I Bought Seedlings...

I have been out in the garden this week and finally have a few things in the ground.  The chooks have not escaped for a week or so so I'm thinking they'll be safe.

We bought some punnets of seedlings yesterday as a quickstart and they will be planted this morning and I have put some more seeds in as well.  If I can keep the chooks away they should be OK.

I keep saying to Hubby that I need a proper propagating area setup but really that is a want and I am using it as an excuse, whinging that because I haven't got the *perfect spot* it's all hit and miss with the seeds. 
I need to stop making excuses and just get things done regardless of whether things are *perfect* or not.  I have plenty of space to grow seeds and anything else I want.  I just need to do it instead of reading about other people doing it and whinging that they have it better than me blah, blah, blah.

So this morning I will plant out 4 punnets of stuff, get some more seeds in and this out some garlic that has come up in a half 44 along the driveway.

Better be off or it will be coffee time and nothing will get done and I will be whinging again....

We Have a Pineapple.

We picked our first, one and only, Pineapple yesterday.

Just had some and it is very nice, full of flavour.  I was a bit worried that it would be too ripe as I had forgotten about it and it was real yellow when I noticed it again on Monday.

This pineapple has been growing in a 1/2 x 44 gallon drum for a few years now so they take a long time from planting to eating so just as well we weren't in a hurry.

There were a few suckers on this plant and they have been pulled off and planted in the sandy garden out the back.  The top from this one will go out there in a few days as well.   If they all survive we will have 7 little Pineapple plants in the ground. 
I read somewhere that the plant we just picked from may send out a couple more suckers so I am going to leave it in it's drum for a while and see what it does. 

Our Pineapple has taken up a bit of space for a long time with the end result of 1 fruit so as a main crop in a small backyard I wouldn't recommend them, we have had much more fruit from a Pepino in the same size pot,  but if you have the space and want something different I think they are an  easy plant to have in the ground.  We have the space and the time so the long wait will not be a problem for us.

A lot of places cut the tops from the Pineapples before they sell them but if you buy one with the top still attached cut the top off and stick it in somewhere out of the way and you too might get the thrill of tasting  a homegrown one.

No Excuses This Week.

I've had a few days away and in the leadup to *My Adventure*  I was spending more time on getting the van packed and ready than out in the backyard but I have no plans to go off anywhere again for a few weeks so should have plenty of time to get the gardens sorted.

I missed buying seedlings last week so might have to make a special trip somewhere to get some but this week I will get some seeds in as well.  I am home for the next 2 weeks so really have no excuses.

And as per usual the grass needs mowing again. 

One chook pen is in real need of a decent cleanout and I have decided to put the chooks that I want to keep all together in the orchard pen and get rid of the others.  I need to fix the fence first though or they'll be able to get out. 
I will choose which of the Mixed breed chooks are staying today and put them in the front orchard pen.  After I fix the fence.  My concern is that they are a lot smaller than the AussieRocks that I will put them with but the AR are a friendly bird so shouldn;t cause to many dramas.

So much to do so better make a start.

Tank Gardens. Still Working On Them.

Well I still haven't achieved all I wanted to with the tank gardens but as it is a neverending project I probably never will.  Such is my way...

I have mowed, whippersnippered and weeded.  The mowing could be done again and there are more weeds coming up.  And we have had rain so that will all increase.  And I am not home much this week.  And I am still *real sore* from the 20km bikeride on Saturday.  Can you see where this is going?

I have fed the empty gardens with liquid manure, and mulched some.  They are ready to have stuff  planted into them so will buy some seedlings sometime during the week.  Maybe tomorrow.  I can then plant them tomorrow evening as I am away the next few days but as we are due for a bit more rain they should be OK.

I transplanted some Chilly plants into the fridge garden that had 2 in it.  There is now 6 plants in there and the newbies look like they will survive.

I pulled up and replanted heaps of Strawberry plants.  Some in a small tank garden and some in an empty fridge garden.  I still have a bucket full to put somewhere and will do that this morning.

I need to get a few more barrow loads of dirt from the chookpens as a topup to the big TG and hope to get that done today.

I *think* we have fixed the problem of the chooks getting out. 
I hope so or the seedlings will not get a chance but I'm thinking we have. 
As long as I shut the gate properly on the MixedBreed pen and the wing clipping of the escapee Hyline works they should make it. 
If I remember to leave a note for Hubby to water them next weekend when he is home but I am away...

