Art for Heart's Sake

Nelson Anniversary Day Yesterday - Gardening!

Hi, yesterday was Nelson Anniversary Day so we had a day off here in the Nelson region.  I spent most of it in the garden and it was just LOVELY!  The weather started off fine and gradually it clouded over so by mid-pm it was the perfect temperature for gardening.  I planted some lettuce and rainbow chard in the kitchen garden in the morning, did some watering and then spent the rest of the day weeding part of the main perennial garden.  

This morning I went to ballet practise which was lovely as usual except I slightly tweaked my left knee.. oh poop!!  This week is the start of the new term so I have a fairly intensive class on Thursday from 4pm - 5.15pm.  My knee isn't too sore it just feels a bit irked!  I did some stretches straight away after I felt it tweak and they helped a lot so I did our dance again but by the end of it I could feel my knee grumping at me just a tiny bit.  We stopped practise about 30 minutes earlier than usual just to be on the safe side!  I've rubbed some Arnica into it and have given it strict instructions it has to be right by Thursday pm!  I will be dancing anyway!

This pm I need to label some plants and I also need to do some pricking out so that will keep me well and truly out of trouble.  I'd better get to it!  Smiles..

A Great Rehearsal!

Hi there, this is just a short post because dinner is almost ready!  We spent this pm at the rehearsal for Fiddler which went really well.  I have to say 3 hours of intense practise certainly takes it out of me.  We now have an extra practise this week too on Wednesday night as well as Thursday night, plus it's the first week of the new ballet term.  Hmmm I see lots of yawns in my future, giggle.

My main problem is I put so much of myself into the rehearsals I end up feeling exhausted in a really good but ''wired'' way which means it takes me HOURS to come back down to earth.  It's not to much of a problem tonight because I have a few hours before I have to go to bed but during the week even though I sit for about 3/4 of an hour when we get home before heading to bed, I tend to lie there with wide open eyes for a while even after I've read a few pages of my book.  Hmmm I need to find a way around this.. a milky drink perhaps?

This morning I got a small amount of gardening done in the kitchen garden.  I really want to head out there tonight to plant some lettuce seedlings but somehow I don't think it's going to happen.  Maybe tomorrow evening instead.  

Well dinner will just about be ready so I'd better fly.  Smiles..

A Truly Wonderful Day!

Hi, oh my goodness I've had such a wonderful day.  It's been a perfect summer's day here.. sapphire blue skies, sun and a cool northerly sea breeze to take the edge off the heat.  We reached about 23 degrees C but it was bearable!  Squuuuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I spent some of the morning and the afternoon until about 3.15pm in the kitchen garden, weeding, composting, sheep manuring and I planted a courgette too.  I'm going to plant some lettuces and rainbow beet (bright lights silverbeet or chard) tomorrow morning too.

I got a bit too hot around 3pm so I came up to the perennial garden and spent some time weeding there too.

Tomorrow we have a 3.5 hour rehearsal for Fiddler which will be hard work but worth it.  Oh I skyped with my dear friend Christine in my hometown of Invercargill this morning and that was just SO SO special.  We have reconnected due to Facebook and I am MORE than thankful for that.  Christine has the most amazing singing voice and she does a lot of concerts etc, including the musical ''Phantom of the Opera''.  Christine honey if you are reading this, thank you SO SO SO much for your singing advice, it is invaluable and I am definitely going to put it into practise tomorrow!  

Well I'd better go and check dinner.  Huge, happy me, Smiles...

My Poor Body is Stiff!

Hi on another hot Friday afternoon!  I'm busy pricking out seedlings but am having a break with a much needed cup of tea.  

Last evening we headed to Fiddler rehearsal which was focusing on the choreography for ''To Life''.  It was really good and we are making pretty good progress considering a lot of the cast aren't dancers.  I have to say though doing this totally different type of movement on hard floors is making my body stiff in a totally different way than ballet!  I loved going to ballet practise this morning because it totally limbered up my body again.  Needless to say since I've been home the stiffness is back!  Aaah well nothing a lot of gardening this weekend won't fix!

It's going to be a lovely weekend, fine with temps in the low 20's I hope and cool nights.  I love it when I wake up and the air is lovely and fresh and cool.  It's divine and makes me want to leap into the garden.  That's what I intend to do as soon as I can after breakfast tomorrow!

