak…

$4 mil on a roof! Obviously first laid in the days of serfdom or summat…

yep – flat roof with a gazillion chimneys sticking out of it. some sort of tar paper failed and all the box gutters and roof lights didn’t help.

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

Oh no. I hope someone grabbed it to use. I’ve done similar though and find taking an insulated bag helps.

Happy Potter said:

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

Oh no. I hope someone grabbed it to use. I’ve done similar though and find taking an insulated bag helps.

Nothing like when my dog went shopping and brought home a smoked chicken and a pack of sausages among other things in a grocery bag. Never did find out which neighbour he swiped it from, presumably out of the boot of their car while they were taking stuff inside. I often wondered if they thought they left it back at the store! lol!

My peace has been shattered and the TV is on. It’s home, lol. Currently eating stuffed capsicums with a big grin on his face. Toltott Paprika. He lerves it.

He wrecked his good slippers, again, and hasn’t a spare pair, so he’s borrowed a daughters big chicken feet monster slippers with orange claws. I swear I’m gunna take a pic with my phone and upload it to facebook on his page.. ‘Kids, I have another chicken in the house’, hehe.

I’m going to bed early with my reading material. Harry Gordon’s An Eyewitness History of Australia. I thought I might be bored to tears with it, but it’s actually very interesting.

Happy Potter said:

My peace has been shattered and the TV is on. It’s home, lol. Currently eating stuffed capsicums with a big grin on his face. Toltott Paprika. He lerves it.

He wrecked his good slippers, again, and hasn’t a spare pair, so he’s borrowed a daughters big chicken feet monster slippers with orange claws. I swear I’m gunna take a pic with my phone and upload it to facebook on his page.. ‘Kids, I have another chicken in the house’, hehe.

I’m going to bed early with my reading material. Harry Gordon’s An Eyewitness History of Australia. I thought I might be bored to tears with it, but it’s actually very interesting.

who are we talking about here?

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

My peace has been shattered and the TV is on. It’s home, lol. Currently eating stuffed capsicums with a big grin on his face. Toltott Paprika. He lerves it.

He wrecked his good slippers, again, and hasn’t a spare pair, so he’s borrowed a daughters big chicken feet monster slippers with orange claws. I swear I’m gunna take a pic with my phone and upload it to facebook on his page.. ‘Kids, I have another chicken in the house’, hehe.

I’m going to bed early with my reading material. Harry Gordon’s An Eyewitness History of Australia. I thought I might be bored to tears with it, but it’s actually very interesting.

who are we talking about here?

Hubby :)

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

My peace has been shattered and the TV is on. It’s home, lol. Currently eating stuffed capsicums with a big grin on his face. Toltott Paprika. He lerves it.

He wrecked his good slippers, again, and hasn’t a spare pair, so he’s borrowed a daughters big chicken feet monster slippers with orange claws. I swear I’m gunna take a pic with my phone and upload it to facebook on his page.. ‘Kids, I have another chicken in the house’, hehe.

I’m going to bed early with my reading material. Harry Gordon’s An Eyewitness History of Australia. I thought I might be bored to tears with it, but it’s actually very interesting.

who are we talking about here?

Hubby :)

had a good day at work?

bluegreen said:

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

who are we talking about here?

Hubby :)

had a good day at work?

Yes he did, thanks. Glad to be feeling better.

Hope this is nowhere near Justin???

pomolo said:

Not the first time I’ve felt like a goose and won’t be the last.

me too, me too!

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

That’d be such a bummer…we once left P’s mobile, back in the days when they cost $2000, in a shopping trolley… feel better now??

justin said:

yep – flat roof with a gazillion chimneys sticking out of it. some sort of tar paper failed and all the box gutters and roof lights didn’t help.

That sounds fascinating…says she who loves to watch “Grand Designs” on television…

bluegreen said:

Nothing like when my dog went shopping and brought home a smoked chicken and a pack of sausages among other things in a grocery bag. Never did find out which neighbour he swiped it from, presumably out of the boot of their car while they were taking stuff inside. I often wondered if they thought they left it back at the store! lol!

Classic, BlueGreen!!

Happy Potter said:

I’m going to bed early with my reading material. Harry Gordon’s An Eyewitness History of Australia. I thought I might be bored to tears with it, but it’s actually very interesting.

Any relation to Adam Lindsay Gordon, the poet??

Good morning. I’m at work. We had a warm morning with 11 degrees at 6.30am. We are heading into the mid twenties today, I think.

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

easy enough to do

speaking of $11. I bought two bags of cow manure from the Funnings place took them home in the back of the ute. when at home I dropped the back gate of the ute down and dragged the bags onto it, intending to load them on a wheelbarrow I later forgot. Being Friday and my oldest friends birthday, He rang and asked if I was coming in to have the regular Friday night jam session. I jumped in the ute and drove in, then later drove home. The next day I had to go back because I left my specs on the table.. One the way in I thought who’s been dropping bags of manure here? then the light dawned.

Dinetta said:

Hope this is nowhere near Justin???

Bushfires are very frightening anywhere they happen. Hope they can slow it up. One of my biggest fears being surrounded by trees and bush. A price to pay for our rural living.

The partial eclipse is happening right now. Can’t look at it but sunshine is somewhat dulled atm.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

That’d be such a bummer…we once left P’s mobile, back in the days when they cost $2000, in a shopping trolley… feel better now??

so do I knowing other people do the same thing.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

I’m late getting on today but i’m here now. I lost a chook today. You wonder how someone who doesn’t keep chooks can lose one. You buy a BBQ one from the supermarket, hang it over the side of the trolly so it can’t melt the frozen stuff that you bought then you pack all the groceries into the car, leave it hanging there and drive off.

Poor D wasn’t happy. His treat is a chook every now and again which isn’t often enough he says. I’m not happy either because that was 11 bucks down the drain. It’s my poor brian that’s the problem and it’s not going to get better any time soon.

easy enough to do

speaking of $11. I bought two bags of cow manure from the Funnings place took them home in the back of the ute. when at home I dropped the back gate of the ute down and dragged the bags onto it, intending to load them on a wheelbarrow I later forgot. Being Friday and my oldest friends birthday, He rang and asked if I was coming in to have the regular Friday night jam session. I jumped in the ute and drove in, then later drove home. The next day I had to go back because I left my specs on the table.. One the way in I thought who’s been dropping bags of manure here? then the light dawned.