I might just buy a couple of punnets, just in case.

Shooting Wild Pigs..

I was just outside, checking if I turned the water off or not...hang on, I need to go check if the water is off...
I seen this animal out near the dam.  Maybe a fox.  But it's the middle of the day and there is 2 of them so... must be someones dogs.  No, there's a group of them, What the!!!  Wild Pigs!!
I run inside and grab the camera because I know *they* will not believe me and then the chase is on...

I know it's not very clear, they were a paddock away quick smart and still moving. Gosh those little blighters are fast.  Now I know how the son feels when he's out hunting them.

The 6 black smudges are pigs.   Not very clear as I was trying to zoom the camera in and it got wobbly.

This is a couple of them coming out of the dam in the paddock across from ours.

OK. Watching this it's hard to tell what the black smudges are but believe me...I would not be running down the backyard chasing smudges, they are real live pigs.

They ran towards the house out the back so I presume they are his and escaped somehow and when they had a big heavy breathing *thing* after them they ran home to safety.


While I was standing on the dam wall I took a photo looking back towards he house and backyard.

Listening to me try and breath I think it's time for another blood test.  I was thinking that the Iron wasn't doing it's job properly so am eating Liver but maybe a test will tell me if any of that is working.

Thanks Sherrie, For the cards.

Thanks Sherrie for the cards, they arrived this morning.

For those that don't know, a couple of weeks ago Sherrie was having a givaway over at her blog 

She made the cards herself, she is such a clever lady, check out her blog and I'm sure you will agree.

I may not be as clever as her but I am getting a box set up for Wanda so that I can do some crafty stuff when I am out wandering.

Tank Gardens.

I have whippersnippered and mowed around the tank garden area.
I pulled out a couple of dead cucumbers, saved 3 fruit from these.
Chopped back the big pumpkin plant.
Pulled up the one and only sunflower that grew.  I will collect the seeds from that this afternoon.
Pulled out a heap of grass.
Chopped back the geranium/pelagonian plant.
Pulled out 1/2 dozen beetroot I found hiding under the marigolds.
Pulled all the dead corn out.
Brocilli from the big tank garden has been fed to the chooks as has all the other stuff.

Still a bit more to do but I came in then have been mowing/doing stuff in the van out the front as it got too hot out the back.

Some Tips For You...

Tip 1.  In the long run you save more time by stopping and extending the WS cord then by just doing a *little bit more* and having to stop and pull it apart and rethread.   HoHum...

Tip 2.    It's easier, and doesn't take as long, to find the secateurs if you put them away in their bucket and not put them on the ground and then bury them with everything you pull out.


Tip 3.  Close said secateurs before putting them down and you wont stab yourself in the hand with them when scooping up the grass and stuff for the chooks.

Tank Gardens.

It's 8:30, Sunday morning, Hubby is at work.
I could be on here for another couple of hours, I could finish the book I am reading, I could go for an hours bikeride, I could tidy and clean inside, I could take *Wanda* and go wandering...

But no, I choose to spend  the next couple of hours out the back whippersnippering, mowing and resurrecting the tank gardens.
This is why..

They are in an awful mess and I will no longer use illness as a reason for not doing anything. 

A Really Nice Birthday.

Thanks to everyone that wished me a Happy Birthday.  So nice of you all.
I had a great day
Daughters L and T and grandaughter J met me and 1 of the kids I care for for a picnic at a playground near a river.  The ducks wanted our food so we had to watch them but it was a nice day.

I think we should do it again some time as the kids had a great time riding their bikes along the paths.


The ducks had a friend but it is hard to see, you can hear it though...

Happy Birthday To Me.

Yep, it's my birthday today...and I have to work.  HoHum...

I don't usually work on Wednesdays but the woman had an important meeting so I get to go in today instead of yesterday.  Doesn't matter.  It's still my birthday and I have made Satay to have for tea when I get home.

Hubby might make me my *get home from work and have a coffee* coffee.  If not I'll make it myself, it will still be good.

I'm getting on now...more than 50, less than 55...There are so many things that I haven't done, a few I'd even like to try...Some will get done this year, some will get done next year but that 55 is getting closer and my list isn't getting shorter so I'd better get a move on.

But anyway...Happy Birthday To Me!   And anyone else having a birthday today.