TEA ROOM # 39

Good Afternoon Everyone,
It's freezing here, the heater has been on since lunchtime!
Pam, they are talking about putting fluoride in the water here, don't know if it will happen? The greenies are all too busy worrying about the Desal Plant that is planned to go in at Williamsons Beach. Supposedly the water will all be sent down to Melbourne?
Cody~ As I've said before, you are so lucky to have all those babies! I would get nothing done (don't anyway!LOL!!) playing with them..
Chrissy, can I be a volunteer Granny with you? I'm so clucky. Two of Sarah's friends have just had babies & I'm still waiting!!
Kat, I'm sorry you have grown up without family around. My Parents are in their 70's & I only lost the last Grandparent in 2000. Thankfully my children remember their Great Nanna.
Dalfyre, good luck with your Auction, I would be so nervous???
Marleneann, I love your plant pics. I have hardly any colour in my garden at the moment. It's a bit dull, need to get out more, but it's so cold!! I hope the rain is easing for all up North? Hi to Shelly61 & Shellyto4kids. I only have 2 at home now, but every weekend it's no surprise to have up to 6 extras between them!! I just let them go for it, at least I know where they are. Hello to Jean, Mya, Sue, LeisaD & Sammut. What have you done today?
Don't blame me, guys, I still haven't touched the wine, maybe on the weekend?
Here's a pic of me in my new Cat T-shirt~LOL!!!
Take Care all,
Helen

Helen, that is top cat stuff! I have quite a bit of cat stuff so could be regarded as an expert and that T shirt ranks up there! Nice photo. I also just have two boys left at home..daughter is getting married in September. My parents were older than most so some kids used to think my mum was my grandmum! never wanted to look old for my own kids though. I'm close to my siblings so I guess I never felt deprived..when I was having babies, I was looking after failing parents. Every time I had a baby, someone died..my sisters said we were running out of rellies! Kind of steals your limelight though! I get to be part of the older generation for forty or fifty years though!! (I was the youngest)

Good evening everyone!

Nice shirt Helen (very attractive lady wearing it too)

Went to the Doctor today for him to check an age spot on my face. I always had a beauty spot but it has suddenly started to get bigger. So I will have it cut out in mid July as that was the first available appointment.

Must dash as I want to watch something on tele.

Marleneann.

Hi Kat,
I only have one sister, nearly 8 years older. So from 13, I was an only child, when she got married. I always envied other kids that had lots of siblings AND brothers!LOL!!
I went to see the principal when Sarah (my eldest), was in Primary school, he said, I told you to bring your Mother, not your Sister. Wasn't HE being funny??? I was just 18 when I had her...Divorced by 21, Sh*t happens, but I wouldn't do anything different.... Sorry all, this should be a Dmail?? Late night Tearoom chat!Hahahahaha!!
Will post the back of the shirt just for you Kat...LOL!!!

Thankyou, Marleneann, Actually, I think I look a bit scruffy? Might post a pic of me at Sarah's weddding last March, all gussied up?
Don't cha hate having to wait for appointments!!?? I have fingers crossed, for Blood tests tomorrow?
Good luck for July...
Take Care
Helen

Cool Dalfyre,see our geese use to let me pet them but since we put them in their with the ducks they will run.I guess they see the ducks do it so they do it too.Now one of my Mallards will come and walk across my rubber boots.She will even sit on it,but i'm just glad she doesn't poop on it.LOL!!!Well have a great day and take care.

Hi Chrissy,no we feed them Starter Grow.That is what they eat from the time they hatch until the time they feather out.Then they will get bread,feed or corn.Well have a great day and take care.

Hi Helen,thanks,what is stopping you from getting them?Do you live in a town.Yes,they can be fun.I just put my baby Mallards in the big pen.They are all almost feathered out.Well have a great day and enjoy and take care.

