Spring’s here! Finally.

Morning green ones. I’m up and attem ready for cake caking today at the pastry course. I’ve made every pastry treat and am now very good at them, especially puff pastry. Yay.

Seeing as I’m already pretty experienced with cakes, I’m allowed to go off the curriculum and just bake whatever I like. It just might be black forest cake today. Or a pound cake slice, a la swiss roll size, for making petit fours. I’ll see. Taking my own eggs too. They make a big difference!

Keeping eggs warm.

Go away, I’m trying to court her.

‘Tis the season for it RB :)

It might be officially Spring, but the sky is grey and gloomy after a week of bright blue skies to send winter off. But then this concept of Spring being mild, sunny weather is a European one I think. In Australia it is the season of wild, uncertain weather.

bluegreen said:

‘Tis the season for it RB :)

It might be officially Spring, but the sky is grey and gloomy after a week of bright blue skies to send winter off. But then this concept of Spring being mild, sunny weather is a European one I think. In Australia it is the season of wild, uncertain weather.

We don’t really have spring as such in Australia, other than in European style gardens with exotic plantings. The birds have been nesting for ages.

Happy Potter said:

Morning green ones. I’m up and attem ready for cake caking today at the pastry course. I’ve made every pastry treat and am now very good at them, especially puff pastry. Yay.

Cake caking? Do tell

:P

roughbarked said:

Keeping eggs warm.

They’re early! Somebody in RockVegas has had eggs hatch in their year, “pigeon-y things” he said, this last week…

roughbarked said:

Go away, I’m trying to court her.

You need longer lenses…respect their “pwivacy” (as neice used to call it when she was 4 y o)…

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Keeping eggs warm.

They’re early! Somebody in RockVegas has had eggs hatch in their year, “pigeon-y things” he said, this last week…

• yard

yard yard yard….

I need a new keyboard…

Dinetta said:

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Keeping eggs warm.

They’re early! Somebody in RockVegas has had eggs hatch in their year, “pigeon-y things” he said, this last week…

• yard

yard yard yard….

I need a new keyboard…

taken on 21 Aug

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

Morning green ones. I’m up and attem ready for cake caking today at the pastry course. I’ve made every pastry treat and am now very good at them, especially puff pastry. Yay.

Cake caking? Do tell

:P

Haha, was too rushed.. baking :)
The rest of the class were making cakes with nuts so I settled on my little corner table and made two swiss rolls, one white with jam and cream, the other chocolate with cherry cream and a big batch of sable bikkies. Easy stuff. I’m just wishing time will fly by until we get to the bread making.

I made a madeira cake last week and it didn’t turn out like the madeiras I know, the really fine textured bar cake. Then I find out that the mixture for the finer textured one is a different method. Same ingredients but mixed differently. Interesting. I’m being sent a link later :)

Happy Potter said:

I made a madeira cake last week and it didn’t turn out like the madeiras I know, the really fine textured bar cake. Then I find out that the mixture for the finer textured one is a different method. Same ingredients but mixed differently. Interesting. I’m being sent a link later :)

Now that is interesting….

Dinetta said:

Happy Potter said:

I made a madeira cake last week and it didn’t turn out like the madeiras I know, the really fine textured bar cake. Then I find out that the mixture for the finer textured one is a different method. Same ingredients but mixed differently. Interesting. I’m being sent a link later :)

Now that is interesting….

The link. Apparently you don’t fold the flour through the wet mix, you beat it in on medium for a few minutes. Folding flours in is for light airy cakes but not for heavier ‘sand’ textured cakes.
Lots of other yummy cakes in there too. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=4kzWZBhKpnwC&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq=how+do+I+get+a+finer+textured+madeira+cake%3F&source=bl&ots=MqZSsVPZNY&sig=JfSoSXdeuSdxAdNiCgQlyBKVfYE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PCEEVKiVIMmi8AX4qoDQDA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=how%20do%20I%20get%20a%20finer%20textured%20madeira%20cake%3F&f=false

We’re putting Lynda out of her misery tonight…She doesn’t look miserable, still takes a keen interest in food, but she tires easily, got lost on her way up this morning and walked into the chook tractor tonight. Unkind to keep her going.

My compost heap looks scrumptious, for a compost heap. Need to work out how to construct something to provide shade and shelter for the new beds…the chookens have half an acre down the back, they don’t need to dig up my vegetables…

Dinetta said:

We’re putting Lynda out of her misery tonight…She doesn’t look miserable, still takes a keen interest in food, but she tires easily, got lost on her way up this morning and walked into the chook tractor tonight. Unkind to keep her going.

