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Sunday 28 September 2014

Spring's Bounty of Green



My dish rack is chockers full of deep green spinach, lettuce and parsley from the garden, all freshly washed. The lettuce and parsley are for tonight's salad dinner and the spinach is for freezing. 


I slip frozen spinach leaves under the toppings on home-made pizzas and so far nothing has been said other than YUM!   I also shred them and add to quiches or into a slow cooked stew during the last few minutes. Anything this green, must be healthy right?

Well it was before i added the maple syrup baked bacon.  
The asparagus is not mine but its on special this week and whenever i see it for less than $2.50 a bunch, they are on my shopping list.  I don't think that I'm going to be growing asparagus in my garden (where else would i grow it DOH!) as the amount of space i could set aside would only feed us for a couple of meals.  I'd rather something else in its place that produces over and over and the space be in the veggie rotation.

Occasionally I'll buy a hot house tomato (when they are on special) and today there were the last two packets of truss cherries on the vine reduced to $2 each pkt.  I couldn't see anything wrong with them so i brought them home.  Just cutting one was tough, so it was into the oven with some oil and herbs for roasting and then cooled for our salad.  

I've enjoyed a weekend at home, pottering and tidying up.  Does the mess ever end?  Seems it is always there, just breeding in different spots around the house and yard.   I'd left my car at the factory Friday night and brought home the Hilux Tray so we could load up for a trip to the Refuse Facility.  It used to be called The Tip but today its much grander and far more organised.   When you arrive your load is inspected and you are directed to the various areas of disposal.  

We visited and left items at:

A container for all TV's, Computers, Screens, Stereos etc.   We left two CRT Monitors 
A Styrofoam Bin - for all that packaging material or in our case an old kids booster seat 
Batteries  - Dead Car Battery
Used Motor Oil - Several Containers
General Waste - what little was left.

There are also areas for mattresses, green waste, building materials, rocks and concrete (goodness there was a guy rolling off massive garden boulders that others pay a fortune for), white goods, usable items for recycling, mulch created from our green waste (pickup), aluminium and metal, and lastly general waste.  I'd used the vouchers from the rates notice so there was no cost.  

Did i really just give you a breakdown of our rubbish?   At least i didn't take photos.  

I did however take photos of the garden.  


  
Now this is just sad.  I've had to fence in my lower beds which was not in my plan but there is a certain Miss Tilly that like veggies too.   I put some short star pickets in and cable tied some plastic mesh to them.   I can grow some dwarf beans and peas up them at the front while the trellis on the wall is for tomatoes. 

I've just heard a yelp from the front room and its Hubby (not Tilly) going off because while we were having dinner she ate his ear bud headphones. Its not the first time and its not like there isn't bones available on the floor.  Naughty Girl.  

Snow Peas and a Yellow Sweet Capsicum 
Nope, there is not a black snake in my garden bed, its a soaker hose (now covered) with a timer so i can set it before leaving in the morning and also in the evenings. Hopefully ill get these in all the beds.  There are 3 new varieties of tomato I'm trying and hopefully they will be my first crop while I'm waiting for my own seeds to grow.   I know, i couldn't resist the temptation.

I had to do the same thing for the onion bed.    Note the weed mat has killed the Kikuyu  I cant wait to lift it.
  
The lavender plants (in my veggie beds) are in flower and attracting bees but there is nothing to be pollinated yet other than my dwarf pear.  

The Cliveas are now in flower in my shade area.  
The whole side garden smells of these Daphne flowers.  
This is hubby's one true miracle plant.  We were helping someone move house and they were about to throw a very small tired almost unrecognisable plant in the bin.  He rescued it (i think mostly for the black pot it was in) and he re-potted it with better soil.  It certainly has grown and looks so healthy.  
I'm leaving you with my afternoon tea at Bunnings.  My Bestie and i were having some girl time browsing and causing mischief.  We laughed so much.  

I love Almondine Croissants  - how decadent.

Big shout out to my sister Carol, in Sydney.  She's just had her third back surgery and is coming to the end of two weeks rehab.  She must be so bored with hospitals. I told her when she was roaming the corridors doing her physio she had to watch out for this guy.  


Hope that she gets home this week and manages without too much discomfort.  

Have a good week everyone.  

Thanks for Visiting Living In The Land of Oz

6 comments:

  1. You have been busy Lynda, and your garden is looking really good! I cant wait until my greens are ready as I love them in salads.

    I didn't know you could have afternoon tea at Bunnings? Look at the size of that croissant!

    x

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    1. Yes, that is right. We have a cafe which sell the usual beverages and really good quality baked items. You could also order a sandwiches or pies etc. This is hubby and my weekly date. We go to Bunnings, he goes to electrical and tools, I go to the garden section and we meet up for coffee and cake. I think most Bunnings have a cafe now and I know that Masters have a McCafe in them but i am definitely a Bunning's Girl.

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  2. Yes we have a cafe in out Bunnings and I always love the coffee smell when I walk in. You really need to take a packed lunch when you go to Bunnings as it is so huge. Masters has now opened up here as well in opposition. It is a busy time in the garden, isn't it? It is starting to heat up already though but hopefully it won't be as hot a summer as last year.

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  3. Sorry to disappoint you Chel but they are forecasting that it will be hotter. Start making more water pots. The lady at our Bunnings cafe gives me the coffee grounds for my garden.

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  4. Oh to be able to enjoy a break at bunnings cafe. Usually though with 3 kids, even in the playground, sitting and relaxing is not an option. Ah well, coffee and a take away snack in the veggie garden is pretty nice too. :)

    Your greens look superb. I have raddichio that's ready but the kids hate it (it's pretty bitter), kale out the ears and baby rainbow chard coming up (self sown) so we have some greens here too. I love to snack on the chard as I survey my domain. It's so crisp and salty. :)

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  5. Snacking on chard - that's something i didnt think i would hear anyone say. Sugar Snap Peas, Snow Peas, carrots, cellery but not chard. The rainbow chard looks beautiful but im dealing with spinach and kale at the moment. There is only so much i can push on the boys before they will say enough.

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