Art for Heart's Sake

Our Seemingly Endless Summer!

Hi on another scorching hot day!  It was officially the last day of summer yesterday but as it's a leap year we get one extra!  Yes, tomorrow is officially the start of Autumn but personally I can't see it happening any time soon!  We are set to have cooler temps tomorrow and Wed but by the end of the week we will be in the high 20's again which means around mid 30's on our property.  I AM SO OVER IT!!  

On a bright note I love that there is always somewhere shady I can work in, in the garden yay!!!  Yesterday afternoon I had fun moving around biggish branches of trees to create my miniature stumpery!  I am SO pleased with the results.  In this second photo it just looks like a pile of bits of wood but believe me when I've finished it will look lovely.  I'm going to fill all the gaps with potting mix and compost and plant it with treasures.  This is the perfect spot because it's mostly shady in summer and will get plenty of filtered winter sun through the bare branches of the trees.  I can picture primula being very happy here and maybe even a trillium or two!  Squeeeeee

Today I managed to do another hour or so's gardening in the main perennial garden and I'm really starting to feel as though I'm making some headway.  I need to concentrate on the kitchen garden too, to get it totally planted up for winter but I am aiming to do that in the next 2-3 weeks.  I want to get the perennial bed weeded, cut back and composted first.  There are weeds growing in the first part I've done already but I'm not worried.  I will do another huge clean up in winter when everything is dormant.

I'm off to the farm shed to prick out seedlings while melting in the heat!  Ugh!!  Smiles..

Did I?? No I didn't?? LOL

Hi there, oh brother I thought I'd posted yesterday but then I realised I had the screen up to do it and then didn't!  Crikey, what a twerp (NZ for strange person!!).. giggle.

It was a gorgeous day for gardening yesterday - cloudy but still pretty warm.  I was so happy to have some cloud cover for a change - the sun did peek through a couple of times but it didn't stop me from doing a decent amount of gardening yesterday afternoon!  

Yesterday afternoon I made Tomato Passata because I bought a 5kg box of Italian plum tomatoes from our local farm vegie shop for $7.50!  It's  a very easy and delicious recipe, just perfect for freezing for winter casseroles and pasta dishes!  Yum!!  While it was simmering I was gardening.  It only takes about 40 minutes to simmer - in fact the most time consuming part was chopping up 4kg of tomatoes!!

Today I have a batch of gherkins on the go - again a VERY VERY simple recipe.. You just pour boiling water over washed gherkins and leave to cool - doing it twice more.  Then you make a simple white vinegar mixture on the stove and pour it over the gherkins and seal.  Let me know if you want the recipe - they really are delicious!!

I carried on gardening this morning and managed to weed the area where our outdoor table was in the garden.  It has pebbles on it and the weeds get right in amongst them, like a carpet!  Our birdbath is there now and I've decided I'm going to make a miniature ''stumpery'' using branches and bits of tree trunks etc to create pockets for plants.  I'm not sure how I'll go about it but it will be fun!

This pm I'm going to do ballet practise.  I want to practise the routine we have been learning which will be a bit of a challenge in our living room on the carpet!  I just want to get the rhythm of the moves right even if I can't move far!  

It's very hot again today blast it.  I'm so longing for some cooler weather!  Smiles..

Yikes Where Did Thursday Go???

Hi there, it's Friday evening and I've just realised I didn't get time to post yesterday!  Oh my word.  I had a very busy day and today has been much the same with a bit of relaxation for an hour while I had my hair trimmed by a new and very good hairdressser!!

Yesterday was full on and ballet class was wonderful but oh my goodness talk about overheating!  It was 31 degrees C as I drove into Nelson and I was steaming hot and perspiring before I'd even started the class!  We don't have air conditioning in the studio - just windows where no breeze comes in and fans, plus the front doors open.  It was very windy though so one door kept banging shut.  

This morning was almost as hot at ballet but not quite.  Oh it was wonderful and we continued adding moves to the routine we learned last week.  

This pm I shot out to get some olive oil (best ever) from our lovely neighbours and then pricked out pansy seedlings for a couple of hours.  

Well I'd better go and get dinner on our knees!! Smiles..

Two Years!

