It's been wonderful out in the backyard this week. We had a gardener come in from Airtasker on Monday and while she worked hard removing the weeds in the two main gardens, I watched from the kitchen while I cooked lunch and plotted my next moves. And so the garden went from this ....
... to this.
I can't tell you how good it feels. I'm starting off with weeded, manured and mulched beds, a lot of seedlings, a few potted plants and the motivation and energy (I hope) to create a garden where I can grow vegetables, pick flowers and sit to enjoy the splender of it. My sister Tricia is coming up from the Blue Mountains soon and she's bringing seeds and seedlings from her garden for me to plant. It remains to be seen how well they do coming from a very cold climate to a subtropical one. This could only be done in autumn/winter, both of us have a long history with gardens, so the three of us should be able to help most of them survive. I'll be working out there today and over the weekend but it will probably be between showers.
Inside the house I'm shortening curtains, slowly preparing a bedroom for Tricia, washing sofa covers and cleaning the oven. Yesterday, I made enough Swedish meatballs for two lunches so I'll only have to cook up some vegetables to go with them today. I love double-batch cooking - it's saved my bacon more times than I care to recall.
Hanno's been pruning the elder tree, harvesting passionfruit and pruning back the vines for another big crop, maybe at the end of the year but certainly next year. Even though we're both getting on in age, if we work at our own pace, all these jobs are doable and usually enjoyable.
We're having our Covid vaccinations tomorrow and I'm looking forward to that. I know there is a very small risk of side effects, but the risks associated with Covid are much more of a worry. Our government has been very slow with our vaccination program and now that there are variants from the UK, India, South Africa, I think it's important we gain as much protection from the virus as we can.
I hope you're fit and well and looking forward to the weekend. The change of seasons is well and truly with us now and for me, this time of year is the sweetest. I hope it is for you too. Take care. xx
Here are the weekend readings:
My Mother is 86 and still does her own gardening and yard work. We were talking yesterday about how important it is to always have something to look forward to every day. We both look forward to our time in the dirt, reading, watching birds, and, for me, needlework... as long as we do, we can! ❤️
ReplyDeleteI think it's important to keep doing what you can for as long as you can. If you stop doing it, it's very difficult getting back to it later; usually you don't. We do everything except weeding and digging and I think we'll be able to keep doing what we do now for the foreseeable future. It's important to spend time in the garden too. It helps us know what's out there and gives us the opportunity to breathe clean air. xx
DeleteI'm so glad it went well with the Airtasker, Rhonda. What a dream to just go out and start planting. I've almost finished the second round of planting for winter (a bit late, as usual!)
ReplyDeleteMadeleine.X
Well, the article on the disposal of cooking oil was rather disappointing. We all know not to put it down the drain; and calling the local waste company is rather obvious. Loved the Anzac biscuit recipe suggestion, and I must say that the variants of the Covid virus are also inert in face of the two top vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna. But any of the vaccines have proven that serious hospitalisations and ventilator use is gone once vaccinated; and there have been no deaths once fully vaccinated. If you have not; I urge everyone to go get your inoculations.
ReplyDeleteHi Rhonda,
ReplyDeleteYour garden beds look great! Will be interested to see what you plant. And your chickens look so relaxed there ☺
I am resting some vegetable beds and will be composting them soon. I am trying the cardboard and compost approach for spring. We are have glorious weather in Melbouurne...probably the last hurrah before the cold days start. Enjoy your planting!
Karen
That Airtasker is quite a clever idea! Happy gardening to you in those fresh and inviting plots!
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-law, a retired farmer and active gardener, is trying to strike a new balance with his garden as he doesn't have the stamina he once had. Trying to develop a more slow-and-steady approach. Its been a challenging adjustment, but he's getting there, I think.
Huzzah on your impending vaccination. It's unfortunate it has been so slow in getting to you. My family circle is mostly vaccinated now and it is a relief.
Our garden is growing well, the garlic especially. When we started our tomatoes and peppers indoors we also started some flowers from seed for the first time.
The magic of gardening! How beautiful, Rhonda... thank you for sharing your pictures. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of the garden work! Wow, what a huge difference. And good luck with your vaccinations. Since DH and I are older, everyone, including us, have gotten our two shots, and all went well. It is a great feeling to go out and know the risk is much reduced to get seriously ill if we get covid. Here in Arizona in the US, about 40% of us have gotten at least one shot. Happy gardening with your sister!
ReplyDeleteWonderful that you are getting vaccinated tomorrow. My husband and I are health care workers and have had our first doses recently (Astra Zeneca) - SUCH a relief, thinking back to how frightening things were this time last year and what a triumph of science and human ingenuity it is that we have effective vaccines to this terrible virus. We are in our early 50s and only had sore arms and very minor muscle aches for a few hours (fixed by a cup of tea and one dose of nurofen). All the best, Anne
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I just got the second Pfizer vaccine last week here in the States. I'm in my 60s and a Type 1 diabetic and he is in his 70s so both of our doctors told us the vaccines are far more important than any side effect. Our daughter is in her 40s and her entire family had COVID a few months ago. She is still experiencing extreme fatigue from when she had it. Our only side effects were what was expected, a sore arm and fatigue for a few days.
ReplyDeleteI love your garden! It looks really wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI've had both my vaccinations (in the states). I had the Pfizer one (it's made in the town where I live) and only had at most a sore arm with the first one and barely nothing with the second. My mum (in England) had covid and is still recovering (major problems since)
Good morning Rhonda, Hanno and Gracie! Always love garden pictures,looking lovely! I now also have the ' Do as much as you can' and wearing out is better than rusting out! Mindset but also realise when age and 'things' like dizziness and heart conditions mean we have to call in the cavalry to do the very heavy or very high things. This has been quite difficult for my husband to cope with at times. Very interesting weekend reading,thankyou. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're able to get your vaccine. I had my second dose of the Moderna vaccine this week and it hit me pretty hard, but still well worth it.
ReplyDeleteYes, we're pleased we had the vaccine too. I'm sorry to hear the second vaccine hit you pretty hard, but I agree, still worth it. We we're relatively okay. Hanno had sore muscles and a head ache, I was tired the day after.
DeleteI clicked on "DIY recycling a shirt" and a bunch of blog posts came up, but not that one...I don't think.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I have been fully vaccinated since Feb. 15 and our daughter got her second dose two weeks ago. We all had Moderna. I had a sore arm after the first shot and nothing the second time; neither my husband nor daughter had any issues at all. Our 42-y-o son, who lives 500 miles away, also got the Moderna and had flu-like symptoms for 36 hours after the second shot and missed a day of work. Still a lot better than getting Covid! I encourage everyone to get the vaccine. I don't see this as any different than getting vaccinated for polio, and we all did that, didn't we? And we didn't get polio, either. Nobody questioned it; they just got in line. Vaccine eradicated polio in most of the world. We can eradicate Covid, too.
Hi Rhonda, Your chickens look so peaceful and healthy. Swedish meatballs are one of my favorites! Hope you and Tricia have a wonderful time together. The garden looks lovely. I am taking things more slowly with age, too.
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