The Bok Flock

Settling in

2012-03-07T22:12:00.000+11:00

Hallo lovelies!

Conchita and Consuela have settled in beautifully, no blood, no squabbles in the flock, it's like they've always been here. And unlike the other girls who are yet to start laying, they give us a beautiful green and a beautiful blue egg daily (although the sizes vary).

Mr Bok made banofee pie - he rarely cooks let alone bakes so I was a bit impressed at this effort!

If you live in Melbourne - have you noticed how popular Mexican food has become lately? I had lunch here and it was so yummmm even if it leaves your wallet a bit lighter...

I still have no idea when to pick the babacos. Seems the possums don't know either.

The possums are still after my chillies and capsicum but the baskets seem to be working.

My apples are greatly confused - they've started blossoming for goodness sake...at the same time as ripening apples! On the same tree!!

Loads of self seeded tomatoes which I've had to pull out:

Any ideas on how to keep chooks off the verandah?

Conchita & Consuela...and the evil possum

2012-02-28T18:38:00.001+11:00

Being a guardian of a flock of boks necessarily entails endless contemplation over the acquisition of more and more hens...who knows why this condition exists in chook keepers but it's always there.

Pumpkin mandarins and flowers from the garden

So when I found 2 araucanas in need of a new home I couldn't resist. I'd been thinking of adding to our flock for a while now anyway but the thought of a massive dustbowl that I thought might ensue always held me back. 5 full grown full size hens roaming the backyard without a care.

Another thing to ponder. Why is it that araucanas are always named Conchita and Consuela? Surely not every buxom lass in South America is a Consuela or a Conchita? No doubt if I ever acquire an araucana rooster he will be named Inigo Montoya. In fact I think I'll get a rooster just so that I can name him after one of my favourite characters.

I digress.

So in the peak of the crazy storm in Melbourne last night, there I was on a wild hen chase aquaplaning through water past my tyre tops on the freeway making my way to the hens. Of course the part of the world they were in was quite dry but they endured crazy driving on the way back to my place. I'm sure they snored in the dark the entire way ignoring the erratic driving and the pelting rain.

Today, their first day, they spent in the coop learning that it is now 'home' whilst the other bok flockers roamed the garden as usual.

Conchita (with tag on her leg) even laid us an egg! A green egg.

The other girls however are still freeloading *FROWN*

Welcome Conchita and Consuela!

The tragedy that is feeding local wildlife unintentionally

Meanwhile can someone confirm that it is a possum (we have LOADS of them on our street) that has eaten ALL of our capsicum and ALL of the red chillies (having left the unripe green ones). Surely not a chook could be so neat? Not a scrap of fruit left. Neatly bitten stalks left behind. No signs of scratching. I've never seen the chooks up on the apple crates but I have seen possums sitting on our fence laughing at us.

GONE! ALL GONE OVER NIGHT!

GONE! All the red chillies - GONE!

the late summer garden

2012-02-18T20:25:00.003+11:00

It's late Summer in Melbourne.

Those hot arid days where the unrelenting sunlight dessicates any living thing in the garden still appear but we are getting a few cooler days of low 20's (thank goodness). The garden has gone brown and the grass is still crispy underfoot. We've pulled out most things now but a few remain valiantly and determinedly pushing out new growth.

Pulled out the kiwi fruit that was never really happy in this spot and I've planted a native gem lime instead.

The grass in the pot is lemongrass that has gone brown and resurrected many times...

The peppers, chilies, zucchini and herbs are still prolific but the rest have gone to vegie heaven

The chillies are thriving

Have you seen white flowering thyme? I love thyme in all its varieties but the white flowering is constantly covered in petals and is so pretty

Pulled out the cardamom - after nearly 2 years they never did flower let alone set pods so I decided it was time for them to go...

Valentines was lovely - I got the perfect gift, a speedball - not very romantic granted but I'm loving boxing at the moment

The yacon has been pulled up too to make way for a compost bin

The girls are getting bigger every day but no eggs yet. They are a funny old little flock of 3, they have a habit of sitting quietly together at dusk peering out across the lawn together.

I've been enjoying artisan bread, canoli and bombalone from Baker D Chirico in Carlton.

I'm looking forward to cooler days, chunky jumpers, cosy boots and lots of baked goodies!

What are things like in your part of the world?

True Food Guide

2012-02-13T11:03:00.001+11:00

The True Food network is looking for people to distribute their True Food Guide. This is an invaluable reference on GM free food and drinks making it easier to avoid GM foods when shopping. Check out their website for details.

Freaks me out that folk can make such careless decisions that impact an entire population and with wind and spread, an entire continent...it is something that once started cannot be turned back. I mean, really people, think!! In the words of one of my favourite movies, INCONCEIVABLE!!

Images

2012-02-05T14:23:00.001+11:00

Hey guys...I'm not posting as much as I'd like to mainly because of this...

And this...

Which naturally leads to this...

Meanwhile my old attitude on exercise

has turned into this in desperation to get my mind off work, night work and just life:

So if you'd like to sponsor my run look out for the page that I'll post soon. I'll be running for Oxfam.

So yup working 18 hour days hasn't been fun but I'm surviving ... just. I've taken up boxing and running where I can squeeze a moment in, I find it the only way to completely empty my mind.

Tim Tam has a fondness for the vacuum cleaner. I was hoovering up his fur (he's moulting heaps at the moment) and he stuck his nose into the nozzle. He liked it so much I've been vacuuming him directly and he hops around the house after the vacuum now. He must enjoy the sensation funny bunny.

The garden is very brown and crispy from the heat and lack of water but we have had a huge harvest this year so I'm ready to wind the summer garden down now.

Even though I'm not posting much I'm still reading your posts when I get the chance. Hugs - I miss you.

Mid January already??

2012-01-16T12:13:00.002+11:00

I've just realised I haven't posted here in a while...can't have been that long ago...surely not last year?? Can you believe it's mid January already.

Bonnie & Clyde stayed with us for a little while but I found their real owners - there were a couple of kids (well 20 and 21) who were looking after the house whilst their parents were away and they didn't secure the hens properly so they got out. They were so relieved when I turned up :)

The summer vegies have produced prolifically but are starting to die back now. The tomatoes are still making a heroic effort despite being shredded by hail and then fried to a crisp on a 40 degree day.

The sunflowers are all dying back as well, I'm waiting for them to form seeds so I can harvest.

Each day we harvest a few pale zucchini, gem squash and a few trombocino zucchini.

The Collingwood Childrens Farm have a great farmers market that we visit each month, but each month the crowds grow bigger and bigger.

I return for my Holy Goat fix :)

We've had to give produce away as we've had so much

We've been visiting our favourite Spanish grocer for the best Portuguese custard tarts in the world!

The corn was sadly eaten by the chooks or succumbed to the hail but I was pleasantly surprised to find one tiny plant had survived nestled in the pumpkin, looks like a tiny ear is forming as well. We harvested our first pumpkin! I'm not sure what type this is, but it looks better than it tastes because it was quite bland tasting more like a swede than a pumpkin!

We kept wondering why the mandarins kept falling off the tree. That is until I decided to pry one open to find to my delight that actually they were falling because they were ripe! So very tiny and still green but so sweet and juicy on the inside!

Summer has meant lots of picnic dinners in the garden.

Well lovely until the chooks steal your dinner that is. Gotta be quick with them getting bolder. I've given a lot of thought to whether or not to bond with them and name them. But it looks like they've decided for me and Miss Bok has named them Snowflake (light sussex), Koko (barnevelder) and Summer (welsummer). I'm still heartsore over my last 2 flocks but I'll get over it in time - or perhaps I won't!

Bonnie & Clyde - The Runaway Chooks

2011-12-31T15:37:00.003+11:00

Some people think I'm a bit odd.

But honestly, it's circumstance mostly...

We returned from a day at the beach late yesterday...

And as we pulled into the driveway, Betty, the lovely old lady who lives next door came running over.
'Have you got 2 brownish hens?' she asked and I nodded mutely as she hurried me up the street to Mavis and Frank's house (another old couple who live a few doors up). 'Mavis found them in her garden!'

Oh dear. I hurried along to retrieve my two hens who must have gotten loose. But as I entered Mavis and Frank's garden, I realised the hens who were happily mucking in at the end of their garden were not any hens I knew. But me being there and with Mavis and Frank panicking, I rescued the hens and them by attempting to catch the chickens. I asked Frank for a bit of bread to tempt them with but he kept telling me 'Hens don't eat bread! Mavis, did the young lady say bread? Bread what do you want that for?' Sigh...so I set about catching the chooks. I then asked Frank for a box but all he had was an old supermarket basket, so with much muttering I took the two hens anyway, one huge hen under each arm and toddled back up the street to my place, hens each squawking indignantly the whole way.

Have I mentioned that it was a gorgeous evening and most of the neighbourhood was out and about?

As I got to my place, a visitor was at our door with a bowl of macaroons. I had no hands free so long story short, I ended up with a bowl of macaroons in my mouth and a big fat hen still stuck under each arm, ringing my own doorbell with my feet. Of course by now a curious crew had gathered to peer at their odd neighbour and as every neighbour casually walked past our house calling out a cheery hello, I could only waggle a toe in reply.