Cody

Good morning all.
The sun is shining and it looks like a fine day again. I do like these fine days but it could rain a lot more maybe at night.
Yesterday was cold to start but turned out better than the forecast. I came home with an orphan variegated Eriestomon and a large piece of a white flowering zygo. The piece was on the ground , really it was, so I asked could I have it as it wpould only get swept up. The lady knows me so I got it. There were some very nice zygos all in flower and mine are coming out too. It seems a good year for them. I have to hurry this morning as the plumber is coming to put up a new shower head and also a new toilet cistern. We have been given them by the water authority as part of a plan for pensioners to save water. I'll take anything for free. It will be nice to have the shower done as the old one gets clogged with mineral residue all the time. Hopefully it will take a long time before the new one does. The 'powers that be ' moved us onto a 'new' water supply which is full of calcium and goodness knows what else. It tastes awful but thankfully doesn't seem to affect the plants aside form leaving a bit of residue on the leaves. Annoys me a lot when this is done but governments seem to be a law unto themselves.
Oh well back to the garden. I am seeing bulbs everywhere now. The Roundup is out and ready for the weeds too. The hills around here are all nice and green but it is still very dry underneath.
I only have my roses to prune in July, in the garden now. All the jobs are done .
Guess what ??
There is an area down the back next to the epi houses that has gone to waste for many years as there is an enormous dead tree trunk standing there which leans on the old shed making it a bit unsafe to try and remove. Hubby has decided that it has to be tackled as there might be European wasps wanting to nest there. He said I can have the whole space and also the old shed part for my Angels.
It will be lovely because it is out of all the wind and full sun but still nice and light.
We will leave the roof of the shed and the front wall. I won't put any shadecloth up as it is sheltered enough.
What fun, a new project, isn't he a darling.
First, we have to get the tree down but it is pretty rotten even though large.
Hello Cody, that is a beautiful flower, dahlia ???
Helen, love the shirt. You look pretty good in it.
I'd hate to show a pic of me in my daggy trackies in the garden.
Hello Marleneann, little orchid baby is smiling this morning, Hope it does well fo me.
Kat, glad you didn't wash away in the rain. How are your turkeys ? Lots more coming in spring. Look out epis.
Hello Dalfyre and Chrissy. hello to everyone else poping in.
Better get things ready for the plumber now.
Have a great day and enjoy these Lemon Meltaway Cookies
Jean.

Hi All,
Good morning Jean. What a wonderful woman you are - you are so reliable with those treats & so inclusive with your lovely entry. I'm gonna call for a small round of applause for you! Everyone Jean.....
I'm also now gonna steal a cookie (& one for hubby too if you don't mind) for later.
If you're going over to a water supply with more minerals in it, you might find you need to decalc your jug & things like that. And you shower head. We lived in Germany for a while & they had seriously calc'd water, so you had to decalc the jug every so often - it used to build up pretty quick. If the water tastes bad, do you filter it? It's a pity they don't have a scheme to put in an inline water filter. We have one that filters all our cold water into the kitchen, which works quite well. We have to change the filter about every 8 months or so.
Lucky you getting a "new" shed - it sounds great. It's such fun to resurrect something that you already have & put it to good use!
Cody that's a lovely flower!
My day off today & luckily the weather is lovely - sunny, a little bit cool, fairly still. Hubby & I are gonna go for a nice drive somewhere (maybe the sunshine coast) & have lunch, go for a walk & come home & maybe even go to a movie. I know just driving around it not good for the environment, but we need a little outing!
I've been working hard this week. I work in IT (have been for over 25 years) & these days do mainly design work, or go to decision making meetings etc. But yesterday I got to write some code again. I was such fun - It makes me remember why I got into computing in the first place!! Writing code is actually quite creative - you have to use your brain & be creative to solve little logic problems & what you create has be "elegant" in a technical sense too!! Sorry for talking about work & being nerdy!! I'm just feeling good about my work ;-) I'll shut up now.
I've done a quick walk around the garden with one cat (nothing exciting happening out there), made a cuppa & now I'm tucked up in bed with hubby & the other cat! We're all happy & warm - the cat especially as he has his head tucked under my husband's chin & he's purring in pleasure (the cat that is)!
Anyway the tummy's calling for breakfast! Hope you all have a great day. Here's a pic of one of my crucifix orchids.
Leisa.