Lynda is?

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

We’re putting Lynda out of her misery tonight…She doesn’t look miserable, still takes a keen interest in food, but she tires easily, got lost on her way up this morning and walked into the chook tractor tonight. Unkind to keep her going.

Lynda is?

The last of the hens from my original flock…

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

We’re putting Lynda out of her misery tonight…She doesn’t look miserable, still takes a keen interest in food, but she tires easily, got lost on her way up this morning and walked into the chook tractor tonight. Unkind to keep her going.

Lynda is?

The last of the hens from my original flock…

OK. Particularly sad event.

Roughbarked. I have sent you an email re. a grafting job in Vic. Don’t know if you are interested or not given the distance but I thought I would give you the heads up anyway.

bluegreen said:

Roughbarked. I have sent you an email re. a grafting job in Vic. Don’t know if you are interested or not given the distance but I thought I would give you the heads up anyway.

thanks BG I’m very grateful.

The good news is I have just relocated my handbag. Have spent 4 hours searcing for it. Not the whole time but overall. Hung it up behind the bedroom door which I have never done before, but at least it was safe there because that’s right beside Shadow’s bed (at the bottom of my bed).

The electricity meter reader was supposed to come today so Shadow spent a quiet day upstairs. Will be glad when the meters go over to online readings…

found out why I am not getting any TV signal. nothing to do with the changeover after all! It’s those pesky cockatoos!

Ouch BlueGreen, will that be expensive to replace?

Dinetta said:

Ouch BlueGreen, will that be expensive to replace?

No. Just a bit of coaxial cable and some joiners from the hardware.

You can do it yourself?

I notice on the IGA window, they’re advising that re-tuning will be necessary soon, not sure when but it doesn’t matter as I don’t have my televisions connected…

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Ouch BlueGreen, will that be expensive to replace?

No. Just a bit of coaxial cable and some joiners from the hardware.

Exactly what hubby said when he saw the pic :)

Dinetta said:

You can do it yourself?

yes :)

My back is complaining, but the veggie garden at Casterton is weeded and dug. I have a patch of bearded iris in there that I need to dispose of, but it’s hard work digging them out, so I’ve only done some of that. It was meant to be temporary…..about 5 years ago. I looked at the potatoes I planted months ago and the frost bit off and decided to dig over the ground. I got about half a bucket of King Edwards of moderate size. Some are greenish, so I planted back a couple of rows about 6ft long. If they get a move on they might even manage a Christmas crop.
So tonight I have silver beet, fresh potatoes, some baby carrots I pulled here and fish fingers.

Can I come to your place for dinner Buffy?

I have a sprouted potato and really need to plant it out before long, before the days get too hot…how long are spuds from plant to crop?

I didn’t go to my cake course today, was on the phone early calming KK, youngest daughter, she is having panic attacks. She was on the freeway and had pulled off to phone me. It’s been coming, anxiety overload and too many negative stressors coming to a point.
She’ll be right, with the right psychologist, and me to support and help. I’m a veteran of panic disorder, though it’s been over 20 years since all that went away. But you never forget it.

Honey and apple pickled pork in the slow cooker, and making some puff pastry for palmiers. The mans dropped enough hints about making them..post it notes all over the stove! lol!

Happy Potter said:

Honey and apple pickled pork in the slow cooker, and making some puff pastry for palmiers. The mans dropped enough hints about making them..post it notes all over the stove! lol!

:D

Morning…….

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

Good morning Lucky1. How nice to see you!

Thanks. Been flat out and a new laptop. No excuse though.

Stunning weather here today, after that shocker of wind we had yesterday.

Lucky1 said:

Thanks. Been flat out and a new laptop. No excuse though.

Stunning weather here today, after that shocker of wind we had yesterday.

raining here today.

Any wind with it???

Lucky1 said:

Any wind with it???

no. A bit of wind yesterday though.

There’s a teeny tiny hairy caterpillar on my monitor…do you think it blew in on the breeze?

Poor little thing looks lost, where should I put it?

Dinetta said:

Poor little thing looks lost, where should I put it?

Outside safe and sound???

Took it down and put it in a pot plant…it would be too small to interest the chookens at this stage…go! little hairy caterpillar…altho’ there might be a nest of eggs here, there have been some big hairy caterpillars dead on the floor…

Are you planning on getting back into gardening, Lucky?