'I've always known you were a mad woman' said Mr Bok.

Lovely.

Anyway I've called the two runaway hens Bonnie and Clyde, they are currently living in my yard until someone comes to claim them. I've down a doorknock but no one knows where they've come from.

As for my girls, they don't seem much bothered really. I still haven't named them. As I've already named the lost chooks I guess I'd better think about naming our own and maybe bonding. I'm still scarred from our last experience though. I hope someone comes to claim Bonnie & Clyde soon as our yard isn't big enough for 5 full grown chooks. I've always had 5 in the past but never of this size!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!! Wishing you a very blessed and joyful 2012 filled with adventure, laughter, growing happy things and love

All was quiet on Christmas Eve...meet our new hens

2011-12-24T12:44:00.002+11:00

Hello!

It's been chaos over here. It's that time of year I guess...why do the general public appear utterly crazy at Christmas? :)

Usually I am running around like mad too - but Christmas has sort of flown under my radar this year, I've been swamped at work both day and night job - and life's been pretty busy. My sister is hosting Christmas so I'm not even stressed out about cooking a huge meal! I'm bringing salads hopefully mostly from the garden. The garden is being very prolific thanks to all the sunshine we are getting.

Miss Bok was very funny at her Christmas carols concert this year...the principal asked a rhetorical joke/question ('I wonder what this class are meant to be? They are wearing something on their heads but I cannot work out what they are meant to be or what they are meant to be singing') and Miss Bok got down from her position on stage (all her class were facing with backs towards the audience getting ready to start their song) to whisper the answer VERY LOUDLY in her principal's ear ('Reindeer and Rudolph' - of course). She later told me she didn't want her principal to be embarrassed as it was a pretty easy question. I don't think she quite gets rhetorical questions yet. She got a lot of laughs which she didn't understand either.

Her principal looks quite surprised don't you think?

So on the day before Christmas, we are chillaxing at home, oh and I have pics to show you of our 3 new hens! They are not bantams but are full size but only around 11 weeks old. They don't have names yet. I haven't even tried bonding with them. I'm still sore hearted from the loss of our last flock. We now have barnevelder, welsummer and light sussex pullets. I don't think our garden could handle more than 3 full sized hens so it'll be a tiny flock of 3. A far cry from our usual flock of 6 bantams. I'm still so sad about losing them.

Anyone know when to pick babaco? We have little fruit! Hooray!

I thought the little ones had been opening gifts early...until I found a certain bunny in the act of eating up the wrapping paper from the gifts!

This is what I want to do. This is part of the kitchen garden at Miss Bok's school - the chook shed is connected to the garden that the chooks are allowed to access through that little walkway bridge that Master Bok is standing on, the space beneath allows the chooks to move from run to shed! Love it!

Phoebe - thank you so much for the seeds we've been eating loads of gem squash!

Greyzini zucchini and lots of it

Is there anything cheerier than a garden dotted with sunflowers?

Peach wine tomatoes! Yum! Orangey goodness.

Tomatoes putting on a great show

Too much trombocino...

Lots of pumpkin appearing at last

Mr Bok had his xmas present early - a ride day at Phillip Island

This little spider freaks me out everytime I pass the airing cupboard. Except it's a sticker. Such are the practical jokes of 3 year olds.

Have a WONDERFUL Christmas everyone - and if you don't celebrate Christmas, enjoy the festive season anyway - or stay away from the crazy folk in the crowds!

Funny looking things

2011-12-13T12:08:00.000+11:00

Don't laugh now. Or blush either.

When do I pick these?

Very rude looking trombocino zucchini...my mum giggles every time she sees them...

anyone ever grown them and know when to pick them...?

A fox trapper from foxabbit visited last week and put out traps for a fox. No fox yet though. The trapper was somewhat as I'd imagined he would be, but lovelier - a gentle man with a lot of respect for nature and yes, even for foxes.

No foxes yet...boo...

How does my garden grow?

My tomatoes are producing lots of fruit but the leaves are all wilting and the plants look like they are dying...boo...why??

Self-sowing purple podded pea surprises...

and lazy house wives

Phoebe's gem squash!

Summer fruiting blueberries

My apples are very sad looking ...

but the raspberries are yummy!

And what's happening with Tim Tam?

Spot the actual creature

Tim Tam loves play time with Master Bok (3)

Someone sent me this link on why seeds might not germinate, it reminded me not to plant too many seeds in one spot for germination.

Happy birthday Master Bok!

2011-12-04T20:31:00.002+11:00

Tomorrow my little Master Bok turns 3.

Happy birthday to a very car obsessed little boy, the cuddliest most affectionate little one I've ever met and who melts my heart with his little kisses and murmurs of 'I wuv you mumma'. He always asks me 'Are you ok mummy?' when he thinks I look sad or worried and he is very quick to offer me whatever he thinks I need -a hug, a sandwich, a kiss or his blanket.

Please indulge me as I share a few pics.

Day 1 & 2 after birth - amazing to see the change already

He also does odd things around the place.

When he's very quiet I find him reading V8 cars mags - or sticking things to his head in the back of the car

He can likes to rest in the most awkward positions

And I find my measuring cups stuck in odd places. And melon rinds lined up perfectly.

And now look at you, on you-tube already with your sister...

Happy birthday Master Bok!

A chookie update - thank you so much for your messages of support, you are a wonderful bunch of people and you make me smile.

I can't give up on keeping hens although I am ready to throw it all in. A house just doesn't feel like a home without hens. I'm not Mrs Bok without a flock to guard, no matter how poorly I've been guarding lately :(

But as the fox clearly knows I have birds...I've engaged the services of a fox hunter...he is coming on Tuesday to lay traps for the fox. He's asked if I'm planning on keeping hens again and if I am then to get them soon as live birds are excellent lures.

We've had our first bean harvest and collected 2 little tomatoes - lots of green fruit but with the lack of sunshine we're having lately none are ripening.

I'm loving the garlic flowers

That b*stard fox took my entire flock AGAIN

2011-11-30T07:57:00.002+11:00

I'm angry.

Angry with myself for not bolting the coop to my feathered family properly last night.

Angry at the fox for returning night after night after night in the last 6 months and taking my entire flock. Again.

Mostly angry at myself.

And I'm sad sad sad sad sad.

Mean Santa

2011-11-28T18:57:00.001+11:00

Have you seen this? Portable North Pole.

It's a video you can tailor for your child, it is brilliant! We set it up so that it said Miss Bok's name, had her photos, even mentioned a new addition to the family (Tim Tam)! And we also set it up so that Santa knew she wasn't brushing her teeth (she pretends to) and hadn't put her on the 'nice' list yet...with his encouragement to brush her teeth regularly in the lead up to Christmas so that he would visit her.

Well it backfired spectacularly. There was Miss Bok (7), open mouthed with amazement that Santa had sent her a personal email video message with all her pics in it, excitement mounting until the bad news that she wasn't on his good list yet. Then came the floods of tears. With Master Bok (2) consoling her, growling 'MEAN SANTA! MAKE MY NAANA CWY!! BAD SANTA GO AWAY!' (he calls he naaana as in banana).

Note Santa's mean face. And Miss Bok's (2nd from left) crying face. I'm sorry I can't rotate this picture. For some reason it just refuses. Sigh. Blogger, are you listening to me? Provide a photo rotate function please!!

Anyway, Christmas is happening at our place :)

With or with Santa!

Images and Questions (help!) from The Garden

2011-11-27T19:15:00.005+11:00

Hi everyone, it's been a bit quiet over here...it has suddenly gotten really overwhelmingly busy. A few things that have been happening - I had my birthday! 21 of course... NOT! HA!! Master Bok's birthday is coming up, a zillion other birthdays and farewells have been going on around us and I won a DVD (Poh's Kitchen - I LOVE Poh!) from Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella.

Most time consuming have been work at my day job (argh!!) and more excitingly, I've started a new UN volunteer project in Uganda which has been consuming most of my nights. It's in Kampala, Uganda, not Eastern Uganda or Libya this time. When I skype and converse with my team mates on the other side of the world, I'm always humbled by their intelligence, enthusiasm, positivity and sheer amazingness given their start in life. It's inspiring. I'm gearing up for a visit too.

Anyway I've got a lot of images below to show you what the garden's been up to.

I've got quite a few questions too so I hope that you can help!

Question: When those Garlic snapes open up, flower, then die - does that mean the garlic is ready...?

Question: Why do sprouts grow so readily (a jar, a bit of muslin and water) but still taste so ... not good? Why are pregnant women told not to eat them? I'm guessing it's because of what they may commercially be grown in (poo)

Question: How is it possible for tomatoes to grow this much in a space of a few days?? A few volunteer purple podded peas in there too. And other things.

Question: Any idea what these climbing things are? The seeds and leaves all look the same. I suspect they are trombocino. Or maybe spaghetti melon. Uh oh...

