Timing is everything!

Goodness me, starting a blog seemed like a good idea at the time but at the moment, there seems to be no time!  So much for being retired.   Currently organizing three community events and ongoing duties as Secretary for the local Angling Club.   (This'll teach me to go to the AGM - I don't even fish LOL!)   Poor garden has gone to wrack and ruin...

Got up for my morning walk last week and was confronted with this sight!

For a moment, I had the sickening thought that the ship had run aground but it appeared to be exercising its small boats!

Went to Candelo Markets on Sunday requiring early rising!  The whole sky seemed to be on fire!

Got home this afternoon to discover a big bag of lemons and a bottle of Mallacoota moonshine on the doorstep!   Lemon slice for the donor methinks!

Very excited as have just purchased a Furphy water cart!   We have a Furphy tank end (1920) that we did up as a water feature and will now have a cart to match!  The tank is circa 1942.  The picture beneath is not of our cart but it is similar with the exception of the wheels.

Our Australiana collection is growing!  In addition to the Furphys we collect Perfect teapots and Robur memorabilia.  I also collect Nevil Shute novels, particularly those with the beautiful old dust covers that were taken from paintings.  My brothers have added to my collection of Nevil Shute novels over the years for which I am most grateful!

Yoga class this morning - boy oh boy!   There are so many things you can stretch.....  Tracey also does beautiful felting and makes soaps and hats.

Surprise birthday lunch at the pub tomorrow for our lovely next door neighbour Eric.  When we first bought our block, Eric, his wife Lyn and sister in law Di wandered up through the back of the block and couldn't have been more welcoming.  Eric and Lyn hadn't moved here yet so it is a lovely irony that last year they bought the house next door.

Signing off now.   On the cards for tomorrow - throwing mulch around in a vain attempt to smother the weeds.   Can't get over the worms that have appeared where the last lot of mulch was layered!  Need to start planting some dichondra seeds to fill the cracks between the newly laid, home made pavers.  Chook house needs to be located/fox proofed as new chooks inbound at the end of the month.  Have to collect some prizes for Angling Club presentation night and think of witty things for the MC to say about each prize winner.   Off to the local community bank to collect posters for the forthcoming community forum and to the school to drop off inserts for the local newspaper (produced by the school).  Need to drop off a membership form - signing up a new family for the Angling Club.  Might even get some knitting in.  I was lucky enough to be given heaps of yarn from a friend and am using some of it to knit her a scarf that looks like the one beneath - the one I am making is green.

A beautiful day to start a blog!

A lovely winter's day.  I feel blessed to live in beautiful Mallacoota in far east Victoria.   The path to simple living is a winding one with learning opportunities at every curve.   Now is the time to start documenting the journey.

Geoff has just made a new batch of concrete flagstones for our garden path.  My job is to plant between the pavers and I'm experimenting with different types of plants - chamomile, thyme, mondo grass and corsican mint to date.   Just ordered some dicondra and pennyroyal seeds to complete the mix!

The chookhouse is sitting on the bottom deck, waiting for a coat of paint for weatherproofing.  We also need to lay chook wire underground to stop foxes from digging into the cage.  Can't wait to get chooks - I love the peaceful clucking, free range eggs are amazing and I want their dung for the garden.  

The garden is a mess albeit a productive one, even in winter.   So far this week I've harvested spring onions, rocket, endive, celery, asparagus, parsley, coriander and carrots.  Sewed lettuce, bok choy, coriander and pea seeds on Sunday.   I have my fingers crossed that the rabbits/bower birds don't get to them before we do!  Decent rain for the first time in years has seen an onslaught of rabbits.  Already they've eaten my onion seedlings and pruned the young natives to the ground.   As a result the garden is covered in wire cages of various sorts.  Not pretty but effective!  Can't wait for our 'living fence' to grow up.  Grevilleas and callistemons do well here and I've planted lots of different colours.   I'm gradually learning what will grow and what wont! 

I'm trying to grow non-hybrid heritage varieties with a view to seed saving.  My 'no dig' gardens have worked well despite a shortage of poop - have to chat up friends with animals! - and the scepticism of bloke neighbours who said that would never work (speaking slowly so I would understand!).

I always have a crop of silverbeet on the go - hardy, nutritious and good value!  My business name is Silverbeet Solutions in honour of the humble silverbeet.  (Business being a big word for a sole trader - I pick up the occasional gig doing research and analysis work).  Those that say a management consultant should not be called Silverbeet do not have a comeback when I point out that Apple is the name of a computer company.

A busy week this week.  Training tomorrow - I'm on the board of the local community bank and the 'L' plate Directors are being inducted in the mysteries of finance speak!  Unpaid labour but I'm passionate about the community bank model!  Also preparing for the Angling Club's Annual Presentation Night and the AGM.  Got approached by the Navy this morning to do some Reserve time but alas am not qualified for the position.  (Getting a bit long in the tooth!)

Off to feed the sourdough starter!  Fingers crossed I can get it working!