Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Colour in the garden...



After a very dry winter and now mid-spring with still no rain I look for colour wherever I can find it in the garden. Most of the colour can be found in pots but there are also some hardy blooms not bothered by a lack of water.

The daisies above need to be constantly dead-headed and watered but they reward me with dozens of happy smiling sunshiney faces, and my single potted rose bush continues to flourish outside the bedroom window.




The bougainvillea beside the carport was pruned back a couple of months ago and has since returned with an overflowing bouquet of magenta petals...




...and nearby my winter pansies are still hanging on, blooming in sunset colours and vivid white.




All our desert roses are rapidly dropping their leaves in order to accommodate continuous flushes of hot pink flowers and many have seed pods ready to burst...




...and just beside a pot of parsley some marigolds have self-seeded and are doing better than their 'mothers' did  through our very warm winter.




There's also some fruit flowering in the front garden, self-seeded rockmelons (canteloupes) which may or may not survive once the wet season arrives...if indeed it does. The forecast is for high fire danger the remainder of the year and a late wet season after Christmas. Rockmelons need dry conditions, not heavy rains, and take around 12 weeks from flower to harvest. So this is a wait and see game for now.



Bess and Daphne have settled back into routine after the dog attack and though avoiding the front yard for over a week their curiosity got the better of them today and for hours they foraged under the syzygium hedge before returning to the familiarity of our back yard. 

The days are hot again and in the afternoon they dig holes under the ixora and bottle brush bushes for a long dust bath until the sting of the sun subsides.




Then it's back to digging and scratching for bugs, especially where we've just watered.




The large guava tree has dropped most of its leaves now but that's quite normal in spring. We can see new growth beginning and in another month or so it will be lush and shady again - which is the main reason the coop is under that tree.

We plan to get or build a proper coop over the summer school holiday break (Dec-Jan) but for now they are happy to lay eggs and sleep in the converted aviary their previous owners used.




A bit of a concern today was when Bob-the-dog could not be found. He'd sneaked out the front gates as Mr E was driving off to work and as he's often wandering the yard it was a little while before I noticed him missing. 

A search of the nearby area and then driving around a wider area, my migraine went into overdrive, but finally a lovely lady informed me she'd found Bob and dropped him off at a local veterinarian clinic. When I arrived at the vet's Bob was revelling in all the attention and not at all concerned about the stress he'd caused. 

Home again, he jumped out of the car and you know what he did? Ran straight towards the gate to go adventuring again! We've noticed these past six months that at age twelve he's begun to do some odd things and there are inklings of canine dementia cropping up. It's important to keep him safe and be vigilant about going in and out the front gate from now on. 

Honestly, with this latest run of a motorbike accident, the dog attack on our chickens and my husband, Cully May in hospital, and now Bob-the-dog going missing, I sat down this afternoon and said, "God, I'm over it all. One thing after another."

Then I poured a glass of cool sparkling water, took some medication for my raging migraine, and after some long deep breaths felt His peace flow over me. And I knew in that moment that there was no need to be distraught - every incident had left no lasting problems, but what they had done was given me numerous lessons in staying calm under pressure, the kind of pressure which catches you off guard, the kind you don't see coming.

I say it often because it's true - God wastes nothing, and all life is a series of lessons to grow us.
At the moment I seem to be growing in the area of unexpected crises. And as I write that my mind asks, "what next?" LOL!

On Thursday I have a free little gift for you, something you can make for yourself and someone else...




For now I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the evening. My migraine eased right off around dinner time but there's a slight dull ache remaining which if I don't watch it will build again overnight and I can't let that happen because I have a date at the Aquarium in the morning with Blossom, Cully May and Rafaella...and I simply cannot miss that.

God bless you and keep you close. May He lift your weary eyes and strengthen your tired heart, give you a refreshing sleep tonight and a spring in your step tomorrow. May His grace abound in your character and His kindness be mirrored in your words.

hugs and blessings


14 comments:

Little Quiltsong said...

Such a lovely post with all your garden flowers and cute chickens. So glad Bob-the-dog was found and you got to rest from your huge migraine. It is true, if it isn't one thing, then it can be the other in our life. Keeps us close to God in prayer. Enjoy your day with Blossom and the girls - sounds like a fun day is ahead for you :)!