Hi LeisaD, Lucky you, all tucked up & cosy! I hope you have a lovely day, cruising around.
Also love the colour of your crucifix orchid. I only have a pink, & an orange one.
Thanks for leaving me one of Jean's yummies, Thanks Jean.
Have a great day all, it's sunny here today, Yippee!
Helen

We are having problems with the telephones and broadband the telecom people are coming and going so if I disappear ...you will know why ...had three of these go zap so far so I will try later ^_^

Hi Jean thanks,yea it is a Dahlia.Well enjoy your day and take care.

Hi Leisa thanks.Well enjoy your day and take care.


Cody

well we had a great result form the auction - our 'spare' house sold & went higher than expected only $3,000 under RV.
A lot have been going for way under RV, up to $20, 000 under!
So we are very happy...
The real estate agent gave us a bottle of bubbly to celebrate with, Lindauer Brut.
Now we just have to clear the furniture out & let the solicitors do their thing.
I am seeing some seedlings popping up in my garden & they look like Horopito.
that would be nice, I have one & love it so more would be welcome & very good to be able to pot up & give to family & friends.
My azalea is starting to flower, bit of a surprise as the other one flowers in spring.

Good morning everyone. . The sun is shining in the window here but it is freezing outside. There is a very chilly breeze. I will stay inside for a while I think. Yesterday the plumber came and put in the new showerhead and the new toilet cistern. Makes a difference. . I can now stand under the shower instead of trying to chase the water drops as they fall . Our water is not nice at all but luckily we have an old rain water tank for drinking. Even though we use the rainwater, I clean the electric jug every few months by boiling it up with vinegar.
Leisa, thank you for your nice comments. It is nice to know you all appreciate me standing over a hot stove , cooking all day to keep you supplied with delicious goodies. ha ha.
Helen, I like Leisa's crucifix orchids too. I have some bought as cuttings but as yet they haven't flowered. I think they are red and orange . I have seen a white which looked lovely. Mine are in the epi house which might not be so good for them. Do they like full sun ? I may move them outside near the Angels.
Chrissy, I hope all your phone problems get sorted out. Nothing worse than waiting on Telstra to do a job.
Hello Cody, having fun with your little ducks ? I like geese and they make good watchdogs too. Can't have any poultry here as the foxes will get them.
Dalfyre, congrats on the house sale. I hope you didn't celebrate with too much of that bubbly.
Hello to everyone else looking in the window.
Sue, Shelly, Mya, Kat, Sammut, Brian and Steve.
I am going to have to go out and brave the cold to get the washing done. I may spray a bit of Roundup when the grass dries a bit more. We still have our large heap of branches to burn out in the front paddock. Now the grass is green and damp it is a good time with no danger of starting any grassfires.
A good way to keep warm too. I may suggest this to hubby when I get the washing done.
Have a great garden day everyone and enjoy the nibbles.
American Sponge Cake.
Jean..

Morning all!
It's a lovely morning here, sunny (so far) & still, & everything is a bit wet outside, as we had rain last night again.
Yesterday my husband & i went up to Noosa for a little outing. We had lunch at a new japansese restaurant called Wasabi that I saw reviewed in the Weekend Aust magazine. The food was fantastic - I'm not usually a fan of japansese food - but this was very yummy. My hubby loves japanese, so it was a belated birthday treat for him, as I couldn't find anything for his birthday back in April. The restaurant is on the Noosa river & it was a beautiful calm day with a high tide, so it was almost like being on a boat in the river. Guys in tinnies were a stones throw from the windows.
Cody that's an interesting flower - is it a banana or heliconia??
Re the crucifix orchids: they love the sun! I believe I've got 10 or 11 different colours - they all together in one big bed of pine bark & a bit of dirt. The common orange, common purple, a pale(washed out) red & yellow/orange hybrid are flowering at the moment. As they're all together, & they all look alike until they flower, I don't really know what's what at the moment. But later in the year as they come into flower, I'll see if I've got some excess bits & let you know. I don't have a white one, a pale yellow is the closest I have. I did have another red/yellow one flowering with one head, but a friend's little girl decided to "pick the pretty flower", so I'll have to wait for it to put up another flower head!!
Anyway I'm off to get some lettuce seedling planted. Here's thesunset over Noosa beach yesterday.
Leisa

