Water in the garden

We have had a good soaking rain. It has really perked up the garden, which was getting dry in the early heat.
There are zucchinis in places in the garden, but the one n the wicking bed is the best, when compared to the one which is in a regular garden bed.

I have been experimenting with wicking beds because of the problems I had last year in growing things over the summer in Perth.

The Zucchini has really taken off.
I had a cherry tomato in it, which died but I planted another which is doing better.
I also have some sage which is doing well.

This week I have pumpkin seeds coming up, and the carrots are doing well.

We have just pulled out the snow peas and will get that bed ready for beans next , I think.

Not perfect

Today I had a day off -no, I mean really off! No housework, nothing but craft.
This is what I did:
I finished my second quilt. I made the first one about ten years ago!

I started this last summer when I was on holiday. The whole idea is original -I had the angel fabric and wanted to make a quilt which would feature them.
Last week I decided on the backing and today I quilted it and finished it off.
There were a few problems on the way : I had not used the walking foot on my machine for so long I had forgotten how to put it on, and then it took ages to remember how to change the tension and such.

I am so glad it is done - it will be teamed up with my collection of angels when we put up our Christmas decorations. (Yes, that it another collection...but that it another story!)

The image on the right is the finished product -I need to get the right sized hanger for it.

There is something so satisfying in doing a project right through to completion. It is not perfect, but only God is perfect!

Patio time

Today we are looking forward to a sunny and warm 32 degree day. Time to brush off the patio's winter blues, and make it our summer living room again.
I love eating out here. I love having coffee out here.
I love the way the odd collection of patterns on the cushions make it homey.
I love the fact that, when I serve meals at our long table with the pew benches, we linger over the meal and chat more.
I love the fact that we live in a wonderful Mediterranean type climate, where this sort of thing is easy for much of the year.
So many things to be happy about!

Shady solutions

We used to have trees on the north of our house -palm trees and other scruffy types that kept the house cool in summer but also kept all the sun off the winter garden.

Last year the trees came out.

Now we are planning a pergola on the north side of the house with deciduous vines to shade the house in summer but let the light in, in winter. Realistically speaking, this will not be built for some time, so what to do?

One of the AussiesLivingSimply members had an idea, which sparked an idea in me.

We made blinds for the northern side out of shadecloth. I just used a staple gun (no, not the office type-bigger) to staple the fabric to battens, then my Darling Man screwed them to the wall. These will stay in place over the summer.

We are delighted with the result. We can see through the blinds from the inside, but they make the windows private from the outside. Inside the rooms, the effect is one of lots of light which seems to be bounced around the room. The room is not at all dark, like it would be with canvas blinds.

I don't know how much cooling they will do, however, as it has been raining ever since we put them up (LOL).

The same day we put up the blinds, my Darling Man put up a shade sail on the west of the house, over my new raised garden bed. We want to shade the dining room, which is our only west-facing room, and provide some protection for the veggies from the very hot overhead sun in the summer.