You make me feel even better now RB. We can get manure fairly easily round here. People have it for sale at their gate, done up in fertiliser bags usually. The price is a bit off putting though. Probably better than the B place sells it for. Makes a trip in the car a bit on the pongy side. lol.

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Hope this is nowhere near Justin???

Bushfires are very frightening anywhere they happen. Hope they can slow it up. One of my biggest fears being surrounded by trees and bush. A price to pay for our rural living.

That’s why I live beside the seaside. Well a few k’s in but a quick drive, or run, if necessary. If I lived in the bush I’d have to clear the area around the house for a kilometre. Which is why I don’t

Dinetta said:

Hope this is nowhere near Justin???

it’s very far away but if it gets into the Mount Crawford forest it might eventually get here – only after destroying the entire hills face zone tho’.
thanks for the concern.

justin said:

– only after destroying the entire hills face zone tho’.

That’s been done before, hasn’t it? Way back when…the Governor had a summer p(a)lace there?

Dinetta said:

justin said:

– only after destroying the entire hills face zone tho’.

That’s been done before, hasn’t it? Way back when…the Governor had a summer p(a)lace there?

ash Wednesday burnt it as well … – the wind’s blowing from the north today and pushing the fire away from me – but the guvner used to have a joint down victor harbour way too ..? lol.

justin said:

ash Wednesday burnt it as well … – the wind’s blowing from the north today and pushing the fire away from me – but the guvner used to have a joint down victor harbour way too ..? lol.

Did he just? I never saw that…just the one in the Hills…

pomolo said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

easy enough to do

speaking of $11. I bought two bags of cow manure from the Funnings place took them home in the back of the ute. when at home I dropped the back gate of the ute down and dragged the bags onto it, intending to load them on a wheelbarrow I later forgot. Being Friday and my oldest friends birthday, He rang and asked if I was coming in to have the regular Friday night jam session. I jumped in the ute and drove in, then later drove home. The next day I had to go back because I left my specs on the table.. One the way in I thought who’s been dropping bags of manure here? then the light dawned.

You make me feel even better now RB. We can get manure fairly easily round here. People have it for sale at their gate, done up in fertiliser bags usually. The price is a bit off putting though. Probably better than the B place sells it for. Makes a trip in the car a bit on the pongy side. lol.

I have done so many stupid things I can only recall the last five years’ worth.

I keep my car locked, even when in the garage, so I placed my chisel set on the car roof and went to get the keys. A lot of things must have occupied my mind between going and returning but I drove off and didn’t remember the chisels until turning left at a busy roundabout. A hard plastic box makes a hell of a din when smashing to the ground at speed. I looked in the rear vision to see the all traffic frozen and my sharp chisel set and its broken box on the road ready to puncture any approaching tyre. I had to park, go back and pick up the sharp bits from a road with the traffic waiting.

justin said:

Dinetta said:

justin said:

– only after destroying the entire hills face zone tho’.

That’s been done before, hasn’t it? Way back when…the Governor had a summer p(a)lace there?

ash Wednesday burnt it as well … – the wind’s blowing from the north today and pushing the fire away from me – but the guvner used to have a joint down victor harbour way too ..? lol.

I can see the smoke from my southern window. it does look dangerous. the cfs has got 200 firefighters there but it’s mainly steep country around Cherryville.

My Michelia champaca is shooting from the base. This is a small tree with the most beautiful perfume and I was heart broken when it lost all it’s leaves and seemed to just be dying. We tried growing some cuttings from it without success. Now it’s come to life on it’s own. The problem is that I don’t know wether it was our pretty serious drought that almost killed it or maybe it was the excessive rain and squishy ground that did the damage.

I suppose we’ll have to wait till the next drought or very wet season.

I also found that the Callistemon pachyphyllus is shooting from the roots. It’s another one I thought we had lost but it lives again. Lovely green brushes on this one.

Found a feral passionfruit vine growing in the trees on our border with the neighbours. The house is now empty next door and I can’t bear to watch those fruit go to waste so we are working on a plan to get them down out of that very tall tree.

pomolo said:

Found a feral passionfruit vine growing in the trees on our border with the neighbours. The house is now empty next door and I can’t bear to watch those fruit go to waste so we are working on a plan to get them down out of that very tall tree.

A long pole with a wire hook on the end? That’s how we picked the mandarines off our tall-as-the-house mandarine tree…the wire hook can be about 12” in length…extending from the pole…

pomolo said:

My Michelia champaca is shooting from the base. This is a small tree with the most beautiful perfume and I was heart broken when it lost all it’s leaves and seemed to just be dying. We tried growing some cuttings from it without success. Now it’s come to life on it’s own. The problem is that I don’t know wether it was our pretty serious drought that almost killed it or maybe it was the excessive rain and squishy ground that did the damage.

I suppose we’ll have to wait till the next drought or very wet season.

I also found that the Callistemon pachyphyllus is shooting from the roots. It’s another one I thought we had lost but it lives again. Lovely green brushes on this one.

Found a feral passionfruit vine growing in the trees on our border with the neighbours. The house is now empty next door and I can’t bear to watch those fruit go to waste so we are working on a plan to get them down out of that very tall tree.

That’s easy, they fall when ripe.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

Found a feral passionfruit vine growing in the trees on our border with the neighbours. The house is now empty next door and I can’t bear to watch those fruit go to waste so we are working on a plan to get them down out of that very tall tree.

A long pole with a wire hook on the end? That’s how we picked the mandarines off our tall-as-the-house mandarine tree…the wire hook can be about 12” in length…extending from the pole…

We already have one of them. Designed to rescue the dam float that holds the pipe to the pump for filling one of our tanks. It’s nowhere long enough to reach these p’fruit.

roughbarked said:

pomolo said:

My Michelia champaca is shooting from the base. This is a small tree with the most beautiful perfume and I was heart broken when it lost all it’s leaves and seemed to just be dying. We tried growing some cuttings from it without success. Now it’s come to life on it’s own. The problem is that I don’t know wether it was our pretty serious drought that almost killed it or maybe it was the excessive rain and squishy ground that did the damage.

