First day of Sparrow Grass

Things are coming along nicely under the lights. Diamond Eggplants look good.

Baby Miniature Martie Forest

We lament the non existence of the Lacuna Sabbath yesterday. I had to work. There were very good moments and very crap moments. The crap parts mostly involved planning consultants, male egos, little man syndrome (not to be confused with "little men" who fix stuff and delivery stuff), people who are obsessed with making money and are jealous of anyone who is, people who appear nice and sunny on the surface, but erupt with rage and venom and people with chips of their shoulders. It sounds like lots of people, but it was only one. One with all these lovely attributes.

I got to practice being a duck and letting their waves of rage wash over me. But it was harrowing and I am grateful the biggest hippy was there when I dropped in for a glass of wine, a rant and some tears on the way home. I am lucky to know and work with some pretty awesome humans.

In other news, the first little nubs of asparagus emerged this morning. I have covered them up with straw now....but soon my little darling soon. Welcome to SPRING

An a couple of hours down at the garden talking seedlings, inspecting various varieties of purple and green cauliflower, picking parsnips and being given purple taties...well, its all one needs to smooth the ruffled feathers.

that is all. for now.

Money Diet

Well, it was bound to happen eventually. I think it was that second pair of Mary Jane's being delivered by the little men* that did it.

Mr Duck Herder has put Mrs Duck Herder on a money diet.

I have an allowance. A quota if you will. And I have to write everything I buy in a little book. And the book will be CHECKED apparently.

Mr Duck Herder is on the money diet too. I suspect its going to become a bit of a competition.

In other news, I rode Selina home from the farmers market this morning. It was lovely. She was lovely. Her stem it just the tiniest bit too short, so I need to find a second hand one from a similarly old and weirdly sized bike......

that is all.

* the little delivery men.

Welcome home Selina

Yay. Here she is. All new. With a detachable basket don't you know. Selina passed her health and safety check with flying colors. She has new white walled tires filled with gue to stop them from puncturing, a newly tightened bottom bracket, a newly trued front wheel, adjusted derailer and shifters, new cables inside those lovely white casings and she rides and shifts and steers like a dream.

Total cost:

Selina: $20

Tires, basket and a general lovin': $200

She is too much fun to ride. I couldn't resist a few laps around the block in my skirt and boots. Thats the thing I love about Selina. I can ride her in whatever I am wearing - no special shoes or lycra.

I am thinking I will sell my road bike.......but keep my mountain bike because thats just too much fun as well. Selina is going to change my world, replace all those short drives whether I am in my work clothes or not, to pop down to the community garden to pick veggies, pop up to buy the paper...........

No more two sets of clothes to commute in. No more hunched over looking at only the road in front of me. No more having to change into my cleats and then hobbling around at my destination in my bike shoes. From now on I am fully clothed in my civilians, up right lookin' out at the view!

I love you Selina.

If you think, Vote Green

The Book of Awesome

Neil Pasricha was interviewed on Radio National the other day about his book "The Book of Awesome" and his blog: 1000 Awesome Things. Anyway, I laughed and laughed. How cool that someone is making life and money out of all the tiny wonderfully ordinary little cool things that happen each day. Neil Pasricha, I salute you.

He has collected all the usuals - you know, the universally awesome things like the feeling of cleaning out your ears with a cotton bud even though the packet says don't do it, getting the gauntlet of green lights, the car park fairy and all the rest. And some of them you will probably happily discover are universally awesome, not just privately you awesome. Awesome.

Ever since I have been PARTICULARLY noticing the little things and instead of my usual quiet "cool", I have upgraded my response to AWESOME.

Awesome things from this morning: (I know, so early and already awesomeness has struck)

1. The first sip of the first cup of the first pot of tea in the morning
2. Noticing your cat (the naughty one) quietly and confidently using the kitty litter in that embarrassed, self conscious don't look at me kind of way. (For me it is always a relief to be reassured that your cats continue to be perfectly litter trained)

In other news, the low chill flat peach has decided she has had enough of winter and is making a break for spring. What was I thinking getting a low chill variety for the ONC........but you go girl!

that is all.

