After several hours during the week clearing and cleaning up a messy garden my day started like this
Howdy doody, everyone. Put the kettle on again, Bushie.
Eventually got out of bed. Must have had a rough night of tossing and turning. I was wrapped up like a mummy and simply "dying" to get to the loo - I was trapped. Well, as you see I'm now extricated and relieved and rearing to go.
Took a step out the door to examine the "estate" and sniffed the air. I don't know what it is, but there's something brewing in the weather; it doesn't smell right. They're forecasting a hot 38degree day. It is quite warm now - maybe it's the smell of warm dew.
So Amber has been keeping Dan Murphy's stock rotating, dining, "ginning", and getting a flyscreen stolen. 
That is the weirdest thing to steal. Or was it a flyscreen door? I have a couple of old ones of those, that someone would find appealing. But steal off the driveway and one only????
Hi there greencat and dawau. I love the smell of sweet peas too. But I think stocks are amongst my favourite "smellers".
When we haven't gardened/planted for a while, the timetable for planting is overlooked. When we see "showoffs" parading their prized blooms before us and we remember the perfumes, we want them. And we want an instant fix, now. I think we should just buy a bunch from the market for now. And start preparing the rich soil they require in a position where there is good air circulation for next season.
Bushie, my pa used to sow the seed on St Patrick's Day for sweet pea. What was your timing?
b3 : the dreaded asthma. Hope it eases soon for you and those exercise-inhibited pooches get to have their walk with you.
Morning Freddie, all go, go, go in your day again. The dust does creep around the nostrils.
Hi there lyndal. When we work for ourselves, we put a lot of slogging hours in, but in the longrun we usually benefit. I'd hate to be a driver/delivery within a major city though.
It's good to see our kids use the experience of their part time/first jobs in attaining good, sound employment later on. They surprise us sometimes, don't they?
Peeking at Sandy's photos, well, the vege patch looks fabulous. Frank will be shaking his carrot or polishing his zucchini before we know it. Did I leave something off there. Twice?
So Bushie, what did you buy? Other than too many of the doodats. What's the next project.
Wondering if Az has sorted out the surround for her pool.
Debra's probably taking delicious photos of the "early morning dew kissing a rose bud". Or, just sleeping in.
If I appeared to miss anyone, it's because I'm back and forth to the washing machine, toaster, kettle......
Back later.
DEB
Oh wow, they look healthy bushie.
Good morning everyone. Telstra could be here in 5 mins - hope they're early anyway.
I have to attack this cake today - the wedding is tomorrow week. The bride asked if she could come around yesterday to have a look. They only have the almond icing on yet so I stalled her until next week. Can't dlo the big one until the end of the week because it is mud cake so I had better get the other 2 tiers finished.
We are quite tidy as the moment as we have just had all our fences replaced. The bricks where the raised garden is is where the clothesline was - we put a pull out one in instead. We have besser brick gardens in the back yard and we had to remove all the dirt as they were against the fence they were replacing. For a unit, we have a good size yard. The chooks have a good yard one side, the back yard has the bbq area in it and the garden is in the other side yard.
Hope your day is a good one - best get dressed before Telstra arrive.
Frank's tomatoes and lettuce plus other seedlings in his greenhouse - there are more tomatoes outside the greenhouse as well:
I thought, gee those fences are high, let alone the tomato plants.
Then I realized they were taken by a 5ft (and 1/2 inch) person.
DEB
I remember pa had curtains of hessian for plants that needed protection from both sun and frost.
He did have seedlings under glass panes for both wooden seed trays and large sheets directly over seeded areas of the annuals in the actual beds.
His garden used to be judged early September (I think) for the garden competitions of the era. Somewhere, in amongst my hoardings, I have his garden diary and the original Yates Garden Guide with pencilled notes throughout.
Only yesterday, I was using his spade and garden fork, still with the original handles. I do as he did with their upkeep. The handles and shafts are oiled (usually linseed oil) and stored in a deep tray of sand impregnated with oil. (I have been known to leave them out overnight just so they're ready for a quick early morning start.) I often slot the garden hose into the handle of the garden fork as a sprinkler whilst I pull out some pesky weeds - just as he did.
So, my pa is nearly always with me whilst I tend my own garden.
DEB
lol Deb, yep, only 5'1/2" but the fences are higher than normal. We had 6' put in - they used to be 5' and are much more private now.
My dad used hessian as well and he always used the Yates Garden Guide. I have one but not the original one.
He was different than your Pa in that he left his tools where he finished with them. Mum would come along and pick them up.
I've got all the cake stuff out and just waiting for Telstra and having some late porridge for breakfast. Best get started.
