My spuds! And a lettuce too. My potatoes got hit by frost and after that they just weren't the same. So I harvested them and I needed a lettuce that day to. I seem to be having a lot of problems with snails and slugs. Time to crack open the snail pellets I think!

This is kind of neat. Download http://www.teachers-pet.org/ software, open up Microsoft words, and make worksheets, cross words, flash cards and more for your kids.

This is the vegie patch now. The green manure crop is now about 30cm high and almost ready to be turned and mulched in.

The second patch has now been 'no digged' and a green manure crop was put in over the weekend just gone.

Life has certainly been busy lately and I haven't been able to keep my blog updated. But thats ok. Life over the next 6 weeks or so should start to slow a little as I prepare for the baby.

I bought some great AIO nappies from a lovely lady on ebay. So we are all set to 'go cloth'. I've used cloth more or less with the other three, but never been completely happy. I love the AIO style, much like disposables, and so easy to use. I'm still yet to clean out the baby's room.....it's still the spare room, full of junk. I have 6 weeks to go.....it feels so far away......

Busy Busy Busy

Supplies for a crafty weekend

Firstly some thoughts from my darling daughter.

Scene: Day before school goes back after two weeks and one day's holidays.
Lily: Mama, do I have to go to school tomorrow.
Mama: Yes Lilian you do.
Lily: Can I have the day off then?

This weekend is going to be busy busy busy. I'm making paper bag albums for my mum and mother in law for mother's day. Something like this here. Not sure if they will like it but, hey to bad. I also have two sister in laws who are celebrating birthdays next week. They are both getting a quote book, again scrapbooked and made by me. And one SIL is also getting a scarf (if I can make it in time!). The other SIL got a scarf ages ago.

I'm also collecting fabric to make some gifts for my daughter's 5th birthday. Pinks and purples are the colour palette. I'm thinking scarf, bag and a hat......

In the garden this weekend I need to plants some beans, make up some bug spray and plant out the daffodils and tulips. The other bulbs I planted have started to emerge and the green manure crop is also doing well. I have two mice in the compost bin, having a merry time, so something needs to be done about that......

And I have picked up my book for Green Beans bookworm challenge. I'm reading Affluenza: the all consuming epidemic for the month of May. I first heard of this book at Crunchy Chicken's Book Club and it really has me interested. So if this weekend isn't already busy enough, I'll try and read a chapter as well.

Yep, busy, busy, busy.

Worm Farm

This worm farm was my first Mother's Day gift, seven years ago, and is still going strong. It's a worm swag type of worm farm. These type of worm farms hang from a support (in this case the patio beam), and have the advantage of not being readily accessable to vermin like mice.

It is also great in that it is easily moved around. This position is great in winter as it's close to the back door (which is near the kitchen), gets some winter sun (worms tend to slow down a lot in winter and is semi-sheltered. But in summer I tend to move it to another spot in our yard, that has full shade as the West Australian heat can be a bit much for my worms.

You really don't need to buy fancy or expensive set ups to have a worm farm. Those black can-of-worms are great if space is a problem, and are easily obtain cheap from the newspaper. However the best worm farm I've seen is one made from an old fridge. It was just turned on it's side, air holes were punch in the lid (the fridge door) and a pipe/tap was fixed to the bottom. This set up had the advantage of a greater amount of surface area, meaning scraps could be spread over the top and the worms could spread out and do their job. If you just dump scraps on top, it takes the worms longer to work their way through, meaning the scraps will start rotting and this is not what you are aiming for.

More Garden Work

The couch grass is causing me no end of stress, so I decided a passive aggressive approach is necessary. The 'No Dig' method does work, but needs to be done properly. I've half-heartily done it before, but failed as I didn't set it up right, nor did I continue with it. This method does smother the weeds, but couch grass is very resourceful and you have to be really on to it if you see it re-appearing.

The top layer is some mushroom compost. Around the edges I planted sweet peas, mostly so they can add some colour and interest over winter and also so my daughter can pick some flowers (she loves picking flowers). In the bed itself I put broad beans, oats and woolly pod vetch seeds. This is for a green manure crop and I purchased the seeds from the beautiful people at eden seeds. The green manure crop will help suppress weeds as well as add nutrients and (eventually) mulch to the garden bed.

More info on 'No Dig' garden beds here and a great video here.

A Productive Weekend

I had a pleasant, productive weekend.

I weeded around the apple and orange tree, and popped in some bulbs. Not sure if they are meant to, or even can co-exist, but it should look pretty if they (bulbs) pop up and flower.
I bought 6 punnets of seedlings, alyssum, calendulas, petunia's and pansies. They are mostly for Lilian to plant, she loves gardening, but also to encourage bee's and nice insects. They haven't been planted yet, ran out of time.... but will go in today along with some sweet peas I've raised from seeds.
I bought some weed killer (*gasp*) to kill the couch grass. This stuff is indestructable. It has invaded the vegie patch and I am fighting a loosing battle with it. So I decided it was time to get hard core. I looked online to see what other people have done to get rid of the stuff and decided on chemicals. Hopefully this will work.

I started the mock up for the Desira top over at Burda Style. If it works out well I might buy some nicer quality fabric and whip up a nice top for myself. I don't normally do mock up's, I'm far to impatient, but at the same time, I have a high rate of failures, or 'dress up clothes' (because that's where they end up). Then I get frustrated and nothing is achieved. So, hopefully doing a mock up first will help me make adjustments before I make the final product.

It's also the beginning of school holidays, which means a lot of 'what can I do now'. I firmly believe it is healthy for children to experience boredom, which I believe helps them think outside the square and also helps them creative their own happiness. However it's also important to take advantage of the extra time, and do stuff with the kids. I stumbled across the Crafty Crow, which is a delightful collective blog, with links to various crafty/arty activities for children of all ages.

Family Outing

My oldest has been involved with the million puppets project school and scouts, so when I heard they were going to have a big activity day in Perth, I said we would go.





Unfortunately, we left my husband and youngest child at home, hubby just doesn't get into these type of outings and the little one still needs her day time sleep. But the big two had fun.





I was pleased that the whole day cost $7. I went halves in a family ticket for the train with my sister, which cost $4 (my half) and I bought a drink $3. I made the kids eat a big breakfast and we each took a packed lunch and we didn't by any useless junk at the event.





Next outing is next weekend for Buddah's Birthday at the Supreme Court Gardens in Perth. Again we will take a packed lunch, but this time I will let the kids pack there own. I'm hoping this will cut down on wastage as they will be more inclined to eat what they themseves pack.

I have been ordering seeds from green harvest. Just alitle order of seeds for a green manure crop for the veggie patch. I need to get the veggie patch weeded and ready soil wise (crap coastal soil here) before the baby is born. I'm due in 15 weeks so whilst I have heaps of time, it will go quick and I will be out of action for some time after. This is my first time sowing a green manure crop. I also ordered some rosella seeds, with the idea of sowing in spring, growing and giving away some plants for xmas. My bulbs have also arrived the other day, some daffodils, tulips and anemone's. They were a fundraiser for guides, and I'm looking forward to planting them out. At the moment they are getting nice and cold in my crisper.