Fairy Orchid

It’s been so long since I posted something… 

so, lets start back with something 

light and easy, something cute.

A flower… an orchid…

It’s a tiny people orchid! 

It only grows to 30cm. 

Unfortunately... it’s a European plant, 

which flowers in October and November. 

It’s a hardly little plant and tolerates frost. 

This little plant likes the sunshine, 

and why wouldn’t it… 

it’s flowers look as though they would 

like to dance in the sunshine. 

These plants grow in woodlands and meadows –

 which is perfect for the dancing flowers. 

This cool little plant is known as the Orchis italic… 

it’s the fairy orchid! 

I want one of these.

Pick It And Eat It

Eat A Red Apple Day

I’m guessing this is

an American celebration day

 because here in Australia,

it’s the first day

 of summer today!

Red apples are best in winter

– so I can’t bring myself

to eat a red apple today… I

 have to go

with a summery option –

to celebrate the new season.

I stayed

with the red colour theme…

I stayed with a fruit… 

Instead of fully embracing

Eat A Red Apple Day,

I might rebel a little…

In fact, I may rebel

so much as to declare today

 a different day altogether!

Henceforth, T

he Cow declares today

to be Eat a Berry Day.

I have celebrated this day

wholeheartedly already!

Something I love about summer,

is my daily

punnet-full serving of berries,

fresh from the garden.

Delicious!

Happy Red Apple/Berry Day!

Green Thumb

Weed Your Garden Day

Sounds like fun…

In truth, my garden

would love to be weeded.

Over summer,

the tomato plant dropped

a few tomatoes

whenever I was too slow

 with the picking. 

In my garden,

it seems that every

dropped tomato seed

turns into a tomato plant! 

Between my peas

are hundreds of tomatoes.

 The peas are getting

pretty big now

– and the tomatoes even bigger!

 – so I should get out there

and clean it up a little.

Fine.

Just because it’s

Weed Your Garden Day.

Pity it’s still raining!!

In the Park

Take A Walk In The Park Day

Sounds like a very trivial day...

but, no. 

Not really. 

Walking is recognised

as one of the best ways

of maintaining fitness

and battling those extra bulges

 which are hugging us. 

 It has been suggested

 that the park is a great place

to head for a walk...

the scenery is pretty...

 nature wraps you up,

as you soak in

the smells of nature...

birds sing and

the sun shines on your face.

  As you walk through the park,

 you might notice

just how many beautiful things

are around – even as

your heartbeat quickens

and your muscles stretch.

  A peaceful walk is also

 a fantastic way to beat away

the stresses of the working day. 

 (And, there’s nothing

 to say that a beach

can’t replace a park. 

 This is my walking track

 – when I’m walking!)

Photos from here and here.

Tomatoes Out Of My Ears

Remember the first time

you head out to the garden...

You’ve watched as your first

tomatoes slowly ripen in the sun...

You’ve watered the plants with care...

And, finally, the day comes!

You pick your first tomatoes,

carefully wash them

and cook them up as a delicious dinner.

Well...

That was months ago.

Now, I grab a big dish...

Trudge out to the tomatoes...

Rip them off the vines...

Splash them under water...

And throw them into a steaming pot...

A big pot!

I throw in other things from the garden –

Chillies

Chives

Eggplant

Parsley

Basil

Coriander

Capsicum

Zucchini

And beans –

All from the garden.

I smash a wooden spoon against the soft tomato skins,

Bursting the seeds into the pan.

I pour pot after pot after pot of tomato “sauce”

into dishes for freezing.

I trudge out to the deep freeze, throw the tomato sauce in and force down the lid of the freezer. I’m getting to the stage where I have to sit on the deep freeze – just to get the lid to close! It’s like an over-stuffed suitcase.

(Okay, a little hyperbole... but you get the idea!)

Sure, I sound ungrateful...

I love the smell of chilli and garlic frying in hot oil.

I love the smell as I tear basil leaves....

I love the aroma of chopped parsley and coriander...

And I love the tomatoes...

There’s just SO many of them!

(I won’t even start with the cucumbers!)

This is today’s pickings...

And yesterday’s – I was slack!

Christmas Bush Bursts

I had to update this blog post.

When the first photos were taken,

the skies were heavy with cloud and rain.

Now, the skies are brilliantly blue

and the Christmas bush is showing its true colours.

As red blooms burst across my Christmas bush

I know that Christmas time is here.

Sign of Things to Come

Not long ago

flowers burst open on my thornless blackberry bush.

After that, small bundles of fruit began to grow...

And now...

They are beginning to ripen!

I can hardly wait to taste the sweet juice

as the fruit bursts open in my mouth!

Snails

I gave up.

My tiny seedlings and baby plants were being carefully planted,

lovingly watered and nurtured...

and gorged and gobbled by the snails and slugs.

So...

pellets it was.

This is what I found this morning.

No wonder I was losing all of my plants!

Aroy!

I admit it...

I couldn't resist...

I've enjoyed my first mango of the season!

And then...

I went back and got two more mangoes!

The first I devoured so quickly, there was no time for a photo.

The second, I had to tear myself away from the delicious fruit

so I could get this for the blog!

And then...

Strawberries!

They're good.

They're huge!

They were being attacked by animals before I could eat them...

so...

My backyard has become tent-city!

Colours of Spring

My garden is just a baby.

This is its first spring!

I'm loving sitting on the deck and glancing casually over the kangaroo paws, standing tall and proud, showing off their bold flowers.

Also...

The little bushes of delicate petals against masses of greenery make me smile.

(I'm easily pleased!)