Birak Season

Birak is the Nyoongar season or summer.  The warmer weather is taking hold and the rains easing.  Hot easterly winds come in off the inland desert with the sea-cooled breezes from the southwest coming across in the afternoons – in Perth we call these the Fremantle Doctor.  This November has been Perth’s wettest in 145yrs!  And I for one have relished in all that rain for my garden.  The basil seedlings were planted all around my garden just before the rains. The only ones I lost were to the slugs!  I’m still going to have a huge harvest if all remaining ones survive.  I’ve noticed there are both Thai and ordinary basil. Looks like lots of pesto coming into summer.

The slugs have been munching through much of the new plants and my strawberries! I have put some bottles with snail pellets in so that the bobtails can’t eat them.  I turned over a pot the other day and found about ten slugs underneath.  I knew who would enjoy these so cut them in half leaving them on the saucer and within minutes one of the bobtails had found them and was relishing the banquet.

The first weekend of November I had been asked to join the Australia For Jesus retreat in Mandurah.  It was over two days but I was only able to go on the Friday.  I called an old family friend, Margaret, who lived in Hall’s Head to see if I could visit her while I was down there.  I was delighted to be able to go down on the Thursday and stay the night.  We had a lovely time of catching up.  She is such an amazing artist. I had hoped to be inspired by her work and I wasn’t disappointed. She told me of a time when she was newly married when Rome had had a flood and many priceless art treasures had been damaged.  She went for an interview to see if her talents could be used in restoration, taking with her a sample of her art, Rembrandt’s painting of ‘Girl with Pearl Earring’  The gentlemen who interviewed her looked at her sample, brought out one similar, and asked which one she thought looked like the original.  Hers did. He told her that her talent with colours was very rare.  Unfortunately she did not take the job as she was planning a family.  Although she knows she made the right choice, I think she regrets that she couldn’t do both.

The following day I joined the AFJ leaders group, meeting some of the other WA leaders from places like Albany, Katanning and Perth.  Some of the other leaders were coming down on Saturday.  I was happy to help them with coffee making as they were unsure of how the coffee machine worked.  Unfortunately mine was the first off the rank as the trial shot and was very weak and watery. But after this I had worked out how to slow the pour to make a rich coffee.  At 5:30pm there was a pause for dinner, so I made my exit as it was an hour’s drive back to Perth and even longer as we headed into peak hour I gave a lift to one of the attendants who needed a lift to the train station along the way.  It was nice to have someone to chat to for some of the trip too.

Another weekend I decided it was time to trim the plants off the foot path beside the road.  I pulled out a heap of pink pigface and piled it up beside our bin area before cleaning the footpath.  I left quite a bit in the garden as it’s very hardy and needs no management.  I then advertised it on Facebook Market Place and Gumtree with my address so they could pick it up without contacting me. I only had one inquiry and when I went to see if it was still there, the pile had gone.  On Sunday, walking back from church, I wondered why some of the smaller pigface variety was all pulled out and loose across the footpath.  Then I realised ALL my pink pigface had been pulled out of my garden, not leaving a skerrick! Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.  I learnt my lesson to never put the address!  I had actually been considering removing the lot and putting in some more Hermiandra pungens or Snakebush which is very prickly and has helped keep the dogs out of my garden.

I am known as the unit’s gardening guru. My neighbour Kath had a hibiscus that was struggling to survive and when she dug it out, it was sitting on a huge limestone rock.  She had cut most of the plant’s roots off, so I suggested she cut off most of the branches leaving just the main stem, then replant it in another spot. We were all surprised when it started sending out new shoots.  I took cuttings from all the off-cuts so I can give them away to whomsoever may like one. It’s a blessing I kept all the spare pots.

During the first week of November while the guys were still working on the new build across the road, I went across and asked if there was any reo (reinforcement) mesh left after pouring the garage floor as I’d really appreciate a sheet.  My plan was to make a huge arched frame over my avocados, which struggle due to the heat and getting sunburnt. I have lost three already and the one I’ve had in for three years looks very sad.  I’m hoping I will be able to save it.  My neighbour, Donna, gave me two small ones she grew from seed.  I also planned to buy a persimmon, but when I inquired I found that they were over $100 each with no guarantee they would survive the hot, salty westerly winds.  When I was online, hunting another large pot, I saw some for $75 and although this is still very expensive, the guy selling it wasn’t far from me, so I hope they have been toughened up for this area.

