December in the Balcony Garden

View from inside looking out

Left/1st - the 'other' corner - Mr Smokey's pot
Middle/2nd - that cocoon
Right/3rd - zuchini tendrils



Work has been crazy busy (end of year usual crazy) and Matt is up in Qld, so I have enjoyed a fair bit of down time in the garden. Over the past 2 weekends some of the things I have done include:

• Removed the nasturtiums - they were so eaten by the caterpillars they looked ugly and I wonder whether they were helping to attract the cabbage butterflies
• Moved the thyme to where the nasturtiums were, leaving two plants in that pot (parsley and thyme) and two in the pot where the thyme was (rosemary and mint) - both pots are now flourishing
• Harvested a tray of worm poo (compost) - added to the main planter
• Put the box of failed mushrooms compost into the worm farm - the balcony doesn't stink anymore
• Removed two of the broccoli/cauliflowers. I originally planted a mix of the two and can't remember which are which, now I am now using plant labels :) The broccoli/cauliflower, again, are so caterpillar eaten that they are sickly, I left the three healthiest, but they may go eventually
• Staked and tied the tomatoes and zuchini
• Planted some german camomile seedlings the guy at the nursery gave me after we had a chat about companion planting (they were a little sickly anyway). I have pegged them in the pot to help them develop new roots, one has definitely taken and looks really healthy now, the other, fingers crossed
• Divided and potted (seedling pots) some onion bottoms that had sprouted - 5 seedlings from 2 onions
• Put a couple of sweet potatoes that sprouted in the pantry in the empty pot. Trying this time - NOT planting them, just sitting on the soil and loosely covered in mulch - 3rd time lucky perhaps?
• Watched a caterpillar build his cocoon! (while doing the above). Didn't have the heart to remove it after watching him build it - removed plenty of others. Plan is to watch this one through to hatching
• Gave the BBQ a really good clean (this was a few weekends back) with the intention of using it more, now we have a lovely balcony area to cook and eat - but haven't yet because of late nights at work and constant rain
• Harvested a lot of rain - in buckets - added to the tank
• Gave the tiles a really good scrub during a storm. It was fun in the rain :) and saved using heaps of water from the tank or taps. Then, while taking the above photos and the doormat was removed from cleaning, slipped over badly - thankfully nothing broken, just body, ego and phone bruised
• Researched organic ways to combat aphids - I now have: alfoil under the worst affected (to make light reflect up to the underside of the leaves, two little yellow pots (old lids) half filled with water - aphids are attracted to yellow apparently and then drown, have ordered some cute butterfly shaped yellow sticky traps and have plans to research making garlic soap to spray on the underside of the leaves.

New Pathways Website!

I just have to share, because it is fantastic... http://www.pathwayseci.com

If you are at all curious, please, have a look around. Lots of photos and a few videos. You will find me in the staff photo and if you don't blink you can see Matt in the video for the SIBS art project opening night.

Perhaps even a donation to the building project? (*cheeky smile*)

Parties

Last weekend we had a busy one. Sat was my work Xmas party. This is important to me as it is one of the few times Matt gets a bit of a taste of what I do. The nature of my work as a Speech Pathologist means I don't get to celebrate publicly, as it is important that i respect the privacy and confidentiality of the families i work with. Sometimes i get a bit frustrated especially as Matt works in such a public field. Occasionally i feel like screaming i do cool stuff too! Pathways is different to other places I have worked. It is very much a colaborate effort between staff and client families, including families of staff.

Anyhoo Matt, Liam and Gareth were to attend to the BBQ but Matt was sick and couldn't go. Liam and I had fun, especially as I was doing face-painting for a long while :-)

Next it was straight to the airport and onto my parents for Dad's 60th. It was awesome to catchup with most of my extended family. And wow we have extended in the past 12 months. Matt's and Bree's family as well as some close friends of Joel and Anita were all there. It was a wonderful relaxed evening, I had a great time and i think Dad did too.

Unfortunately i was too busy having fun and again forgot to take some happy snaps but will try to locate some then add later.

The rest of the weekend we hung out with my family. Then it was back to Sydney and work for me this week. Matt has stayed up in Qld for the month thru until Xmas, to spend some quality time with his family and help his sister's family move into their new place (very exciting). Give him a call if you want to catch up.

Gorgeous little guys and gals

Four of my dearest friends recently had or are expecting bubs. No denying, we are now the grown ups!

The first arrived in September... Jen & Terry's Dante Michael.

This week Liz & Paul welcomed Pela Jean:

And this little munchkin, Isaac, will be a big brother soon:

Hugs and love to all!

November in the Balcony Garden

Argh! The caterpillars. A couple of months ago I posted a piccie of a butterfly in one of my pots and commented that I hoped it was a 'good' bug. Nope, it is the enemy, the dreaded Cabbage Butterfly (white-pale yellow wings with a black spot). The butterfly itself is not the problem, it's 'the very hungry caterpillars'.

So far I have been using some companion planting and picking them off individually but I am loosing the battle. Today I bought and built exclusion netting (see photos).

In other garden news I have had a few fails recently. My mushies became too waterlogged, potato rotted in the pot and the lettuce is all in Mr Smokey's belly. But it's a learning process and some things are flourishing so I am happy. I may have also solved my irrigation difficulties... stay tuned.

Happy Feet Two Wrap Party

All dressed up ready for the Dr D - Happy Feet Two wrap party. 

Below, the lovely couple to the right of Matt and I are Cherie and Gareth. Gareth is an animator (lensing and pre-vis artist). He and Matt get along well. Cherie is an OT. They are both fellow (ex) QLDers. Cherie and I hit it off straight away and for the past two Dr D Xmas parties I have been trying to convince her to come work for Pathways. I finally succeeded, Cherie and I have been working together for about 6 months. It's all a little cosy, but they are such beautiful individuals and a great couple - fast becoming firm friends.

Blog roll

At the risk of being narcicistic I have added a blog roll - it's in the right, smaller column towards the bottom. In it, is a selection of my favourite blogs ranging from friends and family, gardening, craft to speechie stuff. Since Matt introduced me to Google Reader (beit a couple of years ago now), then, made things worse by getting me a smartphone, I have become an avid blog reader. I very rarely watch television anymore! If you have not explored the world of blogs yet, I strongly encourage it.

A quick shout out - my first ever blog love was the Offbeat Bride. I have watched it grow and with it kind of 'graduated' to Offbeat Mama and Offbeat Home. These remain to date some of my favourite blogs.

Happy reading!