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

..Well I’ll be…

.. and of course obliged to return the gesture, though it is now afternoon here.

One day. Want to put some tomatoes and cucumbers in this year. That’s if we are healthy enough to do it….LMAO

Dinetta said:

There’s a teeny tiny hairy caterpillar on my monitor…do you think it blew in on the breeze?

bin, there’s plenty more out there eating something you prize.. ;)

or

you could put it back outside though without knowing the host, where could you put it where it could survive?

Lucky1 said:

One day. Want to put some tomatoes and cucumbers in this year. That’s if we are healthy enough to do it….LMAO

I keep telling people. When you slice a tomato, put a spoonful of them on the top of a coffee jar or similar lid. when the weather starts warming up, scrape them off and chuck them out the back door.

roughbarked said:

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

..Well I’ll be…

.. and of course obliged to return the gesture, though it is now afternoon here.

Waves hi there RB :)

Lucky1 said:

roughbarked said:

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

..Well I’ll be…

.. and of course obliged to return the gesture, though it is now afternoon here.

Waves hi there RB :)

Your words are great to read. :)

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

Good morning Lucky1. How nice to see you!

Yes! :)

roughbarked said:

you could put it back outside though without knowing the host, where could you put it where it could survive?

That’s what I thought too, but didn’t want it to just dry up with no vegetation to keep it comfortable…

Raining here now. Also a wind warning.

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

Lucky1 said:

Morning…….

Good morning Lucky1. How nice to see you!

Yes! :)

HI HP:)

Not having any luck with my mobile phone, I think what I thought was the tower connection, is actually Wi-Fi connection and I am piiiiii’d

Finally got the mobile phone to work…you all very much need to know this, don’t you? Well I connected it to the Wi-Fi in this house…don’t know why I had to do it manually, it was just automatic before…

30mm over two days, 23 of them last night with thunder, lightning and hail.

How bad was the hail?

Our own hail/tornado month coming up next month…October…

Dinetta said:

How bad was the hail?

Our own hail/tornado month coming up next month…October…

Only a smattering here, but parts of Melbourne got a lot.

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

How bad was the hail?

Our own hail/tornado month coming up next month…October…

Only a smattering here, but parts of Melbourne got a lot.

It made the online news but I did not follow it up…

bluegreen said:

30mm over two days, 23 of them last night with thunder, lightning and hail.

Misty rain here today and overcast. Enough mist to pop Peppermint back in his hutch after I hung out the washing. He was running around the yard, I was going to sit and let him play a bit longer but was worried about him getting wet.

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

30mm over two days, 23 of them last night with thunder, lightning and hail.

Misty rain here today and overcast. Enough mist to pop Peppermint back in his hutch after I hung out the washing. He was running around the yard, I was going to sit and let him play a bit longer but was worried about him getting wet.

wow, you are here again today.

computer is working then?

Between my two gauges the variation was as usual, one mm. They are set at different heights quite close together. So it was 9 mm in one and 10 mm in the other.

Good hay drying weather, apparently…

Lucky1 said:

Misty rain here today and overcast. Enough mist to pop Peppermint back in his hutch after I hung out the washing. He was running around the yard, I was going to sit and let him play a bit longer but was worried about him getting wet.

Does wet bother bunnies? (Pardon my ignorance)

Went back to the coffee shop and retrieved my handbag…whew! You don’t realise how much info about yourself that you have in your bags/purses/wallets until you lose the blinking things…soooo…good excuse to buy another 2 coffees from there…as a “thank you” to the lady for putting my bag in a safe place…

Good morning Gardeners. We have around 4 degrees and it’s overcast, but going for a 19, or so. I’ll head off outside now and do some weeding and tidying and a bit of mowing after 9.00am.

buffy said:

Good morning Gardeners. We have around 4 degrees and it’s overcast, but going for a 19, or so. I’ll head off outside now and do some weeding and tidying and a bit of mowing after 9.00am.

Wow 19C that will be very warm for you…the plants wil love it especially if the sun shines…

Centrelink have change their online reporting website. Looks fancier, works slower. It wasn’t broken so why “fix” it? how much money was spent to change the look of something but make it less efficient?

And I still have to have my appointment that I thought I was finished with. Something didn’t register on the system somewhere and Centrelink says it is APM’s responsibility and APM says it is Centrelink’s responsibility. Hoping I will get it sorted today because now I am volunteering all these hours I don’t have enough time to muck around!