Hi Jean,sorry that you can't have ducks and be able to enjoy them their.We have the same problem here,but we have ours in pens with shade cloth on top of the pen so nothing can get to them.One of my baby Mallards hatched today in the incubator.Well enjoy your day and take care.

Hi Leisa,yes,that is a banana.Well enjoy your day and take care.

Cody

Oh no!
I had a long post to you all and it just went "POOF"


I must go have a "cuppa"

congratulations on the house sale teresa
the new feathered friends cody
the new Angel area jean
marleneanne on finally getting through on the thingy ( me too grrrr)
leisa on your short break!
colleen on your cat t shirt! ^_^
and anyone I may have missed for fear of being cast off this *&^%$ thingy
Enjoy your weekend!

Thanks Chrissy.

Hi all. Catching up.
Raining all day today so no gardening.
Stuck myself in my haven, sorry garage, and gathered up my bits of the old tank stand. Pulled it down before it fell. Found I have enough hardwood for a table so planning began. Fire is going inside southerly blowing outside. Cab Sav in hand.
Ahhh
Steve
p.s. Chrissy I wish I had room for a Ginkgo. Mine is potted and will never look as it should.

Hi Cody, Whats your weather like? Love that little baby!
Jean, thanks for yummies. We've got a good pile of sticks to burn too, but need another couple of weeks to dry them out. Its nice to sit around a bonfire in the cold weather.
Dalfyre, congratulations on selling your house and not giving into a low price. I hope you get to have fun with the proceeds.
Leisa, I love your picture. I can't believe how many people there are on the beach. the weather must have been lovely. You inspired me to put a picture on from last weekend, from when hubby and I went for a country drive. this is out near Coramba, and an old disused farm house, I think. It was raining five minutes before this shot, and then the sun came through briefly.

Marlene, don't let it get you down. Have a cuppa and come back! How have you been? Any open gardens up your way soon? Chrissy, I saw your bananas on the other thread. I think they are doing well because all of the water. They also like a good feed up to six months prior tp flowering. Knowing you, you've been spreading the love (manure)
Steve, the fire and wine sounds lovely, and I am in the same position myself. Getting nearer the end of Power Of One, but liked it better when Peekay was younger.
Yesterday, I put solar weave on the south wall of the fernery. I've lost a bit of my gardenb view, but the tropical/warm climate plants will be much happier
Chaio
Sue

Sue - that looks interesting, I haven't heard of solar weave, what does it do?
We had a stunning winter day here, nice & sunny.
We hired a trailer & have cleared the 'spare' house.
Only the outdoor furniture & two potted cordylines to pick up now.
We brought everything home & then had to figure out where to put it all...
since we had the trailer we loaded up a pile of junk from the garage, it has only been sitting there for oooh about 8 years!
When I moved here I put my old lounge suite in the dog's room & they destroyed it so I put it out in the garage.
It is nice to finally get shot of it.
And that gave us room to put the extra beds etc.
Then we had to clear out the computer room to make room for one spare bed & the camp bed so my sister & her boys have a place to sleep when they come over Monday night.
It looks great to have all the pc games away & everything neat & tidy, wonder if I can get hubby to keep it this way?
Mind you I can't talk my desk is barely visible under all the junk I have piled up - and I have boxes of photos from work and dog club that I am slowly scanning & uploading to photobucket albums.
I wish I would learn to keep my mouth shut when they are asking for volunteers to do these things!

