Le Jardin

These are way better pics! Will be listing them in my bigcartel store ASAP, if you want to snap one up let me know what colour takes your fancy. $25 incl postage within Aust.

Our September garden

Hellebores by the back door. Perfect for semi-shade. Very reliable hardy plants which I hardly need to look after. Gold star Hellebores! I got these at Camberwell Mkt a few years ago.

Rainbow chard explosion. We have three different colours, they are so cheerful and glossy, and tiny snails like to hide in the curls under each leaf. Take care to get le escargot off when washing. Also in this pic are my gorgeously fragrant freesias. I so adore freesias, I should plant more, I would love a field of them to inhale and admire. Broad beans aplenty to the right, they are such a no-brainer to plant around May. I am yet to try the red flowered variety, any one planted these before?

 An industrious bee indulging in the echium flowers. No matter how hard I try to prune this plant, it always wants to be extremely lop-sided. These plants remind me of the time just before Leo was born, I remember seeing echium flowers all over town when I was hugely pregnant. My neighbour has the iridescent magenta version, I might have to get a cutting from her.

 Native indigofera. Needs a serious pruning.

 A trillion flower buds on the blood orange. Fingers crossed some of them turn into fruit. It's amazing how plants respond to being fertilised; all I did was throw a handful of citrus food in the pot and water it in - hey presto, buds galore!

 Euphorbia going crazy, these plants are pretty weedy, I am always pulling them out of my vegie bed.

 Grape muscari, so tiny and perfect.                                                Blueberry flowers, soon-to-be yum!

Lastly my little lemon tree, we had our first winter of lemons, and it's such a treat to be able to pick them straight off the tree.

We have all been busy around here, Sam is working non-stop on new pieces for his October show in Sydney, so I've been running errands for him, successfully toilet-training Hazel, applying for grants for a 2013 project, ferrying Leo about to circus classes, partaking of lots of hot yoga, reading Game of Thrones, listening to Santigold, watching Call the Midwife, cooking and planning new projects.

Do tell what you've been up to!

Last week

 Got very familiar with good old blanket stitch. I finished the Owls, glued on some eyes which make them look a bit stoned, and discovered that I need glasses for fine up-close work. Ageing how I love thee!

 Indoor and outdoor plants going gangbusters here, the fiddle leaf fig in the lounge is my pride and joy, while outside the lemon tree has flowers galore, it's amazing what a bit of fertiliser will do!

 Framed a few Dick Bruna stamps from Japan, thanks Jo!

 Wondering how much mess is too much? Sam is on a minimalist streak, while I seem to pile papers up everywhere. This view is at my inside desk where I do my day-job, I made the plastic hanging pockets years ago and they just get more and more stuffed with ephemera.

A peek over to the mantel covered in old tins filled with embroidery threads and ribbons, and a photo of my Grandpa George in his horse racing days.

I promise there will be more making this week, I have finished a whole lot of time-consuming media monitoring, reading about cruise ships and coal seam gas, yawn!

Saturday

 A hot Saturday in Melbourne town......

 

....... includes an excursion to Readings, Leo gets a 'How Machines Work' book, complete with cogs, gears and gizmos. All of his favourite things. I get a colouring/doodling book, I feel the need for some limbering up in the drawing department, and I have always loved colouring in, especially with crayons.

 

Chamomile - please plant some of this as soon as you can, it smells like bubblegum and is so darn cheerful. I dry the flower heads and make tea, but be warned - they are very potent!

Beloved Mohop sandals, I am also sporting a matching stripy singlet and feel very Jean Paul Gaultier, minus the French accent.

I have been repotting a few things this week, as my hanging baskets have been crying out for a bit of attention. This fuschia and spiderplant are now much happier with more room to grow, and with the addition of a green crocheted rope daisy I made last year, I feel like an attentive gardener (it won't last - I am really a lazy, neglectful gardener!)

