Preparations & Paving

I’ve started on the paving. First procrastinating over the area that needs to be levelled as it has to be on a bit of a slope away from the house and another slope so that the water runs into the garden. So two sides should be higher. Not only that but there seems to be soooo much sand that I have to move and then level. So, procrastinating again, I instead started on the paving that needed to be redone when the asbestos fence was removed and the new fence posts put in between the neighbour’s and my yard. That wasn’t too bad a job, it was just like putting a jigsaw back together finding the right piece to fit in so it all looked even. Lorraine, my tenant come out as I was finishing and asked if it was supposed to have a little hill in it? Hmmm not really, so I pulled out the pavers in question and levelled out the mound.

The other thing is the weather is starting to heat up so I need to split my shifts to an early morning and later afternoon work so as to work in the shade. When I moved out to the larger open area it will be more difficult to work in the shade as it was not so sheltered. Every day this week I came and raked around the sand trying to level out and clean the sand of all the debris. I even used an old fly screen to sift the larger piece of vegetation and rubble out. I used house bricks which I have scavenged of my nephew to give me a rough idea of how the soil was to slope away from the house. I was still frustrated, not quite knowing how I was to approach the levelling of the area making it run off in two directions. Hmmm

During this time my sister Kath flew in for a night (another welcomed distraction) Kate and Richard vacated her room and stayed with my older sister for two nights before heading north to spend Christmas with her mum in Broome.

Overnight the house was down to two again, mum and I. I gathered up my native plants and on Saturday when all had flow the coop I was back working at the unit. I planted 10 natives. Three which will grow into 2-3 meter bushes to help close the gaps and form a hedge around the top of the property. Five ground covers, one with a lovely smoky leaf, another with a tiny white star and the other has blue bell shaped flowers. These I hope will eventually cascade over the limestone wall. The last one was a soft grey shrub which will bring some contrast colour. Once these were in I realised I needed a few more ground covers and a couple of small shrubs. I have also planted a fig tree which I nearly pulled up because people and friends told me stories about how destructive the roots are as they seek and search out water. I asked about at a fruit nursery and they said it would be fine for the next 20 yrs so I thought I might as well leave it for whoever is living there at the time (could possible be me so I hope I remember to do something about it). Mum also had an olive seedling about a foot (sorry 30 cm) tall. I had a few more spots I’d like to plant some other fruit bearing plants that will grow in sand soil and Perth climate. I rang around and found Feijoa, Nectarinies, which are miniature nectarines and Pixies which are miniature peaches both growing 1.5mt. I was also excited to find there are semi dwarf avocados too. I sooo miss my ginormous (that’s gigantic and enormous for those who done use such slang 😉 but really ask my Sydney friends the fruit were huge!) avocados in Sydney, which I planted from seed.  I have also been thinking about a pink grapefruit as citrus grow well in Perth. So now I have quite a bit of a choice.

I took a drive back to the native nursery and chose a few more shrubs. First I looked through mum’s booklet on ‘Perth Plants for your Garden’ which gave me the height, width, soil and where they would best grow. Armed with my list I wandered around with the nursery assistant looking for what was closest to what I wanted. Something for the shade under the existing trees, more ground cover a few small dense bushes and a beautiful Geraldton wax. I can’t wait to see what they will look like once they have matured…. oh well that will be a few years from now as long as they survive my non gardening tenant.

The week before Christmas and there were things to prepare as Mum and I are hosting Christmas Eve. This is a tradition in our home as we all enjoy a typical hot English Christmas dinner and anyway.  Who wants to slave over a hot stove on Christmas day in the heat of Perth summer!  Perth frequently has a heatwave over Christmas with temps of 40 or over. We cleaned out her freezer and fridge to make room for the feast to come. I make our traditional Christmas favourites, white Christmas, Hedgehogs and Chocolate Truffles.   When cleaning out the freezer I found containers of grapefruit and the rind specially prepared to make marmalade. Another task! From these I made two batches. The first set well, the second (which I added ginger to) needed two attempts to set as I ran out of sugar and had to borrow from both mums neighbours. Marmalade makes great gifts for Christmas.

Mum also has an amazing mulberry tree out the front of her place which is at the moment laden with fruit. She allows anyone to pick it on the condition that she gets some of the fruits of their labours. Grace came around for a visit after church on Sunday and the three of us picked two punnets actually it was two, two litre ice cream tubs  Our hands, arms and I’m told my face were stained with blood red juice.

And still I’m procrastinating over the paving!

I’ll take this time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Please pray for those who do not know the joy that this wonderful time brings and celebrate and give thanks with me for the birth of the greatest gift. God’s own Son. Look past the gifts, glitter and feasting and remember the true reason for this special time. Pray to the Lord of the harvest that hearts will be open to experience our Heavenly Father love as it reaches out for a relationship with those who are yet to know Him.