I suppose we’ll have to wait till the next drought or very wet season.

I also found that the Callistemon pachyphyllus is shooting from the roots. It’s another one I thought we had lost but it lives again. Lovely green brushes on this one.

Found a feral passionfruit vine growing in the trees on our border with the neighbours. The house is now empty next door and I can’t bear to watch those fruit go to waste so we are working on a plan to get them down out of that very tall tree.

That’s easy, they fall when ripe.

This is true but you have to be quick to get them before the critters do. The wildlife that roams around here at night must be a sight to behold. You can hear them but you can’t see them.

The official plan for Mothers Day. Go to local markets for vegies. Next to an alpaca farm that is having an open day. I’m kinda a bit gooey about Alpacas. Would love to have one for a pet. It’s those great big black eyes that get me.
then it’s off to have a Mother’s Day lunch at one of the restaurants. This restaurant is a huge old Queenslander that’s been converted and there are lovely grounds and gardens to walk through and enjoy.

Kidding I’m not spoilt……….much!

Found 4 ripe seeds on the Ginko. Might find out if they germinate. Also have taken seeds from the mini Abutilons. We’ll see what gives there too.

Good morning to you too, Pomolo…Oh well, not sure what else you can do to gather the passionfruit…drat…and I know what you mean by night-time critters…

Mother’s Day is gearing up well for you…looks like I’ll be moving “stuff” inter-town today and tomorrow for moi…finally…bookshelves first then I can tidy up the office “stuff”…bit of a problem with storage here as “stuff” gets nicked from downstairs…

Good morning. Started the mowers at 9.00am and finished after an hour and a half. Including about 20 minutes trying to find my car keys to give my car to the tyre place over the road for a wheel alignment. I’d put the keys on the shed key hook instead of into my handbag. I am sooooo careful with keys this was really annoying!

Anyway, my car is back now, so we can head off home. We are getting more efficient with the mowing here in Casterton, I think. I do more with the recycler now, probably about half an acre, because the garden is getting more mature and I like the Tidy Mowing. It looks better.

I’d just be giving the passion fruit vine rather wild shake from the bottom and collecting what falls out. or collecting every time you go outside.

pomolo said:

The official plan for Mothers Day. Go to local markets for vegies. Next to an alpaca farm that is having an open day. I’m kinda a bit gooey about Alpacas. Would love to have one for a pet. It’s those great big black eyes that get me.
then it’s off to have a Mother’s Day lunch at one of the restaurants. This restaurant is a huge old Queenslander that’s been converted and there are lovely grounds and gardens to walk through and enjoy.

Kidding I’m not spoilt……….much!

sounds lovely :)

Got home some hours ago. I was going to lie down and read, but I seem to have been finding just one more thing to do first for the whole time……

Looks like everyone has been busy outside today. No time for forumming.

I have watered, because I’m hoping to attract some rain that way. And I’m planning what gardening to do tomorrow. So far it includes moving the gooseberry plants, which seem to have now gone dormant, potting up some Balm of Gilead that is growing inappropriately in a pot of thyme, probably digging in some more chook poo into the triangle bed and planting some peas there. And maybe some broadbeans too. I need to think about pruning the Buddleias back now too, and ‘sacrificing’ some of the violet plants that are rather too rampant underneath them. And I want to start going round the garden for pruning roses soon too. I’m not keen on rose pruning, so I do one or two at a time. I don’t have too many plants.

Mmm, I can recommend making chocolate custard with real cream, Dutch cocoa and blending in some Lindt 70%. I’ve only licked the spoon and I can tell it’s wonderful.

:)

(You do, of course, have to adjust your serving size for this indulgence)

By the sound of it, licking the serving spoon would be about my serving size… :P

buffy said:

Mmm, I can recommend making chocolate custard with real cream, Dutch cocoa and blending in some Lindt 70%. I’ve only licked the spoon and I can tell it’s wonderful.

:)

(You do, of course, have to adjust your serving size for this indulgence)

Indulgence extreme, sounds nice but it’s only be a sniff of it for me :) Fat makes everything taste better.

Good morning Holidayers. We have precipitation. I think I should say no more than that for now.

I’ve been outside moving the gooseberry bushes (I think one of them is dead, rather than dormant!) and then I decided to pop in some telephone pea seeds as well.

Going for a cup of coffee shortly and to give some Romanesco broccoli and January King cabbage seedlings to a friend.

Everyone seems to be asleep here this morning.

I have been energetic in the kitchen as we did actually have some rain. I have produced a couple of tangelo cakes, a couple of quince and apple pies and some side bits with leftover pastry. And a chickpea/cucumber/avocado salad to redress the balance of foods at the top of the food pyramid.

:)

pomolo said:

The official plan for Mothers Day. Go to local markets for vegies. Next to an alpaca farm that is having an open day. I’m kinda a bit gooey about Alpacas. Would love to have one for a pet. It’s those great big black eyes that get me.
then it’s off to have a Mother’s Day lunch at one of the restaurants. This restaurant is a huge old Queenslander that’s been converted and there are lovely grounds and gardens to walk through and enjoy.

Kidding I’m not spoilt……….much!

More restaurant info please. Sounds good. :)

going to a CWA craft day today, so better get going.

Throwing out a lot of the archive records, not tax-required ones thank goodness. They were in a shipping container with a wooden floor and the termites have had a wonderful time….but the ants have found them and I saw with mine own eyes, an ant per termite, carting them off…

Dinetta said:

Throwing out a lot of the archive records, not tax-required ones thank goodness. They were in a shipping container with a wooden floor and the termites have had a wonderful time….but the ants have found them and I saw with mine own eyes, an ant per termite, carting them off…

Many ants attack termites. That’s why termites have defenses but any weakness in the defence sees that ants cart off many.

Morning, afternoon, and evening (just in case I don’t get back in here today)

My 3 new pullets (to replace the 3 back silkies) are pretty birds, but large! Normal for their breeds but which I’m not used to, big beauties. Pics when I let them out of the quarantine pen.
They are a mix of several breeds including coronation sussex, rhode isle’ reds and araucanas.

