Caraway Thyme

This is only one plant, but it slowly covers bare patches and creeps nicely along pavers. It is easy to rip out, if it starts trespassing. When it starts flowering, it is absolutely stunning.
Rub the leaves between your fingers and you will enjoy the scent of caraway. Very nice in cooking.
Very nice to look at, too. At one end you can see some basil mint that managed to escape from a pot.

Red Currants Galore!

But what's new?! Every year around this time we look at the bushes and wonder what to do with all the red currants. They are amazing! Very prolific. The easiest things to grow. Totally low maintenance. Very, very pretty when laden with berries.

Another week or two and the first ones should sweeten up a little. As much as red currants will ever 'sweeten up'.

It's all a bit of a jungle at the moment. The grass (and weeds) are growing like mad. Lovely! :)

Tip of the Day

You know it's time to attach the fly net to your hat when...

... the flies start perching on your eyelashes!

The Entertainment

Oh. And here's the entertainment. It was nice. For a few minutes. We HAD to record it. (Because we knew that Tassie Gnome would be thrilled to bits. Or not.)
It did suit the occasion, I must admit. But after that song we just had to inspect a kitchen garden. Which was fantastic!!! (And far away.) I love kitchen gardens. :)

Back...

...from a very relaxing holiday. I took tons of pictures. Mainly of vegetables, gardens, table settings, food. And this:
Ummm... I am not sure I should disclose where I saw this menu. I might get into terrible trouble. So. How about it? Are you game? Would you like a bite of the main course?

4 days' entertainment

While the gnomes are off air for 4 days, this should keep you and your family happily entertained.

So, boys and girls, gather round and start dancing. "Twinkele, twinkele...."

The babies have left the building

All spare tomato plants have gone to a very good home.

This is my final list. All planted and looking good. Quite a few of them have already set fruit.

Anna Russian 1
Amish Salad 1
Black Cherry 1
Black Krim 2
Cherokee Purple 1
Dixie Golden Giant 1
Green Giant 1
Grub's Mystery Green 2
Grusha Chyorhaya 2
Heinz 1370F 1
Huge Black 2
Ida Gold 10
Jaune Flammee 5
Julie's Uncle's Whopper 1
Kellogg's Breakfast 7
Lime Green Salad 1
Marianna's Peace 2
Moldovan Green 1
Olomovic 3
Orange Minsk 1
Oregon Spring 2
Polar Baby 1
Red Cloud 1
Soldacki 2
St. Pierre 1
Striped Turkish Monastery 1
Sub Arctic Plenty 2
Tasmanian Blushing Yellow 2
Woodle Orange 1
Total plants: 59
Varieties: 29

Ps.: This happens when I am disciplined. You should have seen the lists I had the previous years. Tomatoes Anonymous obviously helped! :)

Black Viola

Is it just me, or does Viola look a bit grim? Or does she just have a very wrinkly smile? Or am I weird and I should stop imagining things? (No need to answer, thank you.) ;)

Let it be on record...

...that we got our first egg from our new chooks this morning!

Woohooo!

Ps.: Please excuse the floury scales. :)

Pure Indulgence!

Another batch of Spiced Chocolate & Orange Cake. Plus Tweedvale Pure Double Cream (50% Milk Fat). Yes, all in capital letters. As it is mighty stuff.We bought the cream at the Organic Fruit & Vegetable Stall (MarIan's) at the Lobethal Market. Go there. They have local organic fruit & vegetables, local milk & cream, olives, etc. Ah yes, disclaimer. They are friends of mine, and we occasionally meet up to swap seeds & plants and to eat and drink and be merry. Now you know.I may have to go for a long walk right now. I feel the kilos piling up. *urgh*

More Artichokes

Today's haul.

I think these call for Lemon-Braised Artichoke Hearts.

They are very versatile. Eaten hot or cold. Love 'em!

Nearly there!

I have been planting tomatoes the last few days. Good thing I was very disciplined* when sowing them in late winter. So now I don't have to agonise where to put them all, and they ALL look so good, I'm sure I could find a spot for another one, etc... Not this year. *smug look on face*

40 plants in the ground. Only a few more of one tiny variety to go. Yeah! There are some spares, but I am not even tempted to put them in the ground. I have plenty.

*Yes. 40 IS restrained (or 50-60) and disciplined for me. I should end up with 50 plants or so in the ground. It might be more. But who's counting?

The 2 raised beds with tomatoes. The bed in the middle is the potato bed.

Polar Baby is already bearing fruit. Yippeaahhh!

A glimpse of the tomato beds in the midst of the jungle.

Lululupins

I love taking pictures of lupins after a rain.

Today's view

It's a lovely day today. A light drizzle that has been going steadily since early morning. A little fog to give it all a slightly mysterious look.
I don't have to do any watering, but must have a walk around the garden soon to stomp on unwanted slugs and snails. They have already killed one of my zucchini plants. Not happy.

The Basil Bar

...is now open.

I still have 2 windows leaning against it. Just in case we experience another cold night that could damage the basil. Then I'll just cover the bar.

This is Lettuce Leaf Basil.

Checking out...

...the fruit scene!

How cheeky can you get?! This cockatoo landed on the balcony to survey the area. We now have rosellas, magpies, cockatoos, galahs, wattle birds, etc. eyeing our fruit. Batten down the hatches!!