Give peas a chance

Mark inspired me with  'Peas in our time' to show off to you the only vegetable in my garden that is doing well this winter.  I don't know what it is.  Bugs are destroying everything and I've been so tempted to go and get pyrethrum or something else!  Sigh.

The only thing surviving in the 15m long low planter are the chillies, herbs and silverbeet - oh and one brocollini plant!  Everything else has been eaten.

 In the detritus left by the bug eaten brassica, I've planted more peas.

More caterpillar damage...

The greens on the ground are covered and these are growing well at least.

Peas in my garlic!

 

Golden podded peas and wee sugar snaps...

 

At least Florence Fennel is looking nice and plump!

The bok choy up high in the apple crates are doing well which is more than I can say for the zillions I planted in the long low bed - all of them got eaten.

How miserable is the long low planter looking??  Not even the peas in there survived the attack of the slug, snail, millipede and caterpillar.

 So depressing...

We are harvesting broccolini regularly from the 5 plants that survived being stripped by the caterpillars.  Actually I found a caterpillar floating in a vegetable broth I made the other night.  I picked it out and continued eating! Ew.

Here are the flourishing apple crates - aside from the brassica anyway.

The sweetpea are getting there!

The golden peas are getting a bit unwieldy must build better supports for them...

Go in peas and have a lovely peasful weekend

OH PEAS!!

Winter Wednesdays

I'm joining in Winter Wednesdays today, alongside my blogging mates Hazel and Ali!

It has been FREEZING here in Melbourne, lots of snow on the slopes already.  There are peeps of sunshine throughout the day and I am thankful for winter for the simple joy of sitting in the sunshine or in front of the fire with a steaming hot mug of lavender earl grey, loacker biscuits (plenty of food miles I know but I just adore them) and a good book (I won't mention 'work' which is far more likely lately).

 

I hope you are cosy and warm wherever you are!

Fantastic Mr Fox

As a hen keeper I am always fearful of a fox managing to find its way into my back yard and getting into the roost.  I've always thought foxes only dare come out at night but I heard sad news from a friend this week who lost 2 of her flock to this fellow - or lass! - who very boldly came during the day whilst the hens were free ranging and ate two of them.

This bold fox returned later to see what else he/she could catch and my awesome friend Mun (who would have the best blog ever if she blogged) caught him/her on film!  Mun - you take brilliant photos, thanks for letting me blog these! 

Here is foxy loxy at the door...just checking out the place...

And here. Waiting to catch more hens.  Poor girls  :(

And here sneaking away...

And here just standing proud and saying hi.

Isn't Fantastic Mr Fox magnificent?  Such a beautiful creature.  I can't help but admire him/her.  We all have to eat..but really can't the foxes make do with plump rabbits and field mice and leave our fluffy knickered girls alone?

Now that I think about it I really do have a thing for foxes. 

one of my favourite books!

one of my favourite dresses

my favourite brooch

Fox tea towel

Now what does that say about me as a hen keeper!!

Babka

Once a month I meet up with a group of girlfriends at this lovely little cafe/bakery. I've been going there for nearly two decades now! And it never fails to warm my heart. So many memories sitting there in the steamy warmth in winter with the fragrance of good coffee and freshly baking bread enveloping me whilst I sit pouring over notes - or chatting with a few friends about life, politics, the environment, boyfriends...girlfriends...then wives...and husbands...then children! Friendships sustain you as surely as food and wine do.

Another place I love on the same shopping strip is the little garden nursery.  Love the water vessel - reminds me of an artichoke!

I couldn't resist taking home hairy harry :)

Confused by winter...

One of my apple trees is confused...it's started to blossoms and we've just started Winter (day 4!) here in Melbourne!  It's been frosty and rainy in my garden...so why my little espaliered apple is blossoming I just don't know! I've counted 3 blooms so far...whilst it's dropping leaves too!

 

Elsewhere in the garden the snowpeas - golden and green - continue to curl up over everything.

The hens are surviving the cold with the help of a hot water bottle in their coop of a night.  They call out to us every morning to remind us to give them their hot porridge...whilst Astrid continues in good health although she still has her funny habit of only drinking out of little ikea bowls.

Cannot remember what I planted here but I think it may be spinach of some sort.  What do you think?

Florence fennel has put up loads of frilly hair.

The evil caterpillars continue to destroy my romanesco broccoli. But have mysteriously left the sprouting variety, not sure why am sure they are targeting them next...it's almost enough to make me want to use a pyrethrum spray...almost.

Rainbow chard just keeps giving more no matter how much we eat. I have clumps of it everywhere. The chooks can't get to these up here snug in their apple crates!

We'll be heading away soon on a holiday - my sister is house sitting for us but doesn't do gardening at all so we are just leaving the long low planter (15m x 1m) fallow for now.  As the caterpillars and snails totally destroyed the brassica (only leaving one!!) and other greens in there, there isn't much growing, just the odd artichoke, chilli and herbs... it's too cold to plant green manure and I really don't know what to pop in that can go untended.  Green manure really would be ideal but we're reached frosty winter now.  Any suggestions?