FLOWER TEA HOUSE #3

Jean,
I'd be more worried about Gubby "having" Kael. He is fascinated by birds, but easily startled by them if they fly away suddenly or make any surprising noises. I would think that any magpie would get the better of him very easily. My new back garden has sparrows, noisy miners, wattlebirds, piping shrikes, lorikeets, top-knot pigeons, and turtledoves in situ, and I have heard in the neighbourhood but not yet seen magpies, crows and pink cockatoos - Kael is decidedly outnumbered. All of this with 5km of the GPO, not bad eh?

Ciao, KK.

Hi Jean and Jacq, Lowered the class? Pfftttt! We laugh at our Leo, more than any other pet, because he is so clumsy, and keen to please, and he has his own games that he finds highly amusing!
Nice pumpkin muffin Jean, Yummmy as usual!
The weather has been nice to us this week, with a small shower overnight. I WILL have to water this weekend if we don't get a little more, because its quite warm, so gets dry very quickly.
I worked today, and still got sore, but this sitting down is definitely uncomfortable, so I'll head off and finish my rounds.
Fresh flowers for the Tea room.

Good evening all, gee it feels as if I have been out of touch for ages and so much seems to be going on I'll never catch up, lol. I have had a busy few days, My SIL camr down on business and brought my youngest GS with him so we could have a day together. It was great I hadn't seen him since Xmas, he just had his 6th birthday but I certainly wasn't prepared for how much he had shot up. I'm quite tall and have been the tallest in my family the only one taller was my brother. I now have 4 GS's much taller than me it's lovely, when they are around I feel quite little and now it seems no5 is coming up fast. It's funny as I have always been the milestone they have had to pass
and they have achieved it in fine style. I had planned a few things for us to do and then had a ring from the electrician he was coming to finish a job and I had to stay home. By the time he'd finished the day was horrible, never mind we still had a good day together and he had great fun hanging all my pegs off the leaves on the orange tree.
Thanks KK for all the info I will try to put it in action but am really computor hopeless.lol. I decided to do a list of all my plants and their names but can't even work out how to do that. Spent 1/2 a day trying but no luck. One of these days I'll work things out I hope, In the meantime I will send off a few dmails.
I hope everyones backs are feeling much better, there's footballers knees, tennis elbows and gardeners back so there is no hope for us.
I spent all day pulling onion weed out of one garden so hope I don't get too much back next year. thought I might plant hellebores along the front of the garden to help keep out the leaves that blow in there, of course it may backfire and create more of a nuisance some
where else any way I guess I will find out come autumn. Will pop back tomorrow for a cuppa. Sorry Jean I'm not a big cake fan but will have a cuppa any old time. Never sit here without a fresh cuppa and a few slices of double cream brie, yum. Bye for now.

Lesley. Yes Sue that is a kalanchoe I think.

Good morning everyone. Just running in to put out cakes for the day. shopping day today and it 's raining. I'm not going to complain because we need it. There is no wind so far so that makes a better day. I will start getting in some fertiliser for Spring. I mainly use a lot of Blood & Bone with Potash , then add bits of whatever each type of plant wants. I find good old Blood & Bone will work on just about anything. Plenty of manure when I can get it too.
I planted 3 more small daylilies yesterday so now have a nice daylily area which looks really pretty when they flower.
Now, Sue, we have to let the pets come along or the owners will sulk. I love animals around as long as they are well behaved.
I think my Gubby would enjoy annoying both Leo and Kael. He is a terror at getting into things around the yard. Worse than a 2 yr old toddler.
I know how you feel Lesley. My son passed my height when a teenager even though I am quite tall. My grandson has done the same .
My family have been on the taller side for generations, but I was always the tallest around at school at just over 5' 6".
These days I do fell a lot shorter among all the much taller youngsters.
KK your backyard sounds like great place to sit and listen to the birds. Better move or no shopping will get done .
Thank you for another gorgeous arrangement sue.
I hope Chrissy is managing okay and enjoying time with her brother. . I bet she is thinking all the time of Spring and getting new plants over those sheds.
Banana Streusel Bread for today, Enjoy.
Jean

Hello out there. I will have to feed the cakes to the birds if noone comes in to eat them.
It is raining here today. We had showers all day yesterday and it is forecast for the weekend too. Plus being freezing.
I am sitting here in the warm Tea Room waiting for someone to pop in .
Here's something nice to encourage callers. Meringue Cookies.
Have a great weekend everyone. Jean.

