If You Can't Grow It....Just Sew It....

For the past three years or so, Sweet peas have self seeded in our open compost/prunings pile. They have put on a wonderful display, at times looking better than what was in my garden!!

This year not one came up and being away in September I decided it was  a little too late to plant seedlings when I returned home.

 A couple of stragglers have come up in the garden and are sporting a flower or two, but I was disappointed I didn't have any to cut and bring inside.

I love their perfume......

Trying to decide what to put on a tea cosy this morning, I thought if I can't grow it then I will just sew it....and I did

I would be more than happy if these lovely colours came up in my garden.

On the reverse will be words from Mr. Keats......

"Here are sweet peas, on tip toe for a flight

With wings of gentle flush o'er delicate white

And taper fingers catching at all things 

To bind them all about with delicate rings"

Last week, we finally got the rain I had been waiting for. 

The garden was in need to a good drink.

46mls fell at out place giving everything a good drenching including the garage floor!!

The combination of grey cloudy skies and green, green paddocks....I love days like this.

This week the grass is drying off quickly with warmer temps and the tractors are out slashing the paddocks for silage.

Giant green marshmallows are springing up everywhere.

It's interesting watching the landscape turn into a patchwork of green, gold and brown......

Planted sometime last Summer this David Austin rose....William Morris is putting on a wonderful display.

 Obviously, very happy in it's new home......

Hard to tell from the photo but the centre is apricot tinged with pink.......

It's just beautiful but rather prickly.....

Gladiolus Cardinalis is flowering like there is no tomorrow.

Just googled this to check I had the name correct and the info says 'it's quite challenging to grow as a garden plant since it is found in waterfalls!!....'hmmm

Well I'm very pleased it's happy in my garden as it was a bulb my mum bought many years ago and it's a nice reminder of her.

Another reminder is this concrete wash trough, mum grew herbs in. .

It now resides with me and I also grew herbs in it until a couple of months ago, when it filled up with water and failed to drain.

The roots had blocked up the drain.......

Drastic measures were required and unfortunately the concrete cracked. We have propped it up with bricks and it's holding fast, but will be used for annuals now.

I  planted it with Marigolds and Snapdragons, which should put on a vibrant display throughout Summer.

Could be the perfect spot for Sweet peas next season.....

What do you think ?....

The Poppies are still going strong, attracting the bees .

This fellow was keen for some pollen even though the flower hadn't fully opened....talk about impatient, hehe.......

A first for this garden are Foxgloves. 

The first spire ever, a little on the small side, but I hope it will be happy and reward me with more blooms next season.

Walking around the garden with Rich this morning, I was happy to show him this bloom.

It reminded him of Beatrix Potter stories.....

I like to pass on some gardening knowledge to him and share the beauty........ 

The Ixias I purchased at last months market are in flower.

One bloom is this lovely raspberry pink and the other is a lemon with a raspberry centre.....

I love them and it's so nice to have more variety in the garden this season.......

The Jacobean Lily is sporting some blooms.

Quite a striking colour and certainly an interesting shaped bloom

Sweet little Dianthus Doris.

 You may have been around

for many years, but you are another 'newbie' in my garden.

I have a sweet posy on my bedside table and the perfume is 

quite strong as I sit here and type this post.....

I think I may have to move the vase!!

This week has been about sewing for the market in Bright on Saturday......

Three weeks between each one seems to fly by.

I felt some owlets were needed.

I like to have something new each market as I get locals coming along each month to see what I've been making.....

'Twit,

Twoo

Who loves you?'

A few more to fill and stitch up and I will just about have enough for a sitting of parliament!!

Did you know the collective noun for mice is a mischief?

A mischief of mice, love it.

They can also be referred to as a horde, but mischief is much more entertaining don't you think?

.

Thankyou girls for all your lovely, encouraging comments on my last post....

I am so pleased all my artworks found new homes.

After the rush and excitement of the art exhibition, things have quietened down and the pace is a little slower here.

Cricket has started on TV and I find myself taking a little more interest in it as hubby and son discuss the days play.

In between sewing, I have been out in the garden.