SO GLAD the darn artichokes finally flowered so I could admire then pull them out. They take up so much precious growing space...and I still don't know why people love them.

Question: How do you cook yours?

Question: What does one do with elderflowers? This elderflower bush is getting out of hand - too big with masses of white flowers.

Question: How does one know when almonds are ready to be plucked?

Question: When is my kiwi fruit vine ever going to flower...or even fruit?? Is it because the strawberries beneath are sucking their nutrition? (I have strawberry patches everywhere all over the garden in the hope that one day I'll be able to eat some - the ones not stolen by the chickens or the children that is)

At least my blueberries are thriving.

but...

Question: Can someone please tell me why only one of my apple trees has any fruit this year??

Look what popped up in the cape gooseberry :)

Hydrangeas! I love their fluffy blooms.

Question: Are only the flower bits of the chamomile used for tea...?

Question: How do new little things keep popping up on my desk...? Oh, I know!

Scaring foxes away

2011-11-20T15:06:00.002+11:00

This is especially exciting for those of you who are besieged by the nightly prowlings of a wily fox.

Now I don't know that it's all that scientific..and I have tried many things since my old flock got taken. Getting Mr and Master Bok to pee on the fence. Putting out bits of hair (I know! Read here). Randomly pouncing outside in the middle of the night yelling BOO!! just in case a fox was lurking. And yet...and YET!...there are still signs every night or two of a fox break-in attempt.

Enter Jamie Durie.

Don't go weak ladies.

It's only butterflies...

Of the flickering, glittering, solar powered kind!

I picked up these night lights at Big W. Because they were sort of cute and I was looking for ways of making our temporary chicken enclosure look more enticing. Little did I realise that these little babies would twinkle (yes they randomly twinkle off and on) all night long like some kind of wonky fairy landing strip. SCARING AWAY THE FOXES. No break in attempts in the last fortnight we've had them in.

$19 well spent I say.

The hens? Well they have thanked me by going broody. Joan and Teapot (Hypatia) that is. Whilst the others pace...up and down, up and down, every time Tim Tam is near by. He's no fox though.

In other news. I didn't make it onto Santa's list AGAIN this year. I'll have to try harder to be good.

p.s. Nope I am in no way affiliated with Jamie Durie (would be fun if I were!) nor Big W. I made an accidental discovery which may or may not work! But hey! It's worth a try.

Grateful for crazy tomatoes and apple cider to give life some perspective

2011-11-12T19:38:00.004+11:00

Something happened yesterday that's secretly left me a bit unsettled and quite a bit all aflutter - but hey that's life and I am but human! The sun does much to lift the spirit and wine does much to sooth the soul so to enjoy a gorgeous sunny warm Spring Saturday, we headed down the road to the yarra valley for some wine and came across a winery that makes the best apple and pear cider! They grow their own apples, pears and grapes for their beautiful drops of yum.

We stopped at de Bortoli too for some cheese...

A really lovely day. Just sun. Just a little family. To settle the secret unsettley bit inside.

Meanwhile back at home...

The recent warm stormy weather has brought on a massive tomato growth spurt! I seriously think in just 3 days the tomato plants have doubled in size and nearly snapped because they weren't supported well enough.

Looking after my vegies and watching them grow, the amazingness and reliability of it all. Plant a seed. Nurture it. Witness the tiny sprout unfurling then turning into a rampant fruit producing mass of leaves all with a mini ecosystem of its own complete with bad bugs, good guy bugs and sometimes little toadstools humming in the humus. In turn it nourishes me. My body. Gives me perspective, reins me in when unsettling things happen. Or don't happen. Or whatever. A garden can teach a person a lot of things and the learning and the reflecting opportunities are often underrated.

The ones in here are the most advanced, the others I planted on the

windowsills a bit later and are a bit smaller

In the chook pen I note much of the tomato fruit has gone mysteriously missing!

Look! Phoebe I think this is one of your gem squash!

Trombocinos or spaghetti squash. I can't remember which, honestly I think I need to make tags.

Cannot wait for the artichoke to flower so I can admire then pull the darn thing out to make room for vegies! There are 6 artichokes on my one plant. It's enormous. Really it's time for it to go! I don't like eating them but I love the bloom.

Lots of blueberries to look forward to...

The yacon has gone nuts. Anyone know when I'm supposed to harvest it?

On the left - little flowers on my tiny babaco :) One day I'll get fruit like the ones we saw at Diggers!

On the right...I'm not sure what this is...Hazel, I think you might have bought some at Diggers? I planted it over Winter and cannot remember what it is but it looks like it's forming berries! It's in my garden so it must be edible...

Nectarines but lots of leaf curl too boooooooo...I forgot to spray. Too late now.

We planted this stella cherry on the left over Winter and it's given us 4 cherries :)

And on the right a plum of some sort! I'm excited! Finally our fruit trees are getting enough sunlight now that the pine tree next door is gone and we are getting tiny fruit (not many but still!) and I'm soooooo excited!

This week I'm grateful for sunshine, for the miracle and pleasure vegie gardens bring and the thing called love that keeps our lives interesting. Linking for the first time to Maxabella, one of my fave bloggers. I'd really love to see your garden one day Maxabella!

Hope you're having a fabbo weekend x

p.s. Join in my Christmas appeal here

Bunny stew!

2011-11-09T21:04:00.005+11:00

Rabbit stew on the menu?

Recipe from A Beach Cottage here

- really delicious and so easy to make!

Nah. Nearly!

Thanks Supayana for the gorgeous outfit for Master Bok that arrived today!

Join in my Christmas appeal here

Berry Merry

2011-11-09T17:35:00.011+11:00

It's nearly the end of the year! And you want that feel good factor don't you?

Here's how you can get it!

http://berrymerrychristmasappeal.gofundraise.com.au/page/MrsBok

This is a really happy time for lucky people but can be a really lonely and sad time for others. Make a difference to a child.

I was a Berry Street kid myself once a long time ago and I can testify that they do amazing work. Click here to find out more about them.

I'd really appreciate if you could donate to this fantastic (tax deductible!) cause if you are able to/ if you want to. I know it's a time of year when charity fatigue sets in. And I feel a bit awkward putting it here on my blog - but I'm bringing attention to a great organisation. Perhaps you might know a child who is in need of help and now you know there is a fabulous organisation who might be able to do that. They helped me when I needed it.
Pay it forward I say.

Thanks for any support you can give.

Lately I've been wondering if I should monetise my blog...a few of you do, a few of you don't - and I doubt I would generate any income anyway but it would be a rather wonderful way to raise money for my favourite charities like this one. What do you think? Do you find monetised blogs really annoying?

p.s. Did anyone see The Private Life of Chickens last night on the ABC?? Loved it. But I was thinking 'duh' at some parts. Like when the hens congregated curiously at the fake fox. As if they wouldn't know!

Where I blog

2011-11-07T16:35:00.000+11:00

Thought I'd share my quiet corner with you. It's where I work, where I blog, where I draw (badly) and where I like to sit and watch the bees and the snails (yes snails!) in my roses.

I love peonies - they bloom for such a short season.

You see! Snails in my (rather wilted) rose outside the window!

Diggers with the Melbourne Blogger folk!

2011-11-06T22:40:00.005+11:00

I hung back unsure if I wanted to meet up or not at the end - cold feet! I was worried they might think I was a mad vegemite crisp toting crazy. They are all so very lovely you see. I don't know about them, but I had a fabulous day out!

We met up at Digger's Spring Festival at Heronswood Estate in Dromana - 'Hazel', Phoebe, VG and Barbara. They are every bit as gorgeous, cheeky, knowledgeable and friendly as they are in the on-line world. I kept asking Phoebe what things were and she knew every name. Very handy!

The idea was to meet on the garden tour. So we did.

But we (not wanting to incriminate anyone in particular...) got bored with all the talk of the house so we formed our own splinter group and headed straight for the vegetable parterre! What a wonderful idea! ...

Was always curious about what one did with those curly stakes. I rather like it!

I'm gleeful (and I really shouldn't be should I?!) that the Diggers vegie garden suffers from the evil white cabbage moth butterfly too!

Do you see all the diagonally espaliered pear trees?

Love the trunks of these ornamental banana - huge! and the tops of the carrots just poking out

A gorgeous location overlooking the bay

Heronswood Estate

Little friends!

Clive Blazey and a huge hedge of lavender beneath the citrus

that Phoebe was very taken with (I love it too)

I had lots of fun today. We shared drinks on the lawn by the pool, Phoebe was gifted a fig by the tree we were seated beneath and we were serenaded by the guy who usually mows the lawn. VG's monkey men are totally spunkalicious, sooo cute, whilst Barbara's Good girls were just that, littlest Good smiling at everyone she passed. I'm sure Hazel's goats would have loved to have come along.

I'd like to show you pics of us but...we want to remain a little bit enigmatic!

Can you guess which foot belongs to which blogger...?

I was so inspired when I got home. I pulled out a few more silverbeet trees, stripping them to give to the rabbit, the hens, for our dinner...to make room for all those seeds I bought. More beans!

