Crypt Stitch

Autumn...Aaah

It's Autumn, and I am breathing a huge sigh of relief. As the heat subsides I think clearer, and become more creative, and I am reminded that life is good for the living. Deep breaths, smile on face. Yes, yesterday, and even today, maintain a minimum muggishness (is that even a word?), but you can smell winter on the way - oh how I covet those living where there are real winters, with snow and ice.
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One day.
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Even the garden is happier, the bees, both native and introduced are swarming the ever flowering Sacred Basil - I took so many shots, but alas my pocket digital was unable to keep up with the buzzing:

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There are roses and Mexican Sage in bloom;

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There is Chillies, and Capsicums, and mint gone mad;

And loads of early morning and evening visitors - at any time we may have up to four native species of parrot (Long Billed Corella, Little Corella, Galah, Lorikeet), Magpies and PeeWees, Doves and Crested Pigeons, Sparrows and Starlings, the occasional Wattle Bird, Butcher Bird and Currawong, and at different times of the year, Red Head Finches, all clamouring for a piece of Gothbury Manors backyard haven. *Sigh* This makes me feel pretty bloody good. This morning:

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Akasha loves the early morning Autumn sun coming through my study window (pretend you don't notice the dirty windows. Cleaning those is reserved for spring, right?);

Did you miss your last couple of Flashback Fridays? Twas most remiss of me I know. But I have something VERY exciting for you for next Friday, I know you can hardly wait. I'll give you a clue, it's got nothing to due with "Cold Wood". Cryptic, yes, but that's how I roll Dear Reader.

Berry delicious...

See how my berry patch grows? Don't cha just want to roll around in it (except for the thorns)? I had my first boysenberry today, and if you could tast colour, I guarantee this is what the purple red of that tiny fruit would tast like- so fragrant. Delectible. My lips and tongue now stained bloody wine after picking apart the berry one little burstlet at a time. Only two ripe yet, one for me, one for S, and keeping my fingers crossed none for the birds. And so many still coming on!

Quito dust bathing...

The Garden of Good and Evil...

Well, not REALLY evil, just a new garden actually. Since I have to be all frugal to save for the PERU (woo hoo, Peru!) trip, we needed more area for staple greens etc, (and also to feed my burgeoning brood). This space outside the kitchen window originally had a canvas gazebo, which was quite nice to sit under in the summer heat (but honestly wasn't utilised all that much), but which was slaughtered in a severe storm - not just the canvas, metal bars bent near in half and all! So we thought we'd try our hand at 'no-dig' gardening, and make a square patch replete with arch and lemon tree centre, all cottage garden like. I think it's going to look awesome once it's all planted out. I would love a little picket fence, but I'm supposed to be saving money, not spending it. We need another layer of sugar cane mulch yet (need to have it nice and thick) then the compost and soil ready for planting. I just finished washing up, and do you know how nice it was (not the washing up, mind you) looking out the window on my little naked garden bed, chookens heartily digging up the mulch? I can't wait til it's fnished (with a bit of luck this weekend). I was remiss in taking a photo before we cleared the gazebo away, but here is a sort of before and after, and I'll post the finished results when they're in. S had a steady following of Magpies while mattocking the edge, all eagerly squabbling over the worms dug up. Worms! Loads of them! I guess that's saying something for our organic gardening huh?

Before (what a mess):

And after (see, wouldn't a picket fence look good?):

Looking out my kitchen window:

And just because I can, here's a pic of my girls wintersun-baking:

Akasha enjoys sunbaking in the winter glow...

Bit cool outside, but lovely if you get out of the breeze and into the sun. Being that it is actually cooler inside at this time of the morning, Akasha and I headed out for a bit of sun. She DOES NOT like the camera, and I get waves of peevish vibes from her whenever she sees I have it out. Nevertheless, her beauty with you I share.

The mulberries are coming along nicely (I can’t wait for their purpley goodness).

 

Yep, that’s one of my pears. She’ll be off the tree later today, and into my belly, yum.