Hi Sue,our weather here is very nice,it is in the 80's today.The sun is shining and it is just nice.Thanks on the baby.I know one thing it is spoiled already.It thinks i'm its mom i guess because i was the one the baby duck saw when it came out.I can put my hand down in their and say come on baby and it will can get in my hand.I was loving on it earlier and it was all up in my neck.When i put it back down and walked out it started to get loud and is still loud.When i go back down to the den it stops peeping because it see me.Now if that isn't rotten what is.LOL!!!Well have a bless day and enjoy and take care.

Cody

Good morning all. Another very cold morning here with the misty fog laying down in between the hills. The sky was very pink but it doesn't mean much these days as it was all pink and purple last night too.
The ground never seems to get dry these days. We only had a bit of rain but get this mist every day. It hangs around until late morning and the sun has really no heat to dry the moisture up. It is not nice to try and weed as your gloves get wet with the first few . I have to keep a few spare pairs to change as I work.
We haven't lit our big bonfire out in the paddock yet . It has to be done this year as there will probably be another lot of branches from the trees later. They get to the stage where the foliage is way out on the ends and gets top heavy, then, branch breaks and falls.
There are lots of small toadstools everywhere, All shapes and sizes. I get tiny ones in some pots and larger ones around the garden. There is one very large type that comes up in the zygo shadehouse every year. It swells up and looks like a loaf of bread.
Hello Marleneann. I hope you didn't go poof with your post back there.
Cody, the little ducks are very cute. They do like to attach themselvs to a mum substitute.
Hello Dalfyre, I always found that having to move things forced a cleanout . It's amazing what one can accumulate without realising.
Sue , your plants are looking great. My broms are still looking good. They haven't realised it's colder here. . Glad you didn't have too much damage from the water.
Helo Steve. Sounds like you are settled in for the winter in your shed. The wood will make a great table.
We had to pull down an old tank stand here a few years back and the wood has been just great for lots of shelves in my shadehouses. .
I love to recycle old stuff. I still have a pile of old fibreglass from the revamped old shadehouse to make use of. It laid around here for years until I arrived and reused it .It was 2nd hand when hubby bought it here so has really been recycled well. I may use it as a wall on the new project down the back.
Chrissy, I love banana flowers , they are so colorful. I have seen bananas growing in Melbourne and doing well. I must try some here as they are one of my favorite fruits.
The sun is trying to come out now. There is no wind as yet. Yesterday had a very cold breeze.
I had better move from here and do something domestic. Vacuum floors . ugh.
Have a lovely day everyone and hello to all I have not mentioned.
Helen , I have some lovely parrot flowers in the fern house at the moment.
Here is something nice to nibble on. Peanut Butter Cups.
Happy gardening . Jean.

it is bitterly cold here - we may get snow...
it is alternating between black clouds, rain or hail & blue sky & sunshine.
I would like to stay by the fire but have to get along to dog club, can't miss it as I am one of the instructors.
I think I may go add more layers of clothing, apparently they are recommending 5 layers in these conditions.
I have 3 layers on, racking my brains how to add more.

steve my Ginko is a type that perhaps you could grow it is a male tree (no smelly fruit) and grows upright instead of spreading ...it is a fastigiata, beautiful and provides beautiful mulch in the form of a golden carpet, it may not reach the true butter yellow that it normally gets because of the rain.Usually it glows a rich golden yellow in late Autumn ...the colour is best when we have warmish days and coldish nights. This one came from Bowral (one of my favourite places).
http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/g/gibfas.htm
This is a picture of the type of narrow growth.
Needless to say it is grey and raining ...I wonder how many times I have to say that?
stay warm everyone.