Hi Jean, I'm always around to eat your cakes. It's a fight for the computer when DH is around! I couldn't get him off Ebay all night last night!
I've had the last 2 days off work, thanks to my back again. It's just not easing up, and If I don't let it rest, it will only get worse. I don't mind the time off, but i can't do anything in my own garden either, which is hard as I walk around and through it nearly all day, (I can't stand being indoors while the sun is shining!)
DH spread a tonne of gravel in my shade house today, which has made it look all fresh, and was very nice of him!
I have no arrangements today, but will leave you instead with a pic of some weedy Kalanchoes doing well in a dry spot.

Hello Sue. I must be the only one around with nothing to do but sit and drink tea. You will be making good progress on the shadehouse now you have the gravel down. Wasn't he sweet to do that for you ?
i only have the computer during the day as hubby is a radio ham and is on his radio and the computer from about 5pm til around midnight. Most of the people he talks to are in northern hemisphere so are just getting up and about then.
I have all day though so it works well.
I am freezing again. We are having this zero degree weather for such a long time. Talk about global warming Ha. More like the new Ice Age here.
With noone around it is very quiet in the Tea Rooms but I'll put some cakes out. someone may come in later. I hope chrisy is enjoying herself and family.
It is quiet without her chats.
Lesley has been in but is most likely still recovering from their awful weather.
Going to get my fingers thawed out now, have a great weekend.
Jean.

Better put out something to eat. Rhubarb Tart.

Hi there Jean and Sue, now there is a cake I could really go for,I love rhubarb especially rhubarb crumble. I have been in and out, have
been busy doing some work inthe garden for a change, the last few days were pretty good so cleaned out one garden the only things I couldn't get out need a chainsaw. Cleaned out all the leaves blown in from park across the road so will put the mower over them then put them back as a mulch with some blood and bone. Then I mowed the lawn, then I collapsed on the couch with a cuppa. Today it's freezing cold and I am as stiff as a board also it rained most of the night. Went down to the farmers market this morning thought I might pick up a nice camellia to put in my tidy garden but nothing there, I'll have to go to a nursery. Did get another flag iris though, couldn't come home with nothing lol. Of course I do have a few things waiting to go into the garden which was one reason why I had to hurry and get it done. Now I will have to get stuck in and clean out the one on other side of the section.
Gee Sue I'm sorry your back is still giving you jip, It's a real pain, literally, bending down to the garden is usually not so bad it's straightening up again that hurts, you almost need a crane to get upright again. Believe me I really do know and on a daily basis. So
look after your back Sue, long term it's not worth it if you don't. You know the saying do as I say not as I do.lol.
Jean you were gardening all week so what did you manage to get done?? without freezing your fingers off. Did you watch the opening ceremony in China, I did and thought it was well worth the struggle to stay awake. Everything was on such a large scale, it was kind of wow!! and so colourful. I am pleased I didn't miss it... I was very surprised at the change in the Aussie uniform colour, although it is a really nice blue they didn't look like Australia, how do you like the new look. Any way no matter what the colour they will do well..
Well apart from sitting on top of the heater for the rest of the day, which is what I am doing now I am going to have to find something to do that doesn't require much movement otherwise I may come apart like an unstrung puppet. lol.. Perhaps I will go and get some lunch so will catch up with you later..
Lesley...

Hi all, having a temper tantrum over a neighbour lighting his bonfire next to my brom gardens, without telling me! I got a real fright when I thought my garden was on fire. There better be no damage, or I'll be seeking renumeration! I'm not looking forward to seeing it in daylight! If I had been warned I could have kept it all cool with the hose.
Anyway, still being good and not doing anything physical. I ache anyway, and only one day to go before I go back to work. I really don't want to cancel anymore jobs!
dh re-gravelled the original shade house Jean, but he also cleared away the old chook yard today, and the man with the bobcat is supposed to come tomorrow to level the area. Then I can weed mat the ground, gravel it, put the cloth on the new frame and set up the benches. I can't wait, except that I have to be back mindful! I went for a walk with DH and the pups down through the feront paddock of the Estate today. It was a glorious day, the pups were thrilled and the scenery was lovely! Tomorrow we are walking a different direction, and visiting with some neighbours we haven't seen in awhile.
Thanks for the rhubarb cake Jean, just lovely!
Hi Lesley, do be careful and don't strain yourself. I'm not sure what your limitations are, but I'm sure you do, so don't overdo it, o.k? I've got a camelia you can have. LOL. I must get back to NZ soon. There are a few friends I'd like to catch up with, just to see how much their families have grown! Its been almost 3 years since I last visited.
Well everyone, have a nice gardening sunday. DH is heading to the gold coast to check out a van for sale, so i will have 6 hours up my sleeve. (might just stay in bed)
take care
Sue
Iris for you.

