This is for you Simon!!!

Today I was asked about how the garden has developed so thought I would add some more photos.
It is a nice time in the garden as everything is coming alive after the winter.

This is the view I have every morning when I pull back the curtains.
The lavender has been flowering since Christmas.  I have just kept on removing the dead flowers and more appear.
I have just cut back the cat mint that is under the lavender. 

I love looking out to the stone man who dances in my back garden.

The table is to the right as you look toward the back of the section.  I have planted paper daisy on the bank and love how they have decided to hang down and continually flower as well.  Think I will plant more right round behind the lavender as it is a great back drop to the lavender.
The old milk tin in the middle of the photo is going to be my water feature.  One of my boys is going to make me a steel plynth that this can sit on and the water pump can go inside.. Planning just to have the water run down over the sides. Love that rusted look with water running down the sides. 

This is a close up of my dancing man!!
Love him as he doesn't talk.....

Just replanting the strawberries so they can sit in the pots under the stone man..

This back corner is the project for this summer.

Would like to plant trees that will filter the back wall.

Well Izzy, our dog, loves eating the bread that the birds have dropped and the birds love to remove the pea straw onto the lawn.  They also have been removing the soldier poppies I plant under the bird bath, the poppies are a memorial to my old soldier, my Dad...


The sleepers are set out to create a new garden for the red currants.  Something I love but have to get in quick as the birds will eat the berries green.

Trying to create another quiet space.  This is looking back to the house with the apple tree behind us.

Have planted shrubs to help hide the fence which has been added. 

My favourite part of the garden.

Lucky me as I love my back yard and looking forward to playing more in it in the very near future. 

boundaries are for pushing

Well here I go again.  Have had a busy day at work.  This how the morning started....

Izzy trying to play but that ginger thing that keeps calling is not that keen.  I thought the ginger puss was going to get the better of Izzy.  A few minutes before the cat had a very full tail and making lots of noise but Izzy was dancing around  it and barking.  This seems to be the same every morning.

Now Izzy is sleeping in the shade by the soldier poppy...and the daisy lawn.....
Tomorrow I need to get out in the garden OR mow the lawn....
Well tomorrow is Dec 1 and really would like to get the Christmas tree but really would like a real tree this year....
See you soon   

boundaries are for pushing Though not sure I have the energy

Well it is a while since I have logged on and thought I would share my thoughts.

I have just finished the marking for the students and now planning for next year is about to start. 
I have been studying this year as well and got a nice surprise when I got home to find I have passed the 3 papers I have sat this year.  Half way only 3 more to go!!!!

NEVER TO OLD TO LEARN.  

(If you could see me, I am lying on the couch, Izzy cuddled in and I could easily go to sleep and it is only 7pm.)
 Well I will start in the garden
This is the end result to my rotary hoeing....

We have had the sun and the rain and the grass has grown, roll on summer!!!!!

Next job I think will be mow the lawn and then it will look tidy. I have ordered the table but it will not be here till January.  

(May be I should buy the boys an out door chair each for Christmas and keep it warm for them????)

 

Well I hope all is well with you.  I am about to go and spend some time in Central Otago enjoying my Mum and my baby sister. We plan on walking, talking, planning Christmas, enjoying a wine and lots of laughing. Nothing is more special than a shared Christmas. 

Then I will come back fresh to think about Christmas baking.  

What is CHRISTMAS?  

To me it is the family time, the memories they create that hopefully our children will remember long after we have gone.  I hope then they will make their memories and share ours. 

I am such a lucky one as I have lots of special memories, of family times with water fights and lots of laughter.  

I remember my Dad who played Santa and climbed on the roof to leave the big parcel up there, for our first born, as Santa couldn't get it down the chimney.  Of the little boys chasing everyone with buckets of water, joining in with the adults who had hoes, trying to wet anyone they could catch.  

Nana putting the hose in the bathroom window on a son-in-law as pay back for getting wet.

The neice trying to put a younger cousin in the lake but discovering that the little boy has grown up and she had to fight to not end up in the lake instead.

Of the jigsaw puzzle set out on the table that anyone can add pieces to. 

The simple things, sharing with friends, the house over flowing but the laughter and the love that costs nothing.  

Right now I feel really grateful as I am having all the family here. 

My family is all well, not the same for some I know.  My love goes to them as I feel so helpless.  The big C seems every where and doesn't seem to care, that the special people, with lots to give to this world are fighting the battle of their lives.  I hope one day soon someone will find a cure. 

Well take care and enjoy all the special friends, the family times and the quiet times. See you soon xx

Time to enjoy life and realize how lucky I am

Well Hi,

Not sure who is following this but have decided to add a little more.

This morning when I woke up and wondered round the garden I feel so lucky.

The freesia is in full flower something I can enjoy from inside but sit on the sit and enjoy the smell....

the lavender is flowering giving the bees something to enjoy...

the soldier poppies are starting to flower and the birds love the bird bath.  

These will always remind me of my dad as he was a returned soldier and he loved the birds..

Thanks little sis 10 years later and it is still beautiful.  Something I really enjoy.