Jenny said...

Flowers always help sooth & calm me on hard days. So glad Bob is ok & hope your migraine is gone for good.

Diane Garton said...

Dear Jenny, I wish I could send you some of our rain! It has been relentless these last three weeks, but a sudden burst of sunshine for a few hours today was a blessed relief & I spent several hours pruning and weeding with the sun on my back. What a joy! I love the tales from your garden and enjoy the photos, which just demonstrates how different your growing seasons and methods are from us here in UK. I will pray your headache away and enjoy your day with your beautiful family tomorrow. Precious days x

Lorrie said...

Hello Jenny,
There is a lot going on in your world just now. Learning to lean on God is a constant part of life. I hope your day with some of your girls is most enjoyable.

Allie said...

Oh my!!! Bob you naughty dog! Really glad that lady found him. We've been asked to watch for a black cat in a red shirt (?????) that escaped this afternoon from the animal hospital around the corner - shouldn't be too hard to spot, but can you imagine a vet losing someone's pet? I'm just praying it's found before the coyote discovers it....
So happy Bess and Daphne have settled back down. You have such a lovely yard, my dear! ABOUNDING with life!

Tammy said...

Beautiful garden photos. I had never thought about dogs getting dementia before. Maybe thats whats up with my crazy lil dog lately at 13. Maybe she has dementia too. Hope your migraine totally subsides and you ladies and girls have a fabulous time at the aquarium.

Meg said...

I love to see colour in my garden too, Jenny. It always lifts my spirits when something is in flower. Your little daisies are very sweet. At the moment in my garden, there is a deep purple salvia blooming and it's delightful. Meg:)

Ondrea said...

Your garden is abundent with so many beautiful flowers and plants. Pretty blooms always makes one smile. Hope things calm down for you now and those nasty headaches stay away.

Lin said...

Lovely to see all the colour in your garden Jenny and I do envy you your bougainvillea! Its the first thing I look out for when we go down to Spain in the spring. I brought some back one year but even keeping the pot indoors over the winter was not successful. Sounds like Bob had a great adventure - not much fun for you though especially with a migraine. Hopefully it cleared right up in time for your trip to the aquarium. xx

Águeda said...

You have a little paradise at home: Flowers, fruits, eggs... and a dear old dog. You have a hard work too , you keep all that with love and careful. Don't forget take care of yourself ,please. You are the most important flower in your home. Good bless you and bless your beautiful family.

MissPat said...

We are well into Autumn here, but no killing frost as yet, so the marigolds, zinnias and dahlias are still putting on a show. The white chrysanthemums are being stubborn and the buds, while prolific, show no signs of opening. We are getting rain today and tomorrow with windy conditions, but nothing like the snow storms out west or the rain storm heading up the east coast. The weather has certainly been crazy everywhere in the world. Take care, I hope the migraine is gone.
Pat

Farm Quilter said...

Joining you in the last 36+ hours with a migraine. I haven't had more than 1 a year for the last 10+ years, but now I am getting them about 3 times a week. The meds I used to take to head them off I have become allergic to, so the doctor called in a new prescription for something specifically for migraines. It doesn't work as well when the migraine has been raging for over 24 hours. Praying you will be able to go with your girls in the morning. Any time spent with grands is so very important. I pray Bob the dog stays safe!

KingsailK said...

Thank you ,beautiful photos.I love my garden ,picked my last rose bud yesterday ,have it on my kitchen window!Its the little things mean so much in life!Xx

Susan said...

What lovely photos of color! I hope you have some rain soon. What next? More color in the garden, vegetables springing up, more eggs in the aviary, more adventures with Bob. Those are the things you can count on, but there will be unexpected pleasures, too. The song of a bird, a flash of color flying through the garden. Dips in your lovely pool! Ideas God sends to you for development. It's so nice when He lets us help create beauty in His world! There will be trials as well, but you will have Him, your family, and many friends standing right there with you through them all. We are not like Job's friends. =) We find no fault in you, and only pray for your good health and continued inspiration. Keep calm and bake, right? =) Love you, Jenny girl.