I realise this has been a mammoth post all full of pics. But just one more. For Melbournites who may be interested...I got this in an email today. I won't be able to make it I don't think but you might want to check out a few vegie gardens! I LOVE looking at other people's vegetable plots!

Thanks to you lovely folk who came to meet up today - it was lovely to put faces to blogs. Sorry the rest of you couldn't make it, a long flight over for a few short hours for many of you :)

Have a beautiful week everyone!

OH NO! I've had messages from fellow bloggers who tried to meet us and couldn't find us!!!! SORRY FROG DANCER and SORRY BELINDA! Next time I'll leave up my mobile number.

The hens get hemmed in

2011-11-01T21:51:00.002+11:00

Now. I'm not sure if you know this about hens. But they can be wicked. And eat all of your carefully tended seedlings, sproutings and vegies. And lay eggs in your shoes that you squish as you carelessly step out in the dark.

So. The hens are getting hemmed in - for now, by flimsy chicken wire and stakes, in the near future by a sturdier fence or something else. Depending on how the budget goes. I know you laugh and say ha! give them 5 seconds and they'll be over that chicken wire in a flash! but if that happens I will add another layer of curly chicken wire and may even seriously consider clipping a wing. I don't think they will flap out and over, they have plenty to occupy themselves with in there (ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo famous last words...). Anyway for now this makes me feel like we've taken some control!

Thank goodness for the Melbourne Cup holiday. Isn't it wonderful, a public holiday so we can go bet on a horse race :) For me it's been a wonderful chance to get into the garden, mulch and hem those darn hens in!! Well, stand and instruct Mr Bok anyway.

I'm sure the humans are meant to be on the outside
and the hens are meant to be on the inside?

Tim Tam really wants out to join in the fun...

I've planted pumpkin at the back of their yard near the cape gooseberry

(do you like the stake?) not sure if it'll grow much as it doesn't get much sunlight

but hey it'll be fun for them to scratch around in.

No point to this pic above really other than wanting to show off my garden stakes!

Aren't they gorgeous??

So here they are. Happily ensconced in their bit of the garden. So far so good...a whole afternoon and escape yet!

p.s. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you folk on Sunday! I'll be on that 11am free Diggers garden tour thingy looking surreptitiously for yellow flowers or yellow birds...click here for details

The Bok Flock meet Tim Tam

2011-10-29T19:48:00.003+11:00

Such a squawking went up around Maple Cottage today, chooks losing the plot because a rabbit had invaded their lawn! Imagine! Anyone would think it was a fox or something. But no, it was just Tim Tam.

Artichokes are huge, when are they going to flower already because I want my vegie bed back!

I'd forgotten we had these!

Carrot bed is slowly emptying

Lots of blueberries on our 6 bushes this year...

Apples hopefully this year!

And almonds swelling

Mulberries ripening...yakon reshooting (hurrah!)

Maybe time to cut down the rainbow chard trees!

Yummmm...

Back to grazing. With only the odd indignant squawk.

p.s. DON'T FORGET! MELBOURNE BLOGGER GET TOGETHER NEXT SUNDAY!

YAY! We survived!

2011-10-23T21:02:00.003+11:00

WE DID IT!

WE SURVIVED 30 CHILDREN AT OUR PLACE!

Surely this is some kind of thing that is recognised internationally with some sort of awards ceremony?

We were panicking the night before as it was pelting down non stop all day and night Saturday. Us running with buckets from leak to leak. Thankfully the weather was gorgeous, Melbourne put on a glorious 29 degree sunny day for us. Wild action man came with a myriad creatures for all of the children to stroke and touch. Of course Miss Bok had a picture taken with a few of them :) Surprisingly she didn't scare at all not even one tiny bit. She is far less squeamish than I am and ever more practical.

Anyway...a few pics of the day...

Party bags

Pretty amazing cake of the world! Baked by a friend of mine, Elma. Normally I would bake a cake, however when Miss Bok asked for a cake of the world (she is very into the natural world, geology, etc) I sheepishly asked one of my good friends (we went to high school together) if she would bake one for me. Ta-dah!!

Antartica, Miss Bok & Tim Tam (see heart reef in the picture?

Miss Bok loves heart reef as we flew over it a few years ago.

My friend put it in just for her )

Notice the opportunistic, cheeky hens taking good advantage

of the distraction by sneaking off with food from children's plates!

Miss Bok with a potaroo

Miss Bok with a monitor lizard and a stumpy tail lizard

The mini Boks with tree frogs!

Cries of 'Is it dead??' No...just Joan having her dust bath :)

With a 'baby' (HUGE!) olive python and another python

The favourite of the day was Charlie the baby salt water croc. The children all loved touching his rough tail.

Dessert...honeyjoys, brownies and cake!

Time for a rest! I adore this skirt from Made590/Made By White

the storybook rabbit is one of my favourites!

The only casualty of the day. One of my huge silverbeet trees. It really is massive and probably had to go anyway!

Maple Cottage

2011-10-20T13:26:00.000+11:00

Last weekend there was a lady stopped on the street, car running, staring at our house tears running down her cheeks. I asked her what was wrong and if she needed help. She said that she had wonderful memories of visiting her aunt as a child - her aunt used to live in our house many decades ago. I invited her in but she smiled and said perhaps another time...I think she was a bit embarrassed that I'd noticed her but I'd have loved to have heard her stories and have her share some memories of our little cottage...

Although Maple Cottage needs a fair bit of restoration work, a new roof, foundations to be fixed as she is sloping now, asbestos concrete removed etc she really is a grand lady, I imagine her cosily sharing in our conversations, watching over us kindly, giving friendly advice about child rearing...I imagine her as a quirky, cool funky and well read grandma with a lovely blue rinse in her hair, sparkle in her eyes and great shoes. Always surrounded by friends and family.

When we first moved in we had a family of tawny frogmouths in our front garden living in the paper bark - can you spot both mum and baby in the second photo below?

...and a nest in the backyard where a mummy bird would come, rest then head off to grab a drink for 5 seconds before returning to settle on her nest.

Maple Cottage is nearly 100 years old. She is an old double brick californian bungalow. We are her fourth owner, everyone who has lived here has stayed at least 30 years before retiring to the sea or to the country.

About a month after we moved in (after pulling up carpet, sanding floors, painting everything white, scrubbed out the fireplaces, etc - see pics on this old blog long forgotten ready to resurrect once we embark on our grand renovation plans whenever that may be) we received a lovely letter in the post. It was from a complete stranger who used to live here when the house was built, she found the old house plans in her aunt's estate when her aunt passed away and sent the plans to us thinking that 'whoever now lives here will find them interesting'.

Her letter spoke of an unmade street where rainboots were left at street corners for stepping into on the way home and a little mini river crossing the street. That creek has since gone and is now parkland.

I often wonder about the people who have lived here, how much they have loved this home and I can feel the lovely house around me smiling each time I give her a bit of loving care and fix this or fix that.

Happy Birthday to my very special Miss Bok!

2011-10-18T19:56:00.004+11:00

Today is my little Miss Bok's 7th birthday :)

It started at 5 this morning, with baking of fairy cakes for her entire class before sharing breakfast together and heading off to school/work. The party is this weekend...oh nooooooooooo...30 children at our place! EEK! I hope I survive. Being the generous soul she is, Miss Bok is always concerned about people being left out so the whole class is coming to our back yard! Watch out Bok Flock!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY GORGEOUS GIRL! You are smart, kind, practical, fun, funny and sensitive...bossy, argumentative, vacillate between acting like a teen or an old grandma and sometimes you are uncertain but with with time you'll grow into a confident young lady, you already know who you are so don't be afraid to step out as yourself.

Love you lots.

Apple blossom from the garden, a gorgeous birthday card my cousin made

and sent with love from Canada. Miss Bok chilling out with a sleeping bunny...

Always busy around the garden, checking hens and giving them a cuddle

You used to be so little...

Don't forget the Melbourne bloggy get together! I promise not to rant about the success of the coal exploration ARGH AWFUL we know what will come next...

Melbourne Blogger Get Together!

2011-10-13T21:50:00.001+11:00

Hallo!

There's a certain comfort in blogging semi-anonymously, knowing that your caterpillar eaten vegetables and your mini-rants are on display but that you'll never have to look the reader sheepishly in the eye...

Potager at Chenonceau taken here

But then quite unexpectedly I find that I've discovered a whole new world of friendships, you lovely folk that I've met through this bloggy world. Such gorgeous people who offer understanding, support, advice and kindness - who else can you sob to over fox eaten chickens, who else will understand the anguish of carefully tended vegetables destroyed by slugs overnight, who else shares the simple joy of seed propagation, worm finding, composting...the peaceful contentment that comes from wandering about the garden first thing in the morning with a cup of tea, or sitting out quietly amongst the vegetable beds chooks clucking at your feet.

So...I'd love to meet you - really meet you!

If you're in Melbourne/Victoria and you're interested in meeting up, I'm suggesting we meet:

Sunday 6th November 2011

11am - Garden Tour

(join the free garden tour and I'll meet you there!)