And this is for you Sue ...this peeks over my 6ft secret garden fence ...that is why I shoot upwards and no I am not laying on the ground ...I can't shoot from inside the fence because it is crowded in there ...full of treasures, as such I can't get a long shot of anything inside.
That fence allows me to grow many things I normally could not. I don't have the tropical conditions I would like , but like lots of gardener we can create micro climates with shelters ...fences and different levels of plants.
Many people get a shock when they enter my "tropical" jungle secret garden.Not a good shot because of the wind and rain but you get the idea ...of course one day my jungle will eat the place.

Looking up into the sky here is one of those old planes that practice for the Air Shows ...they come in quite low and do all sorts of tricks ...sad to say we have a few planes come down in the paddocks around here ...I always listen to the motors ...a lot of gliding goes on so you hold your breath until the motor comes back on (they cut the motor in order to glide).
We also have many Air balloons and Sky Writers practise as well ...it is a busy place up in our sky, we love to watch the Hot Air Balloons sail out towards the Blue Mountains.
Enjoy your day everyone!
chrissy

Hullo to you-all, I am so pleased to finally catch up with all the goings on and all the garden happenings, I am so pleased Brian has restocked the wine cupboard as a nice glass of port is exactly what is required today. We are having what the weather gurus call a polar blast, Freezing cold,wet and today very windy. Not good for going out in so a good port would hit the right spot. Yesterday the neighbour across the road managed to get all the leaves out of his section with one of those blower machines, he then put them back into the park,
(The leaves were from the huge Oak trees bordering his section) and probably thought it a job well done. They are all now sitting on my front lawn and gardens as I am opposite and north and the wind is southerly and because the leaves were nicely loosened up they have been easy to blow. I wonder if he has noticed this, he may as well have just brought them straight across the road.:-)). I will rake them up put the mower over them and then put them back on the garden..I have been a bit slack in the garden lately, I still haven't planted my nemesia punnets yet but will on the next warm day. I also don,t seem to have anything new flowering so my garden seems to be very static. The daylily's have had a burst of life and are budding up and flowering, that has been nice. The orchids are starting to spike up, I
always look forward to their season. The baby frangi's are losing the odd leaf but still holding most leaves so I had better get out the frost cloth and give a bit more protection to them. My white phalianopsis finally has a flower spike, yeah and the Adeniums are still holding on to their flower buds, I'm not sure why but I really don't expect to see any actual flowers I feal they will dump the buds. I have been feeding them with a bit of orchid flowering food to see if that will help make the buds a little stronger..??..
Helen was it you that enjoyed Crosstich? me to I have read all but the last one, I don't know if it is still coming or that the library hasn't got it yet.. I loved the Dune Trilogy but had the first book for 6 years before I could get past the first couple of chapters, once I got into it though it was a can't put it downa.. Trilogy's are my favourites but only if I can get the 3 books at once, I love a tale that just keeps on going.
Teresa congrats on the auction, houses still seem to be selling ok up this way as well. Helen, love the t shirt, coming and going.:-)
Wow the sun has come out which is making my life much warmer, even if it is harder to see what I am typing now. Well now I have caught up I will have to stay that way, playing catch up is really hard work. Oh dear the sun has gone again and so must I. will pop in again L8tr.
Lesley

Lesley - if your nemesia do as well as mine have done you should be pretty happy with them.
I had never heard of or seen them until I spotted them on special at the Warehouse.
Only bought a few plants... they strike so well from cuttings I now have heaps.
I am saving little yoghurt containers to pot some cuttings up to share.
Won't be out in the garden today - that polar blast has hit here, had an hour of sunshine for dog training but the final 10 minutes we had hail & rain, then sleet & a few snowflakes.
Take care of yourself - stay warm!
Cheers - Teresa

Hi Jean thanks,hope you had a full day and staying warm.Well enjoy your day and take care and stay safe.

