TEA ROOM # 78

Thanks for the pic Jean. Yes Brian would have loved them. It's Echinopsis candicans. Colleen

anthonys liliums?--its lilium city here at the moment

I don't take photos out the back all that often...
it was professionaly landscaped so I don't feel responsible for it.
However I made sure they left this rose & I added the Breath of Heaven & the cordyline.
I think they make a nice contrast.

Good morning everyone. I am late today. Blame the garden. I just have to go out early when the sun is out and look around. Trouble is, one gets caught up dead heading roses, admiring new flowers etc.
It was a lovely day yesterday and this morning is perfect. No wind, sun shining, birds singing, flowers smiling.
Anthony, my liliums are a bit slow here but yours are coming out quickly. Like mini yellow suns around the place.
Colleen, I will post a few more cacti pics on the flowering in Dec thread. Looked like we caught them with some already done and some to come. Thanks for the name.
Chrissy, do I sense a brom "palace"going to go in your garden too.
i am amazed at how hardy mine have been with all the cold down here. I am hoping for more color as they get more sun. It must be a shock to them to have moved from the shadehouse with roof to the new one with only shadecloth so they all got rained on.
Hello Elaine, Teresa, Sue and Kat.
Dianne, thank you for the iris and seeds. I just hope they do turn into triffids here as I need hardy things that run riot to cover bare patches. I love triffids.
Hello Charleen, getting cold over there now . Do you rug up the furry ones in winter ?
Louise, you will be settling back into things now you are home again. Lots of Christmas preparations.
Hello to everyone else. I off back out to enjoy the sun . It may not last as more rain and thunder are forecast.
We have floods in Vic and WA has fires. Certainly a land of stark contrasts.
Have a happy day and enjoy some of this delicious Layered Chocolate Cake.
Jean.

Nope, I let the babies run nude in the pasture. But they all have nice furry coats. I don't think they are cold. If the wind gets too bad they like to back up into some fir trees that we have in the pasture. they have their nice large bales of hay to eat and two meals a day. they are happy campers unless I am late then the whole neighborhood hears about it cause they start braying. Mostly the male donkey, Charley just goes "hunt, hunt, hunt" they are a mess but I love them all.

Charleen, you are funny. I was just picturing naked creatures running around the paddock and backing bare bottoms into the trees.
Please give them a biscuit from me.
Jean.

This message was edited Dec 3, 2010 8:08 AM

Good morning everyone. Its quiet in here . I suppose everybody is rushing around getting ready for the Christmas doings.
We had a thunderstorm last night but not so much thunder and lightning as the last one. Lots of lovely rain though and not cold either.
The garden is looking very fresh this morning. We ended up with an inch over about 4 hours.
We are lucky not to have all the flooding that is around other areas.
I am running off this morning to photograph more epis as they open . It is a job getting in to get the pic and trying not to damage any buds.
I hope you are all enjoying good weather where you are and lots of flowers in the gardens . Hello to everyone . I will leave something nice out in the kitchen for you.
An old favorite Raspberry Coconut Slices.
Have great day.
Jean.

Same here Jean, lots more forecast too.
Very humid.

Charleen, my horse has lost his Winter coat and is sleek and glossy now. He is also knee deep in grass, which makes him very happy.
Some cheeky sheep decided that his grass was better than their grass and crawled under the fence......let me tell you they went out a lot faster than they came in......Mick hates sheep.

I have pruned back a lot of my Roses now....they have been so good this year.
This is a new one " Summer Song"
Matilda in the background.
Back later.

Ours still have their Winter coat but that should improve as soon as the rain goes away.
it's a bit warmer today OMG the weeds out there!
This Champaca is doing well ...not minding the rain ...it's over my head now.

