Trees are so amazing and we should learn from them. The past month has been so dry, we desperately need water, and the wind has been blowing non stop. The trees being indigenous can handle this by throwing off some of their leaves, not only do they conserve energy in this way, they also mulch themselves to keep the bit of moisture there is.
But we do need rain desperately.
I was having my morning coffee and feeding the koi when I noticed the brown water snake. He lives in a hole by the pond and swims under water. The fish are quite scared of him as are the frogs which is what he eats.
Two non indigenous plants are flowering this week and are beautiful. (in pots) The christmas cactus and an orchid.
I planted more seedlings this week, cauliflower, beetroot, green pepper and black basil.
Michael is quite busy this time of the year, moving seedlings into new pots and selecting the keepers. All the millions of seeds on top of the fridge are almost ready to be planted out so he has to make space for them. The have to make space again for the new seeds that have to go on top of the fridge. We still have some beauties flowering like my favourite clivia that is only starting now.
I took photos of all the mosaic work in the garden today, partly to inspire me for the big piece of wall behind the kitchen, and partly to see how my stuff has improved from the first mosaic I did four years ago. All the realy good stuff is not mine but Michael’s and Jasmine’s. It is such a nice element to add depth to the garden and a good way of recycling other people’s unwanted or broken tiles. It also makes me look differently at shapes and empty spaces while it satisfies my urge to be a bit creative.
After a very dry windy week, and yesterday a very hot day, it feels like summer is coming and maybe some rain too. The dietes seem to think so.
It rained on Saturday and today it is threatening to rain. It would be so good because we’ve howling, howling easterlies like we haven’t had for years this past two weeks. The little bit of rain that does fall gets dried by the wind quickly. When the east blows like this for days on end, the whole town gets a bit grumpy.
Thank goodness for indigenous gardening – the plants can tolerate a bit of dryness. Water restriction from yesterday as well – no watering what so ever.
The fly-catcher’s new babies have hatched already, I saw the mother feeding this morning. The previous baby has just about two days ago been weaned.
Michael made me a new sturdy tri-pod for the vegetable patch to go in the area where I’ve taken out the peas and onions. Will be planting seedlings this week. He made a Genesa Crystal on top of the tripod and not only does it look funky – it is supposed to make the vegetable grow better because of turning negative energy into positive energy – nothing wrong with that.
Started work on the gate as well this weekend. We have to build up a wall for the gate to run on, so we have been collecting bricks at the back in the veld.
We took four of the chickens – two roosters and two hens to the Misty Gardens Nursery on Friday. It was just getting a bit to much with three roosters crowing everytime the phone rings, or when they see something scary.
We kept the rooster that crows the least (we cut his tail short to ID him)and the mother hen, the pretty one with the oversized fro and the recovering gentle soul that got caught by a mongoose last week.
It really is nice and quiet now.
Because we have such lovely trees we sometimes struggle to find space for the sunloving plants like the Boophane and the cacti. Just past the chicken sleeping area is where these guys live. Tires have been packed in a spiral with just the right soil type for them. They get sun through the whole day and are loving it. Michael also likes to bring special stones for these plants to make them feel at home. It is totally different to the rest of the garden but also lush in its own way. This is the time of the year that the bulbs are flowering. The cyrtanthus obliquus is very spectacular this year and one of my favourites.
It has been a windy week and the people and the trees are feeling it.