 The vegie garden is keeping us supplied with greens....

silverbeet, kale and spinach and  the broad beans are now ready to pick and if every flower turns into a bean we will be inundated with them.

Any recipes you have for them, would be greatly appreciated......

Ok, I better go and pick some broad beans before I head off to work.

Thanks for dropping by to visit and if you are new to Sweet Birdy Love, I'm glad you found your way over here.

Take care and have a great week,

Claire X

Shortbread and Jam Bunting

Hi there, I'd like to share some pics from this mornings diversion crafting...........the things you do when you really should be doing something else.

Yeah, you know what I mean?

Good then I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this.

These little embroidered hearts were started oooh, about 2 years ago and then tucked away in the sewing box until today.

It's bunting, yay.............. not quite finished.

Well, I thought I had and was just about to sew it onto the ribbon when I decided to hang it up to check spacing etc.

No. 1 said I needed to add a couple of more hearts and give it a bit more length, doh........

Ok, I have to admit he's right.

So a little bit more snipping and stitching needed and then I can hang it up.

He also said it reminded him of shortbread hearts with a jam filling.

Yum, that sounds delish.

I originally started making this having been inspired by some red and white Scandinavian embroidery that I had seen and this was my take on it.

I love the simplicity of the colours.

I'm also enjoying the roses which are blooming their beautiful heads off at the moment.

A bunch of Camp David roses on my bedroom dresser..............

Straight from the garden, beautifully scented and a gorgeous, rich, red.........

Let's back track to Tuesday morning and a beautiful, cloudy morning ( you know how much I like rainy, days !!)

There were two or three 'holes' in the cloud and the sun's rays shining through.

By the time I had found the camera it had changed slightly but was still beautiful.

You might get a better view by clicking on the pic to enlarge it.

So nice to get up early to see this sort of thing.

It looked like we were in for a stormy day, but the weather was teasing.

Black clouds, blue sky, black clouds........... nothing in the way of rain.

But, in the last 24 hours the heavens have opened up and most of the state has had a good drop of the wet stuff.

We had 60.5 mls (almost 2 ½ inches) so it's quite damp underfoot.

Fortunately, not too much water entered the garage (this time) but there was a 'mini tornado' in a township 40 mins away and some houses lost their roofs or part thereof.

Must've been rather scary for them, but no one was injured which is good.

Our berries will be enjoying the drink, we appear to have a bumper crop and they are plumping up nicely.

The 'undergardeners' have been put to work as the green shield bugs are back, sucking all the goodness out of the berries.

We don't spray, but pick them off by hand.

I think they smell like coriander when squashed, but I would prefer to feed them to the girls than squash them.........

I wonder if they'll lay coriander flavoured eggs?...............

A quick trip out to the shrubbery to snap a pic of

Gladiolus Cardinalis

which is flowering a the moment.

The heavy rain has bowed all the blooms, but they are beautiful and creating a lovely display.

A shovel full of bulbs from my mum's garden has multiplied quite a bit.

They always look elegant to me with the flowers borne on long stems.

Had to show you this pic taken 3 weeks ago when No. 1 and hubby were heading over to Adelaide for the Fleurieu Folk Festival..............

In the middle of nowhere (hmm good name for a blog!)

No. 1 decided it was a good place to break the drive, stretch the legs and go for a skate, as you do!!!!

Obviously there was no traffic around, but it does remind me of the Magilla Gorilla cartoon.

Remember, Magilla driving along in his little car and when it conked out he opened up the boot and took out a smaller version of the same car and when that conked out he opened up the boot and took out a pair of roller skates and strapped them on..............

Mind you I don't think Magilla had a top hat on and a guitar slung over his shoulder........

I'm heading into Albury to visit the Twilight Market which is on this evening.

I had put in an application to be a part of it, but it seems they have enough stall holders selling childrens goods.

I have to say I was quite disappointed as the concept is great.

An evening market centred around a lovely grassed area, live music,

food stalls and a craft market selling the stall holders' handiwork.

I understood their reasoning but.............

Oh well, next time I will just have to be a little quicker off the mark.

Hope you are all enjoying the week, whatever the weather.

Thanks for taking the time to visit and leave a comment, so nice to hear from you all.

Till next time,

Claire X