Oh well never mind still better than drought and fire ...see the other side of Oz going up in smoke while huge floods this side ...it sure lives up to the poem.
Back later everyone ...have a great arvo.
Edited to correct name of this tree ...Cananga odorata AKA Perfume Tree
Much easier to remember when you are tired.
Edited again because I got confused ...
it's this one
http://mgonline.com/media/Images/m/micheliachampaca03.jpg



This message was edited Dec 3, 2010 3:42 PM

painfully,my number 7 rib-bone has shifted away from my spine,during a basic twisting move this morning,.,.its very painful,-but i'll survive,.,.this clears me from pushing 'cement ' filled wheelbarrows,tomorrow,in another advancement of my daughters 'dog-run',..,looks like i'll be the 'foreman' tomorrow[wheres my whip],.,.

Good afternoon all. A bit late today as I've been to get some galah and chook food and did a bit of looking around the shops. Finally got myself a couple of artline garden pens. I've been hunting for ages. Anthony I hope you're not in too much pain. You haven't lost your sense of humour anyway so that's a good sign. Don't crack that whip too hard. Love that rose Dianne. Is it a David Austin? Sounds like plenty of rain everywhere. That's good too. If it all starts to get too much just remember what happens in the drought. We don't want any more of those down here. The poor blockies have done it hard and some of the ones that have managed to hold on to their blocks now have to contend with the rain and the heat and thus downy mildew. Even my single grape vine has some downy mildew on it. Hope that I don't loose all the fruit. I have grown a peach tree in the chook's yard, duh!!!!!. Now I'm going to have to put a fence around it as it is still low enough for the chooks to get to the fruit. They've already had some, so when it cools down a bit I'll be straight up there to do the job. I don't mind sharing a few with the birds and chooks but I know what will happen if I don't shield , no peaches for us. Well time to get the boys. Must go but will be back later. Have a great rest of the day and Anthony you take care. Colleen

That's no good Anthony ...take it easy mate ...we only get one body to live in.
Well we have had a few dry hours today ...sun did not come out though.

Summer Song is lovely Dianne.
Jean no Brom palace here just some broms that sort of got overlooked while I was busy doing other things.
HUGE respect for these tough little survivors ...I always thought they would be difficult to grow because I fussed over some in the past and they sulked and withered away.
Then Sue and Leisa swapped with me and I sort of just potted them up and tossed some water with a drop of Sea Sol or potash at them every now and then.

I used to get a shock they were still alive.
They now have grown into lovely colourful pot plants and I now am no longer "scared" of them. I hate seeing any plant die and always would feel guilty so now I think they are winners in the easy to grow stakes.
Just don't fuss ^_^ how many plants do we kill with kindness.
Good luck with the chooks colleen.
A big wave to everyone.

Good morning everyone. A very lovely morning too. No more rain or thunder although it did get very black for a while. Whatever was up there went right around us.
Very humid though. I should be growing bananas with this tropical type weather.
Always hard to imagine how cold we were a short time ago and it will return .
I planted out a few small plants yesterday while the ground is nice and damp. I have some seeds to throw around. Lots of zinnias which never grow. I live in hope that one will come up one day.
My hollyhocks are doing well. There may only be a few but they get bigger each year and are now around 4 foot high starting to bud. I pulled out some clover too and found my day lilies. The clover doesn't do any harm , just grows really long and gets up around them . I only need to grab a stem and the whole clover plant easily comes out. Not like the awful type of clover that grows near the irises.
Its sunny outside and going to be another warm steamy day so I'm off out to do things while its nice and cool.
Hello Chrissy, yes, broms are survivors if they grow in the cold winters here. I see color coming into mine and a few pups too.
Hope all is well with your brother.
Hello Colleen, better get that peach tree guarded or you'll see none. I haven't looked at our grape vines but they are up on a high frame which gets any breeze so never get much trouble with any mildew etc , just the birds eating all the fruit.
Anthony, I do hope you are feeling better. Just sit and admire those glorious liliums.
Hello Elaine, Kat, Dianne and Teresa. hello Charleen and Louise . Lots of Christmas preparations going on there I suppose.
Don't forget to take time to enjoy your gardens. Pats for all the furry creatures from me .
Have a happy day. Heres a lovely fruity Pavlova to enjoy while thinking of Christmas.
Jean.

