Good afternoon dear friends & readers
The local Altrusa Club of Te Awamutu asked me to take part in this years Garden Ramble
"please Julie ... we just need one more garden" they asked so very nicely
Myself - as per usual - opened my mouth to decline, & next thing you know . . . I find myself taking part !!!!!****!!!
This is run every year on the first Sunday in November
It runs rain or shine ... or sleet or snow, or thunder & lightning ... whichever happens, it goes ahead
This year is the 19th Ramble & they are featuring 14 different properties - gardens, but also some homes as well
I am only making my garden & the Cottage available ...
So as you can imagine, there is lots still to be done ... I work every single day in the garden & then at nights try to make extra stock for the Cottage
I have hung this Welcome Bunting on the outside of the Cottage for a number of years (I take it in each night)
Often it blows away & sometimes I find it, drenched, stuck up in the guttering ...
I lost it completely over the winter & the farmer returned this sad, faded looking bundle to me last month
I lost it completely over the winter & the farmer returned this sad, faded looking bundle to me last month
I decided it was time for a fresh new one . . .
Last spring I noticed I occasionally would get asked if I had them for sale
so I made a couple extra & bagged them up to sell
As I was down to only one teacup birdfeeder remaining, I sat down & sorted through my cup/saucer collection & made up another batch
With their little packet of "wild bird seed" I am hoping these might appeal to the garden ramble people
A couple of summers ago when The Mr spray painted my cane chairs & table for me (see here) I promised myself to make some cushions to adorn them
It was only yesterday that I actually managed to accomplish this task
... using a nice cheery curtain remnant & a huge $5 bag of stuffing, both from the Hospice shop ...
At long last . . . it has only taken me 22 months !!!!!
When we first moved here (17 years ago now) I uncovered this old wooden bridge under all the wandering dew in my garden
My stepson commented on it the other day "I remember that bridge, we used to think it had been there since the beginning of time"
It kinda looked like it had . . . So I decided to revamp it . . .
...bearing in mind I had very little time, energy or resources ... I simply pulled the old palings off, took one into my local Goldpine Store, conned the nice young man to cut me 21 lengths from some old timber "out the back" . . .
When I got them home I dunked them in some waste oil I found in the Mr's old shed & painted the sides of the bridge with some roofing paint (again, unearthed in the Mr's shed)
I then had to cover the bridge with chicken mesh for 2 entire days while the oil soaked in to prevent a certain small furry ginger being from dancing on it all day long !!!!***!!!
I must walk past this bridge at least 8 times a day as its on the way out to my clothes line ... its funny how you can actually not notice something until a comment by someone causes you to stop & look
I am so thrilled with my new/old bridge
The Mr had been playing around with my camera & snapped some photos of the kittens ... looking back through some earlier pics I had taken of Jinxy when she first appeared in our lives with her rattly chest, runny eyes & sallow look ... I loved how healthy she looks now
 |
| Timid Jinxy - taken in April |
 |
| Alert (mischievious) Jinxy - taken in October |
I may not be back here again until after the Garden Ramble
do wish me luck please . . . kinda feels like I might need it !!
It was lovely to have you visit here today
take good care as you are all very special
with much love & friendship,
Julie x0x0