Morning. Still coolish here but the sunny days are wonderful. I’ve planted out and seed potted some more veges, replaced peas yet again, and pruned a lime tree. The limes top growth were just thorny spikes with not much leaf so off they came. It’s a better shape now.

The prickly branches came in handy for inserting into the bushy passionfruit until I can get enough netting this Thursday to cover it completely. A woman down the road is stealing the fruit!
I am so incensed! She took all the purple ones. grr! It’s growing out front on the side fence and not near the footpath, so she came right into my yard, not like just leaning over a fence. How dare she. It’s not the loss of the fruit, there’s heaps more, but the thought that someone is coming onto my property to steal stuff. She also tramples the emerging asparagus to get to the ‘good’ end of the p’fruit. I’m livid!

It’s growing on a L shape with a short roof, so if I cable tie the net on from top and secure the sides in well, the fruit will fall against the netting and end up in a little gap at the base of the fence that I created with some biscuit of lucerne packed in tight, I will be able to grab the fallen fruit daily without having to untie netting. Going on that there’s no fruit and sparse growth on the street side, she’s been picking them off for weeks and ripping the vine in the process.

bluegreen said:

Centrelink have change their online reporting website. Looks fancier, works slower. It wasn’t broken so why “fix” it? how much money was spent to change the look of something but make it less efficient?

And I still have to have my appointment that I thought I was finished with. Something didn’t register on the system somewhere and Centrelink says it is APM’s responsibility and APM says it is Centrelink’s responsibility. Hoping I will get it sorted today because now I am volunteering all these hours I don’t have enough time to muck around!

Yeah! You tell them, BlueGreen!!

Happy Potter said:

Morning. Still coolish here but the sunny days are wonderful. I’ve planted out and seed potted some more veges, replaced peas yet again, and pruned a lime tree. The limes top growth were just thorny spikes with not much leaf so off they came. It’s a better shape now.

The prickly branches came in handy for inserting into the bushy passionfruit until I can get enough netting this Thursday to cover it completely. A woman down the road is stealing the fruit!
I am so incensed! She took all the purple ones. grr! It’s growing out front on the side fence and not near the footpath, so she came right into my yard, not like just leaning over a fence. How dare she. It’s not the loss of the fruit, there’s heaps more, but the thought that someone is coming onto my property to steal stuff. She also tramples the emerging asparagus to get to the ‘good’ end of the p’fruit. I’m livid!

It’s growing on a L shape with a short roof, so if I cable tie the net on from top and secure the sides in well, the fruit will fall against the netting and end up in a little gap at the base of the fence that I created with some biscuit of lucerne packed in tight, I will be able to grab the fallen fruit daily without having to untie netting. Going on that there’s no fruit and sparse growth on the street side, she’s been picking them off for weeks and ripping the vine in the process.

Waiting for the “yeowch!!”

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Centrelink have change their online reporting website. Looks fancier, works slower. It wasn’t broken so why “fix” it? how much money was spent to change the look of something but make it less efficient?

And I still have to have my appointment that I thought I was finished with. Something didn’t register on the system somewhere and Centrelink says it is APM’s responsibility and APM says it is Centrelink’s responsibility. Hoping I will get it sorted today because now I am volunteering all these hours I don’t have enough time to muck around!

Yeah! You tell them, BlueGreen!!

The lady from APM and I went down to the Centrelink office to sort it out. The paperwork was still sitting in the tray where they were put two weeks ago. The nice fellow entered it in the computer there and then while we watched. The lady who took the forms two weeks ago was having to deal with a very difficult and irate customer. I swear Centrelink must be the worst company to deal with and I accept the worst to have to work for too!

Waiting for the “yeowch!!”
———————————-

Security cam on order that will go under the carport to cover the whole front yard, plus the network hard drive thingo to continuously record, and thicker netting.

Happy Potter said:

Waiting for the “yeowch!!”
———————————-

Security cam on order that will go under the carport to cover the whole front yard, plus the network hard drive thingo to continuously record, and thicker netting.

Oh good… when I think of the stuff that was nicked from my mother’s garden while she was still in the house…no household security cams back then…25 years ago…well not affordable ones, anyhow…

Hello Gardeners. We are having a bit of coolness in preparation for the hotness later in the year.

I’m afraid I just don’t ‘get’ keeping rabbits. I might have grown up in the city, but I still consider them vermin.

