Working towards a colourful garden

We have one big regret. That we didn't plant more trees when we lived here four years ago. We have wasted valuable growing time. Applying the "it's never too late" philosophy, we are now utterly focused on planting several colourful trees around the house. Planting now will mean that they have three seasons during which to get comfortable before winter arrives. We have an ornamental plum tree just outside the kitchen which we DID have the foresight to plant when we last lived here. It is now an established tree that has red foliage which provides welcome relief from the greens of our valley. It also blossoms beautifully pink in spring and will provide shade in summer as it grows. This week we planted two new trees with red foliage on a terrace near the house. They are Japanese maples, named "Fire Glow" because of their red foliage. Next week we will plant a larger Japanese maple ("Seiryu") near the main gate which will colour our world in Autumn with brilliant reds and oranges.

The ornamental plum tree that we planted four years ago

The Japanese maples that we planted this week

 

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Persistence is rewarded with success

My marmalade challenge has been surmounted! At yesterday's egg painting event, I sought the opinion of friends regarding my non-setting marmalade. Several of my friends suggested adding pectin while others suggested adding lemon juice or apple and still more suggested boiling it longer. When I got home, there was some email advice from Dad: "Boil it longer". Determined (and desperate!) to consider all ideas, I went to a grocery shop to check the ingredients list of the pectin additive. While it seems that this option is fairly natural, I don't think this powdered stuff would have been used by my ancestors. So I left it on the shelf and purchased a bag of lemons instead. This morning I woke bright and early, squeezed the lemons, decanted four of the jars of unset marmalade from two days ago into my jam-making pot again, added the lemon juice and boiled it longer. The first batch certainly set...into something akin to toffee ("toffee orange marmalade"?). The second batch burnt ("burnt orange marmalade"?). The third batch actually set! Not wanting to lose the momentum, I continued to make more marmalade using the new orange mix that I had soaked overnight. This made up batches four, five and six. Although each batch was a slightly different colour, they all set! Thanks family and friends for giving me hope...

Runny stuff (on left) with burnt stuff (on right)

Perfect stuff (on left) with burnt stuff (on right)

 

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The Annual Easter Egg Painting Event

I didn't progress on my latest marmalade today because we simply had to be away from home instead. We were scheduled to attend The Annual Easter Egg Painting Event with a group of our friends. On arrival at Julia and Ron's home we found a very colourful table awaiting us. On the checked tablecloth lay the stuff of artists dreams: a collection of drained eggs, several inspirational books and magazines, bottles of coloured paints, nail polishes, stickers, transfers and brushes. A variety of egg-holding gadgets were also available, said to ensure full release of our artistic brilliance. The two hour painting session was followed by a delicious luncheon. After a tour of the spring garden, we departed with our colourful eggs in hand ready to place them on our Easter Sunday tables.

 

 

 

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She never gives up

Sadly, my marmalade didn't set so I am now thinking of imaginative ways to use 14 jars of runny marmalade. All visitors will eat marmalade for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My dinner offerings will be along the lines of "roast pork with orange marmalade sauce" and "crepes with orange marmalade glaze" etc. On the upside, I will not be beaten and have taken another 6 oranges out of my crate to try again. This time I am using the pith as well as the seeds. I soaked the entire orange detritus overnight before killing it in the blender this morning. This afternoon I will again hover over my cauldron...

 

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My first produce of the season

The Sicilian orange trucks have been in the area for weeks now. This means that citrus season is on us. So yesterday I made a rather huge purchase...one whole crate of oranges! This morning when I arrived in the kitchen and saw my "little" stash I admit to hearing a little voice inside me which said "What was I thinking!?". However, after a breakfast of porridge which allowed me to procrastinate sufficiently enough to read recipes, I tackled my challenge. While the 14 jars look good, I have not had a reputation for making produce involving fruit and sugar that actually sets! So my fingers are crossed. A bigger problem is that I still have 3/4 of a crate of oranges left! I suspect I'll be making marmalade for days!

 

 

 

 

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The wisteria at its best

The wisteria is on the change again. The flowers are past their best and paling into a cream. The first fragile leaves are forming. In honour of this year's splendid display, here are the flowers again in all their dappled glory. The next photo of the wisteria that I post will be green, green, green...

 

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Overgrown beauty

Our place has been neglected for at least 30 years. Recent owners have "played" with the house and the immediate area around the house but never ventured beyond. Since we purchased it, we have been gradually clearing the overgrown jungle further away and have been delighted by what we have found. We have uncovered a long stone wall which follows the contours of the hill as well as a series of stone steps that take us up to a terrace that enables one to walk along the top of the wall. This terrace is supported by retaining walls and a little wooden bridge spans a section of earth that is missing. Although we have yet to clear a small landslide to enable us to walk along the terrace it is a wonderful thing to see how the place once was. We have also uncovered a row of miniature roses along the steps, luckily identifying them amongst the blackberry. At the end of the old vine paddock, we've found several grand old trees that stand tall and wide amidst the jungle. Further on we've found mounds of climbing vines that hide other trees. We can't wait to loosen these shackles and let the trees develop into the beautiful specimens that they can be. It seems that this old farm was once very much loved...

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Our doorbells

We now have doorbells on both our front and side doors. I purchased them in Australia recently. One is a chook that says 'Welcome' and the other is a watering can that says 'Garden'. They match perfectly with the bars across the doors and make the house look lived in and loved...

 

 

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Garden companions

I have recently taken a liking to garden kitsch. My collection includes 2 gnomes and 2 recently purchased roman/grecian ladies. A diverse collection indeed...

 

 

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Seasons

Here are a couple of photos that really show the difference in seasons here. Both were taken from the same spot but one was taken on a frosty winter morning and the other on a late spring afternoon.

 

 

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A treat made with turnip greens!

Our friends who helped us clear our land yesterday also cooked us lunch...a very unusual and extremely tasty pasta dish made with sausage mince and turnip greens! Yes, thats right, the green leaf from the tops of turnips!

 

 

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The wisteria just gets better and better

As I am never quite sure when the wisteria will be at its best...here is the latest position...

 

 

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Working bee

Some of our precious friends have worked with us for 2 solid days to clear more of our jungle. The area in focus is beyond what will be our vegetable garden and has been "abandonato" (as they say) for the last 50 years. Unfortunately many of the trees we found were weighed down by vines which meant they were sadly deformed and beyond help. We rescued what we could and, after 3 huge fires, our view along our back paddock is now clear and inviting...

 

 

 

 

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Stonehenge

Let me introduce you to "Stonehenge". We created this little table out of 2 concrete columns and a beautiful rectangular piece of rock that Stu dug up recently in what will be our vegetable garden. Maybe slightly over the top but very useful...

 

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The wisteria in bloom

The windows are open and the gentle chirping of birds and the soft aroma of wisteria flowers are wafting into the house.

 

 

 

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A new garden bed

With the new gates in and a proper drain installed under them, an opportunity arose to improve our landscaping. So we have created a new terraced area which will be an extension of my flower and herb garden. Stu built a stone wall and I mixed mulch, compost and ash into the soil behind it to make a fertile space. I have planted a border of small pink perennials around the stone edge and will fill the inside with a selection of small flowering plants.

 

 

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Numero 24

"24 R. BOSCHI" now sits proudly on our gate pillar, along with a red "privato" sign to ward off strangers with questionable intentions...

 

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