The sky is falling. I’m stressed, well not well the doc words were.. Kidney infection it seems. I wondered what the backache was. And my life long prob with low BP has turned the tables and it’s shot too high. I’ve a barrage of tests to do and more pills, groan, and further appointments for the next two mornings. It’s from stress he said. Nuffin I can’t handle. I’m taking some time out from commitments.

The man has accidently plungered the breather pipe too hard with the taze plunger and broke the pipe. It’s only 8 feet down. The plunger has a rubber skirt with a large bolt that holds it on and it was the bolt that caused the damage. He reckons he is going to fix it. I gave him ‘the look’ and called a plumber. This time it’s our cost. Plumber been and gone, quoted $800 plus to fix it. He sent the plumber away and has started lifting a paved area near the cactus shelf. He is neither qualified or experienced. I’m not gunna look.
I barricaded the works area from people and animals.

Just another day here! lol!

buffy said:

Looks like everyone has been busy outside today. No time for forumming.

I have watered, because I’m hoping to attract some rain that way. And I’m planning what gardening to do tomorrow. So far it includes moving the gooseberry plants, which seem to have now gone dormant, potting up some Balm of Gilead that is growing inappropriately in a pot of thyme, probably digging in some more chook poo into the triangle bed and planting some peas there. And maybe some broadbeans too. I need to think about pruning the Buddleias back now too, and ‘sacrificing’ some of the violet plants that are rather too rampant underneath them. And I want to start going round the garden for pruning roses soon too. I’m not keen on rose pruning, so I do one or two at a time. I don’t have too many plants.

Balm of Gilead – that is familiar because we used to have it in our hills garden. can we have a picture of it some time? I have lost my image of it somewhere in the recesses of time. what is it used for?

bubba louie said:

pomolo said:

The official plan for Mothers Day. Go to local markets for vegies. Next to an alpaca farm that is having an open day. I’m kinda a bit gooey about Alpacas. Would love to have one for a pet. It’s those great big black eyes that get me.
then it’s off to have a Mother’s Day lunch at one of the restaurants. This restaurant is a huge old Queenslander that’s been converted and there are lovely grounds and gardens to walk through and enjoy.

Kidding I’m not spoilt……….much!

More restaurant info please. Sounds good. :)

Bubba! Louie I think it is, isn’t it? Where ya been? I was thinking about emailing you but thought you might have sold and left Bris. lol.

the restaurant is a good one. I can be sure of that because we’ve been there before but yesterday they were packed to the rafters. We hadn’t booked so we missed out.

Happy Potter said:

Morning, afternoon, and evening (just in case I don’t get back in here today)

My 3 new pullets (to replace the 3 back silkies) are pretty birds, but large! Normal for their breeds but which I’m not used to, big beauties. Pics when I let them out of the quarantine pen.
They are a mix of several breeds including coronation sussex, rhode isle’ reds and araucanas.

The sky is falling. I’m stressed, well not well the doc words were.. Kidney infection it seems. I wondered what the backache was. And my life long prob with low BP has turned the tables and it’s shot too high. I’ve a barrage of tests to do and more pills, groan, and further appointments for the next two mornings. It’s from stress he said. Nuffin I can’t handle. I’m taking some time out from commitments.

The man has accidently plungered the breather pipe too hard with the taze plunger and broke the pipe. It’s only 8 feet down. The plunger has a rubber skirt with a large bolt that holds it on and it was the bolt that caused the damage. He reckons he is going to fix it. I gave him ‘the look’ and called a plumber. This time it’s our cost. Plumber been and gone, quoted $800 plus to fix it. He sent the plumber away and has started lifting a paved area near the cactus shelf. He is neither qualified or experienced. I’m not gunna look.
I barricaded the works area from people and animals.

Just another day here! lol!

Look after yourself there HP. You………….stressed. What ever would give the Doc that idea?

I’m wrapped in Alpacas. After the open day yesterday I have this calendar picture in my head of 2 of these beasts roaming around our place. It won’t happen because they cost over $500 each and you have to have at least 2 because they are herd animals. They are so cute and easy to raise apparently. They aren’t noisy. Don’t have hoofs. Don’t jump fences. They do poos and wees all in the one spot in their paddock. What more could you ask. The only thing I didn’t find out is whether they will curl up on the lounge with me and ZeeZee.

pomolo said:

I’m wrapped in Alpacas. After the open day yesterday I have this calendar picture in my head of 2 of these beasts roaming around our place. It won’t happen because they cost over $500 each and you have to have at least 2 because they are herd animals. They are so cute and easy to raise apparently. They aren’t noisy. Don’t have hoofs. Don’t jump fences. They do poos and wees all in the one spot in their paddock. What more could you ask. The only thing I didn’t find out is whether they will curl up on the lounge with me and ZeeZee.

probably, as they will think you are part of their herd :)

We also spoke to a man at the markets about Guinea fowl. He was selling some. All different ages. As confirmation to what you said Dinetta, he said they were the best poultry to keep if you have to have odd days away from home.

D is planning where he could put a coop in our house pad and to make it snake proof.. Guineas don’t kill snakes but they will certainly harass them and possibly bitten in the act.

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

I’m wrapped in Alpacas. After the open day yesterday I have this calendar picture in my head of 2 of these beasts roaming around our place. It won’t happen because they cost over $500 each and you have to have at least 2 because they are herd animals. They are so cute and easy to raise apparently. They aren’t noisy. Don’t have hoofs. Don’t jump fences. They do poos and wees all in the one spot in their paddock. What more could you ask. The only thing I didn’t find out is whether they will curl up on the lounge with me and ZeeZee.

probably, as they will think you are part of their herd :)

There would be a lot of long skinny legs in that case.

pomolo said:

We also spoke to a man at the markets about Guinea fowl. He was selling some. All different ages. As confirmation to what you said Dinetta, he said they were the best poultry to keep if you have to have odd days away from home.

D is planning where he could put a coop in our house pad and to make it snake proof.. Guineas don’t kill snakes but they will certainly harass them and possibly bitten in the act.