Hazel likes nothing better than a 'wash', as she calls any sort of water. She is also quite partial to shrieking at ear-splitting volumes, how long is that meant to last? It is freaking excruciating. Damn these girl children and their vocal ranges!

Speaking of female vocals, our soundtrack of the day has been Lauryn Hill circa 1998, and Amy Winehouse circa 2004.








Hope that your Saturday is creative and/or inspiring. I have an evening of tax receipts ahead of me, which is a reminder of how running a business can be very anti-social, I need a date night with Sam!

Gorgeous and/or green

 My girl in her awesome bathers. Nothing better than a paddle pool on a 35 degree day, kept them entertained for hours!

 My boy is gummy again! Hazel pushed out his second top wobbler, it was a bit like a cat-flap for the last few days, really gross!

 Our gargantuan 1.375 kilo zucchini, we have used it in a cake, in a pasta and still have some left. A gorgeous plant to grow, such huge leaves and pretty flowers.

My soon-to-be-delivered Tree Top Green Asics. Oh boy I want them to hurry up!

Our Thursday

End of season

'Twas with a sad heart that I ripped out the tomatoes today, they have been so abundant, as you can see. Alas, now they are all straggly and it's time to consider what to put in over the cooler months.
Methinks I shall not have much time, or inclination, to be out in the garden over winter, plus our yard gets a lot of shade at this time of year. I have put a few bulbs in, and some rogue garlic has surfaced, but essentially we're lying fallow this season, and will burst back with something in spring.
We have a few avocadoes on the tree, waiting to be knocked loose with a loooong handled broom. Herbs aplenty, and our first ever lemons soon to be ripe - trés exciting. How's your yard? Any Autumn colour? Hope that you are enjoying these sunny crisp days, and that you are rationing the Easter loot in a sensible manner.

Listening to: Plan B - She Said

Today...

Sick kids = days at home = potential cabin fever

But not today because of the following:

Delicious cups of Lady Grey

Her play mat, courtesy of my pal Paula (these divine quilts are now at Meet me at Mike's)


His play mat, festooned with his favourite plastic


Rising sourdough fruit loaf


Tabi socks and zori


My final huge haul of broad beans, making way for summer plants (the broadies' destiny includes being smashed up with s&p, olive oil, garlic and parmesan, and spread on toast)


Huuuge strawbs, seems that they enjoyed the spring rain thus far.


And yay for snotty Hazel having a big daytime sleep, humidifier does the trick once more!

Listening to: The Blackbyrds - Wilford's Gone

Five Faves

Garlic
I am planting my second lot now, in total I have about 50 cloves in. There's nothing better than fresh garlic, I've also planted brown onions and broad beans. Each of these crops are no-brainers in our yard of low maintenance.



Victoria Mason
I can't wear long earrings for a while, at least until Hazel has stopped grabbing fistfuls of everything. So Victoria's Apple a Day stud earrings are the perfect thing for lobe adornment. Easy peasy ordering and delivery at Vic's webshop.



Going Postal
I have always been a letter-writer, and it seems that there is a growing nostalgia for the hand written and posted variety of communication. It may not be instant, but it's full of charm and thought. Resurrecting this past-time is Ms Zeitgeist herself, Pip, who has a helluva postal project going on. Do join in!
I also received another stash of international stamps from Carleton Uni in Ottawa, thanks Karen. Even Leo is getting in on the act, his Dragon Hoodie arrived in the post this week, fresh from Paul and Paula kids clothing.



Visits from Granny
The gang is back together every time my Mum visits from Adelaide. Hazel is getting to know her Granny, as there is loads of cuddle time, although her eyes follow me around the room, it's ultra-flattering to be reminded that I am Hazel's everything.


Getting things done
Finally Helen has her Tango shoes, I finished them yesterday and can now cross them off my list! Hurrah, I love making shoes, but as it takes so damn long I get a bit sick of them by the end, and really love getting them out of my studio.