Well my seedlings are calling me so I'd better get back to them.  I've got to try and fit in one hour's gardening next door too! Smiles..

YES!!

Hi, well yes it seems my internet woes are no more.. yippeeeee yahooey and squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...... am I speaking too soon????  I hope not!  Keep everything crossed for two more days at least for me.

I've had a very busy day today - it started with normal animal tasks and then I headed out to Bay L to deliver my plants.  I saw the new bedding plants from Zealandia and I'm actually feeling relieved in a way.  The pressure is now off me to produce the ''run of the mill'' annuals that I've never found sold very well.  I can concentrate on doing some unusual perennials in punnets as well as in single pots and I've been doing just that this pm.  I've potted up some english violets (Viola odorata) and some Campanula porsharskyana (both fabulous ground covers) which is a start.  I will be doing lots more over the coming weeks so I have plenty of perennials for my Bay L shelves throughout Autumn and into Spring.  Watch this space!  I'm excited!!!  I've also sown some seed today too.

We have another rehearsal tonight and we will be going over the choreography for ''To Life'' from Fiddler.  We are going to stop for dinner at an Indian Cafe on the way but I must make sure we don't eat anything too heavy because there is NOTHING worse than trying to dance on a full stomach, ugh!  Hmmm maybe I should do a light pasta meal here instead.  We shall see! 

I'd better go and tend to my chooks.  Smiles..

 

Oooh Have We Solved....

... my internet woes in my studio??  Here's hoping!!  After much deliberation and me putting up with very intermittent internet with the Web Extend attached to the main modem, plus moving my main computer into the house last week to see if the same problem happened  (which it didn't until today.. weird!!) John purchased something that allows me to be linked to the main modem via our power!  Thank heavens my studio and the modem are on the same phase or it wouldn't have been possible!

We moved my computer back into my studio (which is across the driveway from the house) and so far so good, fingers crossed, it remains so!!  Keep strong thoughts!

Today I delivered plants to Mapua Country Store and then I pricked out some more seedlings.  I placed an order with Egmont seeds for some vegetable seeds and perennial seeds rather than annuals because I won't be supplying Bay Landscapes with ''common'' annuals any more.  It will be an experience for me to go there tomorrow and see Zealandia seedlings for sale that are cheaper than mine!  Eeeeeeek.. ah well - hmmm I'm not sure if I've told you what happened so I'll look back at my posts last week to check!  I've pricked out some perennial seedlings into punnets of 4 today and that is where my emphasis will lie with Bay Landscapes from now on.. PERENNIALS all the way in punnets and single pots in case someone doesn't want to buy 3 or 4 of something.  Joy honey if you're reading this, yes it was yet another curve ball that headed my way last week but I've worked out what is best for ME!!!

I'm really looking forward to sorting out a website for myself in the first half of this year so it's ready for Spring.  It's a very necessary and important thing to do to grow my little business even if I truly can't afford it!

Dinner is cooking at the moment so I'd better go and check on it.  Smiles..

 

Busy, Busy!

Hi, it's late Tuesday pm and I've had a very busy day.  I ended up going to ballet practise this morning because we are able to use the other studio while the ''summer school'' is on!  I borrowed the CD for our dance music and had a wonderful practise all by myself which was magic.  I love being able to practise exactly what I feel I need to sometimes.  I had a really good work out and also did the dance (as much as we've done) about four times.

Since being home I've been writing plant labels and labeling plants for Mapua Country Store (tomorrow) and Bay Landscapes (Thursday).  I love getting everything labeled in the one day because it means tomorrow afternoon I can do some more pricking out, seed sowing or maybe even WEEDING!  Yippee.

It's been a lovely day today but it's clouded over a bit now.  We are meant to get a bit of rain tomorrow morning and then the weather settles down into a more normal summertime pattern - oh bother! Giggle.. 

John has spent time yesterday afternoon and today dealing to the part of the macrocarpa tree that split off the main trunk during last weekend's storm.  Our neighbours' son came over to lend a hand too which was really good.  It's amazing how much debris comes from what looks like a small section of a tall tree!  Crikey!

