Sunday, January 23, 2011

The heat is on!!!


We know its a bit cold and damp in the UK but here its been a !!SCORCHER!! of a weekend, none of the expected storms arrived here, they very kindly went around us - leaving us with clear blue skies.....what else to do but go and inflate the paddle pool, kids had a ball and we got it out again today, see the pictures below.....








Don't they look cool...


And some very tasty home (Dave) made food, a Margarita with avocado and cherry toms (from the garden) for the children, and a Tassy ocean trout, carrot, chard & pumpkin slice, a bit like a big fat baked frittata.....followed by..


Chocolate tart! 


Spuds from the garden


Grace with Molly




The evening sky was quite spectacular with all its bright colours.... 



Ripening yellow tomatoe plant & 


Graces barrel which has these purple beans and dwarf runner beans too..









And again today after shopping this morning we chilled out in the garden with the paddle pool which was fun for the kids and quite cooling for my feet. Going to include a movie now of the kids splashing around.......ok movie didn't work will send to your inbox's.

 Hope you all enjoy a warm weekend xx

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Sunday 16th

Here are some pictures from the back yard today where things are blooming and sending out new shoots in all directions, its looking like a lush tropical forest at the moment with lots of food treats for us all.

G&G enjoy picking handfuls of strawberries some make it to breakfast time the next day for on their cereal, others  get popped in their mouths immediately to get the sweetest ones.  We have a lot of runners coming from them and will be getting them potted up next week.

 Cherry tomatoes are ripening quite quickly now they are so sweet, the chard, sweetcorn, beetroot and potatoes are at their best at the moment, beans are slow but getting their, Grace's bean wig-wam is full of brightly coloured flowers so we'll be picking them shortly.  

With all the rain and humidity the stone fruit over ripened before we could eat them all, that and the fruit fly has ended the crop for this year we think.



After working very hard cutting the lawns (and keeping the wicket in check)  this morning as the mercury was rapidly rising and David rapidly melting away, he sat back and enjoyed his beer this afternoon.


Figs ripening in the barrel on the patio


Mandarins setting fruit also on the patio


Veggie bed pumpkins overspilling and rambling up the rocks in all directions, the blue barrel has cherry toms and strawberries (Graces barrel)



What else can a cat do on a hot day, Molly happily chilling out in the garden...


The shade of the apple and pear trees, this spot is earmarked for a chook run later in the year...


This is one giant Queensland pumpkin plant, its Graces seedling that she has nurtured and it has quite a few pumpkins on the vine, it has just grown so madly.  Behind are the olive trees...


Sunflowers always looking so very pretty the ultimate flower of the summer...



These are the flowers of the pomegranate tree, we didn't think that we would get any fruit from it as its the first year in the garden, looks like we may be rewarded with a few though.


Some pretty flowers under Graces bedroom window.  
Happy weekend to you all..

Saturday's fun...

After rain that seemed to last all week and constant cold downpour on Friday it left us wondering if we will get a summer this year.  The bonus of all that rain is that the garden is looking better than ever, so lush and green and ALIVE!  Grace had invited Shayla round for a sleepover they had a lovely time and George really joined in and had fun too.


Enjoying a jam do-nut each!



Our home grown meal - from the garden potatoes & chard, sweetcorn and beetroot, and home made salmon tart - made by Dave thank you it was delicious...


When the sun cooled down  we went to Gordon park so everyone could have a good run around - we had a great time...


My shadow - what a funny shape i am - the ultimate pear shape including a little stalk on the top!





Best friends ...


The bright low evening sun..



Davids refreshments - apparently the best beer in Australia, and i am not allowed to turn it into a coolin shandy - that would make him cry




Time for a swing....

Cooling down - lovely shade at the park...


hope you all have a lovely weekend too! 

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Bump, Spuds & treasure box

Here's a few quick pictures for you to see, our 1st spud collection, not dug any up just followed a tip in a garden book to 'bandicoot' them from the surface while they develop further below ground, we are delighted as we haven't been able to see what is growing under their if anything at all.  And we had a few of them boiled with dinner tonight and - although big potato fans, they where probably the best ever tasted and we will get more adventurous with cooking them but you can't beat boiled taties.

 A couple of pics of our bump, taken this morning by Grace and using auto timer, getting used to using that now- and have heads included in our pics. 37weeks tomorrow, and only 2 weeks today to go!  Will attempt to get another family pic over the weekend.




 And here is Grace showing us her treasure /keepsake box that she has decorated as we came across some of her 'baby' things while going through drawers that she would really love to keep, and Dave has the biggest size shoes so we get great big boxes!!




Rain and humid here this evening, but can't complain after seeing the devastation caused in Brisbane and surrounding areas on the news over the last few days, where do you start cleaning up those areas after all that water.  Hope you're all well x