I’d just let them go up the trees, that way you don’t have to worry about cooping them when away…also safe from foxes up in dem dar trees…

Also with the guinea fowl, you would need to be home for at least 6 weeks, depending on age, as the older ones take 6 – 8 weeks, preferably 8, to “home”…

For justin…..I don’t have a picture of my own plant but this is what it looks like. It’s a plant my great aunts grew, and once you’ve got it, it seeds. It is in the mint family, and spreads a bit, but little ones pop up too from seed. It’s an unusual smell, a bit medicinal. We’ve never used it for anything except a brushing plant….ie you brush past it in the garden.

I asked about guinea fowl here a few weeks ago. Decided they are too noisy for in town. I think people would complain. They are rather noisy. So I’ll just keep getting guinea fowl eggs from my patient when he has an excess. The shells are hard as……

buffy said:

For justin…..I don’t have a picture of my own plant but this is what it looks like. It’s a plant my great aunts grew, and once you’ve got it, it seeds. It is in the mint family, and spreads a bit, but little ones pop up too from seed. It’s an unusual smell, a bit medicinal. We’ve never used it for anything except a brushing plant….ie you brush past it in the garden.

thanks

Look after yourself there HP. You………….stressed. What ever would give the Doc that idea?
———————————————- Thanks Pom.
I wouldn’t have a clue why the doc would think that.

Well after the stupid man disappeared down the bloody hole and it started to bloody rain, I told him to get his bloody arse inside or I was gunna chuck some bloody lime on him and fill the bloody hole in.
Then I rang the bloody plumber and he said righto missus, I’ll be there at 8 am. My work is done.

pomolo said:

I’m wrapped in Alpacas. After the open day yesterday I have this calendar picture in my head of 2 of these beasts roaming around our place. It won’t happen because they cost over $500 each and you have to have at least 2 because they are herd animals. They are so cute and easy to raise apparently. They aren’t noisy. Don’t have hoofs. Don’t jump fences. They do poos and wees all in the one spot in their paddock. What more could you ask. The only thing I didn’t find out is whether they will curl up on the lounge with me and ZeeZee.

Aww, can just see you snuggled up on the couch with an alpaca and zee zee watching the midday movie :)

I bought an old sewing pattern the other week. I just got around to checking, and I’m pleased to say all the pieces are there. Now I just have to remember how to use a pattern with no printing markings on it at all. It would seem that there is a seam allowance included. I have some older patterns where you have to cut your seam allowance outside the pattern shape.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/VINTAGE-1960s-SIMPLICITY-3559-SEWING-PATTERN-SIZE-14-BLOUSE-3-SLEEVE-VARIATIONS-/230967201982?pt=AU_Sewing&hash=item35c6b7d0be

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

We also spoke to a man at the markets about Guinea fowl. He was selling some. All different ages. As confirmation to what you said Dinetta, he said they were the best poultry to keep if you have to have odd days away from home.

D is planning where he could put a coop in our house pad and to make it snake proof.. Guineas don’t kill snakes but they will certainly harass them and possibly bitten in the act.

I’d just let them go up the trees, that way you don’t have to worry about cooping them when away…also safe from foxes up in dem dar trees…

I’m thinkin. I’m thinkin.

Dinetta said:

Also with the guinea fowl, you would need to be home for at least 6 weeks, depending on age, as the older ones take 6 – 8 weeks, preferably 8, to “home”…

We have been warned about that step.

My daughter’s cat fb’d me a Mother’s Day poem…I’m frilled!!

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Also with the guinea fowl, you would need to be home for at least 6 weeks, depending on age, as the older ones take 6 – 8 weeks, preferably 8, to “home”…

We have been warned about that step.

It’s worth it!! I didn’t let my last lot “home” properly and they went off to the neighbours’…came back for a bit and took off again…at $25 a chook (or thereabouts) I was not happy, Jan!!

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

pomolo said:

The official plan for Mothers Day. Go to local markets for vegies. Next to an alpaca farm that is having an open day. I’m kinda a bit gooey about Alpacas. Would love to have one for a pet. It’s those great big black eyes that get me.
then it’s off to have a Mother’s Day lunch at one of the restaurants. This restaurant is a huge old Queenslander that’s been converted and there are lovely grounds and gardens to walk through and enjoy.

Kidding I’m not spoilt……….much!

More restaurant info please. Sounds good. :)

Bubba! Louie I think it is, isn’t it? Where ya been? I was thinking about emailing you but thought you might have sold and left Bris. lol.

the restaurant is a good one. I can be sure of that because we’ve been there before but yesterday they were packed to the rafters. We hadn’t booked so we missed out.

Well, name it woman. LoL. I want to know where to go!

We’re still here and will be for quite some time yet. Buggadamnit.

pomolo said:

We also spoke to a man at the markets about Guinea fowl. He was selling some. All different ages. As confirmation to what you said Dinetta, he said they were the best poultry to keep if you have to have odd days away from home.

D is planning where he could put a coop in our house pad and to make it snake proof.. Guineas don’t kill snakes but they will certainly harass them and possibly bitten in the act.

My sister had guineas, and snakes. None ever got bitten.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Also with the guinea fowl, you would need to be home for at least 6 weeks, depending on age, as the older ones take 6 – 8 weeks, preferably 8, to “home”…

We have been warned about that step.

It’s worth it!! I didn’t let my last lot “home” properly and they went off to the neighbours’…came back for a bit and took off again…at $25 a chook (or thereabouts) I was not happy, Jan!!

They aren’t the smartest of birds.

bubba louie said:

They aren’t the smartest of birds.

Well, mine weren’t always smart and they sometimes worked out things you wouldn’t have thought of yourself…they didn’t mind being herded onto the roof by the dog, either…used to greet me almost at the gate and fly beside my open car window up the driveway home…found out how to run across the roof and jump on the empty rainwater tank to hear it go “boing-oing-oing-oing”…jumped into the neighbour’s house yard (after checking their stables for bugs including ticks) and came off second best after her dogs made the most of this “visit”… never laid me an egg but they were egg-sellent watchdogs…

…and hippy bathday to Mrs Justin over the weekend…thanks to RoughBarked for pointing this out as it slipped my comprehension somehow (was thinking about curl grubs)…I feel so YOUNG, only 58 later this year… :P

Dinetta said:

…and hippy bathday to Mrs Justin over the weekend…thanks to RoughBarked for pointing this out as it slipped my comprehension somehow (was thinking about curl grubs)…I feel so YOUNG, only 58 later this year… :P

It is great, hanging out with young people. ;)

Good morning Gardeners. I’m off to work very shortly. After about 10 days of possible changes, life is back on an even keel. The changes, which I was not really sure about, are not going to happen. It was to professionally help a friend, who has now got organised and helped themselves.