Spring Festival

Diggers, Heronswood

Now I know many of you Victorians live far and wide - so if you have any other suggestion for a meeting place please let me know! I'm happy to change the venue!

How will we recognise each other? Well I've posted pics of myself here before I think...but I'll make sure I wear a yellow bird brooch/necklace! How will I recognise you?

I'd love to see you there.

Chookens caused mild panic and a bunny update

2011-10-09T12:44:00.000+11:00

I had a moment of panic. I came home, called for my chickens...and nothing. My panic grew, thinking a fox had come by daylight AGAIN and taken my flock...I raced around calling frantically waving bread (their favourite treat oh so bad for them) and heard little shuffling noises. They had hidden right around the side of the house, flattened up behind the gate eating at all the bugs they'd found there. PHEW!

On the left - here they come. A tad sheepish.

And here on the right...they like squishing up against the

vegie apple crates too. Lots more bugs I suspect!

This artichoke plant has 4 artichokes growing!

I'm not an artichoke fan but they are so interesting to grow!

I'm going to let it flower to get the beautiful blooms.

The mulberry in the pot is doing so well, covered in fruit!

I'm going to transplant it into the garden bed. hopefully it'll spread a bit more over time.

Lots of strawberries dotted about the garden...didn't

realise I'd get fruit so early, I'd better sit

them up on mulch

Pulling up the young purple sprouting broccoli plants - no space for them now!

The chooks can enjoy them.

I've left 3 purple sprouting in, although I'm tempted to take them out

to make room for my summer vegies!

On the bunny front...

He is just too cute! Washing his face.

Using the litter tray.

No accidents at all so far! Tim Tam has been just perfect

Kids like reading him a bedtime story. We close the enclosure at night.

Master Bok (2) giving Tim Tam a gentle pat.

Maple Cottage adopts Tim Tam the Bunny

2011-10-08T12:26:00.002+11:00

Each year, when asked what she wants for her birthday, the response is the same.

Miss Bok (2): 'Wanna bunny mummy'
Me: 'Maybe when you're a big girl, like 7'
Miss Bok (3): 'Wanna bunny mummy'

Me: 'Maybe when you're a big girl, like 7'
Miss Bok (4): 'I want a bunny mum'

Me: 'Maybe when you're a big girl, like 7'
Miss Bok (5): 'Muuuuum I really really want a rabbit for my birthday!'

Me: 'Maybe when you're a big girl, like 7'
Miss Bok (6): 'I'm nearly 7. You promised me a rabbit mum!'

Me: 'OH CRAP!' (when did turning 7 happen???? It seemed so far away!!)

So...Miss Bok(6) turns 7 this month. And I have to make good on my promise.

Well I've been searching around for a bunny and decided to adopt one from the Rabbit Runaway Orphanage. They take in bunnies that have been found, taken away by the RSPCA, or taken to the vet to be put down by owners who have decided that bunnies aren't for them after all. The Rabbit Runaway Orphanage does amazing work. Last weekend we went to visit them in Olinda to pick out a suitable bunny.

The orphanage really is a bunny haven. Even the location is magic, up in the Dandenong Ranges. The drive to Olinda is gorgeous, we head up into the hills often. The shops have the most beautiful wares.

Have you met miss jones

We fell in love with so many of the bunnies, but many are very sick and need constant care and careful monitoring - not for a household with two small children. The care, passion and dedication Bryce and Judy have for their orphans is heart warming.

Miss Bok and I picked out 'Cuba' (Miss Bok has since renamed him to Tim Tam). He was taken to Save a Dog by kind people who found him, took him to a vet who then brought him to the orphanage from there. He is a very sweet boy and we brought him home this weekend.

Isn't Tim Tam adorable??

Plenty of greens in the garden for him to eat...

He has his pick of greens from the vegie patch - today it is

purple sprouting broccoli leaves and red oak lettuce

His area is here, with litter tray, food, cat house to sleep in - and free range (you can tell I'm a hen keeper when I can't find better terms to use than that!!) when we are home as he's been very good with using the litter tray so far.

I've learnt a lot about bunnies.

They should live inside because the strain of disease the government released to control the wild rabbit population has no cure or vaccine in Australia and many pet bunnies living outside die when they are bitten by mosquitoes
They can be toilet trained
They don't smell! (I guess unless you don't clean out the litter?)
They really shouldn't eat a lot of carrots - or even a lot of vegies!
They are very affectionate

Miss Bok is absolutely delighted! Her birthday is in a week or two so Tim Tam as she has renamed him, is her early birthday gift. Master Bok (2) is delighted as well.

Mr Bok wonders if we are becoming a farm.

The chooks haven't met him yet. I wonder what they'll make of him?

Spring time school holidays

2011-10-02T21:47:00.001+11:00

It's school holidays!

Yup I've a bit of that working mother guilt but hey there is enough in life to make you feel crap so I'm trying to crowd out those thoughts and am making the most of the days I can get off. I used to be one of the people so relieved it was school holidays because it meant clearer roads and less traffic. Now not only am I one of those people, but I'm also one of the people who think 'EEK! What will we do with the kids?' I'll show you shall I?

Baby wombats at the animal hospital in Healesville

Master Bok (2) loves the huge eagle at Healesville Sanctuary

Love the yarra valley wineries...

Mini railway at Eltham

It hasn't all been sunshine. Oh no. There's been plenty of rain for rainy indoor play too!

Oh Master Bok (2) loves the hungry caterpillar as much as I did when I was a tiny Mrs Bok!

The Very Handsome Caterpillar...

And my favourite. Quiet days in the garden.

Miss Bok is watering the seedlings we've transplanted from our

windowsill to the planters - our water tank is overflowing!

Loving apple blossom on our young trees

Bums getting fluffier as the girls get older

We gave up...took up our picnic moved indoors and left the marauding hens to the rug. They are sooooo greedy!

Hens sharing our picnic blankie, had to give them seeds to distract them from my toast!

My tiny black cherry tomatoes are flowering...they are still so small though!

Planted out my zucchini, hope late frosts don't get them, they've spent so long on my windowsill! Really would love a greenhouse...

Artichoke is growing daily! Hooray!

Last of the fennel

The last of the golden podded peas

Lots of lettuce and herbs

Anticipating a good blueberry crop...

Finally - fair trade chocolate that tastes great and makes me feel almost healthy! The quinoa puffs are fabulous in it! Pity about the huge box of cheezels I just ate though.

Hope you are enjoying the school holidays! What have you been up to...?

Tender green spears stand up to Zeus

2011-09-28T18:21:00.003+10:00

Sitting here utterly drenched after standing out in the teeming rain, enduring a full blown lightning show whilst thunder booms overhead and the clouds roil cheerily in the heavy grey sky. Normally I love thunderstorms, the thrill and the majesty of it all. Not so much when standing in the rain. Why in the rain? Well, lightning hit the building at work of course so an evacuation was in order...where do we evacuate to? Where else but the wide open green area! Where the rain falls so heavily it's like a waterfall with tiny slats in it. And in an evacuation there's no time to grab an umbrella. I clutched this to me though as I climbed all those stairs down and out...

Luckily there are some creatures who love being out in the thunderstorm soaking up the rain and the energy in the air. Yup. Asparagus! The best! A colleague and friend of mine has an asparagus farm in the family...

and he brings in boxes of it to share with us :)

Apparently they love thunderstorms. This is the time they grow the most. I can just see them stretching up and up into the swirling storm soaking up the electricity and growing big and juicy.

They are going to pull out some of their crowns...and guess who is going to get a few? HOORAY!

Uncomfortable navel gazing

2011-09-26T09:57:00.004+10:00

Despite being crazy busy at work and gearing up for school holidays, I've spent the last week in a great deal of contemplation. Just thinking about how our every action impacts on the actions of those we've interacted with. And just how far reaching those impacts can be. Whether it's the choice of detergent we buy, where we shop, what we say when we are grumpy, how we deal with difficult colleagues, what we fail to acknowledge and appreciate in another person because we are in a hurry, what we say to our children when we've lost patience with their tantrum...although it is easy to show them how much you love them when they are being adorable!

Waking before the crack of dawn to be on a flight to Sydney for work and getting back late at night means lots of waiting-around-at-airport time. I do this trip frequently and I usually use that down time to squeeze in yes more work...but lately I've been spending it navel gazing. On my last work trip, I was sitting in the sunshine (why does it always seem to be warm and sunny in Sydney!!) having a coffee, about to head into a meeting - and I felt someone staring at me. I looked up and it was someone I used to sort-of date a long looooooong time ago, I met him right about the same time I first met Mr Bok. We exchanged pleasantries but it was a bit odd, I still feel terrible for hurting his feelings all those years ago and meeting him out of the blue again - I don't think he's forgotten it either. Then later in the week I bumped into my first 'real' boyfriend when I was a teenager many moons ago - he broke my heart! and never fails to apologise for it when we run into each other so obviously how he behaved (appallingly!!) when he was a young one still bothers him. I've long forgotten it.

It's a very uncomfortable feeling to know you've hurt another person. I think that sometimes it's easier to forgive another person than to forgive yourself. Sometimes.

