garden progress

We have visitors at the moment. Favourite Handyman's Dad loves to do diy. Which is a pretty good thing in a houseguest given that he is also good at it. So they are building a lean-to on one of the sheds. They were talking about putting old roofing iron as the roof covering which may have squared with FH's ideas about using it for storing firewood, but didn't square so well with my ideas of using it as a greenhouse for frost tender plants and for raising seedlings.

So it was with a certain pleasure that I heard last night that the old roofing iron has too many holes in it to function as a cover to keep wood dry. Today fil and I went shopping for see-through plastic corrugated roofing. The wooden structure to support the lean to is now made and apparently the current focus is on spouting. I've also been hearing about something called flashings. I certainly have a renewed respect for the size of even seemingly small building projects costwise. We had a lot of wood to recycle, but still spent over $150 on wood just for a small lean-to.

My parents-in-law arrived with some rhubarb plants. These rhubarb plants were once in a garden of FH's in Canterbury a long time before I met him. Some of them then went up to Auckland and were divided and flourished in the garden of our brother in law. Who has now, many many years later, sent some down to us. I had to do a lot of weeding to get a spot ready but two out of three of them are now in the garden.

I planted my first rose cutting outside the study last week and it appears to be happy. In the weekend I went shopping for garden supplies and another blueberry plant and used up my garden shop loyalty card. Which meant I could choose a frivolous treat. So I am now the rather pleased owner of a yellow banksia climbing rose, which will go out the front. Out the front is the current plan but I am wondering if the area is too exposed to seabreezes for roses. There is certainly loads of old fencing to be covered all round the back garden where it is more sheltered. Although the back garden was supposed to be pink rose-wise, not yellow plus pink. I'd love to have garden spaces with colour themes, or at least harmonious colour accents, but I'm not sure I have the self-discipline to really make that happen.

On the kitchen front, I went to use the most recent batch of 'sun dried tomatoes' and could see danger signs instantly. I had overdried the first batch but I don't think that is dangerous, just cosmetically not so good. But the next batch went in too juicy. I opened the jar to find the top one puffed up and white growths. I licked one and rinsed my mouth out straight away. Not just unpleasant tasting but I had the warnings of botulism ringing in my ears.

I seem to have settled on a kefir management routine. Apart from if I know someone wants some as a starter, I eat almost half of the grains each day (yes mine is back to growing very quickly in the hot water cupboard). Combined with a little honey or jam it makes a lovely yoghurt like dessert or addition to a bowl of muesli. Yeah I've read the nourishing traditions and other soaking grain advice and I still have muesli sometimes. Just goes to show what an irresponsible person I can be. I comfort myself with the knowledge that as yet I'm not including brandy in my breakfast. I have a ways to fall yet.