Morning from me too. Chilly grey morn, the chooks aren’t out yet.
It’s good when life gets back on an even keel, things return to normal. Whatever normal is because it’s never that here, lol.

Tradies due here any minute. An optus tech to check out the cable line and modem. Our internet drops out often, probably the modem, and the plumber to finish off what hubby started with the broken pipe.
Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

buffy said:

Good morning Gardeners. I’m off to work very shortly. After about 10 days of possible changes, life is back on an even keel. The changes, which I was not really sure about, are not going to happen. It was to professionally help a friend, who has now got organised and helped themselves.

Sometimes folk just need to know they’ve got somebody who understands…

Happy Potter said:

Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

Beats veging out 24/7 in front of the teev!

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

Beats veging out 24/7 in front of the teev!

I’d go nuts doing that.
Well the plumbers been and gone, he did a fabulous job and cleaned up the whole area. Because the broken pipe wasn’t caused by an earthquake or mother nature but just by an errant husband who doesn’t know what the heck he was doing, he charged us less. He didn’t have to do that, and he cleaned up very well we tipped him more anyway.

Internet is also fixed. It was a problem on the pole connection outside and was affecting several streets. Yay. No more drop outs.

And that beautiful hot cup of tea was just sensational :)

While I was tending chicks cage I had the lid off to grab their waterer out, one chick in my hand, one on the waterer handle and hubby comes over with the phone handset, daughter on the ph.. while talking yadda yadda another chick decides it can fly and it flew into the vege bed bit. I couldn’t get it out for the blocked off plumbing works area, the huge dirt pile was against the gate and the fence is too high for me to get over. It had a blast in there for a while. Then had to get the long legged man to get over the fence to grab it, and splat. He caught his trouser leg on a picket fell into my garlic bed. But he grabbed the chick and handed it to me. Men! LOL

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

Beats veging out 24/7 in front of the teev!

I’d go nuts doing that.
Well the plumbers been and gone, he did a fabulous job and cleaned up the whole area. Because the broken pipe wasn’t caused by an earthquake or mother nature but just by an errant husband who doesn’t know what the heck he was doing, he charged us less. He didn’t have to do that, and he cleaned up very well we tipped him more anyway.

Internet is also fixed. It was a problem on the pole connection outside and was affecting several streets. Yay. No more drop outs.

And that beautiful hot cup of tea was just sensational :)

While I was tending chicks cage I had the lid off to grab their waterer out, one chick in my hand, one on the waterer handle and hubby comes over with the phone handset, daughter on the ph.. while talking yadda yadda another chick decides it can fly and it flew into the vege bed bit. I couldn’t get it out for the blocked off plumbing works area, the huge dirt pile was against the gate and the fence is too high for me to get over. It had a blast in there for a while. Then had to get the long legged man to get over the fence to grab it, and splat. He caught his trouser leg on a picket fell into my garlic bed. But he grabbed the chick and handed it to me. Men! LOL

sounds all good to me :)

after all, it could have been you going splat in the garlic bed! lol!

snail tales:

http://www.weekendgardener.net/how-to/snails-slugs.htm

older one.. http://www.ferneries.com.au/ferneries-articles/1993/11/18/stop-snails-without-harming-pets/

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

…and hippy bathday to Mrs Justin over the weekend…thanks to RoughBarked for pointing this out as it slipped my comprehension somehow (was thinking about curl grubs)…I feel so YOUNG, only 58 later this year… :P

It is great, hanging out with young people. ;)

chuckle –
my neighbour is 70 something. he reckons comfrey in a poultice (boiled in water quickly to keep the leaves intact and then wrapped in cloth) applied to a sprained muscle is wonderful
- what were we talking about? – ? oh – old age? LOL.

justin said:

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

…and hippy bathday to Mrs Justin over the weekend…thanks to RoughBarked for pointing this out as it slipped my comprehension somehow (was thinking about curl grubs)…I feel so YOUNG, only 58 later this year… :P

It is great, hanging out with young people. ;)

chuckle –
my neighbour is 70 something. he reckons comfrey in a poultice (boiled in water quickly to keep the leaves intact and then wrapped in cloth) applied to a sprained muscle is wonderful
- what were we talking about? – ? oh – old age? LOL.

probably the magnesium content at work there.

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

Also with the guinea fowl, you would need to be home for at least 6 weeks, depending on age, as the older ones take 6 – 8 weeks, preferably 8, to “home”…

We have been warned about that step.

It’s worth it!! I didn’t let my last lot “home” properly and they went off to the neighbours’…came back for a bit and took off again…at $25 a chook (or thereabouts) I was not happy, Jan!!

What we saw were 6mths old and $15 each.

bubba louie said:

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

More restaurant info please. Sounds good. :)

Bubba! Louie I think it is, isn’t it? Where ya been? I was thinking about emailing you but thought you might have sold and left Bris. lol.

the restaurant is a good one. I can be sure of that because we’ve been there before but yesterday they were packed to the rafters. We hadn’t booked so we missed out.

Well, name it woman. LoL. I want to know where to go!

We’re still here and will be for quite some time yet. Buggadamnit.

It’s Gunabul Homestead, Power road. Just up the road from the Alpaca Farm.

bubba louie said:

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

We have been warned about that step.

It’s worth it!! I didn’t let my last lot “home” properly and they went off to the neighbours’…came back for a bit and took off again…at $25 a chook (or thereabouts) I was not happy, Jan!!

They aren’t the smartest of birds.