Now usually the quiet thinking I do isn't all that quiet, it's railing against the unfairness of humanity, trying to make a difference to lessen the hot feeling inside I get when I think about it, being a UN volunteer means I do it because I feel strongly about the disadvantaged, the marginalised, the majority of the world who live their reality without basic human rights, those that just don't have the same opportunities that we do here in Australia. Then there is Hazel's post which I had to stop reading because all of the points that make her cross make me cross too!

But the quiet thinking I do when I look back on all of the things I've said or done that I've regretted...I wonder about the people who say they live with absolutely no regret.

I've come across many articles discussing the Amnesia Drug Metyrapone lately, simplistically put, it can delete or block bad memories. This must be fantastic for people who have lived through severe trauma and just can't move on with life or entertain any happiness because of it. I've thought about how great it could be. I wonder how many people would use it for things they had done that they regret? Or if they would choose to used it to block out bad memories caused by someone else. But having experienced many different sides of life, ultimately for me, I'm thankful that I have lived through so much and the bad memories that I used to polish all the time have taught me a lot about how to live my life today, how to be stronger and how to better treat others.

I think you are a pretty lucky human if you've lived a few decades and haven't experienced heartbreak or regret. Or perhaps it's the other way around?

Hypatia (or Teapot as I've taken to calling her - not

quite as noble but seems to suit her more!) tries

to take slurps of my tea whenever she can. I was having a
rare quiet moment on the lawn with my cuppa.
When I looked up, Amelia and Florence were on my shoulders
and Teapot was drinking my tea.

Mystery Layer Found at Cluckingham Palace, Maple Cottage

2011-09-18T13:59:00.000+10:00

Look who I found laying her little white eggs :)

It solves that mystery then! I also found Hypatia laying her nice brown eggs :)

The quiet pleasure of hanging out with the chooks has helped alleviate some of the angst I'm currently experiencing with a gloating Irish husband after the rugby loss last night. Sigh.

I've found our first artichoke! Tremendously exciting but really, given the enormity of the leaves and scarcity of vegie growing space, I'm not sure that I'll grow them again! I've also been finding that the leaves are hiding little baby snails...

We have had beautiful brekkies at the boathouse and also at the Collingwood Children's Farm this weekend, a favourite haunt. I really really want to get some ducks but Mr Bok is yet to be convinced...

They can't be that messy can they?

For my anorak soulmate

2011-09-09T08:12:00.002+10:00

Happy anniversary to my very wonderful husband - my anorak soul mate as we call each other.

We have had so much fun and so many adventures together over the years, the future with my best friend and the love of my life is rosy indeed.

Elephant Chew xoxo

Our first almonds!

2011-09-08T19:01:00.000+10:00

Hooray! We have our first almonds! Last year the almond tree blossomed but bore no fruit...but look what I found this evening! YUM. Gorgeous little furry almonds...

Our first almonds! Hooray!

Hrmmmmmm one of the young hens is laying every day...I think it's Joan, the millefleur belgian d'uccle, apparently they lay tiny white eggs!

The last fruit trees to bloom in our garden...our apples!

The jungle-like greens patch!

Spaghetti squash sprouting...

Purple podded peas, so cute!

An eggcellent mystery on an eggcellent day!

2011-09-03T15:33:00.000+10:00

Hrmm.

After a jaunty morning spent at Cafe Vue and the Heide grounds with the family in the absolutely stunning Spring sunshine...

We arrived home for me to find this in the coop.

Hmm.

The one on the left is the usual egg that Hypatia lays. The teeny one on the right...well...I'm not sure!

Now I don't know about you, but I don't think little bubba chickens are supposed to lay eggs! My girls are all definitely very young (about 12 weeks now!) - with the exception of Hypatia...so who laid this teeny tiny egg today??

No other point of reference handy other than a bottle of nail polish! (sorry)

There is some odd teensy tinsy egg laying business going around Melbourne lately. I just opened my mail to find this post from VG! She has a teensy tinsy egglet too!

I'm baffled.

Which one of you girls laid this teeny egg. Unless it was you Hypatia, laying two on the same day??

A truly eggcellent mystery...

Farewell old Brown Shoes

2011-09-02T08:12:00.001+10:00

Farewell old 'Brown Shoes' as we call you as you used to sing out 'Broooown Shoooooes!'.

I'll miss you calling out to me 'Hey Bella!' I'll miss sharing ice cream with you in the summer and coffee with you in the Winter...exchanging stories and admiring your spirit. You came such a long way, you made me stop and think about my own life many times and you've inspired me to put aside my grumbles and focus on today. You've had more courage than most people I've met. Takes a very special kind of courage to stand up, take responsibility for yourself and turn your life around like you did. You also struggled with dependency, your determination taking you strides and bounds ahead, leaving drugs and alcohol clear behind you. Yet you never spoke much of it, you only ever had a smile and a cheery word. The people who supported you with their generosity and hope and belief in you - they inspire me also.

Vale old Brown Shoes. I will never forget you.

Chook Nappies...should I??

2011-08-30T10:19:00.000+10:00

Yup. I'm thinking of going there. Chook nappies!!!! Have I lost it altogether?? Just getting Master Bok (2) out of nappies and now considering getting my chooks into them!!

Spring on my windowsill

2011-08-28T21:05:00.001+10:00

Like my fellow garden lovers in Australia, I'm delighted that there is a definite Spring feel in the air :)

Seeds are sprouting on my windowsills and in the garden, it's a magic time of year and I am more than ready to shake off winter! I've bravely put seedlings of tomato carefully nurtured on the window still from seed out in the apple crates, knowing jack frost is still visiting through the week. Silly aren't I...ever the optimist!

The potatoes in the empty chook feed bags are doing well I think...

And I've been enjoying the sunshine spilling through the window onto my little rocking chair under my fan palm, Professor Lewis Carroll.

Hypatia our mumma hen has even laid an egg for us and I'm very pleased is teaching the other young ones how to eat - that is, they watch her and copy her. Her egg contributed to some baked goodies...

I'll leave you with a cartoon I giggled at whilst flicking through The Big Issue the other day...

Name my new chooks!

2011-08-27T17:37:00.002+10:00

Update: The langshan is now called Amelia (Earhart) and the big fat pekin is called Hypatia (of Alexandria, mathematician and philosopher, she was a great Greek scholar and teacher). Together they join Nancy (Wake, Bird) the astralorp, Joan (of Arc) the belgian d'uccle and Florence (Nightingale) the Frizzle bantam. Thank you for all of your wonderful name suggestions! I just need a bigger flock to use them all!

The last two chooks have joined our flock...but I need help naming them!

They have to be named after a female hero as I talked about in this post...

This is a 10 week old bantam langshan.

And this is an almost grown up pekin, I keep calling her Brunhilde but I really don't know what to call her!

What do you think? Do you have any suggestions?

I decided to get a near-adult because the young ones don't seem to know what to eat...which sounds really silly...but something very sad happened on that bittersweet day I mentioned in my last post. That morning, at dawn, I went to let the bok flock out. Something was wrong. Artemis came out very slowly and usually she is first to run out. She was all fluffed up and clearly unwell, even going to sleep on the lawn. I panicked and took her to the vet.

The vet told me that she was incredibly weak and very very thin. He didn't know what was wrong, but gave her a general antibiotic and anti coccidia. He suspected she may have been ill when she first came home with me and as chooks hide their illness very well, didn't show signs of sickness until it was too late. She died just after we got home, resting in front of the fire. I was devastated - mostly because I didn't even notice how thin she had become. I'm not having much luck with chooks lately am I :(

So...I then paid very close attention to how much the rest of the flock were eating, also dosing them with amprolium and vitamins just in case. They never eat the treats I give them - hot porridge, mashed up boiled egg with vitamin and nutrition powder, not even their feed! So I decided to get an adult hen to 'show' them what to do - some chook to copy. I also changed their feed.

I only got one near-adult because I thought she would be less inclined to be a bully and more inclined to want to be kind to her fellow chooks. So far so good! The new girls are far bossier than my other three but they are getting along fine so far although the new ones don't want to leave the coop yet.

And as far as eating goes...she is a champion! The others have been watching her intently and whenever she pecks at something, they copy her too and I'm pleased to say they have been eating more and putting on more weight. It is a bizarre thing to me to have chooks that don't know how to eat...but they are very young...and thankfully seem healthy.

Look! The young ones are even eating the overgrown bok choy I pulled out for them! Joy :)

Florence and Nancy sunbaking

Magnolia Square on a bittersweet day

2011-08-20T18:41:00.001+10:00

Hello!

For those of you in Melbourne - isn't it an absolute cracker of a day! I've missed sunshine sooooooo much.

It's been a bitter sweet day, not ready to tell you about the sad bit yet but I will later on this week.

For this post I'll focus on the sweet.

One of the things we did today was head to Magnolia Square to visit a friend of ours who has the most covetable product line! The last time I posted about Magnolia Square, it was a beautiful Autumn day. This time it is a beautiful early Spring day! (well it's still winter technically but with the blue skies and warmth, it feels more like spring). Magnolia Square is a curated market place for independent artists, designers and makers from around Australia. It's held at different locations at different times of the year.