The longears have nice thick coats so they are doing great. Bought time one of the donkeys stop limping another takes it up, abcess on their feet. So Glad A.T. finally got better. Now maybe all will be well for a while. All I can do is let it grow out. I never saw anything in his foot so sure that is what it is.
got them hay but they still think they need their afternoon feeds, so of coarse, I feed them.
Winter is trying to poke it's cold little self into Georgia, Can't stand the cold but this is better than in Mo. Never was a snowbunnie☺. Hope you all have a great weekend.
Charleen, Charley and the donkey kids.......

It is incredible to read all the different weathers we are each having at the moment. According to the weather report, we are in for heavy rains this weekend, but they haven't started here yet. Very overcast and cool though.

Anthony, sorry to hear about you being indisposed. Hope it settles down soon, but give yourself time to heal.

Jean, pavlova is my very favourite.

Love reading about the mules and would love to see more pics, if possible. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Karen
No flowers here. Been too cold, I think, to have a proper spring, and now its summer already. Showing my tin lizard near the front door.

Morning...hot and humid.

Anthony, just sit back with your "medicine" and supervise, you are entitled......everything must be coming together '' in the house next door.'

We ate our first tomatoes this week, you tend to forget how different they are.....Cherries are supposed to be up to $60 a kilo, because of the rain....I am going to erect a huge umbrella over mum's and make a fortune...lol......we will net hers this weekend.
I am determined to make a cherry pie this year.....mind you I am always GOING to make a Cherry pie.....

Grandaughter's birthday today, so we are off to lunch later.....I might take Jean's pav with us.
Charleen, hope their feet get better quickly....painful condition....
Dianne.

They will get better dear. They go thru this. Farrier says their feet are doing muchbetter.
I'll try to get you some winter pictures.
but here is one for you.

Good afternoon to all just stoped in to share my 2 new Santa helpers now going to have a rest after 5 hours shopping I need it.---------elaine

Thanks Charleen, they seem so amiable....love their faces.

That is a beaut deer, Elaine.....hope it wasn't as humid shopping, as it is here.

Had a lovely lunch, didn't need the pav, Jean...couldn't manage dessert.
Dying for a cuppa now.....

all is cool,i love it when a plan comes together,.,.the concrete looks as good as the 'madonna' herself!this 'hot/ cold' weather is paying out on the lilies,they look terrible,.,.the mulch spores rise in the tropic weather and eat the lower leaves,then leave the buds shrivelled,.,.no one wants to buy them, because they look sick,..,im still selling many,and took a weekend off,to recover,.,.,.anthony

had a lovely sunny day, spoiled by really strong wind, it was so bad it gave me a headache.
I only had two beers - for once hubby drank more than I did - he had 3...
his hay fever is terrible so he is away to bed & I have a happy Dalmatian sprawled out on the couch fast asleep.
nearly 11pm so I need to wake him up for a loo break & bed, we have an early start for training in the morning.
Cross fingers for a calmer day!
Be good to get out & do some gardening, the roses need dead heading to keep them looking good.

Beautiful Elaine. Love them.

Good morning all. Rainy and overcast still here. We went down to Robina to do some Christmas shopping as my daughter lives opposite the shopping centre.(just a short walk around the big lake) and I had a quick stop at Movieworld on the way down to buy some things from there as gifts. It's useful having a pass as I only went in to buy from the first gift shop. Still quite a few tourists there in ponchos and raincoats but it certainly wasn't packed. I think the lady on the gate was surprised to see someone leave so soon after arriving! Lol!

The garden here is waterlogged and the constant damp weather plays havoc with the brains in washing machines. I think it is the fact that our laundry is under the house ( high-set Queenslander..on stilts) and even though it is built in, it is breezy so these new computer chip controlled machines seem to lose the plot. So, till the weather dries up a bit, dodgy washing..the repairman (Miele) will probably cost almost as much as a new machine. Always thought I needed two machines hooked up to get it all done..especially when the kids were smaller! Front loaders are so much slower than others.

How are the epies blooming, Jean? I have taken blooms in to work and had admirers clamouring for some pieces. So far, no one has known what they were without being told. Hopefully, I am making a new batch of converts to continue spreading the word!

