You can never have enough...

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I bought primrose seedlings yesterday. I wanted blue pansies but there were none, so blue primroses with white edges were the best alternative. They are destined to cheer up my Winter deck table in a clutch of small blue and white Chinese pots. I shall save tea leaves to add to their potting mix, that being one of the very few good things my Late Mother in Law aka 'That Woman', taught me. They boost their flowering apparently...

[Lilith7]

I'm now feeling extremely virtuous, having mowed the back lawn, pruned away a bit more dead Rosemary & had another bash at cutting back the Jasmine again, also did a bit of cleaning up work on two Photoshop paintings. I might pay for it tomorrow but just now I can feel virtuous.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I noticed a Spring planted rosemary cutting has taken nicely in a neighbours garden. She used to make a tea from the stuff, but is too old to leave her unit these days, but I planted it just in case. Nice to see it has survived the long hot summer with no watering and no love.

[JanW]

I just harvested my first purple snow peas - especially proud of them as I germinated the seeds - donÔÇÖt taste any difference but look nice in my salad
Robie has a Ukrainian baker who came here before covid and hasnÔÇÖt been able to get his family here yet so decided to go home last month to shift his wife and children in with his parents - they lost contact with him two days ago - hopefully if he is OK the whole family will be able to come here - he makes the most beautiful pastry
Popeye I heard that a commissioner has been appointed to oversee rest home conditions - she might be somebody you can contact if you have any more problems
ItÔÇÖs been a grey old day here today decidedly chilly now - wonder how Sunflower is

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies   It's a little overcast, maybe we'll have rain today.

Congratulations Mica, on the impending grandie   Being a grandparent is t he best!

Lilith, it sure is a good feeling when you 'get the job done' and I must confess, I also have those virtuous feelings lol. 

I didn't know that trick of adding tea leaves to potting mix, I do put them in the compost though along with the coffee grinds.  I've given up on tea bags, especially for Earl Grey as there isn't enough tea in the bag now.  So it's loose tea for us and a much m ore satisfying cuppa.

Rosemary plants are pretty tough.  A couple of years ago I dug ours out and moved it but couldn't dig the new hole deep enough thanks to tree roots.  Cut the rosemary's roots back (had cut the branches back hard), popped it into the ground, covered it the best I could, gave it a drink and left it.  It's growing bigger and better than ever lol.

I haven't heard from Sunflowers either, Jan and hope she is OK.  I wonder if your son's Ukrainian baker has been asked to fight?  And I would imagine it would be very difficult to stay in touch with friends and family here. 

I'm starting at the bottom of my falcon as the chest feathers all overlap.  At the moment I am still working on the log he is sitting on and will then work my way up his foot and leg.  I have to look carefully at the photo not just for colours but also to see which part would be 'background' as I embroider from the back to the front. MrK has offered to make me a stand for my frame.  I could buy one but why bother when I can have one custom made?  It would be easier with a stand I think.

The Furry One was out chasing a possum up the tree in the wee hours this morning.  The apple tree across the road is just too tempting for possums and our property is a short cut to the tree.  Hopefully I'll have another possum to bury under the roses soon.

Happy crafting

[popeye333]

Morning everyone,

Yet another sunny day, but cooler which is awesome.

I do hope the Ukrainian Baker and his family are safe. Poo tin has alot to answer for.

Im off to see MrP today, with some fear but it will be nice to see him. Loaded down with a bag full of stuff lol.. Ill be using the walker cos Im really sore today and the bag will be heavy. Handy tools for carrying stuff lol.

They had 3 die apparently in the last week or so.. I know one was pretty close, they took her home. She had covid.

Ill be sewing some buttons on while I talk to MrP.. I took him a shirt up last time I was there that he hadnt fit for years. but since he has lost weight I thought he could wear it again. not realizing Id taken the buttons off it lol opps. Must have been destined to the rag bag perhaps and never quite reached it...lol

Arghhh Id rather stay at home and curl and stretch my spine out... but Ill go up...

Have a fab day all

[Mica]

Morning all
Overcast and nippy this morning.

love hearing about everyone's gardening exploits getting ready for the colder weather.

we are loose tea drinkers too.

A bit of knitting last night the rest of yesterday was entertaining DGS while his mum was in my office working. Have to say my DH did most of the work. We have a lovely banana cake as a result of one kitchen activity. They are currently out walking the dogs DGS just love walking the k9s and the old girl is very good with him.

They are off to the other set of GPs today for the weekend, depending on DS RAT test result we  may have them back next week. So far DS is testing negative the other 2 close  contacts have come up +ve.

DIL bought their Hello fresh foodbag and has been cooking dinner so we enjoying a rest from having to decide what to cook

Plan to cut out and make DIL another pair of preggy tights she really likes the  ones I made last weekend , she will need some jeans soon so they might be in my sewing queue soon too.

Have a good day

[Roma]

Good morning. 

