JUNE 2012 – ENERGY SLOWLY RETURNS

Flowers, flowers, flowers!

Lots of different shrubs began blooming and did soooo much to cheer me up! The three different Hakeas (“Burrundong Beauty”, “Pincushion Hakea” and H. drupacea) , Alyogyne, Erica, a prostrate Thryptomene, Grevilleas, Native Violets, Plectranthus, Lavatera, Hibbertia, ‘Eucy Baby’ and a tiny Goodenia. The Hardenbergia “Happy Wanderer” and many Acacias were filled with buds, all of which cheered me up like anything and encouraged me to get outside – even if the weather was freezing!

Hakea laurina

Hakea drupacea

Hakea - 'Burrundong Beauty'

Ayogyne

Erica "Darley Heath"

Prostrate Thryptomene

Grevillea rosemarinifolia

Plectranthus

Native Violets

Another Grevillea rosemarinifolia

Lavatera

Hibbertia procumbens

"Eucy Baby"

Bent Goodenia

Who says cottage gardens are more beautiful than Australian?

Back to work – at last!

It was early in June that I decided I just HAD to do something positive outside, so I embarked upon setting up my seed pots – quite possible to do with one hand.  I found some small fibre pots in the local nursery so set up two trays on the old BBQ trolley parked on the north side of the house. It’s protected from the south-west winds and ready for any sun that might possibly shine. I still have my home-made mini hothouses to keep them warm and I decided to experiment with overnight soaking in hot water with some Australian Native Seed Starter Granules.

I also organised a collection of larger pots with cuttings of various shrubs, etc. I’m hoping to produce lots of new plants for filling up the side of the now very empty driveway.

Sunsets – wow!!

June brought a few of those that made my heart and spirits rise. To open the lounge room curtains in the morning and see this is quite enough to make life worth living.

Alpacas!

We’ve decided to buy a couple – very exciting. Geoff’s getting a bit overwhelmed by the amount of mowing so, after some investigation online and discussions with local owners and breeders, it all began to look like a good idea and something we could handle. Some friends nearby have owned two wethers for over twelve months and were so enthusiastic about the lack of problems and their value both as grass-cutters and friendly animals to have around, that off we went to visit a couple of breeders.

We now expect to be the proud owners of two six-month old wethers by the end of September. This means we have time to get our fences and gates all prepared, protect a couple of small trees that we don’t want eaten and learn all we need to know about feeding, etc.

Bonfire

We finished the month of June with a big bonfire of fallen branches and prunings that had been collecting for about twelve months. A very pleasant way to get warm in the middle of winter.