4 September 2021

Weekend Reading, Housework and Cleaning

We had a busy week, not because we had a lot to do but the things we did took their own sweet time. It's not easy getting old and the amount of time I take now to do "normal" things frustrates me. I did click and collect for my groceries which helped a lot and the week turned out to be a bit of cleaning, a trip to Ikea and gardening. I was really grateful to my son Kerry who came over and dug a hole for a rose to be planted and did some weeding. Not the most exciting thing for him to do on his days off but I appreciated it a lot. Thanks Kerry!  Yesterday, grandma Donna and I had another Zoom chat. That 90 minutes went so fast! We've got a lot in common and I enjoy discussing all aspects of homes and homemaking with her.


I had a couple of things to return to Ikea and while we were there I picked up some dishcloths, tea towels and silicone bowl covers. We were in and out in record time and drove home well before I expected to.

I added the new cloths and tea towels to my stash after they'd been cleaned and dried. Later on in the week I soaked the old cloths because some had small stains on them.  Most came out well but two cloths and two tea towels had to be boiled on the stove with Disan added. I left them in the saucepan until they'd cooled down a bit and was very pleased as every stain was gone.

This is the rose I planted as a bare rooted stick in July.  I'll train it up the trellis now so it will be a feature of the garden you can easily see from the house.




Today and next week I'm tidying the garden, planting a couple of new plants, putting down weed mat with sugar cane mulch on top, planting up a few pots pots, deadheading and pruning. When I'm happy with the garden, I'll fertilise it all and tie a few things back. I'm looking forward to it all. 



I hope you have a lovely weekend too and do things that make you happy. Thank you for being here today and for your visits to my IG page. 😊

🍓 🦋 🍉

WEEKEND READING



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15 comments

  1. What an inviting yard you have, Rhonda! When I see pictures like this I always dream of one day sitting in the yard with the blogger who owns it and sipping on tea, having a nice visit. Perhaps that is what heaven will be like for me. Have a nice weekend. ~Andrea xoxoxo

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    1. Thanks Andrea. I love my garden and I’d happily drink tea with you there.

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  2. Thank you very much for this post today Rhonda. Such a beautiful garden, mine is underwater for the next few days unfortunately. My husband would like me to pass on his thanks for the link to the foo fighters and bee gees. That is all I will be hearing for a few weeks but that's OK, we're so proud of the music australia produces. Have a fantastic weekend, mandi and trent

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  3. Hi Rhonda
    Your garden looks wonderful and your rose is stunning! This season is so soul uplifting. Looking forward to your weekend reading links. Thank you.
    My garden has azaleas and clivias looking lovely. Freesias and sweetpeas have bloomed and the Japanese Maple is starting to leaf again. I have vegetable seedlings sprouting also. Freezing Snow peas in small bags.
    My husband said he was going to pressure clean the courtyard. Lovely. I look out and he is on the roof of the tiled shed! Nearly 62. Husband fine and courtyard sparkling clean...goodness!
    Have a great weekend enjoying your garden Rhonda x

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  4. The flatbread video was so soothing and great to watch. I use your flatbread recipe from your second book all the time and we love it. Have a good week. Kathy A, Brisbane

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    1. Hi Kathy. Yes, I still use the one in the book too.

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  5. What a gorgeous rose Rhonda! We´re coming to the end of harvesting and storing our not-yet-small-enough crops. Downsizing even more next year. The autumn colours are more noticable now so the end of our gardening season is not far away. I still have the garlic to plant for harvesting next July. I do that when the earth temperature is around 9C. Then they just concentrate on creating roots not sending up green shoots which would just freeze later. My aim is to grow enough to last us a year. We´ll see.

    Yesterday was a perfect day for us, spending it with our son and daughter-in-law whom we haven´t seen in over a year, with our daughter too who is in our bubble. Even the sun smiled down on us all day. So lots of positive energy stored as our days grow shorter.

    We have made our own bread and used the same recipes since the children were small. It´s good to test new ones now and again though. I will give that flatbread recipe a try through the week. Thank you.

    Stay well and take care!
    Ramona

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    1. I'm so pleased you spent time with your family, Ramona. Enjoy the last of the warmer weather.

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  6. Thank-you for inspiring us to live a more simple life. I've heard rumor that there is a "forced technology app" occurrence happening in Australia, where people who own smart-phones are required to give an update about their whereabouts via picture photograph and geolocation every so many minutes. Is this true? Does it bother you when technology does more to control lives than enhance lives? Thanks.

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    1. It's not true. It's probably another one of those lies that start on Facebook. Who would ever put up with such a requirement!

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  7. Julie from MooroolbarkSeptember 06, 2021 10:36 pm

    Hi Rhonda Your photos are a real inspiration for Spring. What a beautiful rose. I love roses especially the David Austin variety with their beautiful perfumes. Those aphids can be tricky sometimes but don't stand a chance with my garlic spray. My fuschias are all in bloom. I just love the many varieties I have. It was like tent city in my backyard last year as I planted them. To save them from the frosts I created little shade cloth tents for them for those single digit and below overnight temps. They are much bigger now and not littlies anymore. My two Japanese maples have sprouted with the red cut and green cut leaves. I had some blue wrens in one of the water bowls the other day. That was a joy. I love Spring and with the Mount Dandenong ranges as a backdrop view in my backyard it truly gives me the sense of peace and renewal even in these times of uncertainty. I am hoping that we in Melbourne will be able to spend time with our loved ones soon. I do miss the contact with my grandchildren. May you enjoy the sunny days ahead with a bottomless cup of tea as I will. Julie xx

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    1. Hello Julie, your garden sounds divine. I hope you get to see your family soon. xx

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  8. That's a beautiful rose, Rhonda. Your garden always looks so loved and nurtured. I love all that you do and teach. Have been making more herbal teas from the antivirals that grow in the garden. I had forgotten how soothing it feels to drink them daily. They are so spiritual. It's so healing to eat and drink what we grow. After saving all of the fruit and vegetable scraps from up at the mountain cabin and driving back down, they are deposited in the compost pile. It's a big job! We have had a bear up in the woods lately. He's huge! I don't leave any trash or food outside there. I do bring the finished compost back up with me, though, and top dress all of the plants. It has made a world of difference. The woodland garden has become so pretty. It has roses, herbs, flowers, squash, artichokes, and several different old fashioned flowers. I put some signs up that make it look a little like Disneyland. My mom's ceramic animals and fairies from her old house add a whimsical look, too. It gets a lot of compliments, and has changed the whole feel of the neighborhood.

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  9. Rhonda, I want to thank you for all hard work to give us so many interesting things to read and view. I don't usually respond to many e-mails because I have been brow beaten over my conservative comments. I bought your books several years ago and have used them many times in making my home and my life more fun and easier. So, thank you!

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    1. Hello Teacup. I'm really pleased you feel comfortable here and that my writing has encouraged you.

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