Actually, it is quite soothing listening to light and moderate rain on a tin roof..when there are no leaks etc or worries about it scalping the ground. I will have to venture out to pot up some lovely roses I bought on ebay! They came extremely well wrapped and are the healthiest looking roses..I think they were only cut back to post so have sprung straight into new growth! They will have to go into large pots so I can move them to maximum sun in winter. All my precious things live in big pots. It's a bit like a caravan park for plants! A lot of the pots are hidden among other things but it is certainly not a "designer' backyard! Lol! Think of a cross between "Steptoe and Son" and "Jumanji" and you might be closer! Lol! Cheers all.

This message was edited Dec 4, 2010 4:43 PM

Good morning everyone. I'm a bit late today as I have been out taking photos in the cool. Its a bit foggy here this morning. What else is in the weather cupboard ? It was very hot and humid all day yesterday and any storms were well away from us. Going to be steamy later. I am not allowed to complain of the heat after all my moaning about the cold. Poor hubby suffers in the heat as his thermostat doesn't work properly. He gets very hot and can't cool down.
I'm lucky as I warm & cool very quickly with the slightest change in temps. Means I get the benefit of even a slight cool change in the heat.
My epis are coming out slowly Kat. The heat is wilting them as fast as they open . Usually they are earlier and last for days in the milder weather.
I have been babying some hippieastrum bulbs in pots and yesterday I found that 2 have flower stems coming. My first ones. Hooray.
I now must get more. Ha ha. . One of these is supposed to be orange & white stripes and the other a noid.
Hello Elaine, love the reindeer.
Hello Dianne, Teresa and Anthony.
Collen , how are all the cacti doing. The heat doesnt seem to bother mine at all. Even the cold winter didn't worry them. Tough little b----s.
I off back outside to get a few things done while its cool. The sun is sneaking through the fog so will be steamy again.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend .
Try these yummy Butterballs.
Jean

Good morning to all I was thinking of a undecorated house this Chistmas untill I visted the the new shop - up early making table decoration I'm now full steam ahead .
Thanks every one I fell in love with the Raindeer and who could walk past the cute elve have my eye on 2 Santa's one in red suit the other a beach santa in singlet and shorts corks around his hat so neat but a lot to pay and only use for a couple of weeks then finding where to store him .{ note Iam trying to talk my self out of buying one.}Whate I need is have my own Chistmas and garden centre a new dream to see where it all goes to . better go and unpack more decorations every one have a great day . elaine.

Good morning everyone. Hot and humid here this morning. Yuk!!!!! Brian's 10ft high Elfin Pink arrived here this morning and is now planted in my garden. Sanguinea also is here in the SH. I dont know how Elfin Pink will go because she was dug up but I will try my hardest to keep her well. Probably should have waited til winter to move her but Brian's daughter didn't really want it and it had to be moved now. The others that were in the ground are going to the rainbow bridge. I just can't take anymore huge ones. Once the ones of Brians that are in pots flower I will have to find them new homes too. I'm hoping to put a few out in the front garden facing South, but I'm a little apprehensive about the frosts and because they would be out in the open the horrid sun. John said maybe we can put some shelter up for them. We'll see. Sammut I love the reindeer and I thought that you would get into the mood. Good on you. Jean the cacti are doing great. Still more flowers to come for a while yet. No the heat doesn't worry them too much but the wet does. This time of the year the pot of Sulphur is a constant resident up the back. The peach tree is safe from the chooks and we had our first peaches off it yesterday. Yum. Must go always lots to do around here. be back later. Colleen

at least 27C here today & no gale force wind... typical!
It would have been so nice to have been by the pool today but instead was at dog training.
Made sure to put my sunblock on & tried not to wear Copper out too much...
not easy as he thinks he is related to the energiser bunny & will go & go.
He did have a nice run when we were finished & spent the rest of the afternoon napping.
I dead headed roses & weeded the gardens until the green bin was full.
Hope it settles down a bit so there is room for grass clippings, lawns need cutting but have left that so young Dan can earn some money mowing for us.
We are over our broad band quota so am not allowed to upload until Wednesday.
Hope to have pics of my baby asiatic lily that has a flower bud on it.
Can't wait to see how it comes out.