Lucky, like the rest of us, enjoys the kind of “therapy” that comes with having pets…Peppermint would be the cutest long-eared cat I have seen … just because I don’t care for bunnies and guinea pigs and birds in aviaries as pets myself doesn’t mean I grudge other folk who enjoy these pets…“grudge” is not the right word but you get my drift…

Dinetta said:

Lucky, like the rest of us, enjoys the kind of “therapy” that comes with having pets…Peppermint would be the cutest long-eared cat I have seen … just because I don’t care for bunnies and guinea pigs and birds in aviaries as pets myself doesn’t mean I grudge other folk who enjoy these pets…“grudge” is not the right word but you get my drift…

Begrudge?

I’m not a rabbit person either, nor do I like cats, but I do like to see friends baby bunnies and kittens. Cute little fluffballs.

That was directed at me. I think some animals should not really be kept as pets. I would like cats to be kept on property. Some of the people who most complain about dogs are happy to let their own cats wander at large. We keep cockatiels in a large aviary. The wandering cats kill them by scaring them into flying up into the netting and bashing themselves to death. Living in a country area as I do, rabbits are a risk for getting out and going feral.

The comment about the cats and the cockatiels’ reaction to them reminds me of when I had Maggie at the vet’s the other day…the resident vet cat stared at Maggie, I swear it never blinked, and my poor little (now deceased) hen just could not look away from the cat…so I turned the cage around and Maggie got her “awareness” back…

Dinetta said:

Lucky, like the rest of us, enjoys the kind of “therapy” that comes with having pets…Peppermint would be the cutest long-eared cat I have seen … just because I don’t care for bunnies and guinea pigs and birds in aviaries as pets myself doesn’t mean I grudge other folk who enjoy these pets…“grudge” is not the right word but you get my drift…

Yes, same as folks with rats as pets….. they are someone’s baby……

buffy said:

That was directed at me. I think some animals should not really be kept as pets. I would like cats to be kept on property. Some of the people who most complain about dogs are happy to let their own cats wander at large. We keep cockatiels in a large aviary. The wandering cats kill them by scaring them into flying up into the netting and bashing themselves to death. Living in a country area as I do, rabbits are a risk for getting out and going feral.

Our cats are desexed and don’t go outside. I also eat feral bunnies….cooked in my crock-pot…yummo

Lucky1 said:

buffy said:

That was directed at me. I think some animals should not really be kept as pets. I would like cats to be kept on property. Some of the people who most complain about dogs are happy to let their own cats wander at large. We keep cockatiels in a large aviary. The wandering cats kill them by scaring them into flying up into the netting and bashing themselves to death. Living in a country area as I do, rabbits are a risk for getting out and going feral.

Our cats are desexed and don’t go outside. I also eat feral bunnies….cooked in my crock-pot…yummo

Around here cats are basically let run wild. Which is a bit of a problem because we are rural.

I have been cooking:

Optometrists can’t really walk past a spectacle biscuit cutter…..

buffy said:

I have been cooking:

Optometrists can’t really walk past a spectacle biscuit cutter…..

That’s funny…did you bake all those?

buffy said:

I have been cooking:

Optometrists can’t really walk past a spectacle biscuit cutter…..

Oh how cool! where did you get it from please?

buffy said:

I have been cooking:

Optometrists can’t really walk past a spectacle biscuit cutter…..

lol! very clever :D

Happy Potter said:

buffy said:

I have been cooking:

Optometrists can’t really walk past a spectacle biscuit cutter…..

Oh how cool! where did you get it from please?

Kitchen shop in Mount Gambier. They had gazillions of cutters up on the wall. I had the box of little cutters for the cutout in the middle. I make monkey faces, so I used that mix.

You could try here:

http://www.whereis.com/vic/melbourne-3000/yellowId-13168853

Wonderful Aladdin’s cave that place is!

Or you could visit Mt Gambier (or phone them)…they’ve got a page:

http://www.liveinkitchens.com.au/

buffy said:

You could try here:

http://www.whereis.com/vic/melbourne-3000/yellowId-13168853

Wonderful Aladdin’s cave that place is!

Thank you :) I haven’t been there but I will have to!