 

 

Garden Blooms...

Not a lot at the moment, being that it is winter, but a couple of delights to share:

 

A single Rosemary blossom! Beautiful and blue, it looks as though it would be somewhere where faeries would delight in playing. Imagine the beauty that bees see every day!

 

Some Grevillea (Moonlight Glow from memory) – and glow they do. A perpetual lolly shop for the sugar crazed Lorikeets

 

Mulberries! Yay! Purpley berry lusciousness! That’s if I can get to them before the birds. At the moment they look hard and spiky, but with a promise of the deliciousness to come.

 

A Random Rose...

A random rose for you, though my photos don’t so it justice – it is a DEEP maroon, luscious and velvety in look and texture, and it smells divine. I don’t know where the tag went, so I can’t tell you it’s name, but isn’t it fabulous?

Autumn plantings and the Feverfew that 'felt me up'...

Yes, the Feverfew felt me up...it was time to clean up the bed that had the tomatoes and basil in it, and make way for some Autumn plantings. Working some compost into the garden bed, hunkered down on my heels, I got the fright of my life when I was very inappropriately (and without warning) "goosed" - spinning around, I caught the culprit red handed, 'twas the Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium).

I'm yet to work out why it did so, or indeed what it wanted of me! Perhaps it wanted me to notice it desperately needs dead-heading. Put that on tomorrows list.

The oregano and marjoram are growing like mad, and the motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is bright and plump and green - it looks so pretty when its young.

In the veggie patch went some spinach, snow peas, lettuce and pak choy - it looks a little bare and forlorn at the moment, but compare this photo with one I'll post in a couple weeks, and you'll be green with envy at the feasts of menge tout and yummy greens we'll be enjoying. Just need to mulch and lay on the bird netting to stop the sparrows feasting before me.

The Lorikeets waited patiently (as patiently as Lorikeets can be, sugar junkies that they are) in my beautiful Lemon Scented Gum, right above the bed I was working on. It was getting close to seed-feed time (you can almost set your watch by the arrival of the Galahs and Lorikeets in the afternoon). And yep, that is a photo of a magpies bum, and that's what I shall leave (leaf) you with today!...my sewing machine beckons....

Gothbury Manor's Backyard Blooms (May)...

A quick peek at a couple of lovely blooms in the yard at the moment - autumn is so yummy, not too hot, but with enough sun and warmth to keep the veggies growing. This is the apricot Brugmansia which has gone crazy (though the white one isn't doing much) and the beautiful lilac coloured dwarf Bougainvillea that me thinks had found a way out of its pot, because it's had a REAL growth spurt. looks lovely and green, and hasn't had any of my attention for a couple of years (as you can see by the grass growing in the pot - tenacious wee bugger). It really need espaliering against the wall:

I have spent a good portion of the morning removing the feral passion fruit vine that has taken over the side yard. I planted a grafted passion fruit a couple years ago. The vine didn't do much at all, and was eventually taken over by a non-grafted one I planted next to it. When that vine carked it (after a couple seasons of fruiting and a long very hot summer with severe water restrictions) we suddenly became inundated with the wild vine that must have sprouted from the graft - and it's attempt to take over the yard is virile, let me tell you. I think it's going to have to be the dreaded poison solution, pulling it out doesn't work (any bit of root left in the ground will sprout). Dad said when I planted it I would have problems.  People, you should always listen to your Daddy, for he is wise and knows much that is hidden. I should have taken a before photo (duh) - you couldn't see my climbing rose at all, and the beautiful wisteria had all but disappeared - the arbors were like some living, breathing mass of green - rising above the fence like the humps of a giant mythical sea serpent covered in seaweed. Hulking shapes at night. Now, all prettied up, you can see the ground, and the Bay Tree, and the Magpies have been playing underneath ever since. The green bin is now chockas, as you could guess by the three piles of slaughtered passion vine on the ground. My work here is done (for today, anyhow)...