The start of this season's rose pruning

Today I pruned 8 roses including 2 climbers. I love how tidy the garden appears once the bushes are trained back into shape and the arch looks like an arch again. Once all the roses are pruned I will need to have a big weeding effort to be ready for my favourite season - spring.

6 Francis Dubreuil Bushes

2 Kathleen Harrop climbers on the arch.

Winter Snowflakes

My Leucojum aestivum bulbs have multiplied quite significantly. First planted in 1991 they are a mass of lush green strap-like leaves with a sprinkling of snowflake flowers.

The flowers are small and bell-shaped, white with a green spot
at the end of each tepal. 

Snowflakes are native to central and southern Europe. 

Moto Guzzi Madness

Rod's first restoration project will be to make one or two worthy bikes from these 3 'need of attention' bikes. The nearest bike he purchased from his brother Peter, the middle bike is the latest one added to his collection, sourced from Ebay and freighted from interstate. The last bike was the first purchased and was brought to Rod's attention by myself after noticing an advert in our local paper. 

Rest in Peace Ros

Today I pay tribute to a remarkable woman who lived life to the full, achieved much and inspired many. Roslyn Kaye Thompson (nee Blight) passed away 19/07/2013 aged 52 after battling Secondaries Breast Cancer for 7 years.

This photo was taken almost a year ago. Ros was undergoing treatment so
another round of hair loss was part of the course. The look captured here is
natural and very much representative of her bright and enthusiastic nature. 

Ros and I shared: the experience of becoming first time mother's- to- be, a love of English China, 32 -the same house number, the appeal for T2 Blue Mountain Tea, Breast Cancer stories and a priority for family first. I will be working towards dedicating an area of the garden or a garden feature to her memory.

Lichen it!

Yesterday whilst having a quick look out the window on a wet winters day I spotted this intense growth of lichen on our Apple Tree. Again the beauty of nature reminds me we need to take the time to stop and look.

Hello Hellebores

This is the first time I have picked a vase full of Hellebores. I have had them planted down the hill with the Azaleas virtually neglected for many years. More recently I have planted them under the Flowering Cherries in the garden borders either side of the lawn. The ones under the Cherries are spreading quite well and I have also had some seedlings pop up. They really are so beautiful, particularly cheery on a rainy winters day.

Military Magic

Amongst Clyde's military items were these metal shirt buttons. Admittedly at first glance they look quite plain, but once you are in the know about what these buttons can do you can then only think how extremely clever and amazing they are.

LH button is shown on the reverse side, RH button is the way it would be sewn
onto a garment..

LH button now shown the way it would be sewn onto a garment, RH button
shown on the reverse side.

Looking more closely you will see that this button, which was the LH button
has a spike on the reverse side.

Putting the RH button onto of the spike on the LH button the buttons become an ingenious compass. With the now top button rotating freely on the spike and the extra holes in the rim of the button indicating the direction. Shhhhhh, don't tell the enemy.

Blue Skies............

Drying Game

One of the things Aly has learnt in her trade is to make chickens out of tea towels. 

Makers of Macarons

Aly, as a reward for her hard work and efforts in her bakery and patisserie courses has been promising herself a Kitchen Aid.  It arrived a week ago. Today a session with Kim resulted in melt -in- the -mouth delectable salted caramel macarons.

Empire Red Artisan Kitchen Aid - a stand out in the kitchen.

Kim & Aly together again in the kitchen - different kitchen.

Who wouldn't be proud of these?

Mulching the Natives

This year's mulching effort has gone on the natives at the front of the house. A trailer load was not quite enough to finish the job so another 4 wheelbarrow loads were added on a separate occasion. The whole native area has been weeded, some plants trimmed and then the mulch spread. The continuity of the pink-red bark makes for a great contrast to the green foliage and creates a uniform, neat appearance.

Two hardwood sleepers have been replaced and some of the bricks reset . The deteriorating state was potentially dangerous for these well used steps to and from the front door.

Our pussy-willow down by the pond has split in two. Rod has
been cutting up the broken branches and was able to cut these
5 stepping rounds from the substantial trunk.

Some of the older Correa's have been cut back quite hard here
to encourage the new growth.

Scleranthus biflorus was one of the plants I saw whilst at the
Mt. Tomah Botanic Gardens. This small emerald mound will
hopefully spread to become quite a feature.

In the centre of this picture is Eucalyptus caesia Silver Princess
which will change this area significantly once it becomes a small
tree. 

The Brachycome has been cut back quite hard in the hope that
it will put on good new growth. Some have already but others
may need to be replaced.

This hollow log has  recently been added to the garden. Native
Violets have been planted in the hollow in the hope that they
naturlise in and around the log.

The scribbly gum totem poles contrast against
the new mulch and make more of a statement.

I like corners.

The garden bed has been extended and mulched behind the
seat. Plants that were randomly planted have now become a
garden.

Room for more ground covers.

The view from our dining window.

This is the view from our kitchen window. The dragon ornament is a new addition to add some interest to this area. Eventually it should appear that Whomee is peering through the grass.

When purchased this was the colour of the upturned pot
that Whomee sits on.

The artist named this work "Who Me?" I am
much happier with the black upturned pot.

Winter Cheer

I haven't picked any flowers for ages and once again I have been surprised to be able to find enough flowers and interesting foliage to make a satisfying arrangement. Dinner with Lynh and Andrew was the inspiration.

Virburnum tinus, Hakea laurina, Correa Chef's Cap, Euphorbia, Abelia and Hebe