Cody

Teresa, solar weave is waterproof, and slightly transparent, so it lets in alot of light and traps the heat. They cover nursery igloos with it. I'm sure it must have other names too. It is quite stiff, and easy to staple up because it has no stretch. It should keep any cold southerly wind and rain from that side of the fernery, and I'm hoping I will see the difference in the plants this year. Like you, my computer table, dining table and desk and coffee table are all covered with things. Books, magazines, puzzles, hand cream, seeds, fertiliser......all the important things! he he. You must feel like the Michellin Man with all those layers on. Stay warm, and I'll cross my fingers you don't get too much snow.
Cody, that must be so nice that the little darling is in love with you. I bet it feels nice to have him/her snuggle into your neck. It makes me want to get one!
Jean, the peanut butter cups are devine...thankyou. Our yard is staying damp too, but more so because of the regular showers. It seems to rain a little every night. Its also cooled down considerably with the southerly change, but my outdoor temp guage has gone to god, so I can't tell you how cold it is. Probably, you would consider it warm in your climate. he he
Chrissy, the jungle is looking great. Plenty of places for the natives to hide, he he. How does the Ginko go in warmer climates, or is it a cool climate tree? I have managed to make a few spaces with their own micrclimates, more out of luck than good planning. I usually put a plant in its suitable area, not make an area suitable to the plant.
I remember the hot air baloons coming over on a sunday morning in penrith. I'd be sitting outdoors, enjoying a cuppa in the sun, when .....WHOOSH! They'd let out a burst of gas to go higher, and I'd jump out of my skin because I didn't know it was there.
Lesley, good to see you here. I'm guilty of blowing leaves around, but like you, I will mulch/mow over them. I filled the wheelie bin with leaves from the pool last week, after the big blow! I'm so over gum trees! The orchid fert must have worked for your Adeniums. Mine are beginning to yellow in the leaves, which means no water while its cold, put them in the hottest spot and wait for first signs of leaf growth in spring before watering again. They haven't had a flower for months. Maybe I'd better put that orchid fert to good use.
I am the same way with books, I need to have the whole set before reading, because I forget too easily what has happened if its a while between books. I'll have to look up that 'Cross stitch' as a few of you lot have mentioned it as being a good read.
Well all, keep warm, (Except you Cody, you lucky thing,) happy winter gardening, see you next month.
Sue

Hi Sue,yea,it is a sweet little thing.It loves to be loved on.It is funny when they are that tiny and it goes to sleep on you.It looks like it is dead when it is sleeping it just leans its head over and it is so cute.I will take a picture of it tomorrow and post.Well enjoy your day and take care and stay warm.

Cody

Hi all,here is a picture of the baby duck.I went on ahead a took it to post it.So enjoy and take care.The baby ues the food bowl has half of its bed.LOL!!!!!

Cody

Hi All, I'm just enjoying a cuppa. It's got a bit dark (cloudy) & cool here now. Was a pleasant day & I finally managed to tidy up my herb/vege patch.
Cody your baby is very cute - it sounds adorable. Your daylillies are also amazing - I've never see a purple one before!
Lesley, sounds like you've got a regular job there, collecting someone else's leaves! At least you can put them to good use in the garden! I was given a phaelenopsis (wrong spelling no doubt!!) last year & it flowered for months, even kept inside in low light next to the TV. I noticed today, the plant has two shoots coming out - they're thin & have some nobs in them, so I'm hoping they're flowers. I've not really done anything to it - just kept it in a shaded but well lit spot (with my other orchids) & it;s had plenty of rain & the occasional hosing!! I must read up on how to care for it! The flower is spectacular.

I finally got all the weeds out of my herb garden & put in some lettuce, tatsoi & basil seedings. I've protected them with plastic pots cut in 1/2 to give them shade until they're established. So it looks like a bed of plastic pots!! I didn't put in any mulch around - my back said NO - so hopefully a job for next weekend. I cleared 1/2 of another vege bed - I've done it about 3-4 times already for planting something the follwoing weekend & somehow either it's been too hot, wet or I get too busy & it doesn't happen & the weeds grow back. This time I've put a layer of paper down to keep the weeds at bay just in case. I've got a couple of paw paws & some chillis waiting to go in, & will probabaly get some parsley & maybe more basil if there's room.
Anyway - time for a shower to get the dirt off!
Leisa.

