Art for Heart's Sake

Whoops I Doubled Up???

Hi there, darn and ooops I think I doubled up on my posts yesterday - yes this is the state of my life right now!  Giggle.

Today I've been frantic since 9am and finally I can see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel this week.  I'm spending the next two days with Mum because she turns 88 tomorrow (wow!!).  I am going to take a complete break from thinking about seeds and seedlings and just enjoy a brief amount of down time.  I will be full on again from Saturday afternoon.

I'm taking her out to a lovely cafe for her birthday lunch.  It has a view of the sea which Mum will love.  Mum grew up going out sailing in a dinghy almost every weekend with her father and the sea holds a special place in her heart.  Unfortunately because she's not very mobile these days she doesn't get to see the sea much at all.  Hopefully there will be some big waves for us to enjoy!

I took a load of plants down to Bay Landscapes this morning and I love the way my vegetable stand looks especially!  

Well I'd better get going, I need to get changed - what a novelty not to be in gardening clothes for three days, gasp!!!!  Giggle..

 

Oh Pookies, I lost my Post!

Hi there, I just finished writing a fairly newsy post and it disappeared!! Aaaggghhh... I am very frazzled at the moment because I have to take my plants to Bay Landscapes tomorrow (Wed) instead of Thursday and I am taking A LOT!!  

I won't be able to do anything plant wise until Saturday pm after Wed late pm because I am spending time with my gorgeous Mum for her 88th birthday.  My sister is away and I couldn't bear the thought of Mum being alone on her birthday.  It is the busiest time of the year for me so I am feeling a bit stressed!  

I'd better fly as have to carry on pricking out seedlings even though it's 5.45pm!!  Aaggh...  Smiles..

Oh Pookies, I lost my Post!

Hi there, I just finished writing a fairly newsy post and it disappeared!! Aaaggghhh... I am very frazzled at the moment because I have to take my plants to Bay Landscapes tomorrow (Wed) instead of Thursday and I am taking A LOT!!  

I won't be able to do anything plant wise until Saturday pm after Wed late pm because I am spending time with my gorgeous Mum for her 88th birthday.  My sister is away and I couldn't bear the thought of Mum being alone on her birthday.  It is the busiest time of the year for me so I am feeling a bit stressed!  

I'd better fly as have to carry on pricking out seedlings even though it's 5.45pm!!  Aaggh...  Smiles..

A Teensy Bit Frazzled!!

Hi, I have a fairly frantic week this week and right now I'm feeling just a little bit frazzled.  I spent all morning organising and labeling plants to take to Bay Landscapes tomorrow morning instead of Thursday, then had ballet practise this pm (which I simply cannot do without!!) and dropped into Bay Landscapes to check my stands on the way home.  

Since home I have been pricking out seedlings and I still have more to do even though it's 5.38pm!!  I will shoot back out to the farm shed and do 2 more punnets of broccoli and cabbages while my dinner is cooking.  

I am out of action plant-wise from Wed late pm until Saturday morning, hence the rushing around.  I am spending time with my Mum for her 88th birthday which is so important.  My sister is away at the moment and I couldn't bear the thought of Mum being alone for her birthday.  The fact that it is the busiest time of the year for me really is putting major pressure on me and I'm feeling stressed to say the least.  

I'd better fly and get those seedlings pricked out.  Smiles..

Hi, It's Monday Again!!

Hi there, it's Monday and I'm just taking a break from creating some colour labels for some new plants I'm taking down to Bay L on Wednesday morning.  I'm going a day early this week.  

I had 4 lovely women come to my garden/nursery this morning and it was so nice to have the garden admired, weeds and all.  It seems people really love seeing a ''natural'' garden, not one that looks as though 10 gardeners have been working at it 24/7!  Yay, there is hope for me yet.

Once I get through this week I will be feeling more settled and will be able to concentrate more on getting some major gardening done alongside my seed sowing/pricking out.

I just had another lovely customer, Joy, visit me to pick up some plants.  She's so lovely and it was wonderful to be able to talk plants and gardening with a kindred spirit.  