More tomorrow honeys..  Smiles..

The Sun's Back!

Hi on a beautiful Monday afternoon even though some heat is back!  We have a slightly gusty breeze from the SW again so it won't be long before the 60mm of rain disappears I fear.  I'm making the most of seeing gorgeous moist soil while it lasts - my plants are too!

This morning I was pricking out seedlings and this pm I've been in the nursery tidying and moving plants so John can attack the section of the tree that is lying on top of the farm shed.  I had to make sure no plants would be damaged while he is doing it.

I've also started working on some embellishments for 20 gift tags for Pete.  This is the part I love, working out what to embellish my tags with and how I want to hand paint them etc to really make them special.  

Fiddler rehearsal yesterday was really good.  We were in one of the halls we will be performing in so we got to see part of the set and also our costumes - not the most glamorous I have to say - brown, ugh!!  Giggle.

I was thrilled to be asked if I'd mind being upgraded to a small speaking role of Shaindel.  I only have about 4 lines throughout but it's still very exciting to be asked!  My first ever acting role as well as singing and dancing role on stage!  Squeeeeeeeee...

I'd better get back outside!  Smiles..

A Wild Night!

Hi and crikey the weather was wild overnight with a very gusty NE wind (quite an odd direction for us).  We woke this morning to some damage.. nothing too major but definitely more work for both of us...

I will have to move a lot of nursery plants so John can saw the split part of the trunk off.  In a way it was good timing because I haven't tidied the plants that are directly below it so I'll be able to shift them as I tidy them.  There is a branch further along the hedge that is dangling a bit precariously over part of my nursery but at least it's not a huge branch so that's something.  

We also had 50mm of rain overnight which is such a blessing.  ANY rain at this time of year is very much loved because normally we are very dry by now.  That could still happen in the months to come because our summer tends to extend through March/April even though that's officially Autumn.  Fingers crossed it doesn't!

We looked back at the summer temperatures recorded in our diary for the past couple of years and this time last year temps were in the early to mid 30 degrees C and high 20's and early 30's for the two years before that.  This summer is definitely cooler.  We've reached about 27 degrees C briefly during one day but that's about it.  Yesterday at 4pm it was 12 degrees C!!!  Anyway enough about our weather which I AM LOVING, GIGGLE!!  Yes I'm weird!

This pm we are off to rehearsal so we will be driving very carefully out there!  We are going to rehearsal in the hall we will be performing in for four nights in April and apparently we will get to see the set and the costumes today too.  I'm so excited, being on stage is one thing I've always longed to do and I now really wish I'd been brave enough to take drama when I was at school because I've realised I have a natural ''bent'' in that direction.  Still, it's never too late as they say!

I'd better get back to the spare room.  I'm trying to make head or tail of all my seeds.  Smiles...

Raining Cats and Dogs....

....meow, woof!!  Yay and squeeee about an hour ago or more it started raining PROPERLY for the first time in quite a while.  There are weather warnings out for heavy rain overnight in  all areas of Nelson/Tasman with more rain expected in the ranges and over in Golden Bay then here.  Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee is all I can say!

This morning I spent time weeding/cutting back on the edge of the woodland garden.  I planted some candelabra primulas (only 4) along the edge in winter and I can't believe how much they've grown in just one season.  Amazing!  Three of them flowered for me too which was totally unexpected.  They are so pretty!

We moved Bunnykins' (rabbit) pen to just outside the main doors of the living room this morning too because we want to socialise him more.  He's pretty good for a wild rabbit and will let me stroke him/her but I still can't pick him/her up (hence I'm not sure what sex it is).  I've also found that since Benjamin died I haven't been quite as diligent re greens for Bunnykins and that's not good so moving him closer will help me remember.

We are having roast chicken for dinner tonight, just perfect on this slightly chilly evening, but we're doing it mainly because we have a three hour rehearsal again tomorrow and trying to do a roast would have been tricky.  Salad and cold chicken sounds simple and yummy after so much singing!

Well I'm about to dive into the spa bath as a treat... normally at this time of year the weather is far too hot to even think about it but it's only 13 degrees C outside at the moment.. brrrrrr yayayayayayay I love it!  Sick puppy!  Smiles..