Day 6

heehee. widdle babies.

eggplants are go

The little darlings are up already. Five days. It must be some kind of record. And its the Ukrainians out in front. They are even beating the Siberian tomatoes.

Its the little things.

Princess Castle Update

Things were warm and pottery today. I put in some cabbage seedlings

And started tidying up the veggie bed. I am thinking snow-peas next.

This straw was carefully pre treated by the ducks while it was in their house, and is now being used to mulch the raspberries.

And here is another update on Mr Bacon Avocado. As you can see, he is going very very well in his little hessian house.

Community Garden

How beautiful and warm and sunny it was today. Folks at the community garden are already talking tomato seedlings, eggplants and peppers. I picked leeks, parsnips, parsley and nettles to add to a chicken soup and parsley, sage and rosemary for a herbal tea.

Here is the news in pictures from my community garden plot.

Compost piles. These were 54 - 56 degrees today!

Field peas and broad beans.

Espaliered apples and green manure.

Garlic.

that is all.

Lacuna Sabbath

The Lacuna Sabbath came a day early today. I bought new shoes!

I took the lovely Selina in to the bike shop. Mal from Mal Adjusted thought she was delightful and he is sure they can easily fix her up.

We agreed she was a delightful color. I have been waiting on the phone call to say there is something expensive wrong with her, but it has been very quiet.

And in other news, the nice boys from South Pacific Hydroponics knocked me up an excellent stand for this big old flouro light the biggest hippy gave me. I can adjust the height of the light as the seedlings grow. This is very cool.

So in went some eggplant seeds.

From Franchi Italian Seeds: Melanzana "Violetta Lunga 2" and Melanzana "Prosperosa". From Phoenix Seeds: Eggplant "Diamond".

I don't know what it is about the Franchi seeds. They are imported from Italy. But the QUALITY is outstanding. Every time. No matter what. And you get HEAPS of seeds in each packet. They are worth every cent. They are my guilty delicious pleasure.

The Diamond eggplants are a Ukrainian variety. I didn't have much luck with them last year, my eggplant and capsicum seedlings got a bit damp and didn't thrive. So I will give them another try this season. Regular viewers will recall that Mr Duck is Ukrainian, so I like to pay homage to the mother country by growing Ukrainian and Eastern European varieties. The Ukrainians KNOW THEIR VEGGIES. This is why we have Black Russian and Black Krim tomatoes and 1000 varieties of beetroot.

I also put in a few swift and Siberian tomatoes. These are very early bush (determinate) varieties. Both around 50 days. My personal challenge is to have the first tomato ripe for Mr Duck Herder's birthday on 23rd November. You never know. These are not the main crop of course. Just something for fun. Its always a bit of a competition at the community garden to see who can get a ripe marty before Christmas.

I could only fit 1 1/2 seedling trays onto the heat pad, but I reckon the temperature should be OK for everything to germinate. I have been using the special projects room a lot to work in, so the heater vent is open in there, and the drying cuppboard is in there as well, so the room is pretty warm. It sure is a good use for this huge old light fitting.

OH, if you would like the contact for Phoenix Seeds, you need to ring or write to them for a cattle dog. The number is (03) 6267 9663 or PO Box 207, Snug, Tas. They have an excellent range of unusual veggie and herb seeds.

That is all.

Oh, I can't help it. These are my new shoes.

you gotta make your own

Hey duckie, this your new bike?........

So, not quite an original workcycles azor oma ......but with a lick of paint, some new wheels, new tires, an internal 8 speed hub, new crank set, possibly a longer stem, new brakes, chain guard and skirt shield, rack, baskets and bell I reckon it'll do. $20 from Tiny's Shed. Her name is Selina.

"hmm, cool bike"

The girls like her anyway.

PS - please notice lovely straw bale wall.

More evidence that the animals have taken over. Even though she is very big and fat Chu Chu feels the cold. She is able to open the lid of the laptop just that little bit more by herself, wake it up from sleep mode so it warms up and then well, sleep on it. And yes, she really is resting her head on the screen.