I am mentally lying here on an iceberg. Its very humid here and I have done nothing much all day.
I did manage to look at my epis and liliums etc. Nothing is moving . All like me, too lazy to move.
After all the cold and moaning , now we are only at the very beginnings of summer and I've had enough. Not used to you tropical people throwing your weather down here.
I have a pineapple growing, maybe I should try a banana. Anyone got any baby ones ? My pretty variegated oleander that I bought a while ago as an orphan, has died. i don't know why. Maybe too much rain. Maybe it never recovered from being so pot bound.
I still have my 2 original 9 year old ones that have never grown higher than 3 foot. One red one flowers a bit ,but the other never has. They do grow in this area as I have seen huge ones. Must be me.
Better go and get a cold drink before the polar bear finds me on this iceberg.
Nope, wrong pole, penguins or seals on my icebergs.
I did see these fellows wandering by outside the Tea Room . Maybe lost ??
Jean.

They're probably looking for all the good little girls and boys Jean. lol. Colleen

ive had a jacket on,all day jean,.one grower said today,this is going to be a bad lily season,.,.i think he's right,some of mine arent worth a buttt.

Good morning,
Jean, you made me smile this morning when I read yesterday's post ......yesterday was awfully humid and the Cricket made it worse....
A few more days of the same, it looks like...

Have to cut back my Iris today sometime, can't put them thru the shredder.
I am trying to catch the seed from my Leucocorynes, they are so tiny.....but I would like to increase my stock of them.
Sorry that you are not having a good season with your Liliums Anthony....
Hope things improve.

Back later

A bit to catch up on this morning. Those deer are magnificent. It sounds as though we are all a bit washed out. The rains began here more seriously yesterday. As if we needed more just now. I have got most of my Christmas shopping done now, just a few loose ends. Not putting up a tree, but have Santa and Prancer out to remind me of the season and deliver the pressies.

Lets hope for a drier week next week.

Karen

Good morning everyone. Well. it's still raining which the garden is loving. So far we have had around 2", maybe more because the gauge on hubbys CFA weather station isn't working properly now. Probably got water on its brain.
Hubby says it needs new batteries , so have to get CFA man to come and fix it.
We had a humongous thunderstorm yesterday. I kept saying to hubby, it felt like a storm brewing in the air but he said there was no sign of any large rain clouds on the weather site on the computer. Ha, proved him wrong there.
You could feel the air , it felt like something was just about to happen and it did. The clouds came out of nowhere, as you all up north would know. When I was up in the NT, I couldn't believe how quickly storms would appear out of a clear sky, drop buckets on you , then disappear. Well, our storm did that, but didn't disappear after.. The loudest thunder I have heard for a long time and continuous lightning. We had the cat come inside and as the noise was so bad I let him stay in. During the evening, the neighbors dog came rushing in to the back veranda, soaking wet and terrified. He stayed hiding in the toilet until the noise stopped. I think the neighbor must be away.
People should have more care for their animals in serious storms. Poor things get so disoriented.
Anyway, the noise is gone but the lovely rain stayed. Looks like we are going to get this all week.
Anthony, hubby couldn't get over how the liliums stood up straight all during the very heavy rain. Too warm here for jackets at the moment.
I have to go out and have a check around later to see if there is any damage at all to some of the more delicate plants. They get so heavy with water , they fall over.
Dianne, did I hear you say you cut your irises back ? I never cut mine unless I am moving them or selling any. They use the summer leaves to make food for the rhizome for next year. I pull off the old leaves as they die or rot away during autumn & winter though.
Teresa, you reminded me that I must deadhead my roses too. They have grown so tall waiting for summer , so the old flowers are way up there. Have to cut off about 2 foot of stem now.
Hello Colleen, have you been good all year ? Maybe Santa will bring you more broms. Ha ha.
Hello Charleen, hope you are keeping warm over there.
Louise, how are the darling girls going ? what is going on in your garden now ?
hello to everyone else out there.
Getting a bit Christmassy with this lovely Red Velvet Cake.
Happy gardening
Jean.