Hi, it's Wednesday afternoon and I'm about to head back out to the tunnel house area to finish labeling my plants for Bay L tomorrow.  Oh brother, I am going to cook because I didn't have enough time to get it all done this morning while there was still some shade around.  I think I might bring the plants up to the farm shed and label the last ones there.

I gardened next door this morning for another 1.5 hours and then came home and wrote my plant labels.  

It is two years ago today since I had my left hip replaced!  This time two years ago I was back in my room feeling fairly ghastly from memory!  It's amazing to think that I'm now really enjoying ballet and my left leg is slowly but surely getting stronger.  I still can't have my leg in the completely correct position for pirouettes etc  but there's a vast improvement from when I started.   Squeeeee!

Once I've finished labeling my plants I think I will prick out a few more things or perhaps I will do something for ME!  I have some hardy geranium seeds I need to sow - I've been meaning to do them for months.  So today will be the day!  

Back out into the heat I must go.  Smiles..

A Free Consultation Today!

Hi there, it's almost lunchtime and I'm about to get changed for ballet practise and shoot into Nelson a bit early because I have a free hair consultation today at a salon in Nelson.  I've been with my current hairdresser for 11 years and while I love the way she cuts my hair I just have this feeling it is time for a change.  

My hair is naturally curly so changing hairdressers is almost as nerve wracking as changing dentists.  There is always the chance they will stuff something up.  I phoned to see if I could speak to Alan to see if he was confident cutting naturally curly hair.  To my delight the girl I spoke to instantly said ''oh yes, naturally curly hair can be a real challenge.  To put your mind at ease Alan's wife has naturally curly hair but how would you like to come in for a free consultation with him and we'll take it from there?''.  I was stunned and so happy!  Needless to say I will know after the consultation today whether I want to take the chance and change hairdressers.  My gut will tell me more or less instantly.  Unfortunately my hair is at its frizzy worst today because of the humidity, ugh!  I was going to leave it out so he could see it like that but I just can't do it.  I have to put it up in a ponytail or it will drive me mad.  I need it in a messy bun for ballet anyway.

I've done a bit more weeding in the perennial bed this morning.  The chimney sweep came and cleaned our wood/coal burner's flue etc so that's all ready for the cooler weather (in my dreams only).  We do need to get someone to come and check the top because we are getting some sooty chunks falling down on the outside of the flue.  Better to be safe than sorry!

Well I'd better go and get changed so I can leave in 30 minutes.  Smiles..

Pricking Out Seedlings...

... like a crazy woman!!  It's Monday afternoon and I'm in the farm shed pricking out 11 punnets of seedlings.. I'm about halfway through so I'm hoping to get them all done by the end of the afternoon.

This morning I went next door to do an hour's gardening at 8.40am and I'm so glad I did it then.  It was coolish to start with but it wasn't long before the sun was blisteringly hot again.  I came home and then shot out again to go and see my dear friend Janet whose 19 year old (or so) cat died yesterday.  We went out for a cup of tea and I got home around 11.30am.   Needless to say I feel as though I haven't done as much as I'd like to today.  I know it did her good to see me and get out of the house so it was worth it!

I'd better get back to my seedlings because they won't do themselves!!  Oh I have chipped a back upper molar too - right at the back.   I was eating a soft sandwich when I crunched on something.  I didn't find the piece of tooth but I got John to have a look and one of the points of my tooth has gone.  At the moment it's not causing me discomfort so I'll wait a couple of days before I phone the dentist just to see if I really need to.  Apart from being phobic about the dentist they are so blasted EXPENSIVE!!  More tomorrow!  Smiles..

Squeeee I've Been Gardening Today!!

Hi and oh squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I've spent quite a bit of time weeding the main perennial bed today, oh yay and squeeeee again!  I have a LONG way to go but I am making progress slowly but surely.  As you know my garden is full of nasty invasive weeds like couch grass - if you're not familiar with this particular nasty here is some really good info:

http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/colleges/college-of-sciences/clinics-and-services/weeds-database/couch.cfm

I also have clover in the perennial bed which I really don't mind because it has nitrogen fixing nodules on its roots so even though it is a thug it benefits the soil and my plants!  The rabbits love getting it as a green treat too.  