Hi Jean,Sue ,Lesley and whoever is lurking and taking nibbles of the cakes and not saying thankyou to dear Jean for baking them......... I must say I was one of those lurkers Jean ,so you can smack me around with a wet noodle for eating and running off.

Our weather here on the Island has been soooooo behaving itself, what do you say Bob?. I know the Island is a few degrees warmer in the winter than Townsville..I think Bob took a nibble of the Meringue,Jean.

I've replanted a few Angels today and finally planted my purple frangipani which I got from Sacred Gardens about 2 months ago....I was so worried those pesky but cute wallabies were going to gobble it all up.

Sorry this is such a short hello but I'm off out for dinner tonight, so will come a chat longer in your tea room....
talk later.....

Hello MyaC! I'm still here, so someones listening. you have a great dinner, and I envy you your warm winter!
Sue

Hello everyone. Nice to see you MyaC. I 'm glad someone came in to eat the cakes or I would have given them to the magpies.
We were expecting exceptionally cold weather overnight as hubby got a weather warning on his CFA pager. They were warning of even snow down to 400 metres. Thankfully none of the weather has eventuated so far. It is still freezing cold , but a heat wave at 4C compared with the last few mornings of around 1C.
I will venture out later as the sky looks like it may clear up a bit. We did have showers all day yesterday. I have been trying to get out and build a frame for my Dragon fruit but it will be a while before they need it so it will wait til warmer weather.
I spent most of the day yesterday, reading. I was able to get a few books from the library last week. A couple of murder thrillers by Harlan Coben and Lee Child, plus a couple of others.
I also like doing crosswords and other puzzles so sometimes buy a book of them.
I am going to sit inside for a while today too , until the temp gets up a bit. No use getting freezing toes and fingers unnecessarily.
Poor you, Sue. Neighbours can be a real pain sometimes. We are lucky being out of town , our neighbours are a bit further away, though not far enough for me.
We have the closest one about 100yards down the road. They have 2 dogs that bark at anything plus 3 others that visit very often . The 5 run all over the place barking non stop. You can't do anything because they are on their own place.
The owner is nearly as bad with his tractor. He drives it around nearly every day. Must have money to burn with the fuel prices as high as they are.
I hope your Broms are all okay Sue.
We still have 2 piles of branches out in the paddock to burn. I may wait until the wind is blowing in just the right direction down the road. Heh heh !!!!
My fingers are getting cold, time to get back near the warm. Thank you for the lovely Iris Sue.
What about some Marble Cake ?
Jean

hi all,, It must be time for a cuppa, have been a bit short on the cuppas today, I've been outside in the beautiful sun all day. Have hoed up the whole garden across the front of the house and started cutting back the last of the roses, I hate prickles, I spend the greater part of the time mopping up blood, every prick I get bleeds like a stuck pig so I end up covered in plasters. Any way only 2 roses to go and 1 to replant and 1 grisselina to demolish. I should be quite fit by the time I get this place sorted, either that or dead,lol.
Sue is your neighbours name Brian,lol cos thats the name of the fire bug next door. He has huge trees then wants to burn all their fallen leaves,, I hate fires with a passion. Even up on the farm I didn't have burn ups. I composted all my garden waste. Any branches too big just went over the bank and rotted down in their own time. I ended up telling the man next door if he had any more fires that blew into my place I would put the hose on it. So far so good, hope it lasts. I actually had to wash the soot off the side of my house it was so bad.
hullo MyaC, very nice to meet you. Dinner out!! YUM.
Had to put out frost cloth tonight it's veeeeery bloomin cold and very still. Another nice day tomorrow should follow. I have to go out after lunch so won't be able to get in the garden or I'll be too sore and probably end up with more plasters so will have to have a day off. What a waste of good weather. Oh well thanks for the cuppa Jean. Will catch up later.... Enjoy your book.
Lesley.

I have moved us closer to the gate again. Can't have people walking a long way after a hard day in the garden. Go in and enjoy your cuppa. Jean
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