Hello Sweetest Bloggy friends in the world!
I hope everyone is surviving end of year activities?
Yesterday I received notice that a certain visitor has found, and I quote, “ just the same tired looking Scotsmen…” each time she checks in. (When did my blogging audience get so saucy?!?)
So here it is, the post I threatened you with .. oh.. ages ago, on my gardening experiments, with an update on other happenings.
As we are built on rock with just a lick of topsoil, we opted to try a no-dig garden. It is a lasagne of hay and manure, with topsoil or compost as the final layer. And because I like to do things just so, (the “so” part being exactly how the instructions read!) what actually happened in my yard caused me just a little concern.
Mr BB did the blokey construction part, so I can’t tell you too much about that. It’s railway sleepers stuck together man style – lots of bolts and pieces of metal and such. Very sturdy. Cyclone proof, I don’t doubt. Because while I like to do things just so, Mr BB likes to do things thoroughly. :P
A thick layer of newspaper goes down first to suppress the weeds. We didn’t have nearly enough newspapers, so cardboard was the next option. It needs to overlap so there are no gaps for pesky weeds to sneak though.
Each layer must to be watered before the next is applied. Of course, if you have very young helpers, you need to make it abundantly clear that they have to wait for their siblings to complete the layer and exit the garden before the watering starts. I forgot to make that clear to Blossy.
Here is where my garden deviates from the recipe. Instead of having layers of hay and manure, mine was a jumbled mixture. The farmer offered to bring in loads of old hay and manure mixed together. Old is good. And I have to tell myself that it would eventually have mixed anyway. I guess. .. .. (It would, wouldn’t it?)
There are no pics of that stage – it was all shovelling from the ute by flood lights, in the dark and rain, and it was no time for photos!
Mrs Fivepeas generously shared some of her heritage seeds with us, the farmers shared seed with us, and we browsed the local nursery. If you are thinking of gardening, check out the heritage seed site – too, too much to choose from!
Hopefully in a few months I will be sharing fresh produce and homemade pesto with my sweet friends who have so generously shared their bounty with me this year!
On other happenings..
Remember the Chicklette’s list?
We’ve been canoeing with friends. We’ve baked pecan pie. We’ve been to a ball, and there is another coming up just after Christmas.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:31:46
Hehee, I don’t know if it’s your DOF or what but the pitchfork almost looks like you photoshopped it in! At the top, near the near the handle.
I LOVE the last photo- how gorgeous!
As to the gardening… I think I”ll just shush and say nothing. My gardening efforts went down the drain this year.
I see the girls doing all the hard work there, Mrs. BB. What about you? Although it is hard work being the Chief Photographer.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:33:07
Oh, one day when you have time… would you be a sweetie and update your AH button in your sidebar. The copy/paste code is already here for you:
http://community.aussiehomeschool.com/links/
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:42:53
Um..
I’ll try.
You know I’ll try and do it.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:44:21
Eeek! Where?!?
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:50:00
Heeeelp me our Susan. I found the code at the bottom of the page, whacked it in a widget, and it still comes up as a box. I saved it, I promise.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 20:51:06
I believe you, I really do! Because I just checked it and in the move over the weekend, the image went missing!
So it wasn’t you! It was me or the move. I always find that housework does that – can never find anything after I’ve cleaned up
If you would be so kind as to try again, when you have time, I’m sure it will work THIS time.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 20:54:04
Ta da!
You’re amazing, our Susan.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 21:07:27
Yay! Aren’t we both clever? LOL
Dec 13, 2011 @ 09:41:48
Oh!! You’re cheeky! What’s come over my bloggy friends!
I did, I’ll have you know, spend a big chunk of yesterday getting pink shoulders and moving that pile of hay. Hay is unpleasant to move on a good day. After the previous day’s storm it was wet, heavy, spikey, slushy, and .. ewww, I am so not a farm girl!!
I have also shovelled manure. This, my dear, is not an experience I am in a hurry to repeat. I like the planning part, and the planting part, and watering is fine. I’m sure I’ll like harvesting. The rest? Not. so. much.
Yes, it’s the depth of field that makes the fork pop. It was my 70 – 300mm zoom lens, and it’s that very feature that makes it a treat using it for portraits.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 21:06:20
Pink shoulders? I suppose I shouldn’t giggle for being just pink is healthy. I manage a very unhealthy red, blistering, pussy mes over my nose, ears and shoulders in the summer. And THAT is not pretty.
Well, I do like your schmacko 70-300mm lens. I’d like to see more from it
I’m hoping to play a little more with my camera during the holidays.
Dec 14, 2011 @ 10:11:47
Whoa! That sounds drastic! You need to buy a hat, you big whitey!!
No, no.. wait…
A parasol!
Yup, can just see you at the softball with a dainty parasol protecting your fair complexion, while the other mothers are, ahem, blistering, and such!
I’m hoping to play with my camera over the hols, too. Should be plenty of beautiful images in the country we’re headed to, but will depend on how wet it is.
As for that schmacko lens – it’s pretty much my go-to lens. It can also work with extension tubes for macro – it makes it heavy as anything, but gives you loads of scope for playing. Definitely my fav, though I don’t try hard enough to make the most of my other options. Now that I know exactly what that lens is capable of, I should force myself to shoot only with the wide angle or the kit lens so I understand what I can get out of them, but…. eh. One day.
Dec 13, 2011 @ 23:03:24
Hello Mrs BB,
Glad to read your new/old adventures in the garden! Was that pitchfork the one that your “saucy” reader used to prod you to get rid of the “tired looking Scotsmen”? Mind you, it IS a very nice looking pitchfork, and it does look very much photoshopped in!
Your garden is sure to be successful. Anything that well planned has to be bountiful! The Knee-hi’s look like they are enjoying their outdoor work too. Now, I just need to interest you in preserving the CWA way…Fowlers Vacola Jars and pressure canner or steriliser. Welcome to my madness…
Your photos are gloriously detailed and interesting. They tell the words that your blog leaves out. I love that Blossy IS watering her sister,, um I mean the garden bed. The plume of water being poured is so focused and sharp!
I look forward to seeing your harvest pictures.
Heidi
Dec 14, 2011 @ 10:18:21
Hello funny Heidi!
I promise the fork was not photoshopped. It genuinely has been in use!
Fowlers Vacola Jars… now that you mention it… I had hopes of preserving some of my tomatoes if there are not too many stung. I need to explore more before then, but have planted more than we need with that in mind. Will have to see how brave I get, and how hard it is, and just how much Above Rubies-ish-ness I can squeeze out of myself
Thanks for the kind words about the pics. There was one I had to leave out. It was all the seedlings around the perimeter of the garden, and I had left the tape measure extended where I had been plotting the placements. Didn’t think I could withstand the ribbing that was likely to come my way for being quite so by the book!