That's really about all I've done today!  John's been working on the architrave for the hallway and taking out the nasty under-carpet nail bits so he can cut the carpet back to fit the taller architrave in nicely.  He's also sanded down where he's filled the picture hook holes in the walls so I'm hoping I may be painting it next weekend.  I'll keep you posted!

Must away to look after the dinner.  Smiles..

It's Too Hot Again!

Hi on a 30 degree C Saturday afternoon and it's going to climb higher!  Ugh, ugh, ugh... the rain the other day was so beautiful and the cloud such a relief.  When the sun came out again I just thought ''no, not yet, please!!!''.  It is unbearably hot in the sun - one positive thing though, the humidity is only about 34% which is really low, yay!

This morning I braved the heat and weeded/dug over a small area of the kitchen garden.  I have now planted some cauliflower, silverbeet (chard) and rainbow silverbeet, plus some lettuces.  I must go out in a minute to make sure they aren't shriveling in the heat.  Normally I would wait until the evening to plant but we are heading out to dinner tonight with Lesley and Bill from Bay Landscapes.  They are dear friends so it will be so much fun.  

Around lunchtime we headed into Nelson (my fourth time this week - a record!!!) to go to the open day at our local Theatre Royal.  This is a very special building with a wonderful atmosphere.  Here's a link for some info:

http://www.theatreroyalnelson.co.nz/theatre/

It was fascinating to see the inner workings re lighting, curtains, electrics etc.  Wow what an amazing set up!!   As I stood on the stage I really wanted to dance!!  My dream is to be part of one of Peta's productions, even if it's only a tiny part!

We came home via the supermarket to grab something for lunch and then stopped at one of the local mega hardware stores so John could get a few things and I could get some potting mix/seed raising mix etc.  

I must go out to the tunnel house to check my seed trays in this heat.  Smiles..

Sheer Bliss!!

Hi and oh my goodness, ballet yesterday pm and this morning was just pure bliss!  As well as our barre exercises which were changed up a little bit we did repertoire where we were working on a dance routine to Les Miserable music.  It was truly wonderful to feel as though I was really dancing, even if some of my footwork was a bit wonky.  I'm finding I'm better at retaining information for actual dance moves than I am for just chopping and changing to things throughout our centre work.  Phew, maybe there's hope for me yet?!

It is a little bit cooler today, at least when the sun's behind the clouds that is.  The wind has changed to the SW and it feels cooler too.  Yippeeeeeeeeeeee!  I've been pricking out seedlings in the farm shed but now I think I'm going to venture out into the kitchen garden because I have some vegie plants I want to plant.  Just as I typed that the dang sun came back out!  NO!!!  It is too hot in the kitchen garden at this time of day so if the sun stays I may have to put that off until tomorrow morning.  If that's the case I will pot on some polyanthus seedlings from last season to sell this coming season, in flower.

I'd better get cracking (NZ for moving!).  Smiles..

Wet and Wild!

Hi, oh my goodness one thing is for sure, we definitely got RAIN!  140mm to be exact which is just absolutely amazing.. that's almost 6''!!  The weather cleared early this morning but we are supposed to get some more rain overnight tonight.  I don't mind in the least - oh how the garden/trees needed it.  

With the rain came very strong, gusty northerly winds and they got worse as evening approached.  I went out to lift the chooks up into the chook house earlier than usual because I could tell the storm was about to peak.  As I went out the bedroom sliding door onto the verandah, there was my gorgeous pillar rose ''Pierre de Ronsard'' lying almost flat on the ground.  The twine holding it to the upright of the verandah had broken.  Luckily the main stem of the rose was bending, not broken so we were able to retie it to the post.  Phew!  We also retied the huge stems of the tree dahlia because they were rocking around really badly (they're REALLY tall!).  

We were holding our breath re our eucalyptus trees because we have a few that are extremely tall and they are renowned for falling over.  That's one wonderful thing about Moutere clay, it seems to hold the eucalyptus trees' shallow root system tightly.  ''Touching wood!'' as don't won't to tempt fate!

This morning I headed down to Bay Landscapes with my plants and did a bit of reorganising too.  Everything looks pretty good, now we just need customers to buy them.  At least now it's rained people will be back in their gardens.

I have ballet class at 4pm so I will be leaving home around 3.15pm - I'd better go and do some work at my potting bench.  Smiles..