Here are a few pics and I also asked some of my favourite exhibitors to tell me their favourite plant...

Dragonflies from Love AJ

Sam from Red Wagon loves growing lilies, she loves them so much she named her daughter for the flower. I love Red Wagon and Miss Bok's classmates often get something red-wagony for their birthdays!

I love Makemeiconic - I often give gifts to friends leaving for distant shores to remind them of home

A skulk of foxes

Gorgeous acorns from Down to the Woods - Amber likes succulents best as she is convinced she has a black thumb...

Gorgeous freckle ottoman from Down to the Woods! Amber's garlands can be seen all over my home...more pics here.

Amber's garlands on my dresser

I bought this skirt from Heavenly Creatures for Miss Bok (6)! She will adore it, I want it in my size, I'd definitely wear it! Kelly from Heavenly Creatures loves peonies and fluffy hydrangeas.

Oh I LOVE http://www.vintageprints.com.au/ ! Last time I met up with Martine I came away with rather a lot of old prints! I posted here what I did with some of them. Martine is a succulent plant lover as well.

Master Bok (2)'s room

See all the framed prints on his book shelf?

This gorgeous book 'My Bed is a Boat' hangs above my bed!

And this 'K was once a little kite' sits on my dresser (with garlands from Down to the Woods)

I mentioned my friend B in a previous post. She is one of my every day heroes - her newborn has had to go through traumatic heart surgery and a raft of procedures, I don't know how they are coping but her precious bundle is just about ready to come home and I am more than ready to meet her! So when I saw these gorgeous bracelets from Little Lamb, I had to get one for sweet Y. A little bunny one for her bunny guardian angel. Caitlin from Little Lamb loves jasmine - a lady after my own heart! Nothing like the smell of jasmine to prompt that joyous Spring feeling!

There were so many beautiful displays, I didn't get around to them all because my camera ran out of battery and Master Bok (2) was itching to go but really it was a beautiful hour spent browsing beautiful things and meeting the designers.

We also visited my favourite garden nursery, Bulleen Art & Garden to grab some organic soil that's on special there at the moment.

Back home, we pottered about the garden in the sunshine enjoying the company of our little family.

Discovered more peas (purple podded? Golden? Snow? Sugar snap? No idea!) shooting

Long forgotten celery growing well

Potatoes starting to grow in the empty chook feed bags (you can see I've tried lots of different types over the last year!!)

Not sure what these are - some kind of pea and something else!

Has anyone noticed their strawberries putting on a burst of growth too? I've got strawberries all over the garden largely unnoticed, but I'm starting to see them put on glossy leave now (yay!!)

Planting out the raspberry shoots - the tall one is an older one, the little ones and sideshoots planted out - lovely Tash from my local permaculture group had little raspberry runners she was giving away so I put my hand up for some! The gardening community is so friendly, so generous and so lovely to be part of.

Our citrus are putting on a burst of growth!

Did you know that bay trees flower?? I had no idea! The bay leaf tree growing in the pot has never flowered, but this one growing here has the most gorgeous flowers rather like the wattle/acacia blossoms. The much neglected mulberry is forming fruit already. Love it - the most generous of trees I often think.

Almond blossoming

Plums blossoming

Lemon and limes fruiting

Look where I found Florence...perched high up on the sunflower!

More plum blossom

Dwarf nectarine blossoming

Little lemon myrtle flowering

Blueberries in flower

Hope you have all had a wonderful start to your weekend! Magnolia Square is still on tomorrow so if you're in Melbourne head on down, it's in Ivanhoe this time around.

Winter Wednesday - How Peasful

2011-08-17T07:54:00.000+10:00

A joy of winter in Melbourne must be the picking and shelling of fresh peas from the garden...

And roasting and crushing of eggshells to feed to the bok flock :)

Saw our architect last night. LOVED the plans they have come up with, match perfectly what I drew up and outlined to them. But...the cost...is DOUBLE what we thought it would be. Sigh. Dreams...floating up high...out of reach...

Linking up to Hazel for Winter Wednesday. Over and out.

The places nagging will get you

2011-08-15T19:09:00.002+10:00

I don't think I've posted so frequently in a week before!

But look what Mr Bok came home with...

It fits in quite well with our old kitchen I think! (can't wait to get a new kitchen...2 years to go!!) - oh and that's Harry in the sink getting a good soaking

A few months ago, my old Le Creuset pot broke (rather I broke it) after nearly 20 years of daily use. Couldn't afford to get another one and have been bereft ever since. Every time I cook I must have been muttering something about missing my pot because finally Mr Bok assured me we'd get another in August...so it's August! and the other day I noticed 30% discount at one of the big stores here and got on the phone right away to reserve one. Mr Bok heard me and gave me a lecture because we are still in so much debt after all that holidaying business. We've all been there. I was chastened but I guess Mr Bok is missing his casseroles and curry and everything else because he came home with it today. Hooray!

Some people covet shoes. Some people covet bags. Some people covet clothes. But not me! Me? In my old holey sweater? I covet pots. And plants. And art prints.

Way to go for 'spending tax return money anyway' as he puts it, even though we haven't even lodged a tax return yet :) Does anyone else do this??

I can't wait to cook with it again.

Meet our new family member!

2011-08-14T20:04:00.003+10:00

I drove past this fan palm today and couldn't resist rescuing him from his position on the sidewalk outside a florist and took him home with me. It was quite some feat getting him into the car, but with him peering over my shoulder as we drove home, I felt quite pleased with myself.

going to have to move that picture. Oh and get a proper plant pot!

Isn't he gorgeous??

He needs a name! (yes I name all our indoor plants)...any ideas??

UPDATE: Thank you for all your suggestions! I'll copy my response below here:

Well I ran your suggestions by the fan palm.

He stayed perfectly still when I called him Pat. Ignoring me.

He also stayed perfectly still when I called him Lou but I detected a quiver... [the central heating may have had something to do with it having just come on at that very moment]

But when I called him Professional Lewis Carroll, Lou for short, he waved his graceful heads around in assent! [I choose to ignore the central heating now blowing full force]

So his full name is Professor Lewis Carroll to name him after Lewis Carroll (although his real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, did you know that??) after one of my favourite authors.

He just seems an intellectual kinda plant you know? :D Plus he looks like he kinda belongs in the land of the jabberwocky. Am I a bit wacky

And I didn't mention Frederick! There was assent there too! Not as much as there was for Professor Lewis. Goodness. Wonder what'll happen when the heating goes off.

Farmers market on a frosty morning

2011-08-13T14:36:00.003+10:00

Got up, let the bok flock out...

And took the family to the farmer's market at Collingwood Children's Farm! I try never to miss this market because it is just so good and it's located at one of our favourite places. Miss Bok (6) has had her birthday here at the farm every year since she was 2, classmates in tow...daycare mates...then kinder mates...then primary school mates! She is growing up too quickly. She told me that she didn't want her birthday at the farm this year - she wants a pool party instead! Who's pool I wonder?? We have large puddles but nothing remotely resembling a pool. She told me 'don't worry about the details mum'. Riiiiiiiight. 6 years old but really she vacillates between being a teenager and a grumpy old lady.

It was a really lovely way to spend an early Saturday morning. Even though it made my toes go numb and this flock of HUGE Light Sussex made Master Bok (2) cry by stealing his pancake as he was lifting it to his mouth, not just once, but TWICE! Cheeky!

We were back home in front of the fire by 9am. Cooking for friends who are visiting for lunch.

A lovely box full of seeds arrived yesterday...lots of planting to do this weekend - can't wait to do that too! I'm really looking forward to spring. This scarcity of sunshine is really awful.

Hope you're having a lovely Saturday too x

Every day heroes

2011-08-08T16:04:00.001+10:00

I know - our new chooks have names - but they have been renamed in honour of Nancy Wake aka White Mouse who passed away yesterday aged 98.

Portrait of Nancy painted by Robert Hannaford

I have always loved history and have long been fascinated by heroines like Nancy Wake and Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc) - I think about my life, the challenges I face, what I complain about - and then think of the amazing women who have shaped history and am just humbled.

Jeanne d'Arc set about trying to recover her country from English domination and lifted the siege of Orleans in only 9 days all whilst being a teenager! Today I got my daughter to school on time, am working from home on my 'day job' and have given in to a 2 year old already (he wanted crisps and cartoons, I wanted to take a conference call in peace, Master Bok (2) got his crisps. In front of the television. Watching WonderPets. I fail !!!!) and haven't even thought about what to put on for dinner yet.

Nancy helped thousands to flee the grip of the Nazis, as a Resistance fighter in France, topped the Gestapo's most wanted list and strangled an enemy with her bare hands. Last night for my 'night job' I looked at how to educate farmers in Eastern Uganda and how to create and maintain a desperately needed seed bank for them - but without electricity, ability to keep seeds dry and cool - again I fail!! Oh and I also encouraged Mr Bok to go and pee in the garden because even thinking about trapping a fox and what to do with it afterwards gives me the heebie jeebies (I've had many suggestions from boinking on head to wheelie bins full of water ugh I don't like foxes but I don't think I can bring myself to kill one either let alone strangle it with my bare hands even though it murdered my hens!! Again, I think I fail).