Just back from doggy walk ... always takes extra time with people stopping to pat our wee tripod ... admittedly she approaches them first   

Lovely day by the look, with the autumn-like morning starts we enjoy. Really hope we get something out of the forecast rain over the next week 

DH got me a few requested plants from Bunnings yesterday to get into the garden today which will inspire a bit more weeding while I'm at it. There are now a dozen C+ staff at his workplace. He may have dodged a bullet .... this time. Will stay away until the coast is clear!

I sure don't miss the possums ... they used to play havoc in the garden and orchard area! Our JR only had a rare chance to bail them up a tree, as she was kept in at night (unfenced section)! But they are great wee 'pest animal' eradicators!


Have a good day.

[JanW]

Good afternoon - turning overcast but we had a beautiful blue sky morning - definitely a chill in the air
Kiwimade - the stand will be great - my old boy watched me reading my crochet pattern on my iPad and went off and designed a metal stand for it to sit on - I can adjust it up and down even tilt it to stop my lamp shining on the iPad - it has a clamp top and bottom so my iPad canÔÇÖt fall out - itÔÇÖs brilliant often thought he should have manufactured them - I remember once I was making a little dark skinned cloth doll and wanted cork screw curls - read somewhere if you round the wet wool around steel and baked it in the oven it would work - he tried to tell me steel knitting needles wouldnÔÇÖt work but of course I wouldnÔÇÖt listen and ended up with a disaster - he disappeared came back a couple of hours later with hollow steel rods - worked a treat - the kids called him McGyver he could fix anything
I use a walker sometimes outside Popeye my deck and concrete get quite slippery when itÔÇÖs wet - so yes it would be useful when you have a few things to take with you
There has been a lot of problems in Sunflowers area -she was talking of selling hope she has
Getting to the end of the baby blanket thank goodness canÔÇÖt wait to get back to Dr Seuss

[Lilith7]

I'm hoping the Rosemary will revive eventually Kiwimade. Its in one of those really big pots & did fine until it got very big; think it may have been root bound but pots too big to investigate so just hoping for the best. There are still two green branches so might get lucky with it.


I hope the Ukrainian baker will be OK. I've been hoping that some of his own staff might manage to remove Putin, that may be the only way he can be stopped.
Nights here are getting colder so have been picking tomatoes most days, they can ripen off the plants if I remember to put them out in the sub each day.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Mine just sit on a plate in the kitchen and they ripen by themselves. I even brought in a spray of little hard green ones a few days ago, and they've turned into yellow cherry ones, it was a compost seedling so I'm not surprised. Still got lots on the plants, but I refuse to sacrifice any to the blackbirds, so as soon as they start to blush I bring them in.

Lovely smell they have too...

[Lilith7]

Mine just sit on a plate in the kitchen and they ripen by themselves. I even brought in a spray of little hard green ones a few days ago, and they've turned into yellow cherry ones, it was a compost seedling so I'm not surprised. Still got lots on the plants, but I refuse to sacrifice any to the blackbirds, so as soon as they start to blush I bring them in.

Lovely smell they have too...

 There's also a method of ripening them by putting them in a paper bag with a green apple, or just sit them next to the apple. I can't really put them outside to ripen unless they're out of reach of the dog - I found out that she likes tomatoes when three I'd put on a plate out there vanished without a trace.

Thankfully she hasn't yet worked out that she could pick her own from the plants, but thanks to a granddaughter showing her how to, she picks her own raspberries.

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies   We had some rain last night and expecting more tomorrow and over the next week.  *does the happy dance*  Thank goodness.  Watering the garden just isn't the same as a decent rain.

We also ripen our green tomatoes, it's that time of the year where the windowsill in the dining room has tomatoes lined up on it.  We also dry pumpkin seeds and the like there too.  I'm laughing at your dog, Lilith, I didn't think dogs would like tomatoes.  MrK has picked our pumpkins, we didn't get many this year but enough for us.  Lots of pumpkin soup this winter   He has also planted some bok choy, perpetual spinach and more leeks.  The cabbages and silverbeet are coming on too.

A word of warning ladies about scammers.  I know you have heard these warnings before but please, please, please, if someone calls you telling you they are from Spark doing a test of some sort and ask for for your passwords etc, DON'T give them out.  Don't give anyone your passwords and other info.  My sister-in-law has been scammed for over    $2000 by doing that and when she turned her computer off and unplugged it, she got another call from the scammer abusing her for doing so!  And the stupid thing is, she knew not to do what she did.  The scammer had moved her money around her accounts ready to come back for more.   He locked her mobile phone and changed her password on her computer and lucky also she hadn't sold her sister's computer (who  passed away last year) and could use that.  Spark were amazing and helped her with her phone and  her bank is investigating.  She is hoping they will return her money but we are doubting that.  So I suggest you  not so politely (like me lol) tell them to f*** off and hang up.  We've suggested to her she get rid of her landline and just use her mobile.  Since getting rid of our landline, life has been bliss with no scammers.  Sorry for the lecture, but I felt I needed to warn you.  

