Garden Report

I'm finally starting to feel some excitement about the garden.  Small plans are eventualising. The hellebores I put in when we first came here are in bud.  The Antiques Roadshow at Aberglasney has convinced me that I need a huge drift of yellow and orange marigolds interspersed with cornflowers.  Unfortunately I pulled up large numbers of marigolds a few weeks ago from exactly where I now want them to be.  But I know they will seed easily and survive the frost.  The cornflowers may be a bit more of a challenge.  I have 3 tiny seedlings in a pot that were planted before Easter but I'll get there.  Regardless I can easily use borage and love-in-the-mist instead if needs be.  Though cornflowers would be stunning...

Here is my reminder that it just takes patience.  Liz gave me this cyclamen the winter before last.  It was just a clump of tight leaves.  Liz didn't care for it and I put it under the tree-hedge in the back garden, thinking it could take its chances.  After Liz died earlier this year, I felt that I wanted to revive the cyclamen and have it flower again so I repotted it and put it in a sheltered spot where I would remember to water it, e voici.  I keep it outside by the back door.  Next year I'll buy another one cos I've got another plan...  My Mum has a beautiful cyclamen that she grew from seeds that I gave her probably 30 years ago.  I'll see it next week when I'm in Adelaide.

Night Garden

Dark Mofo came to Triabunna last night.  It was supposed to be here a couple of weeks ago but the weather was too tempestuous at the time.  Last night was more moderate.  Briskly cold but no rain.  I can't say that the event drew many outsiders to Tribes but the locals welcomed the chance for a passeggiata with mulled wine, the fish van, coffee and green Thai curry available to fortify them.  We brimmed with community bonhomie. There were flaming braziers along the harbour front and the local kids revelled in the wildness of it all.  Some of them had been involved in making short films with a plant  / horror theme in conjunction with the  uni and MONA.  These films were projected on to buildings along the 2 main streets.

It was certainly a very different night for Triabunna.  My only criticism is that there should have been hot cinnamon donuts.

Consolation

The market proved to be a bit of a trial.  Sunday dawned bright and sunny and most people must have chosen to celebrate by doing other things, possibly catching up on the washing and drying.  I didn't sell a thing - not one of Barb's hats or of Steve's cards.  After the market there was to be a meeting at 1pm but it didn't start till 1.55pm so the day was fading by the time I got home.  The highlight of the day was unearthing a marble under my market table.

Always good to find a marble when it is so easy to lose them this time of the year.  I was also buoyed by the thought that Barb is away catering for this event .  Easter on my mind.

And it is Winter Solstice - longer days are on their way.

Bloggers awake

aha some bloggers have got back to business, now including me.  Possibly you thought I was a gonner.  But no.  I apologise for my lack of attention to emails, etc and will wallow gleefully in them when I've finished this.  The winter solstice approaches and the spirit contemplates flight.  Many of you have taken flight; friends, rellies and yoga teachers all gadding about far flung reaches of the world.  Meanwhile back in Triabunna I am keyboarding as fast as I can before my body totally seizes up from yesterday's gym and today's gardening.  The lawn is at least 30cm high (notice influence of maths classes) and still wet so weeding is easy but not very pleasant.  There are some good things happening gardenwise in the self-seeding of wanted plants.  I keep my fingers crossed.  One slight hassle is that Jill is proving to be a gardener dog.  Emma and Rosie used to trot beside me and keep me company in the garden.  They have obviously imparted their knowledge to Jill who goes out later and re-arranges things more to her taste.
On to other matters.

It's hard to take riveting photos while trying to preserve people's anonymity. This one comes from last Sunday's Book Sale in the Orford Hall.  I had a wonderful hour there as a sales person - great fun. Despite my pledge to not buy, I ended up with 5 irresistible books for the total cost of $5.50.  At the end of the day Judy The Organiser phoned me to say that we had raised over $2100, so that's not bad going.  The money all goes to local charities which is good but even better is that there's still a lot of people out there buying books.  The photo is a little misleading.  Younger people and children came too but I wasn't game to sneak a photo of them.  Such is life.
After a high on the Sunday, I crashed on the Monday at the blood bank, no fault of theirs.  Despite being soggy with water, my blood was very slow to emerge so they had a go at both arms.  This has happened to me before but this time it absolutely exhausted me and I was a very sad little bundle leaving there.  Fortunately Steve and Jill were waiting for me cos we were going off for a lunch date with Paul The Hunter who some of you know from the Regional Wedding of the Year 2001.  I sat slumped on a bench outside Parliament House

and just managed to rotate enough to take these pictures.  Paul however got stuck at the top of snowy Mt Wellington and would be a cuppla hours late, so we gave up.

I took this Salamanca snap with my last ounce of strength.  I don't have much else to report except that Steve nourished me back to health over the week with banana muffins and double cream brie.  Tomorrow is the Triabunna Market and hopefully I'll remember to take my camera (and phone).

gonna

I was going to drive to Swansea this afty for an art lecture in a cafe but have decided to forgo the pleasure and knowledge.  The rain is only misty here at the moment but heavier rain is forecast and the tortuous coastal road from Swansea will be torturous after dark. The Dark Mofo event planned for Triabunna for tomorrow night has been cancelled because of the forecast heavy rains for the east coast of Australia.  Even the Louvre is having to move its works.  Fortunately I have some arty stuff to share with you from a few weekends ago when Steve, Jill and I explored Montrose Bay.

Gasp we did when we read that dogs are not allowed on the bridges.  Boo hiss.  But I'd wanted to do this for a long time so I continued toute seule.

I wasn't feeling too alone though cos these colours are very reminiscent of Lady Jayne's handbag besides which I've walked many kilometres.

It's lovely to be so simultaneously aware of Mt Wellington and the Derwent River.

GASP is the Glenorchy Art and Sculpture Park and I've read in today's paper that you can walk from here to MONA, which would be a fabulous thing to do on a dogless day.

I have added 2 blog links for your delectation on a rainy weekend.  The blog links from The Wayward Sewing Machine always amuse me, especially The Hair Hall of Fame.  I've also been meaning to say that the Help Animals link seems to be perfectly harmless.  I've clicked on it whenever I remember to for years and haven't received any spam as a result.