An eventful few months

After having a really bad flu last winter I decided to have a flue shot to preserve my health. I elected to have my left knee surgery on May 22nd. All went to plan including 2 weeks rehabilitation at the Mater Private at Cleveland.
I came home just needing a walking stick. Just as I was feeling confident and repairing well, I fell over at Carramar Street and broke my leg.
I had been to a party with Georgia and after arriving back I decided to look for Maxi. I fell in the dark. I managed to get to bed but by morning I needed the ambulance.
I had 3 pins put in my leg. The fall happened on September 1st.
Both my knee and leg are healing well now. By the end of this week all of the post operative appointments will be completed.

The weather is already starting to warm up. We have had quite a lot of rain which is great for our garden.

Our lovely geraniums 

The park bench for viewing

The November lilies are out as usual.

So beautiful

After a big storm on Sunday afternoon the light was just amazing.

We had some good harvests over the winter. Our friend Ron keeps an eye on fruit trees in gardens of houses that he does lawns etc. A lot of houses on the Island are not inhabited all of the time. When there is an abundance he always drops off some produce. Lemons, Oranges, Limes, cumquats and pawpaws. Our herbs are growing well plus we had a great crop of lettuce, spinach and baby kale. of course cherry tomatoes - they grow the best here.

Great for orange cake

I miss the sunsets over the water that we could see from the June Parade house. I snapped this shot a week ago - it was beautiful.

On Sunday afternoon a man pulled up on a bicycle and set up his easel and started to paint. I spoke with him and made him welcome. He has land on the Island and will build here eventually. I took a photo through my window as I wanted to show Jonnie. I didn't like him to see me photographing him. I hope he returns.

Autumn - finally

The heat seemed to go on for ever. Finally if not standing/sitting in the sun one can now wear a sleeve.
This morning was down to 13 deg - but by Friday the middle of the day will be up to 26 deg. The wind has a chill so no swimming this week even though the tide is right.
We have been practicing our Tai Chi almost every day and have improved greatly. Mel comes a couple of times a week to practice with us.

Little red hen

Our last chicken has arrived. The 'old' girls have given her a hard time. Talk about bullies. But finally things have improved but they keep her in her place - end of the line. She is frightened of us as well so hopefully her life will improve over the next month or so.

Chair fabric

Couch fabric

Jonnie did a great job on the cushion covers - we just love these Hawaiian prints. Even the bamboo plant behind matches the print in the fabric.

Rogue chicken

This feeder is for the wild birds. We let the chickens out every evening for 30 minutes or so.- didn't take long for them to find the food.

The Corella's found the seed

Date and ginger cake

I made the bread and the rest of the produce is from the garden. Pawpaw, pomegranate, passionfruit and eggs.

New driveway

Jonnie and Brian built this driveway from material left at the council area. I did help a little but my leg gave way so was only able to do a few loads of gravel and road base.

New car park

New Magnolia tree

The start of the tropical garden

Under the mango tree

The mango tree and the area underneath has never looked better. Beautiful and lush.

The Jacaranda tree

This tree came from Danise's garden in Kedron. It was small enough for me to bring over on the ferry as a potted plant.

Prawners

We love watching the activity of the prawners.

Rain and more rain and then the wind

Today the weather has been just crazy. 45km/h winds were predicted and it happened. We had the odd burst of sunshine that allowed me to plant out some viola's. Then almost vertical rain would come in waves across the bay.
The constant rain is just wonderful for our recently planted garden.
I love our bromeliads, they look great around the tree and then - they flowered this week.

Lovely around the tree

Love the colours

Our storage shed has a great door ornament. Son Mark found these and put them up.

It just suits the island

Wood ready for the fireplace

We had the next door property mowed to keep the weeks down and make our garden look better. We decided to put our chairs and a table under the mango tree to enhance the scene.

An extra place to sit and enjoy the garden

Favourite garden ornaments

Aunty Billie gave Mum an allamanda many years ago. It was planted by the french doors of her apartment. It looks marvellous.

The colour is just beautiful

Jonelle repurposed a tiled table that used to be in the old kitchen as a potting table.

A great pop of colour

The new verandah cushion covers are finished but there has not been enough sunny time to photograph them. The couch and chairs have been repainted and are sitting unadorned waiting for a fine day.

February heat/rain

I had planned to write about the constant heat of February but our internet was down for over a week. Now we have wonderful rain.
It has been raining on and off for over a week - so fabulous for the new hedge and the lawn. With red dirt on Lamb Island having a good lawn is essential. That red volcanic soil that is so good to grow things colours everything. Even the white tile grout in the shower.

Our chickens are doing well - on some days we get 4 eggs from 5 chickens. One previously grew to be a rooster so we swapped him for a new hen, then all of a sudden the lovely looking red one started to crow.... He has gone. We are waiting now for a replacement.

Fun afternoon with a view

Every afternoon we let them out for a scratch and adventure for about 45 minutes.

The red door

We found this old door under the house. Mark attached it when he built the new pen and Jonnie painted it red.We love it.

Peach syrup cake

I have been doing some cooking as the kitchen here is much better suited to fun cooking. This cake was for Brie's birthday.

Lemon yoghurt cake for Jonnie's birthday

Foccacia

Bread and butter pudding

This pudding was made with brioche - just lovely.

Pommes Boulangere

Spanish frittata

Okomomiyaki

View on a sunny day

A grey day - both beautiful

Start of the new cushion covers

Our garden is coming along beautifully. As soon as it stops raining I will update photo's and do another blog.

January 2018

We have been in the Tina Avenue house for a month now. The household is really well set up with just some fine turing to do.
We have 5 new chickens and are collecting 2-3 eggs per day. A couple of the chickens are little young to lay yet. We did have 6 but a snake ate one. We now have a solar powered snake deterrent - so far so good.

Lovely November lilies

The Tina Avenue garden is very different from June Parade. We are right on the water and the plants are more tropical. These lilies were flowering before we moved in so I cut loads for the other house while we were there.

A lovely display

This is the same vase in a new setting just one month later.

All from June parade house

I made a cheese and spinach soufflé for the first time in years. It tasted wonderful.

Must do this more often

On the way back from Hawaii I picked up a new gin from Australia.

A lovely drop

The days have been hot as expected, but the breezes here are so much better. Not obstructed by the hedge and the big mango trees.

Our verandah view

Wonderful trees

New Jaccaranda tree 

I carried this tree home from Danise's house in Kedron. It is doing very well. We wanted one to replace the lovely tree on June Parade.

A lovely sunset as the ferry came in

Lovely end to the day

Baking day

I found Mum's old 1960's recipe for boiled fruit cake. Plus a very new recipe for an apple cake. Both very popular.

Afternoon reading spot

This was a lovely place to sit and read in the afternoons. Now in Tina Avenue the chaise lounge has a more conventinal Position inside.

We work each day on projects around the house and garden. When the weather is cooler we will get so much more done. Luckily this month the tides have been right for swimming during the middle of the day. Makes it so pleasant to cool off.