I'm still stitching the log the falcon is sitting on.  It's a slow process as my frame is awkward to use.  It's been a while since I have used my wooden frame and I'm well out of practice.  But I have this vision in my head of how I want this piece to look and will keep going.  MrK (bless him lol) got down on one knee to show me the drawing he had made of the stand as I was sitting on the couch at the time.  He grinned and said, will you  marry me before producing the picture.  I had to laugh, and said, what?? again?? You'd do this all over again?  He told me he would   

Coffees finished, time to get cracking and enjoy the day.  

happy crafting

[Roma]

Good morning.

We are hopeful of more rain ... I think only a shower during the night. 

Your man is a keeper Kiwimade ... lol, you made me smile. I'm lucky to also have a handyman when it comes to adapting/making things to make life easier. 

Yes, we read lots of stories about these scummy scammers and I have had a few instances of them "trying me on"!

Off now for doggy walk then some baking with ripe bananas.

Have a great day.

[Mica]

Morning all
Going to be a brilliant day very nippy start.

Good old spark scammers (not) we still have a land line so that elderly aunt uses to phone us.
I am a  it rude too KM when the scammers phone, haven't used Spark for many years.

No sewing yesterday DIL& DGS left at 2 we had just deconstructed the dulpo and tidied up and DD popped over to snow me a quilt top that she had made. She is working her way through her fabric stash while DGD has afternoon nap.

I hope to get to cave sometime today

Hoping for a relaxed day 

Have a good day

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

Still no rain *Sighs*.. maybe this weekend lol.

Those scammers should be putting their brains into legit work and not ruining some peoples lives.. I Also admit to not being very polite . I acted like a little girl one time, it was soo funny and I kept them on the line quite a while lol... I dont have scammers now either. Now that I dont have the landline. I thought Id miss it more than I do.


Ohh Kiwimade thats soo sweet of MrK.. Did you have to help him up off the floor lol? I used to have a standing frame.. Awesome to work with.

It was nice to see MrP and Bobbie yesterday. I got the buttons on the shirt and MrP was quiet when Bobbie came in but he had the hint of a smile on his face so I knew he was happy with us sharing the time.

Im taking them fish and chips for lunch today. Apparently everyone on the wing had scrambled eggs and toast last night and they all loved them..

Ill be seeing him again on Monday cos I need to cut his hair, he's starting to look like Goldilocks lol

Im considering baking tomorrow. Not a long session or I wont be able to cut his hair on Monday. He wants some crunchie biscuits I have some old faithful recipes but looked up some others last night.. So will try a ginger biscuit one. He likes gingernuts but oddly doesnt like ginger crunch when I make it .

Have a fab day everyone

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I remember one of those calls years ago that my daughter had fun with. She pretended to be a young dumb married woman with secrets on her computer that her husband shouldn't see, and kept the guy going for about 40 minutes. It was hilarious listening to her. When she got bored she lowered her voice even further and when the guy was really listening, shouted in his ear 'Get a real job!' and hung up on him.

We never had another call after that.

I am a Spark customer and have a landline but so far have avoided scam calls... Long may it be so.

[Lilith7]

I like to have a little play with scammers - ask them what's wrong with my computer, then ask them to explain how that could possibly have happened when I haven't got a computer...??
They generally hang up at that point; haven't had one of those for a while so perhaps word got around.

Went for an early walk & came across a box of peaches for people to help themselves, so brought two home & stewed them. Had a clearing out of the freezer & came across pumpkin soup & a couple of bits of gingerbread, both made last year sometime. So soup & toast tonight, followed by peaches & gingerbread.

[harm_less]

We get the occasional spam call from somebody saying they're from Spark. We have VoIP with no connection whatsoever with Spark and as we have caller ID I usually ask them why Spark is calling from an international number.
"No I'm calling from Spark NZ"
"No you're not we have caller ID and your number isn't a NZ one"

They usually hang up on me at that stage, apart from one little Indian accented chap that called me a mother f*cker. Bet that response wasn't from their staff training course

[JanW]

My two best efforts have been to sing made up as I go along hymns very loudly - I canÔÇÖt sing for peanuts but she was persistent every time I drew breath she tried to tell me I had a problem with a computer
Another one I told my father was the Police Commissioner and she was being traced right now and to expect a knock on the door - the connection was swiftly disconnected
But I nearly got caught shortly after chorus installed my fibre - I had been having problems and the problem solver was very difficult to understand - I picked up the phone one day a foreign voice invited me to press 1 if I wasnÔÇÖt happy with my connection- at that particular moment couldnÔÇÖt be bothered so hung up but found out later it was a very clever scam - many people got caught somehow if you pressed 1 they gained access to all sorts .The newest one is they are from visa - amazon has notified them there has been illegal activities on your credit card and they need your pin to fix it .I think it must be the worst job in the world scamming peopl
My grandson has just tested positive along with his two rugby coaches and the majority of the team - panic stations in his world first game is next week
The smell of fresh peaches is just one of the most wonderful perfumes right up there with when we had 3 acres of plums blossoming - it was incredible