Plum blossom

Nancy Wake led an amazing live, she was a fearless and passionate woman who fought for what she believed in. She also learnt that her husband was tortured and killed for not revealing her location. Now there is another hero. Some people say that circumstances create heroes but I think that heroes create circumstance. How much worse off our world would be without the courage and perseverance of the human spirit.

Almond blossom

I'm also humbled by 'everyday heroes' - by Wayne, the homeless man who sits and draws on Bourke Street and sells his cards/art instead of begging - who always has a story and a kind word for me. Everyday heroes like my friend B who has recently had a baby - but that baby is in ICU at the children's hospital because she had to undergo major surgery at birth to correct several heart defects - so many heroes in that scene alone, the team of surgeons, the courage of the baby, the love of the parents. Another hero in my friend N who puts herself down all the time as being a 'just a stay at home mum' and cannot see that she is doing anything special with her days - but whose love and self sacrifice are just incredible if you examine what she does every day and how much of her soul she puts into those children. There are everyday heroes and people who inspire everywhere, you just have to look a little closer at their stories.

So, please meet Nancy, our light blue astralorp. She settled into the coop right away, no bickering whatsoever. This is her, looking up at something.

I've nailed flexible clear plastic on the coop to keep the rain and draughts out - I just pin and unpin the sheet so it's very easy to use. In summer I can just take it off altogether as I've made little holes where the sheeting just pops on and off.

They are good at getting in and out of the coop now - but I've found a pigeon in their coop already! On day 1 of emancipation of the flock!

yellow stool I like to sit on to watch them

To remind me of my heroes and of the values they represent for various reasons I aspire to, I've renamed the flock. Thinking about what values they inspire in me, they all share similar qualities that I admire, being courage, compassion, conviction of belief, confidence and optimism in the face of adversity and dogged stubbornness where it comes to doing what they believed was the right thing no matter what their culture told them they couldn't do.

Nancy - the new light blue astralorp (Nancy Wake - and come to think of it, Nancy Drew as I was a child reading her books!)
Florence - the frizzle silver pencilled plymouth rock (Florence Nightingale and Florence Kelley)
Joan - the porcelain belgian d'uccle (Jeanne d'Arc or Joan of Arc)
Artemis - leader of the bok flock so far! Hopefully if I name her for the goddess of the hunt (and animals and moon!) she will protect the flock from foxes!

Other historical females I admire:
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
Benazir Bhutto
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Actually the list is too long for me to continue...!

Vale White Mouse and thank you for reminding me of the women I look up to and the people around me that are sources of inspiration

Buying organic

2011-08-04T21:35:00.002+10:00

Well things are winding down in the vegie patch...I guess when you run away to holiday for 5 weeks you can't expect your garden to look after itself! I also didn't plant much in preparation for Winter knowing that we'd be away for a lot of it. So we took ourselves to CERES (one of my favourite places) for a bit of an organic vegie shop.

Buying organic can be a very expensive exercise and there is so much debate on whether or not it makes a difference to your health. I'm certain that it does - I'm positive anyway that ingesting endless amounts of pesticide isn't good for you - and I like organic farming practices and how much kinder they are to the earth.

I love foraging through farmers markets or looking in my CERES fair food box on weeks where I don't get time to go to market. I've ordered from Organic Angels too - but really the best way to eat organic is to grow it yourself. I'm looking forward to warmer weather so I can get right in with the planting! My garden isn't very productive right now.

My garden is looking like this at the moment:

Harvesting fennel for the first time!

Look at lovely Mr Buzzy Bee with knees laden with pollen! Love seeing bees in Winter.

Not much of a harvest...

The Environmental Working Group has published their guide to the dozen fruits and vegetables with the highest pesticide residue - and a list of the lowest. Farmgirl shared a fantastic link referencing the same research here: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#fbIndex1

The Dirty Dozen, or list of twelve fruits/vegetables with highest pesticide residue are:

Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines, Grapes, Capsicum, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce, Kale

Luckily we grow most of the 'dirty dozen' ourselves...although I never get a whiff of the strawberries between Master Bok (2) and the Bok Flock. And I only grow kale for the chooks because I don't like the stuff myself! Perhaps I'm cooking it wrong? Same with brussel sprouts - I only grow them because they are so fascinating to watch develop, but I hate eating them! <guilty> I tend to just give them away!

The research reveals that the vegetables and fruit that tend to have the lowest chemical residue or are the 'cleanest' are:

Onions, Sweet Corn, Pineapple, Avocado, Asparagus, Sweet peas, Mango, Eggplant, Cantaloupe (domestic), Kiwi, Cabbage, Watermelon, Sweet Potatoes, Grapefruit, Mushrooms

Some of the things on the list surprised me.

I guess my bank balance will continue to look unhealthy and I'll have to keep working full time until our garden becomes more productive! Until then I'll continue to buy organic where we can afford to.

Most of you probably only ever eat from your own gardens going on the amazing produce you display on your blogs...but for those of you whose gardens are less productive like mine...do you buy organic...?

p.s. The girls seem happy in their new abode but the fox has been back...signs of digging each morning...argh!

The chooks are in the coop!

2011-08-02T21:49:00.004+10:00

Fingers crossed the fox doesn't get in tonight.

I'm nervous.

But it's pretty solid all the way around...and steel mesh well covered and screwed in on the bottom as well as dug into and covering the ground! Now the last thing left to do is to insulate the roof and devise a better way to hang feeders and waterers - ah well for now cable ties will do!

We went with wood despite my misgivings about it - because colourbond/tin etc would get too hot in summer. We've treated the wood with a natural pyrethrum product specifically for coops, so no mites can live in it but it will need to be an on-going prevention, meanwhile I'm planting all around it with the mosquito repellent plant, rosemary, lavender, wormwood, lemon verbena...all the things that bugs don't like! Hurriedly took a few planters from elsewhere in the garden and stuck them around the coop, they look good there I think!

Can't wait for the weekend so that I can get more planting in and do more with the coop and the girls!

They didn't know how to flap up to the doorway to the roost so I had to place them in there tonight, I figure another week on and they'll work it out! In a few days I'll get them out to free range whilst I'm home - they should have worked out where 'home' is by then and be able to find their way back in.

I'm so looking forward to planting sunflowers and hollyhocks all the way around the coop :)

Won't get much sleep tonight, I'm sure I'll be up every hour racing down the garden to check anxiously on the chooks. Wicked fox stay away!!

The coop is getting there!

2011-08-01T18:22:00.001+10:00

So whilst the coop is getting made, the girls have been sleeping here!

They don't seem to mind at all...in fact they're getting quite tame being around us so much! They are sticking to their huge circle of newspaper because anytime they scuttle off the newspaper onto the floorboards they slip and slide and hurriedly flap back to their makeshift perch and newspapery area.

I took them outside for their first foray into the Great Outdoors.

At first they were reluctant to leave the inside - their perchy box and the house!

But after an hour or two they got used to being on the grass and had a good nibble at the broccolini plant I dug up and gave to them.

Little Florence or Fizz as the kids call her kept wanting to come back inside though.

She escaped from the temporary enclosure and got lost wandering back in...

Can't wait for the coop to be finished...needs steel mesh reinforced all under the coop so foxes can't dig in, a nesting box lid, perches, a new roof (this one isn't insulated so will need to insulate it)...nearly there! I have one of the first prototypes of its kind so the maker and carpenter are refining it as we go...a painful process but I'm patient if it means my girls will be that much safer. Hopefully next weekend they can move in!

Making the steel mesh as tough as possible.

You know that the mean fox(es) took our entire last flock...well during the week I went out into the garden to look at 'things' and found bits of my favourite girl Astrid. And a huge hole. The fox had obviously murdered and buried her - then came back to dig her out again and cart her off. I was physically sick. Very much so. Couldn't bring myself to blog about it - the grizzly aftermath - so I've stuck this in here amongst a sunnier post.

So I'm focused on making the coop as tough and predator proof as I possibly can. I've investigated lots of fox deterrents, from bait (!) which I still couldn't face, to getting Mr Bok to pee on the fenceline! and this odd idea of hanging human hair collected from hairdressers and sticking them into old stockings and hanging them from the fence! I'm sure none of these work but it just goes to show how desperate folk are to protect their livestock from foxes.

I've decided to order foxlights - who knows if it'll work but I'm willing to try. I couldn't bear going through that loss again. I won't let them free range unless I'm right there in the garden with them.

Hope that all your hens are safe and that you go out and have another look at your chook pens. Have a great week!

Winter Wednesdays

2011-07-27T13:13:00.000+10:00

When it's too frosty for little chicks to be outside...

It's time for cuddles inside!

Brrrrrrr sure was cold this morning...

Linking up to beautiful, quirky, funny and perspicacious Hazel and her Winter Wednesdays...