Rose Wine...

I made some very suspect wine from our eating grapes in January, and on the container I had written "bottle up in August 2010".  I just did that on the weekend, but man, that stuff tastes bad so far! I hope that 3 years down the line, when it should be drinkable, that it actually will be!

The fruits of our labours are coming!

Even though we havent planted the vege garden this year, the good old faithfuls are still doing their wonderful thing.

Artichokes are forming on the huge plants we have, sending up small tennis ball sized ones that I know will soon be good for eating.

The raspberries are going crazying with a gazillion flowers, the whole bed is full of the promise of sweet raspberries.

Our new plants, both blackcurrant and gooseberry, are making their first fruit ever.  In fact the gooseberry flowered, and within a week has pea sized fruit on it which I imagine will grow so quickly I will be able to eat them before we go.

The Rat Hunt

For those of you that don't know, we are having to leave our little patch of paradise, to  move to North Canterbury.

Much to my heart's regret, this means leaving our garden and starting all over again in a new place.

First the chooks had to go.  Our good friends Steph and Terry are going to have the house and 4 girls, and I sold off the other 7.  So moving day came for the house, but just as we were getting it onto the trailer a rat hunt got underway.

Isn't that the cutest, softest, fattest rat you ever saw!

Cauliflower Heads

How did I grow these so big, my sister wanted to know.  I don't have the answer.  We put them in as autumn seedlings, and sometimes this is a big mistake (we have experienced "going to seed" as soon as spring starts).  This year, beautiful caulis.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE - a la Anna

Keep the head of cauli whole, and submerge in cold water.  Bring to the boil and simmer about 5 mins till tender.

Put the whole head, cut stalk down, and pour over your own cheese sauce recipe.  Top with fresh breadcrumbs and bake till crisp and brown on top.

Not so much happening

I just don't seem to have a lot of time at the moment, and the garden is raring to go.  The weather is settled, warm and wet.  It's perfect planting weather.  Who knows if there are frosts to come, I shouldn't rule it out, as we have had massive snowstorms before at this time of year, but I have been lulled into a lovely sense of security.

Yes, the garlic is in, so that was one job well done.  I have also dug in some of the pea-straw that was overwintering on the beds.  But only on a few of the gardens.  The rest make me feel guilty every time I look out the window, as they do need my attention.

We have moved some roses, and cleared out a bit of space where the tomatoes will go.  The remainder of the work may have to wait a few weeks.  It's hard to get motivated when there is so much else to do, washing for 5 kids, cleaning for 5 kids, picking up after 5 kids, and more.

The raspberries are coming out in green leaf, the willows I did actually do some work on a few weeks ago and pruned off lower branches.  They are now that beautiful fresh green.

Gordon Bennett, some time soon I will have to plant potatoes...

Bottling up Elderberry Port Wine

Today is just about 6 months since I made up the first stage of the Elderberry Wine and put it into my cask.  Out came the cask this morning, and I steralised some wine bottles, tops and muslin.  Then Mark helped me to bottle the wine.

Only 3 years till its ready to drink!

Uh Oh, Spring is coming and I am not ready

I see the roses putting out new leaves, the lavender greening up, the garlic sprouting at a rate of knots and huge buds on the grapes.

I am not ready, help!  I haven't had time to do half the stuff I planned. Today I rushed out in a frenzy and cut the lavender back by 1/3 to give it a chance.  But on the way I saw so many things I havent done...pulled out the blackberries, tackled the winter weeds, moved the roses and some of the clematis.  Lordy, lordy, lordy, I can see it's all getting away from me already eeeek.

PS...cos I haven't killed the old chooks yet (ahem) and the new chooks are installed, we have 17.  And what do you know?  11 eggs yesterday, and 9 today :-)