My fave kitchen-y shop is one I can’t remember the name of (too busy looking at all the cool stuff to notice, Cuisine World maybe) but it’s in Elizabeth st up the other end, but before the bike shops. Industrial cooks equipment, chefs gear, catering, home cooks, knives, electricals etc. It’s got the lot. I was able to find the big cooking spoons/ladels with the hooked handles that I needed for the rack on my stoves splashback . Normally you only see the long handled utensils with holes for hanging. The hooks makes for easy one handed grabbing.
There’s some eyeglass biscuit cutters on ebay too.

Yeah that’s it, cuisine world. Love it.

Good news for a change

Dinetta said:

Good news for a change

lovely :)

Happy Potter said:

Yeah that’s it, cuisine world. Love it.

Oh yes, I know that one. We stay at the RACV Club in Bourke Street when we are in Melbourne. It’s Quite Close….

But the one in the arcade is much fuller and much more fun. You actually have to step over stock and if there is anything for cake decorating that you want, they will surely have it.

buffy said:

Lucky1 said:

buffy said:

That was directed at me. I think some animals should not really be kept as pets. I would like cats to be kept on property. Some of the people who most complain about dogs are happy to let their own cats wander at large. We keep cockatiels in a large aviary. The wandering cats kill them by scaring them into flying up into the netting and bashing themselves to death. Living in a country area as I do, rabbits are a risk for getting out and going feral.

Our cats are desexed and don’t go outside. I also eat feral bunnies….cooked in my crock-pot…yummo

Around here cats are basically let run wild. Which is a bit of a problem because we are rural.

Not good at all.

First part of the Saturday plan accomplished. Wake around 6.00am, walk dogs up and over Mt Rouse. Go to the cafe for breakfast. Discuss seedling eucalyptus coming up in the backyard, suspect local provenance, tentatively confirmed. Asked to continue tubing up for local reveg program. Pull out some weeds. Decide tired…come inside. Notice scrabbling noise on the roof. Send Mr buffy onto the roof to poke out the baby raven that has got itself stuck behind the panels for the hot water service, watched carefully by Mum raven who is quite happy with us helping. Now I can have a drink and scan the online news.

:)

:)

I won a prize from McArthur Natural Products. Look what I got! This would cost over $260 to buy individually!

Well done BlueGreen!

bluegreen said:

I won a prize from McArthur Natural Products. Look what I got! This would cost over $260 to buy individually!

Have you tried any of it yet?

I’m enjoying a spot of paradise here. Spent today installing a pump and the pipes and fittings for a waterfall pond feature, which included digging a trench ten metres through golden cane palm root mass and drilling a couple of big holes through concrete blocks. Tomorrow I’ll thin out the palms and transplant the Epidendrums, spread them a bit.

roughbarked said:

I’m enjoying a spot of paradise here. Spent today installing a pump and the pipes and fittings for a waterfall pond feature, which included digging a trench ten metres through golden cane palm root mass and drilling a couple of big holes through concrete blocks. Tomorrow I’ll thin out the palms and transplant the Epidendrums, spread them a bit.

HAHA (Lovely to read that you’re having a ball…)

Happy Potter said:

bluegreen said:

I won a prize from McArthur Natural Products. Look what I got! This would cost over $260 to buy individually!

Have you tried any of it yet?

I have already been using the moisturising cream and I have tried the facial cream and soap from this which I like. The other stuff I will use when I run out of my current shampoos etc. There is two large and one small of the moisturiser in this so that will keep me going for yonks!

roughbarked said:

I’m enjoying a spot of paradise here. Spent today installing a pump and the pipes and fittings for a waterfall pond feature, which included digging a trench ten metres through golden cane palm root mass and drilling a couple of big holes through concrete blocks. Tomorrow I’ll thin out the palms and transplant the Epidendrums, spread them a bit.

sounds like hard yakka to me, but more interesting than thousands of grafts.

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

I’m enjoying a spot of paradise here. Spent today installing a pump and the pipes and fittings for a waterfall pond feature, which included digging a trench ten metres through golden cane palm root mass and drilling a couple of big holes through concrete blocks. Tomorrow I’ll thin out the palms and transplant the Epidendrums, spread them a bit.

sounds like hard yakka to me, but more interesting than thousands of grafts.

Well used to hard yakka. Always interested in different things.

Farewell little Jeremy. You made my world that little bit brighter.

Vale Jeremy…your life was in very good hands…

bluegreen said:

Farewell little Jeremy. You made my world that little bit brighter.

FarewellJeremy.