Good morning everyone. Hot and humid here still. I already have the a/c on. Just walked the boys to school and am all sticky already. I don't know about everyone else but I just can't get into the Christmas mode. I suppose not having much spare money has got something to do with it. Wish I could win Lotto. Not much chance of that though as I don't even have a ticket. lol. Karen that arrangement is lovely and I don't think you have to have a tree with something like that. beautiful. Dianne love your water lily. Mine haven't flowered yet. I was told that they may not if they're not in full sun. They're in the SH pond. It's very sunny in there and boy does it get hot. I must go and water the brugs otherwise they will be wilting again. Must go all have a great day and I'll be back later. Colleen

Jean, I probably misled you by saying I cut them back....In Autumn, I always cut them into a fan shape to tidy them up, because they look very ratty. Probably one third their size comes off.
Now.. I'm cutting off the old flower stems and pulling any diseased or dead leaves.

Colleen, the waterlilies do need the sun, but in that situation, who knows....if it's been there more that 2yrs then it won't....You only set up your SH 12 months ago if I remember correctly, so give it this summer and see.
Another of your poppies....I have wire ties around their necks so I don't lose the doubles.....

Good morning all. A very wet morning here. Overcast with plenty of rain. Of course the rain didn't start until I went out to photograph a few plants. Not a good day for photos anyway as it is very dark.
We have had enough rain for a while but I won't complain as we are not being flooded like some of the poor people around the state.
The farmers were just coming from years of drought and have now lost one of the best crops they have had in years. Totally flattened by the heavy rain.
Mother Nature sure knows how to get back at the humans messing with her planet.
Have to rush as hubby has a doctors appointment for a checkup this morning.
I will leave you with something nice to nibble on with your cuppa. Lovely Carrot Cake.
Hello to everyone out there and keep dry.
Jean.

Good morning everyone. Boy did we get some rain last night. Thunder as well but the rain was so heavy that you could still hear it on the roof above the thunder. Everything is totally saturated. I will have to keep a close eye on the cacti now with all that rain and now the humidity. There was a little stray beige dove in the chook yard this morning. He must have got lost in the storm but he soon found a free meal and water. I will go out later to make sure he is okay. Have a lot more cactus flowers out despite the horrible night. The brugs are in heaven I think with all this humidity and rain. I hope that all our friends are safe from the floods. The boys are excited about the impending holidays. All worked up about Christmas too. They seem to be breaking up very early this year. 10th. Oh well that gives them plenty of time to prepare their pressies for everyone. That should keep them quiet for a little while. lol. Must go and get them off to school. be back later. Colleen

Hello and Good Morning. Mother Nature sure works in extremes, doesn't she. So wet here, but no bad floods. The surrounding creeks and river are swollen but still behaving themselves, so far. No flowers here though the plants are loving the wet. Much more though and they could drown in it.

That is sad about the farmers crops. As if they needed that on top of everything else.

Karen


This message was edited Dec 6, 2010 2:45 PM

I wouldn't be a farmer for quids would you?

We are still awash here too.
Sauna today ...well it feels like one any way.
Too wet out there to venture too far ...no more slip sliding for me after my broken toes fall last time so it's cabin fever here again ...oh well I must not complain ...poor souls who are flooded out of their homes and farms are on my mind.
I hope they come out of it ok.

Off to pack Brug seeds today ...may as well do something botanical even if it is from the home.

Enjoy your day everyone.

It's mid afternoon now and the rain is hovering, very humid still.
Jean and Colleen, those Greta's choice, 4 o'clocks are up and running, only 5days and they were thru.....What did Chrissy say those colours were?
Was it split or broken? Chrissy, Help.....I will have to go back and look I suppose.
All this strange weather and the Cinerarias have seeded themselves and are growing everywhere...Pity they won't last...

Anthony, that Lilium Speciosum alba, how is your's going?..........I think that mine is going to flower if it is the right tag.
My 12 seedlings from the first lot you gave me, all have 4 leaves each now and are about 4 ins high....I am amazed that they got this far..they are tougher than I thought.

The breeze is cooler now.....
The floods look devastating up north...hope it eases soon.