Anyway back across the road I had been granted permission by the foreman to have the young guys (everyone seems young these days) help me with some reo mesh.  I quickly set to work to make the area ready.  I removed the old shade cloth, dug a trench for the reo, which will help hold it in place and having asked about what else I needed, hunted around and found two old star pickets. These went into the trench to help give extra reinforcement to hold the mesh in place. I also moved the rubbish bins out of their enclosure so that it was easier to manoeuvre the mesh into place.  The wall was going to be one side of the arched framework. The senior of the guys, Ryan, and his mate carried the mesh across the road while I waited near the trench to help guide the mesh into the right position.  The mesh was 2400mm wide by 4000mm long and was quite difficult to manoeuvre. Ryan climbed onto of the brick wall holding the swaying mesh above his head.  He nearly lost his balance several times while his work mate joined me in directing it into place. It was a bit of a struggle as it kept getting caught on the wooden posts I hadn’t thought of removing. Once in the ditch the other side was bent and slipped down the wall which kept it in place nicely.  Previously I had thought they would cut the mesh to size but Ryan said it was easier to take the whole panel.  With it now in place, it was perfect.  I was so appreciative. Ryan said he didn’t mind helping as “What goes around comes around”.  God has been so gracious not only providing the material but also the guys to help me get everything into place.

Ryan also offered to drill and attach the mesh to the brick wall and to bring over some cement when it arrived.  I told him he had done more than enough and although I was grateful for his offer, I was able to do these things myself.  The next time I saw him, I took him over some ginger beer and some morning tea as a thank you. I didn’t want to encourage alcohol on the job, especially as the supervisor was there.

The day I posted the last blog where I’d mentioned I had been looking for someone to help me make a bench for my patio area, I had two tradesmen visit to see what I needed.  One, Slavo, was a retired friend of my neighbour Bob.  He has previously done cabinetry so hopefully he knows what he was talking about.  The other had been recommended to me by someone in the church who had used him.  This guy joined the ranks of those who never got back to me.  Praise God, Slavo did, and is able to do the job early next month.

Yum cha again!  This time I went with other church friends who also enjoy gardening, as we went from lunch to the Dawson’s nursery in Forrestfield, south of Perth. We wandered around admiring all the plants, choosing some we wanted, before collecting the rose I had ordered.  I came home with more than I had anticipated and spent the rest of the evening planting and wondering where I could put the rest!  The rose I ordered was a climber, ‘Crepuscule’ which has fragrant, apricot and yellow blooms.  I had previously prepared a spot for it to grow up the lattice outside my kitchen window.  I planned for it to be a companion to the David Austin, which I think is Constance Spry, English Rose.  This is also a scented rambling rose which I grew from a cutting off Mum’s bush.  I have three of these same plants in different areas of my garden, which have all struggled in the heat and the winds. Two now have companion plantings, one with the pink jasmine out the front of the house and now this one out the back with my new climbing rose.  I’m praying that with more protection they will now thrive, as they too are stunning when in bloom.

Another plant I bought was a Gardenia Florida which I had planned to grow between the Murraya paniculata. They both have perfumed white flowers and make a great hedge, which is needed to shield a small shaded garden on the top of my limestone wall under the dense canopy of the New Zealand Christmas tree.  Here there is quite a slope, which needs a bit of work to hold the soil back.  I’ve been collecting odd bricks which I have been layering into the side of the slope, hoping it will hold the soil till the plants are established.  In other areas I have put plants in pots, as the roots beneath the trees are both very invasive and an impenetrable compressed mass.

The very next day I had a stack of things to do. After working in the garden all morning I stopped off to see Frances and Bill, collecting a stack of pink poppy seeds as well as some photos of our trip north.  From here I called into Don’s, dropping off several metal poles, which he said he could use.  Don also helped put the eyelets into my shade cloth which I’m thinking now might be too much shade as I’m thinking it could be at least 70%.  Oh well, we’ll see.  Then dropped off a load of second hand clothes to the Gospel Chariots to be taken to several Africa nations.  I then stopped off at Waldecks to speak to the horticulturist there, as I wasn’t impressed with the plants that were suggested for my shady area under the New Zealand Christmas tree.  One I actually moved into full sun after reading its planting instructions.  I collected another eight plants! I do hope these one will survive in the low light.  Last stop en route home was to collect a persimmon sapling.  On chatting to the grower, I decided not to take my first choice, the Kaki, but instead a Jiro as this plant only grows 3 meters compared with the 4mt of the Kaki. I was busy over the weekend planting all my purchases.

Sunday morning I was helping out on barista duty.  This is always a busy time at church and I had arrived late due to stopping to say hi to some of my neighbours en route to church.  The baristas have three serving times: two people start before the 8:30am service and stay on to help the next two volunteers for the in-between services period at 9:45am. These second two also stay on to serve expresso coffees after the 10:30 am service.  This is my time to serve.  While I was busy with coffee shots, a friend came up and asked if I would like some mulch for my garden.  Oh, yes please.  I’d love some.  When I got home that afternoon I had totally forgotten who had so kindly offered me the mulch.  I racked my memory but couldn’t remember.  I messaged three people between Sunday evening and Monday morning who all got back to me saying, ‘no not me.’  I asked them to pray for my memory, then I too prayed that the Lord would put it upon the heart of the person to contact me and ask “when would you like to pick up the mulch?”