Have had a slow and steady day in paradise. Woke and tried doing things only to find that my back was in spasm mode. Must have been my foot slipping off that wet rock by the pond while adding concrete and rocks to improve the waterfall. Visited the Bangalow markets for inspiration.

roughbarked said:

Have had a slow and steady day in paradise. Woke and tried doing things only to find that my back was in spasm mode. Must have been my foot slipping off that wet rock by the pond while adding concrete and rocks to improve the waterfall. Visited the Bangalow markets for inspiration.

I reckon that would do it. Good idea to take a break.

roughbarked said:

Have had a slow and steady day in paradise. Woke and tried doing things only to find that my back was in spasm mode. Must have been my foot slipping off that wet rock by the pond while adding concrete and rocks to improve the waterfall. Visited the Bangalow markets for inspiration.

Paradise it is…b*ggar about the back, has it calmed down yet?

Dinetta said:

roughbarked said:

Have had a slow and steady day in paradise. Woke and tried doing things only to find that my back was in spasm mode. Must have been my foot slipping off that wet rock by the pond while adding concrete and rocks to improve the waterfall. Visited the Bangalow markets for inspiration.

Paradise it is…b*ggar about the back, has it calmed down yet?

Have been working on it but I think a night’s rest is still required. See how it goes in the morning.

Good morning Gardeners. Cool and sunny here. The gale force winds are spent.
For now.

Glorious weather here. Back is still giving me curry.

For those interested in daughters grand daughters and motherhood.

roughbarked said:

For those interested in daughters grand daughters and motherhood.

beautiful :)

roughbarked said:

For those interested in daughters grand daughters and motherhood.

Wonderful moment, well-captured…

:)

roughbarked said:

For those interested in daughters grand daughters and motherhood.

Lovely photo :)

Happy Potter said:

roughbarked said:

For those interested in daughters grand daughters and motherhood.

Lovely photo :)

lovely people. :)

Hiyas, it’s been full on here. Then I couldn’t get in, site was down? Happy Birthday to Longy and Yeehar!

Major yard works going on here. Pond is out and the pond form that was under the liner already rehomed. I have the man helping me and boy.. talk about doing things too fast for me to keep up! But he complains he’s only got one week off and the to do list is huge..lol.

To empty the pond of 500 lt of water..he handed me a fat drain hose like those grey water ones, and said hold it. He turned the pump on an it’s a 5000 LPM job..me— struggling to hold it while I hosed all the fruit trees, displacing a ton of mulch in the process! The dog and some chooks and I may have gotten a bit wet, ok near drowned, and I had to grab Max and towel him off before he fled for the safety of inside.

Next is clearing the end of the patio area to erect a metal mesh chook fence. We have posts and U brackets all ready, concrete drill and metal band stuff to attach A to B. He can do the work, I need only supervise with leveling. We’re just having a coffee before fence works start.

The fellow who owns the beehive in my front garden is due any minute to harvest it. I can’t wait. I have a couple 5 litre bucket buckets for the amount I want and he can sell off the rest. I get 2 kg of honey free and after that I pay $16 a kg. Until I get my own hive and learn more about bee keeping, I’ll gladly pay him for it.

Harvesting 8 to 15 passionfruit a day. The family are just slurping them up :)

:) I’ve been playing with a pond as well. All the while munching on custard apples and bananas. Spreading avo’s on my bread.

Happy Potter said:

Hiyas, it’s been full on here. Then I couldn’t get in, site was down? Happy Birthday to Longy and Yeehar!

Major yard works going on here. Pond is out and the pond form that was under the liner already rehomed. I have the man helping me and boy.. talk about doing things too fast for me to keep up! But he complains he’s only got one week off and the to do list is huge..lol.

To empty the pond of 500 lt of water..he handed me a fat drain hose like those grey water ones, and said hold it. He turned the pump on an it’s a 5000 LPM job..me— struggling to hold it while I hosed all the fruit trees, displacing a ton of mulch in the process! The dog and some chooks and I may have gotten a bit wet, ok near drowned, and I had to grab Max and towel him off before he fled for the safety of inside.

Next is clearing the end of the patio area to erect a metal mesh chook fence. We have posts and U brackets all ready, concrete drill and metal band stuff to attach A to B. He can do the work, I need only supervise with leveling. We’re just having a coffee before fence works start.

The fellow who owns the beehive in my front garden is due any minute to harvest it. I can’t wait. I have a couple 5 litre bucket buckets for the amount I want and he can sell off the rest. I get 2 kg of honey free and after that I pay $16 a kg. Until I get my own hive and learn more about bee keeping, I’ll gladly pay him for it.

