They sit there for 10 minutes or so, the cat sits and watches them but doesn't bother to have a go at catching them at all.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Strange bird behaviour
I have noticed blackbirds doing this before on hot days, they sit out in the full sun with their wings out and a very strange look in their eyes. I guess that somehow they are trying to rid themselves of fleas and ticks and lice. Perhaps by heating the feathers so much all the extra wildlife leaps off the host and off to the cooler ground below. Here are a couple of shots from yesterday
They sit there for 10 minutes or so, the cat sits and watches them but doesn't bother to have a go at catching them at all.
They sit there for 10 minutes or so, the cat sits and watches them but doesn't bother to have a go at catching them at all.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Happy Boxing Day
A somewhat calmer day than most leading up to it. We have a beautiful sunny day, the bit of wind misses us behind the fence.
Had a good day catching up with the patch. Dug up the last of the parsnips, the tops were really large and looping over the path and everything around them, so out the came. Most satisfying bunch they were, nice fatties of reasonable length, I think the soil really does need to be dug really deep to get them to get as long as the growers do. Not bad though.
Pulled the pea plants as they were starting to look terrible and there were no more flowers to see. Got a veritable sack of peas from it again yum yum
The main tomato is starting to show itself in it's true form, it's going to be another monster one I think. Added extra length to the center pole as well as a couple of support poles at the sides to keep the whole thing steady, the weight of all those tomatoes will be quite considerable. It would be sad to have it topple over in a high wind when it was fully laden with fruit.
Looking closely on the large version you can see wee dots of red! Yes the little ones are doing it, these are the first of what is going to be an avalanche of tomatoes. Yay.
The Lebanese cucumbers are forming nicely, I keep cutting off it's lateral branches, it would happily engulf half the garden otherwise. I'm forcing it to grow up a 'witches hat' metal frame.
The flowers are pretty
Plums are definitely getting plummy, I'll have to watch the waxeyes as they seem to like them as much as we do. In fact I may have to pick them soon and let them have a final ripening indoors in safety (at least from the birds).
Planted out about 20 silver beet seedlings that had been getting loopy in their small tray, and 2 more rows of carrots as well as 3 rows of beans. The first lot are now setting flowers so we will have quite a supply for a while. Might plant some climbing beans up the pergola post as the sweet peas seemed to like it a lot and looked very sweet while they were at it!
:)
Had a good day catching up with the patch. Dug up the last of the parsnips, the tops were really large and looping over the path and everything around them, so out the came. Most satisfying bunch they were, nice fatties of reasonable length, I think the soil really does need to be dug really deep to get them to get as long as the growers do. Not bad though.
Pulled the pea plants as they were starting to look terrible and there were no more flowers to see. Got a veritable sack of peas from it again yum yum
The main tomato is starting to show itself in it's true form, it's going to be another monster one I think. Added extra length to the center pole as well as a couple of support poles at the sides to keep the whole thing steady, the weight of all those tomatoes will be quite considerable. It would be sad to have it topple over in a high wind when it was fully laden with fruit.
Looking closely on the large version you can see wee dots of red! Yes the little ones are doing it, these are the first of what is going to be an avalanche of tomatoes. Yay.
The Lebanese cucumbers are forming nicely, I keep cutting off it's lateral branches, it would happily engulf half the garden otherwise. I'm forcing it to grow up a 'witches hat' metal frame.
The flowers are pretty
Plums are definitely getting plummy, I'll have to watch the waxeyes as they seem to like them as much as we do. In fact I may have to pick them soon and let them have a final ripening indoors in safety (at least from the birds).
Planted out about 20 silver beet seedlings that had been getting loopy in their small tray, and 2 more rows of carrots as well as 3 rows of beans. The first lot are now setting flowers so we will have quite a supply for a while. Might plant some climbing beans up the pergola post as the sweet peas seemed to like it a lot and looked very sweet while they were at it!
:)
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday 12 12 2010
That date somehow has a ring to it, thankfully so far it has all been good.
A hot day, work in the shade was the trick. Went mad and trimmed the hedges and mowed lawns and weeded and sprayed and all sorts of gardening derring-do. Even took dwn the sweet pea plant that has been so wonderful growing up the pergola post. It's day had come.
Had a couple of nice meals from the small gas BBQ, mananged to make pizza as well as a lovely rack of lamb the next night.
A two shot panorama from the table
(click for big)
A shot straight into the sun of one of the leek flowers, flare and all...
A hot day, work in the shade was the trick. Went mad and trimmed the hedges and mowed lawns and weeded and sprayed and all sorts of gardening derring-do. Even took dwn the sweet pea plant that has been so wonderful growing up the pergola post. It's day had come.
Had a couple of nice meals from the small gas BBQ, mananged to make pizza as well as a lovely rack of lamb the next night.
A two shot panorama from the table
(click for big)
A shot straight into the sun of one of the leek flowers, flare and all...
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Long time no blog
Today's harvest, a white onion or two, a few half ready roma tomatoes, some odd carrots and an early garlic...
I'm sure a good bbq'ing will make sense of it all
Click for big.
Things are basically going whoosh, everyday new tendrils are forcing their way into the world.
I had a great time today nipping out all the small laterals on the tomato plants, all laterals below the first flower bracht should be removed, a small sharp vegetable knife does this very well, it also saves your finger turning black from the tomato plant juice!
Went mad and chopped down the navel orange tree in the middle of the back lawn, after all this time and thousands of flowers it still didn't set any fruit. Today it went ta ta.
It will be replaced with a Santa Rosa plum, the perfect pollinator for the other Japanese plum, the fortune. It has only set 30 or so plums this spring, but with another tree we should be swimming in plums in a year or so.
Herb area getting some satisfaction
The tomatoes are starting to get serious again, I will have to extend the frames soon
Drops of water from the sprinkler are stuck in mid air, I used a very fast shutter speed.
I'm sure a good bbq'ing will make sense of it all
Click for big.
Things are basically going whoosh, everyday new tendrils are forcing their way into the world.
I had a great time today nipping out all the small laterals on the tomato plants, all laterals below the first flower bracht should be removed, a small sharp vegetable knife does this very well, it also saves your finger turning black from the tomato plant juice!
Went mad and chopped down the navel orange tree in the middle of the back lawn, after all this time and thousands of flowers it still didn't set any fruit. Today it went ta ta.
It will be replaced with a Santa Rosa plum, the perfect pollinator for the other Japanese plum, the fortune. It has only set 30 or so plums this spring, but with another tree we should be swimming in plums in a year or so.
Herb area getting some satisfaction
The tomatoes are starting to get serious again, I will have to extend the frames soon
Drops of water from the sprinkler are stuck in mid air, I used a very fast shutter speed.
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