Well I'd better get out to the farm shed because my peas, beans and courgettes to name a few won't sow themselves, giggle.  Smiles..

Another Busy Day, But Lovely!

Hi there, roast chicken is in the oven, with roast potatoes, pumpkin, parsnip and will be served with fresh sugar snap peas from the tunnel house, squeeee... it feels like Christmas!!!  Giggle

We've had a good day - John has dug a trench from the tunnel house to the main tap in the kitchen garden and it is now plumbed in so I have a separate hose (non-kinking, hallelujah) for the tunnel house!  Thank heavens.. what a huge relief!

I need to check on dinner so will leave this here...  I will continue tomorrow morning.. Smiles.. I will be happy when life settles down a little after November!!!  Aaaggghhh.. Giggle...

Squeeee, Plant Treasures

Hi honeys, it's Saturday evening and I'm about to head back to the kitchen to finish cooking our dinner.  I've had a lovely day today.  I planted some lettuce and 4 broad bean (red) seedlings in the kitchen garden, plus got the length of one side of the rotational bed weeded because that's where I want to plant my potatoes.

Around lunchtime I headed out to the annual Alpine Show and oh boy I came home with some gorgeous and very special treasures!!  More about that tomorrow.

This pm I did some more pricking out (not much due to time) and I didn't walk the dog, I just didn't feel like it!  John waterblasted our little glasshouse so now the glass is sparkling clean and the overflow from the tunnel house will be much happier!  More tomorrow.  Smiles..

Eeeek Where did Yesterday Go??!!!

Hi there it's Friday evening and I've just realised I didn't post yesterday and almost haven't had time to do it today!  Oh my goodness.. eeeek and arrrggghhhhh!

Yesterday I spent the morning labelling plants and then I took them down to Bay Landscapes in the afternoon, spending about 1.5 hours reorganising my display etc.  

Today I went to the last ballet class for two weeks (end of school term) and it was challenging but so wonderful.  We are working on Grade 5 floor routines now - eeek when I've only been doing it since May.  I manage to keep up mostly unless by brain does a ''what the heck''.. giggle.

More tomorrow honeys, need to dash out to the tunnel house for some fresh peas for our smoked fish salad.  Oh, my mouth is sore around my lips and the tip of my tongue.  I have no idea what from - the only thing I can think of is I had a mocchacino in a small cup at a cafe this morning so maybe they didn't rinse their machine out properly after cleaning it??? Ugh, I have welts...  not big ones but it is really uncomfortable and will make eating dinner not so enjoyable!  Humphhh.. Smiles..

An Exciting ''Honesty'' Discovery!

Hi and giggle, no I don't mean honesty from a person!  I have always loved the biennial Lunaria (Honesty) because it is so pretty and does really well in woodland situations as well as full sun.  A couple of years ago I started growing Honesty ''Sissinghurst'' which is a pure white variety.  Last year it flowered really well but this year the seedlings (which have flowered the same season, rather than being biennial - interesting!!) are HUGE.  The plants are about 4ft high and to my utter delight, I realised yesterday they are beautifully fragrant especially in the early morning and evening.  Here are a couple of photos for you:

Today I have been really busy.  I made a list of plants I need to write labels for to take to Bay Landscapes tomorrow, I've done some new colour labels to laminate (with descriptions), 2 hours gardening next door and now I'm pricking out flower seedlings.  I've taken a break to have a cup of tea!  Phew!  I will be writing up plant labels tonight in front of the TV.    

I must get back to my gorgeous flower seedlings now.  Smiles.. 

Sending Off Plants!

Hi there on a slightly cloudy but not cold Tuesday morning.  I've just spent the last hour packing up two lots of plants to go to the North Island.  I took a few photos so you can see the process.  Here goes:

This is the group of plants

Here is one of them out of its pot. 

Wrapped in damp paper towel

Then in newspaper and into plastic bag (not shown as forgot to photograph!)

and into the bag topped with hay and wood shavings to keep them protected.

Yikes I'm off to ballet practise now and to post these on the way!  Smiles..