Harvesting 8 to 15 passionfruit a day. The family are just slurping them up :)

Just love this update…drooling about the honey…

roughbarked said:

:) I’ve been playing with a pond as well. All the while munching on custard apples and bananas. Spreading avo’s on my bread.

Good on you! You can eat my custard apples too…or better still I’ll trade you for the banananananas….

I often use avocado as a spread instead of butter…I think I thought this up about 6 years ago…one of my better ideas…

Have commenced watering under the cherry guava…I really need to get the worm farm structure stabilised as well…

83 klm an hour wind gusts, fence works have stopped. No hive raiding either. I hope tomorrow is calmer.

Instead the man is re paving the area where the sewer pipe was repaired about a year ago. It’s settled now. I’m having an open day for my garden in summer, it’s gotta be spic and span.

Happy Potter said:

Hiyas, it’s been full on here. Then I couldn’t get in, site was down? Happy Birthday to Longy and Yeehar!

Major yard works going on here. Pond is out and the pond form that was under the liner already rehomed. I have the man helping me and boy.. talk about doing things too fast for me to keep up! But he complains he’s only got one week off and the to do list is huge..lol.

To empty the pond of 500 lt of water..he handed me a fat drain hose like those grey water ones, and said hold it. He turned the pump on an it’s a 5000 LPM job..me— struggling to hold it while I hosed all the fruit trees, displacing a ton of mulch in the process! The dog and some chooks and I may have gotten a bit wet, ok near drowned, and I had to grab Max and towel him off before he fled for the safety of inside.

Next is clearing the end of the patio area to erect a metal mesh chook fence. We have posts and U brackets all ready, concrete drill and metal band stuff to attach A to B. He can do the work, I need only supervise with leveling. We’re just having a coffee before fence works start.

The fellow who owns the beehive in my front garden is due any minute to harvest it. I can’t wait. I have a couple 5 litre bucket buckets for the amount I want and he can sell off the rest. I get 2 kg of honey free and after that I pay $16 a kg. Until I get my own hive and learn more about bee keeping, I’ll gladly pay him for it.

Harvesting 8 to 15 passionfruit a day. The family are just slurping them up :)

find any homeless yabbies? sounds like the netting on the passionfruit is working.

Happy Potter said:

83 klm an hour wind gusts, fence works have stopped. No hive raiding either. I hope tomorrow is calmer.

Instead the man is re paving the area where the sewer pipe was repaired about a year ago. It’s settled now. I’m having an open day for my garden in summer, it’s gotta be spic and span.

a bit of wind here too while I was out. came home to find the bird cages had traveled down the verandah on their castors. birds OK.

just went to lock up the chooks and ducks, only to find I had forgotten to let them out this morning before I went out. I worry me sometimes.

bluegreen said:

just went to lock up the chooks and ducks, only to find I had forgotten to let them out this morning before I went out. I worry me sometimes.

Doesn’t hurt them to have the odd day locked up.

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

just went to lock up the chooks and ducks, only to find I had forgotten to let them out this morning before I went out. I worry me sometimes.

Doesn’t hurt them to have the odd day locked up.

done it before on purpose if I was going to be out until after dark, but meant to let them out today.

bluegreen said:

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

just went to lock up the chooks and ducks, only to find I had forgotten to let them out this morning before I went out. I worry me sometimes.

Doesn’t hurt them to have the odd day locked up.

done it before on purpose if I was going to be out until after dark, but meant to let them out today.

To keep them out of trouble, let them out for the last couple of hours of the day. They don’t ruin the garden beds then.

find any homeless yabbies? sounds like the netting on the passionfruit is working.
—————————————————-
Lots of yabbies! They went into a tub and whisked off to a kitchen across town to become a delicacy……

I haven’t netted the p’fruit yet, have to wait for payday to get it. I’ve been picking more often, going out the front every couple hours to pick up the dropped fruit. After that storm and the wind there were many more. Got a shopping bagful just yesty.

The suns shining, I’m waiting for the beehive bloke to turn up. I love the rain, heaven knows we need it badly, but just for the next day or so I want it to stay clear and sunny so these garden and yard works can be completed.

The man will finish putting the paving back, shortly. Yay.

Moving the aquaponics grow beds is going to be the biggie. And hauling all the bessa blocks I’ve been picking up here and there, that I’ve stacked into tall towers, over to the patio and start arranging them into seating to go around the grow beds.