I’m not looking for smart. Just wildlife.

roughbarked said:

Dinetta said:

…and hippy bathday to Mrs Justin over the weekend…thanks to RoughBarked for pointing this out as it slipped my comprehension somehow (was thinking about curl grubs)…I feel so YOUNG, only 58 later this year… :P

It is great, hanging out with young people. ;)

I can vouch for that. I do it all the time. Everyone is younger than me.,

buffy said:

Good morning Gardeners. I’m off to work very shortly. After about 10 days of possible changes, life is back on an even keel. The changes, which I was not really sure about, are not going to happen. It was to professionally help a friend, who has now got organised and helped themselves.

Well you know the saying, God helps those who help themselves.

Happy Potter said:

Morning from me too. Chilly grey morn, the chooks aren’t out yet.
It’s good when life gets back on an even keel, things return to normal. Whatever normal is because it’s never that here, lol.

Tradies due here any minute. An optus tech to check out the cable line and modem. Our internet drops out often, probably the modem, and the plumber to finish off what hubby started with the broken pipe.
Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

We have the bloke coming to sort out our puter too. It’s the person that lives in this house with me that clicks on stuff that he doesn’t understand. GRrrr!

Happy Potter said:

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Then maybe things will return to our version of mad normal :D

Beats veging out 24/7 in front of the teev!

I’d go nuts doing that.
Well the plumbers been and gone, he did a fabulous job and cleaned up the whole area. Because the broken pipe wasn’t caused by an earthquake or mother nature but just by an errant husband who doesn’t know what the heck he was doing, he charged us less. He didn’t have to do that, and he cleaned up very well we tipped him more anyway.

Internet is also fixed. It was a problem on the pole connection outside and was affecting several streets. Yay. No more drop outs.

And that beautiful hot cup of tea was just sensational :)

While I was tending chicks cage I had the lid off to grab their waterer out, one chick in my hand, one on the waterer handle and hubby comes over with the phone handset, daughter on the ph.. while talking yadda yadda another chick decides it can fly and it flew into the vege bed bit. I couldn’t get it out for the blocked off plumbing works area, the huge dirt pile was against the gate and the fence is too high for me to get over. It had a blast in there for a while. Then had to get the long legged man to get over the fence to grab it, and splat. He caught his trouser leg on a picket fell into my garlic bed. But he grabbed the chick and handed it to me. Men! LOL

Wish there was a video of it. I need a good larf.

I have potted up around 50 seedlings of the Chlorophytum amaniense. (Fire Flash) They are in long plastic pots of about 25 in each. There are a trillion more in the garden but they will be turned in. Who needs that many? It’s a popular indoor plant but I don’t know where there is an outlet for them. Just couldn’t stand to lose them all.

pomolo said:

Dinetta said:

pomolo said:

We have been warned about that step.

It’s worth it!! I didn’t let my last lot “home” properly and they went off to the neighbours’…came back for a bit and took off again…at $25 a chook (or thereabouts) I was not happy, Jan!!

What we saw were 6mths old and $15 each.

I think mine were imports that spent 3 hours travelling from the coast…but I could be wrong about the cost…think it was more than $15 each, tho’…

bluegreen said:

justin said:

roughbarked said:

It is great, hanging out with young people. ;)

chuckle –
my neighbour is 70 something. he reckons comfrey in a poultice (boiled in water quickly to keep the leaves intact and then wrapped in cloth) applied to a sprained muscle is wonderful
- what were we talking about? – ? oh – old age? LOL.

probably the magnesium content at work there.

It’s common name was knit bone.

pomolo said:

bubba louie said:

pomolo said:

Bubba! Louie I think it is, isn’t it? Where ya been? I was thinking about emailing you but thought you might have sold and left Bris. lol.

the restaurant is a good one. I can be sure of that because we’ve been there before but yesterday they were packed to the rafters. We hadn’t booked so we missed out.

Well, name it woman. LoL. I want to know where to go!

We’re still here and will be for quite some time yet. Buggadamnit.

It’s Gunabul Homestead, Power road. Just up the road from the Alpaca Farm.

I shall note it for future reference. :)

Meant to say that we got the passionfruit down from the vine growing up a neighbouring tree. We just tugged it down. The vine is still in tact so it can grow on. The yield is 1.5 litres of pulp. What on earth am I going to do with all that? I’ve just made passionfruit butter from the fruit on our own vine and delivered most of it around the neighbourhood so don’t mention passionfruit butter.

I’m open to any other suggestions though.

pomolo said:

Meant to say that we got the passionfruit down from the vine growing up a neighbouring tree. We just tugged it down. The vine is still in tact so it can grow on. The yield is 1.5 litres of pulp. What on earth am I going to do with all that? I’ve just made passionfruit butter from the fruit on our own vine and delivered most of it around the neighbourhood so don’t mention passionfruit butter.

I’m open to any other suggestions though.

passionfruit sauce for icecream, pancakes, etc.

Freeze it in small containers for use over the winter.

Do you want a recipe for a lovely dessert involving passionfruit and jelly?

Beat 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar. Add a cup of milk. Make up a packet of lemon jelly with a cup of boiling water. Pour egg mixture into the hot jelly and whisk vigorously. Drop in the pulp of about 3 passionfruit. Transfer to a serving bowl and set in the fridge.

buffy said:

Do you want a recipe for a lovely dessert involving passionfruit and jelly?

Beat 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar. Add a cup of milk. Make up a packet of lemon jelly with a cup of boiling water. Pour egg mixture into the hot jelly and whisk vigorously. Drop in the pulp of about 3 passionfruit. Transfer to a serving bowl and set in the fridge.

mouth waters

bluegreen said:

pomolo said:

Meant to say that we got the passionfruit down from the vine growing up a neighbouring tree. We just tugged it down. The vine is still in tact so it can grow on. The yield is 1.5 litres of pulp. What on earth am I going to do with all that? I’ve just made passionfruit butter from the fruit on our own vine and delivered most of it around the neighbourhood so don’t mention passionfruit butter.

I’m open to any other suggestions though.

passionfruit sauce for icecream, pancakes, etc.

Thanks BG. That will take care of one cup of pulp. lol.

buffy said:

Freeze it in small containers for use over the winter.

Thanks Buffy. Have to confess that I already have frozen packs in the freezer from last years crop.

buffy said:

Do you want a recipe for a lovely dessert involving passionfruit and jelly?

