Getting my hands dirty...

Since I've been back from Stanley, I've harvested the pumpkins...

 Still have the tomatoes to go

And spread some of the seaweed on the vegie beds for winter...

 

Still two bags of seaweed for the beds...

 and the pumpkins enjoying the sunshine

 

My friend Hazel (who I visited when in Stanley) gave me a spider plant.  Actually, it may have been the one I gave her when I moved to Deloraine, but she was happy to give it back (she had two more), so I've potted up some of the 'babies', and will bring them inside for winter...

Also potted up some hare's foot (or rabbit's foot) fern (davillia) that was growing in the shade house to bring inside...

The greengage plum tree is all but bare...

But there is still some colour in the garden from the violas (or are they pansies?)...

And primrose (I think that's what they are?)...

I know this is a rose...

 

 

 

And some of the shade house plants...

Which seem to be thriving despite my lack of garden expertise...

I'm thankful winter is on the way and I can get in some gardening book reading (and knitting!!)

With that in mind, I'm joining Ginny for a late Yarn Along, reading this book, and knitting this pattern...with variation...

 

No time to be bored! :))

 

xx

Stanley

Last weekend I went to Stanley...

 The Nut

Got to walk on the beach Friday night...

Tatlows Beach/Sawyer Bay

And watch the sunset...

Sunset over Green Hills

Early Saturday morning before sunrise I took a walk around to the small fishing harbour on the other side of The Nut...

 

One of the boats was up on slips...

Some of the houses under the Nut that I walked past on my way back to the beach...

The tide was quite high...

And I got to watch the sun come up behind The Nut...

I encountered some locals...alive...

 seagulls

 plovers

And dead...

 crab

 fish (just in case your weren't sure :))

 fairy penguin

starfish

 

  

I collected 4 garbage  bags of seaweed to put on the garden from West Beach at Stanley...

Saw an eagle...

Wedge-tailed or Sea (wasn't close enough to tell)

On my way back from collecting the seaweed I drove past historic Highfield House...

And some of the resident sheep...

And took this shot from the lookout...

Bye Stanley!!!

 

I'll be back...

 

xx

Postscript:  check out the amazing similarities between Stanley and the Isle of Harris on Christine's blog.  (Her photos are so much better than mine!!)

 

Sunday catch up

Autumn is in the air and the trees are starting to colour up...

The willows are losing their leaves...

And I continue to harvest tomatoes to finish ripening inside...

For a very late Yarn Along link this week, I am still reading this book, and crocheting 10" granny squares for charity blankets...

Knitting on my jumper is slow going, but this book I picked up at the library yesterday is a real winner (and might end up being a buyer)...

An enchanting read...

And lovely photos...

Plus delicious recipes...

This is my version of the recipe above which I made last night, and again tonight with a bit more variation...

The basic recipe ingredients from the book for the salad are:

 

 tuna (they used fresh...I used tinned)

chopped cherry tomatoes

steamed haricots verts (which I discovered when googled are French green beans)

chopped hard boiled eggs

boiled (or steamed)  new potatoes

chopped cantaloupe (we call them rockmelons)

I added:

some cooked butter beans and broccoli as well as the green beans

chopped gherkin

chopped avocado

cashews

raisins

chopped mint

and drizzled over some olive oil and lemon juice

salt and pepper

It was delicious!!!

If you add the cooked vegies while hot to the cold salad vegies, you end up with a yummy warm mix!

Tonight I made the salad again, omitting the tuna, but cooked some meat separately (pork).  There are so many variations and combinations you can try.  I particularly liked the sweetness of the rockmelon and raisins with the other vegies, and the crunchiness of the cashews (you could use other nuts, but cashews are my favourite).  I hope you'll try it!!

And here are a couple of inside shots of the living room in my new house.  Still organising and re-arranging...but getting there...

Bed time! Sov Gott!!

 

xx