Booties, you always need booties!

Parcel of Booties sent off today to Matt and Lindsay in Auckland NZ

Biggest pair - Lafybird

Medium size - Christmas Bells

Smallest - Black Booty

It’s our Lot now

Our neighbors of 25 years asked if we might adopt their youngest cat as they were moving into a rental with 3 dogs and 2 cats. We said we would give it a trial as we were concerned Asher may feel intimidated.

Asher wasn’t exactly thrilled but he was tolerant so we went ahead with the adoption. Asher is still not thrilled but still mostly tolerant.

Initially we were concerned that Lottie might keep visiting next door but it didn’t take him (yes the neighbours discovered that she was a he at the time of desexing) too long to realise that love and food are dished out at Ashwell.

Early spring saw our hospitality extend to our pockets when Lottie took on a snake and was found in the garden in a bad way. Hospitalisation for 5 day’s and  $1300 later we had now had an investment in this new Family addition.

Anniversary present Balls-Up

You would think after 34 years of marriage our communication skills to each other would be close to spot on. Not so, it took two trips to Murray Bridge to select this year’s joint  present. In one trip we bought a wooden platter with handle all carved from one piece of teak timber. The next trip on the following day was to return said wooden platter and select wooden garden feature shown below.

Purchased from Serenity Nursery located off Mannum Road Murray Bridge their range of garden accessories, furniture, sculptures, pots and plants is phenomenal.

Ever since we went to Chelsea Flower Show in 2015 I have been interested in Sculptures made from individual pieces of wood. The ones shown in the photo below were made from driftwood I believe.

Fortunately for us the manager at Serenity allowed us to return the unwanted piece as it is not normal policy. Everyone is happy now, but let’s see if we can do it in one shopping expedition next year!

Tulip Tragedy

Whilest hanging  my newly dug garlic from the roof of the enclosure under the cubby I discovered that rodents have been chewing through the plastic netting bags that I had them stored in and eating the bulbs. 

After the year before loosing every bulb to rot (my fault for not digging them up early enough) I thought that this season I had nailed it with lots of bulblets as well.

The only positive to this is the opportunity to re-elect from the luscious Lambley catalogue. $44.50 later .......

Tulipa Honeymoon

Only a bit of a let down

A glass balloon that I had hanging from the apple tree adjacent to the deck-  fell out the sky twice. The first time a circle of glass broke off where the handing cord was sited. The second time again where the cord was secured with a washer to fill the gap where the broken  piece had come away, this time a much bigger piece than could be compensated for.

I love glass so much especially the play of light shining through, therefore to just throw away this broken item just didn’t sit right with me. Solution - silicon balloon upside down onto metal stake that was a gift but missing its glass tea light candle holder. So now I have taken two incomplete items and made one garden ornament.

Now placed in the garden the trick is to position it so that the silicon is not visiable but the ballon is, even if only subtlety.

Buoy oh buoy!

This glass buoy has had pride of place in a couple of different locations at Ashwell over the years. In the very early days Rod drilled a hole in the top and had a low voltage light hooked up inside to illuminate at night. It was hung up in our Fernery which was located on the south side of the family room - where the courtyard is now.

This new location is framed and supported rather well by the golden rain tree. A cork has been reduced in size to stopper the hole and stop rain from entering.

Runner no more

After the initial onslaught of millipedes things have settled down and we are finally getting some whole (no holes) sweet tasting strawberries - some even large. 

This year I cut off the runners and it is making all the difference. Must keep at it.