the new (growing) year

Well it's the beginning of October tomorrow and that means in spite of the dreadful dry conditions, my thoughts are turning all green...

Acer palmatum in spring green attire

I'm starting to get itchy fingers to be planting out the spring garden. Over the winter months we have done an incredible amount of cleaning and sprucing up around our very large yard - laying tonnes of mulch, clearing out weeds, consolidating garden beds, pruning trees and hedges....

grevillea 'moonlight'

This growing season I'm going to attempt to keep better garden records - I'm inspired by my late grandfather, who was a spectacular gardener, and used to keep wonderful records of all his planting and harvesting times on the back of used envelopes - which he tucked into the local telephone directory... well new times call for new methods (I'm not knocking your envelope/directory system Pop!) so I'm going to keep my record of planting times, bed rotation, harvesting, seed varieties and such like - right here!

On a simple level I just thought it would be nice for me to keep accurate records of what's happening in the garden, so I can look back on things and keep an eye on what worked and what didn't - then I thought, if I'm recording it all here, maybe it might be useful or interesting for other gardeners - and well to be honest I thought that maybe it will help me stick to my 'to-do' list if I post it publicly!


So my plan is that once a week - on the weekend, I'll put up my 'to-do' list in the side bar of the blog, and in another part of the side bar I'll have a 'jobs completed' list - and here in the posting section I'll highlight some of those jobs with a few nice pics and maybe the odd instruction or two.... well that's my working plan - and as any good farmer/gardener is thoroughly aware - plans should always be open to change according to the prevailing conditions (that's my out-clause!)

Banksia baxterii

I think it could be loads of fun for all the family (hey I've got to motivate the mob here somehow...) and as I think this season is going to be terrifically tough, I think it's worthwhile documenting it....

So stay tuned - in the next post I'll try to give some basic information about the garden so that everyone understands the garden's state-of-play (and I'll have that first 'to-do' list posted... I promise!)

parsnips anyone?

The rapid onset of warmer weather has meant I've got some changes to make in the vege garden - first thing - all the remaining parsnips have to lifted right away... and just look at the size of some of them!




you'd think that a parsnip this big would be a hard and horrible creature - but no - this monster was soft and lovely from end to end - but what to do with such a HUGE specimen (there's only so much baked parsnip one can eat in a single meal....)

when faced with a parsnip deluge - my thoughts turn to...

SOUP!

and as I think my parsnip soup would make a convert of hardened parsnip avoiders, in the interests of parsnip appreciation I'm going to share it here:

Sams Creek Parsnip Soup (2009 version)

one monster parsnip (or about 6 ordinary sized ones!) - roughly chopped
3 small leeks (or one med. onion) sliced
1 small potato - cut into small pieces
1 litre vegetable stock (you can substitute water for a much milder soup)
1 teaspoon of each: mustard powder, tumeric, middle eastern spices, yellow mustard seeds
half teaspoon of each:mild curry powder, celery salt
salt and pepper to suit
dab of butter/olive oil



1. using a heavy bottomed saucepan - sweat leeks in butter/oil until soft (use a low temperature)
2. add spices and seasonings then parsnips and potato and stir - make sure spices coat the vege mix
3. add vege stock (this should just cover the vege mix - add water if more moisture is required) and bring to the boil
4. reduce heat and simmer until the vege mix is very soft and yielding (approx 40 mins)
5. roughly mash the vege mix - then blend the mixture until smooth




serve with a dab of greek/natural yoghurt or sour cream (serves about 4 hungry bodies)


yummmo!

in the garden...

Despite the shocking continuing dry conditions - parts of the garden are springing into spring...



dutch iris are so cheerful... these are some of the plantings in the 'white' bed that also contains white camellia, penstemon, salvia, geranium, roses, and other cottagey lovelies - oh and it did have foxglove - these got 'weeded' by Sass yesterday - don't hold your breath for pics of this year's blooms...




It's so restful to look out onto the white bed from my kitchen window - and to imagine that I'll someday have the time to sit out on the front verandah with a book....

ahhhhhhh wishful thinking!

Like waiting and hoping for rain.....

leaping lizards

I noticed this dear when it was cornered by our very naughty kitty 'boots'. After I removed said naughty kitty I rushed back to make sure that this lovely creature was ok - he is a small (and so I'd guess still young) eastern water dragon - I've noticed a few dragons in the garden over my time here at the creek - they are such characters!

In previous years (when the creek had water....) I've seen some considerably larger specimens - I once glimpsed one that was at least 1.5m long - he jumped into the water hole before I could get a piccie, or even a decent look at him




This one was only about 25-30cm long - just look at the face! look at the lovely skin! I just think they are soooooo adorable!


I'm pleased to report that a few seconds after I took these pics the dragon beat a hasty retreat back into my overgrown garden bed

fathers day with cats

Meet Rocky – he's the newest addition to the Sams Creek collective – he's been a part of the family for almost 2 months now – but he has not been co-operative in the photography department.... at last I've got an almost decent pic to share with you!

This is what I normally get....

I'm sharing it today as it's Father's Day, and our favourite dad here at the creek FP, is rather mad about cats (MAD!) and this is his baby really – Rocky is a Burmese (FP previously had a beloved Burmese who passed away about 3 years ago, so he has a soft spot for the breed). Rocky likes cuddles (especially the all-night sort), food, racing around the house like a demon animal, food, jumping up on the … (insert any piece of furniture that is out of bounds to little kitties), food, killing the pipe cleaner, food, and playing with Boots. The kitties have 2 preferred games – 'hide and seek and kill' , which is self explanatory and 'substitute mummy'... where Rocky attempts to suckle Boots (the desexed male bigger kitty).... hmmmmm not the smartest furry critter at the creek is our Rocky...

but it is nice that the 2 boys get along so well – and I think it's because Boots is shaping up to be quite a special kitty. He is only about 10 months old - but is very patient and gentle – great with Sass and EJ (he has already been to school for 'news' with Sass – and so very impressed he was with the ordeal too!). He is also very very BIG – I suspect he has his eyes on the guiness book of records 'heaviest cat' entry....

Next time I simply must post some pics of all our dogs - I can't believe that I haven't had a chance to tell their tale here yet – oh goodness no one tell them I've put the cats first or I'll never hear the end of it!