Monday morning is my Bible Study morning.  This particular Monday I hadn’t slept well, waking at 3:30am.  In fact I hadn’t slept well for several nights that past week.  Because it’s light around 4:30 am, I stayed awake till dawn broke, went for my jog, exercising and a shower before going back to bed by 6am. Usually I can sleep for another hour or two but, this particular morning, I forgot to turn off my alarms which remind me of things I need to do during the day.  I may have had a little sleep, but not near enough.  During our morning meeting we discuss our prayer requests. I asked for prayer for my memory.  Because I was over-tired, I felt my request was brushed over with comments like “oh it’s just your age, we all suffer from bad memories”.  I was choking back my emotions and very close to tears. I must admit, having a mother who had Alzheimers doesn’t help my fears.  Emma, who was with us for the first time since coming out of hospital, followed me from the room, reassuring me that the ladies didn’t mean to offend.  I hate being fussed over and just wanted some time to calm down but had to graciously allow my friend’s help. One of the other ladies come out to apologise, as she had butted in while I had been sharing.  I accepted both their help, laying at rest their need to apologise and forgiving her if she felt she had wronged me, then returned to the room.  The following day I was feeling much better, thanks to a sleeping tablet assisting me with a good night’s sleep and later, receiving some good news to share.

As some of you know, at 8am on Tuesdays, I help out with the coffees for the primary school teachers as well as a Bible study group that comes in around 10am.  Sara doesn’t usually come to the Bible study on Tuesdays, but had a day off so joined the group.  As she passed the coffee shop, she stopped and asked me “Sally, when would you like to pick up the mulch?”  I nearly jumped over the counter to give her a big hug.  Instead I shouted Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!  I told her about my dilemma, having asked three people it they had been the ones to offer me the mulch.

God is so good.  Our prayers had so speedily been answered!  What an awesome Father we have.  I am so blessed.  I am also so very grateful that the Lord has given me such understanding home group ladies and for their prayer support during my meltdown. It’s such a privilege being part of our very special ladies group.

The Lord had another blessing for me that weekend.  I was offered another unwanted tree, an ornamental pear.  I came home to a note on my door from the same neighbour who gifted me the magnolia.  I was surprised at the size of this new tree, which in its pot is over two meters tall, very root bound and with very little foliage, but new shoots appearing.  I contacted my friend Sarah who works with me on the Tuesday barista team to see if she was willing to give me a hand with another repotting.  She was, and arrived after her Bible study on Tuesday. It wasn’t as difficult to get it out of the pot so didn’t take us long in comparison to the Bay Tree.  I had everything prepared, extra potting mix, secateurs, black plastic to make cleaning up easier and a little pot of ground cover to add as a finishing touch.  The tree had some very large roots that wrapped around the pot, the thickest of these I cut off which will, I hope, encourage new root growth.  I half-filled the pot with fresh potting mix, worm castings and some aged cow manure.  Sarah held the tree in place while I poured more potting mix over the roots, before dividing the Pratia ground cover into three.  The whole lot was then soaked with seaweed solution diluted in rain water and staked to hold it in an upright position.  I trimmed off some of the canopy to help it recover since I’d taken quite a bit of it’s root system. I’m now praying it will survive in the hot weather we have been having; praise God it’s in afternoon shade. I’m hoping it will help pollinate my other pear too.

Later that afternoon, my neighbour and I picked up three bags of mulch, which I then scattered around my garden. I knew someone else in the church who was interested in getting some mulch, so I contacted her to let her know there was about two trailers’ full left.  She had arranged for others in the church to pick some up on Friday but there was a bit of miscommunication, leaving Sara’s pile unwanted, so I picked up some more and then went back with the church trailer and another neighbour to pick up a trailer-load in exchange for some groundcover geranium plants.  There was still some left over mulch, which fortunately Sara was able to find a home for.  When we arrived back at the units, another neighbour helped us scatter it around some of the unit gardens and the communal garden area around the car park. What a God, to send us all this mulch!

The sail cloth saga continues… I now have the eyelets attached, thanks to Don’s handy work, but I’m still contemplating how to attach it to the colour bond fence. Or do I just put up two posts?

As I finish this update, the weather suddenly changed back to winter!  We had two days of rain, which brought in the cool change.  I must admit I do enjoy the cool mornings for my jog.

Photos:  1. Lotus hydrida – Lotus Red Flash    2. Some of Margaret’s paintings    3. AFJ WA group    4. Pink pigface    5. New garden awning    6. Three stages of Hoya flowering    7. My new rambling rose    8. Plants for the shade    9. Me with the Tuesday group    10. Newly potted ornamental pear tree

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for His abundant, over flowing blessings.  For all His provisions and interventions this month.

Praise the Lord for Emma’s speedy recovery with her platelets count, surprising the medical team.  Thank you for your prayers; please continue to pray that she is now in remission from the leukaemia.

Pray that those who don’t yet know the Lord Jesus will have their eyes opened to His love, peace and saving grace.

I praise God for advance of the Covid vaccine.  Please pray that it will be successful in bringing the virus under control.

Praise the Lord for all our supportive friends and prayer partners.  It’s such a wonderful thing to know we are there to help and encourage each other.  We all need each another in different ways and it’s reassuring and encouraging to know friends are not too far away, thanks to technology and prayer