Semi-relaxing...

July continues with beautiful winter weather, and I am semi-relaxing after a busy clearing and burning weekend. Exciting news - I am experimenting with a small wriggling stream through the Wattle Woods.

Monday 5th July

Just waiting for the drizzle to clear. I wonder what the stream looks like? Eeek! I am going to have a look, before writing anything else.

Stephen the encourager.
Chainsawing in the Wattle Woods

I'm back from inspection of stream. Well, it sort of hasn't done anything wrong - it's still trickling, there is no giant flood, just the wee scooped out makeshift pond at the end. Interesting - I think it may work!

After a little more relaxing (I am allowed, I have been a Gardening Machine this past weekend) I am going to go outside with shovel and some stones and see what I can make. I'm sure the end pond can work - I know that ponds can have liners, but maybe this one just gets stones and gravel? It's nice to know that something totally new is happening - new mistakes, new ideas, new solutions...

Stephen says that the garden is looking much better than this time last year. It's nice of him to notice - I feel very encouraged (with all the clearing and burning it jolly well should look good).

Now I feel very guilty that I doubted his interest in providing the water for the new stream. Ooops. I will apologise on behalf of all gardeners who ever doubt or insult their non-gardening partners. Sorry!

Many Hours Later...

I know this will sound very boring, but yet again I have been a gardening legend. The small stream is - well - semi-stable, and I've continued to clear out burnable rubbish from the lower Wattle Woods. The Wattles themselves are starting to flower (their early colour a citrus yellow). I have again been watering, and I've put a ring of stones around the end-pond of my new stream. It looks - new?

It starts life looking good...
Success for the New Wriggling Stream - Day One

As usual, all the rubbish is burnt - and the first photograph of the wriggling stream has successfully been taken. I wonder - will this become an amazing permanent water feature in the Moosey garden or be thrown out as a ridiculous idea?

I am enjoying the new pond garden bench - it is nice to hear the water filling the big pond, and the surrounding pots give a stylish feel. The pond paddock's flaxes (Yellow Waves and Cream Delights) look beautiful at this time of year. Yippee for flaxes! The Wattle Woods are also full of beautiful greenery. I love my garden - even in the middle of winter!

Tuesday 6th July

Traditionally this week would have been the first week of my winter holiday from work. There would have been a manic desperation in my gardening mood. Whether the weather was good or bad, I would have been racing and raging, making every moment count.

I like planting flaxes on the edge of a border.
Pond Paddock Phormiums (Flaxes)

I realise now that having to make moments 'count' doesn't guarantee that they give enjoyment, or satisfaction, or any kind of peace. And on this rather deep and meaningful note I approach another gardening day - and it's time for a deep and meaningful list of things I might like to start, continue, and possibly finish today (note the mellowness and calmness that semi-retirement brings).

This is a very nice list - it has variety, texture, and is appealingly presented, hee hee... I will be back.

Ignore the weeds please!
Taj-dog in the Winter Vegetable Garden

Later, Apres-Gardening...

I have been outside for over five hours, working though the items on my list - in order! The Hump clean-up is not yet finished, but progress has definitely been made. If the weather holds I might go outside quite early tomorrow morning (there is a cold front approaching from the south i.e. Antarctica) and continue.

One small problem - the end-pond of my small wriggling stream was completely drained. The water was still trickling down, but not reaching the end of the slightly scooped-out channel. A minor setback? - I think perhaps I was an over-confident stream-builder. There are whole books and whole magazines (and whole stores!) which sell the things needed to make and maintain a small stream and a small pond. Who do I think I am? Perhaps the water needs to run over gravel? Hmm...

The chooks have enjoyed scratching around with Moosey the Weeder. Rooster behaves most selflessly - when he spies a grub he gurgles to the two hens, sort of points with his beak, and lets them eat it. He has also started gurgling at me (weeding on knees by the Dog-Path seat) - eek! I have acquired chook-status! I peer at the grub and tell rooster he is a good bird - this seems to go down well. Positive reinforcement...

These trees flower early.
Wattles in Flower

Wednesday 7th July

Right - this morning's gardening session is supposed to be cut short by a 'bitterly cold' southerly, estimated time of arrival - lunchtime. It's now 8:30 am and I am ready to finish off yesterday's list (which was a great little list - it's important to vary one's winter gardening tasks).

Things to Shift

For example, today I must shift the standard roses. There are also hosta clumps in the Apple Tree Garden which need dividing and moving. Then there is the Hump - still some major mess, though not my fault (i.e. parts of the Hump have never ever been cleared).

And that blasted new stream - fancy my cute wee pond only lasting 24 hours... Crikey! What am I still doing inside?

Later...

I tried to stay working in the garden until the southerly came - but I got too tired. The Hump is much clearer - my feet feel like they've walked to town and back in gumboots - in reality, many many trips with the wheelbarrow back and forth to the fire. It's desperately dry in the Hump - I must have been mad to try and grow rhododendrons in here.

I also got the stream going properly again (or so I think! - will check it soon). I didn't shift the roses - I think they may be destined for the Willow Tree Garden. Until I'm sure, they can stay. All in all a most hardworking day, chook-less, with dog company, and Stumpy cat company instead - most unusual.

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