Beat 2 eggs and 1/2 cup sugar. Add a cup of milk. Make up a packet of lemon jelly with a cup of boiling water. Pour egg mixture into the hot jelly and whisk vigorously. Drop in the pulp of about 3 passionfruit. Transfer to a serving bowl and set in the fridge.

Thanks again Buffy. Flummery type recipes is a good one. thanks again.

I don’t want to carp on about it but morrie let the cat out of the bag over in the holiday place anyway. http://tokyo3.org/forums/holiday/posts/311553/
this was an inspiring message.. The protest badge top right corner will be worn today.

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

Ogmog said:

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“your friends are hungry so just cut the cake” – chuckle – crude but amusing.

congrats on making it thus far oh gardening, pruning, mining etc. guru.
we should all be retired in – oh well – scratches head – twenty years – maybe?

justin said:

Ogmog said:

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“your friends are hungry so just cut the cake” – chuckle – crude but amusing.

congrats on making it thus far oh gardening, pruning, mining etc. guru.
we should all be retired in – oh well – scratches head – twenty years – maybe?

as far as retired goes.. not yet by a long shot but it is tempting to stay on the couch rather than getting off my arse.. just the bit about Monet to make the Van Gogh, keeps cropping up.

roughbarked said:

I don’t want to carp on about it but morrie let the cat out of the bag over in the holiday place anyway. http://tokyo3.org/forums/holiday/posts/311553/
this was an inspiring message.. The protest badge top right corner will be worn today.

Must admit I wasn’t thinking of graffiti when I was considering “what a 20 year old can do”… :D

roughbarked said:

as far as retired goes.. not yet by a long shot but it is tempting to stay on the couch rather than getting off my arse.. just the bit about Monet to make the Van Gogh, keeps cropping up.

derr…just got the Monet to make the van Gogh…takes a while but I get there…(comprehension-wise)…

… and … a Hippy Bathday to RoughBarked from me also…I hope to avoid retirement for another 20 years, I do, I do…

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“The HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG”
by the Arrogant Worms

Once a year we celebrate
With stupid hats and plastic plates
The fact that you were able to make
Another trip around the sun

And the whole clan gathers round
And gifts and laughter do abound
And we let out a joyful sound
And sing that stupid song

Happy birthday!
Now you’re one year older
Happy birthday!
Your life still isn’t over
Happy birthday!
You did not accomplish much
But you didn’t die this year
I guess that’s good enough

So let’s drink to your fading health
And hope you don’t remind yourself
your chance of finding fame and wealth
Decrease with every year

Does it feel like you’re doing laps
And eating food and taking naps
And hoping that someday perhaps
Your life will hold some cheer

Happy birthday!
What have you done that matters?
Happy birthday!
You’re starting to get fatter
Happy birthday!
It’s downhill from now on
Try not to remind yourself
Your best years are all gone

If cryogenics were all free
Then you could live like Walt Disney
And live for all eternity
Inside a block of ice

But instead your time is set
This is the only life you get
And though it hasn’t ended yet
Sometimes you wish it might

Happy birthday!
You wish you had more money
Happy birthday!
Your life’s so sad it’s funny
Happy birthday!
How much more can you take?
But your friends are hungry
So just cut the stupid cake

Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, dear…
(random calling out of names, including Ralph, Bill, Ralph Kramden, bob,
Skippy, the bush kangaroo, Stanly, starts with a ‘J’, and the b-b-b-b-b-bu-bu-bu- that leads into
“Dangerous”)

Ogmog said:

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“The HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG”
by the Arrogant Worms

Once a year we celebrate
With stupid hats and plastic plates
The fact that you were able to make
Another trip around the sun

And the whole clan gathers round
And gifts and laughter do abound
And we let out a joyful sound
And sing that stupid song

Happy birthday!
Now you’re one year older
Happy birthday!
Your life still isn’t over
Happy birthday!
You did not accomplish much
But you didn’t die this year
I guess that’s good enough

So let’s drink to your fading health
And hope you don’t remind yourself
your chance of finding fame and wealth
Decrease with every year

Does it feel like you’re doing laps
And eating food and taking naps
And hoping that someday perhaps
Your life will hold some cheer

Happy birthday!
What have you done that matters?
Happy birthday!
You’re starting to get fatter
Happy birthday!
It’s downhill from now on
Try not to remind yourself
Your best years are all gone

If cryogenics were all free
Then you could live like Walt Disney
And live for all eternity
Inside a block of ice

But instead your time is set
This is the only life you get
And though it hasn’t ended yet
Sometimes you wish it might

Happy birthday!
You wish you had more money
Happy birthday!
Your life’s so sad it’s funny
Happy birthday!
How much more can you take?
But your friends are hungry
So just cut the stupid cake

Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday, dear…
(random calling out of names, including Ralph, Bill, Ralph Kramden, bob,
Skippy, the bush kangaroo, Stanly, starts with a ‘J’, and the b-b-b-b-b-bu-bu-bu- that leads into
“Dangerous”)

Thank you OgMog…I can’t hear all that well so it’s kind of you to put the words up…

oooo0

(Thumbs-up?)

Happy Birthday RB. I was not on the ball this morning, had other things on my mind I’m afraid.

Hope you have a nice day :)

roughbarked said:

just the bit about Monet to make the Van Gogh, keeps cropping up.

chuckles

Ogmog said:

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“The HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG”
by the Arrogant Worms

Once a year we celebrate
With stupid hats and plastic plates
The fact that you were able to make
Another trip around the sun

But your friends are hungry
So just cut the stupid cake

thanks ogmog – they are good lyrics.

do you realise that i see your login tag and think “OMG”?

bluegreen said:

Happy Birthday RB. I was not on the ball this morning, had other things on my mind I’m afraid.

Hope you have a nice day :)

Doing too much relaxing.. as a matter of fact.. I should be out in the garden or somewhere else. ;)

justin said:

Ogmog said:

Happy Birthday, Roughie :-*

“The HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONG”
by the Arrogant Worms

Once a year we celebrate
With stupid hats and plastic plates
The fact that you were able to make
Another trip around the sun

But your friends are hungry
So just cut the stupid cake

thanks ogmog – they are good lyrics.

do you realise that i see your login tag and think “OMG”?

did you google that?