Then when I go to the front of the house and open the big heavy villa door this is what I see.

A view down the harbour made even more special when the sun is high and full of life.

Looking down the path my cottage garden is full of colour  A BEE'S HEAVEN

A cottage garden will always remind me of my grandmother Cunningham as she had a love of the garden and as a child we would wondering with her in her garden.

This is a true nature delight.  It is a little fritillary, one I have only just purchased and have never seen one like it before.  Will watch each year and enjoy.

This is magnificent, blue like you never see in the garden.  Just freshly opened and I hope it will share more flowers with me.

 

Today I realise how lucky I am and that I can go and enjoy these things while others are fighting their biggest challenge in their lives.  So thanks, I hope you enjoy the sun, have a coffee with a friend, and take time to smell the flowers, because who knows what is round the corner.

Well the 100 days are gone but still adding

Hi
Just thought I would up date you on my garden.  At the weekend we put down the lawn now just watching it to see if it has grown!!!!  Yes I still have my four legged friend!

  Last week I had so much fun with a ROTARY HOE that we borrowed from a work mate and friend.  I had never used something like that and when I started I had trouble holding it back.  I wish I had taken photos as after I had finished the first time I had humps and bumps everywhere. It reminded me of when we went to the ploughing matches with my Dad when I was little.  Mine looked like the farmer had gone mad and just hoed anywhere.  I think I will give the spade away as the hoe is more fun!!!  As I come from a house full of men it is nice to show that GIRL'S CAN DO ANYTHING AT ANY AGE!!

 This is the vegy garden and my strawberries in the pots.  Still trying to work out where to put the cape cob chairs I brought to paint but love the red and it adds a bit of colour.  They are even nice to sit in!  Not sure how long they will last as got them in the big red shop that I don't like to shop in.

 Well this is a lovely place  to sit as the clematis is flowering.  It is something my sister gave me for my 50th birthday so it is nearly 10 years old. (Thanks Ruth)  Time goes fast when you are having fun!!!
I think we should have spot the 4 legged friend as she keeps appearing in the photos.

 Looking behind the garden I have raspberries growing.  Hope I get lots as I love the berries.  I also have 2 red currant bushes and this year am covering it so we eat them not the BIRDS.

The honey suckle is growing fast.  It is not going to take long to cover the wires.  Just need to keep the little green insects of themas they love the honey suckle too.                                                    

This is looking back to the house at the bird house that Jacob made and the bird bath I had. Under the bird bath I have planted the soldier poppy for my Dad.  Dad loved his garden and the birds so feel he would love this space. 

I love watching the birds in the garden and Izzy spends most of the time trying to catch them.  DREAMS ARE FREE IZZY!!! 

I am trying to create seperate rooms. This room has a backdrop of a small white evergreen magnolia. It has a small saucer shape flower with a good scent.  I love it and the buds of the flowers are like a rust colour velvet.  I didn't want anything to grow to tall and this only grows up to 1.5m x1m wide.  Looking forward to watching this grow.

I have daffodil bulbs in one of the pots, (only one of them flowered) and the other has freesias.  They smell so good and lots of flowers coming.

  This is showing you the garden looking up from the deck.  This shows the 2 more rooms I am creating.  Once the lawn has grown I can think where I should place the red chairs. 

This is looking up to the back yard.  Love the lavender and it loves it's new home.  Lots of flowers and the catmint is flowering underneath.  My blue garden framed by my white gardens.

This is looking from the doors to the paper daisy that is full of flowers. 

 

 

Well this is the last photo and I hope this has not been boring.  I am trying to grow a tomato in a hanging basket.  I have made a make shift cover of plastic so when it is cold I can cover it and keep it warm.  I just hope it will grow but we will see.  

Well I will say good bye and will add the front garden soon.  Mum I hope you can get to view this but enjoy the photos and catch up soon.

Day 100 plus Just sharing

Well the challenge has finished but thought I would put these images on line of the garden. Have been planting and it is coming together.  Still the lawn to do!!!

I had Bay Topiary trees at the back of the garden surrounding the deck but have moved them to the right hand side as can now let them grow taller.  Think I will plant a herb that is a ground cover under them.  There is a neighbours Golden Elm growing above so is hard to plant this piece of the garden.

This is  looking across and showing the daisy growing on the side path with the iron kettles.

Also showing the Lavender topiary trees which I have cat mint growning under them.  

My blue garden.

This is the top garden which again I have planted out.






The image below is a close up of the plant I have on the side nearest the house. It has the most amazing bud which is velvet to touch just waiting on them to open. 

Day 100 of this 100 day challenge and I am not finished

Day 100

Well the 100 days have gone and I am still working on a challenge.  

This one is such a challenge but starting to take shape. 

Today I have had a lazy afternoon watching a movie and stitching.  

What a wonderful life!!!

Well I hope you have enjoyed being part of my life for the last 100 days.  

I will continue with this last challenge and maybe add the photos as I go 

or maybe I should just do some study that I should have been doing.  

Take care and thanks for following 

I hope you will try your own 100 day challenge and HAVE FUN