Chrissy, I believe my Ginkgo will be the same (male) as they only sell the male tree because of the fruit and bad smell. It is bright yellow at the moment and I suppose if I stuck it in the ground I would not be around to worry about any size problems. Thanks for putting perspective into thoughts. To Sussex it goes!
Very little done because of rain. Banksia is going great guns and we expect "Big Bad Banksia men" before too long!
I'm the same as you Jean and love to see things being reused. Came home and went through the hardwood from the old pailing fence and have everything now to put together a table 850 x 1500mm . Will show you as it goes along. Love these projects. Very satisfying. (if it works!)
Cheers
Steve

p.s. Sue - give the Ginkgo a go. Ours is bright yellow and we are on the coast. I expect you would do as well.
Nothing an axe can't fix if it does not work out.
Budgie

Thanks Leisa.Well enjoy your day and take care.

Cody

Good morning all. It's very cloudy here today and there was a shower earlier. Not too cold yet though. Maybe when the breeze comes up it will be unpleasant. My weeds are growing beautifully as I bet all yours are too. On thing about weeds, they never worry about which climate they live in.
Hello Chrissy, I love your jungly places. So much color too. I have seen those Ginkco trees, very pretty in autumn.
One of my favorite trees is the Manchurian Pear. It grows to a manageable height and is a lovely shape without any pruning. The brilliant autumn red is so pretty.
Lesley, lovely to see you in here catching up again. Hope all is well for you there. I do like Nemesia. I had a small seedling come in a few years ago in a pot plant I had bought. It has since spread all over the garden. I love it around the roses.
Dalfyre, I hope you are keeping warm there.
Hello Cody, cute little baby duck and the lovely daylilies.Enjoy your day.
Sue, I have a library book, a puzzle book and the TV guide on the table in the lounge. That's it. I drive hubby mad when I am forever tidying up things he leaves out then can't find.
I was always like that. I love things in their right place and nothing laying around. Sounds like I would have fun in some of the houses putting things away. My kids are the same as me. I never had to tell them to keep things tidy, they were born tidy. My dad, mum and nan were the same. Maybe there is a tidy gene in the family.
Leisa, I sympathise with you about the weeds. You cannot turn your back on them for a minute can you ? A good herb to plant that keeps them down a bit is oregano. It makes a pretty groundcover.
Steve, looking forward to seeing photos of your table project. I have seen those old fence palings made into lots of things. They make nice rustic picture frames too.
I don't thing I will be doing much outside today by the look of the weather. It has started raining with that damp misty rain again.
Hello to everyone I haven't mentioned, I hope your weekend was great.
I have something nice for you all to nibble on today, but only a small piece each.
Fruit and Whiskey Cake.
Jean.

Hi Jean,thanks,hope you are staying warm.Just think before you know it,it will be warm again their and it will be cold here.Well take care and stay safe.

Cody

Hi All,
I could just sit & read here all day. Have been caught up reading the Garden Ornaments thread. Good Luck with your move Hel.
Yes, Lesley, it was me that started on about "Crosstitch", one of my favs. Have you read any Barbara Erskine? another similiar author. I have read all of hers. "Lady of Hay" is exceptional. Thanks, I have another Cat shirt on its way, will post a pick when I get it?
Cody~ I just don't have room in my yard for a pen. I've always wanted chooks, but doubt the cats would appreciate it?LOL!! It's just fun looking at yours!LOL!!! Take care...
Some of the seeds I planted have started to pop-up, but I have a feeling, I should have saved them till Spring? I have them in a sunny spot, but it's cold & overcast at the moment/no sun, Grrrr!!! Hard to get motivated today, too cold!
Hi to Jean, Chrissy, Kat, Mya, Sue, Marleneann, Steve, Brian, Leisa, Teresa & Shellys, I hope you are all having a great day.
I'll be off for a few days, as this computer is on a go slow. The boys have used all our Download!Grrr!!!
Take care all,
Helen