Recital Laughs and Garden Update

Now what does it take to turn this little tiger into....

They are her real eyelashes - so long!

this little ballerina.

(PS. i have bought her new ballet shoes and tights for Christmas)

Patiently sitting for ages while her hair was tonged and then her makeup done.  

Isn't she so cute and doesn't she know it.  She had the whole audience laughing all night with her prancing around, posing and bowing.  Chelsea really knew her stuff but the other "Tinies" were not so confident and she was so frustrated with them.  Telling them to "come on" and waving her hands at them, pulling them into position.  At one point she looked at her teacher in the wings and just shrugged at them as if to say "i give up".  Its like she was born to be on the stage.  My favourite costume was the little red Minnie Mouse costume with white polka dots. Unfortunately they don't allow any camera or phones during the recital.  

Maison on the left.

Maison (9) is one of only two boys in the company and he was spinning on his back and "popping and locking" with the best of them.  I was so proud of him and i love the fact that he dances because he loves it. He's pretty good at sport as well so i guess he's got it all going on - one cool little dude.

It takes a lot of effort to get the kids to their various activities and with their Mum working it falls to Glenda (my sister, their Nan), who lives with them. Lucky lucky children.  Unfortunately after doing the hard yards all year she had to be in NSW for her other grand children's baptism and so i went in her stead.  Bell had to be a stage Mum for the night and i could see her up in the theatre box with the other Mums, covering her face in embarrassment while her daughter confidently flounced around.  We certainly will be showing this DVD at someones 21st.

Since we've got the cuteness meter turned all the way up, Tilly wants to get in on the act.

Please Mum, can i have some dinner too!   Time for a summer groom i think.

Its Mirandah's 20th birthday today (Bestie's daughter) and i enjoyed a lovely family BBQ lunch with her family and friends.

OK,  now to the really important stuff, my garden.  You might have noticed that we have just finished a November that was more than just a little hotter than normal. It was 33C today.   All the forecast have us heading into extreme prolonged heat this summer.  A recent article in the HWT on the weather suggested a 70% chance of another El Niño which will bring even more heat.  See article here as it really explains (in layman's speak) what it is.  So what is a gardener to do.  Prepare

I've been looking for some grow cloth to shade my beds that is 30%.  Shade cloth only goes as low as 50% and that doesn't allow enough light through for growth.  Today i chose this product as i believe that the weave is fairly open and yet provides shade.

Plenty of space for air and light to pass through.

and the finished bed...

Rob and I made a frame up out of polypipe and bends.   The open side faces south-east  and the north side (which can be lifted up for access) is completely covered.  The whole cover is firmly attached with cable ties. I'm kicking myself that i didn't use white ones, but hey, its a garden.   This is my lettuce and herb bed.  

The tomato bed (2m X 1.25m) is full of small seedlings and so it was given a covering of bird netting before i made the shade covering similar to above.    

This bed has sunflower and corn at the North end so that they will provide shade for the zucchini plants that are growing.  

I know the kale is overgrown and the leeks have gone to seed but it looks so cool.  Veggie art.  I have pulled out the spinach that went to seed and have planted some more seedlings in here.  

Small sweet chillies ready for picking.  Goodness, you can see what a hot day it was.  

Snow Peas for my lunch tomorrow.

Peppers galore.  Something is also having a munch on my leaves.  

One of the more mature tomato plants in the wall bed.  I prefer cherry tomatoes.  

In the same bed as the above tomatoes, peppers, dwarf beans and spring onions is a pot of marigolds and alyssum for companion planting and beauty.   

I have pots of strawberries around the place that i will need to lift.  A certain Miss Tilly likes strawberries.  This week she discovered bananas.  She climbed over me while i was asleep and took an unfinished banana from my bedside table.  

I'm watching these blueberries, everyday and i cant see them changing colour.  PLEASE........

Potted pretties that are lit up at night with a $2 solar light.  

Pink Aster Lillies that i planted in the corners of my beds.  How beautiful.  I've only ever had these in bouquets and now I'm growing them.  Cool!

That's it guys.  Time for bed as i have to get up in 5 hrs time.  In the evenings, I am able to spend at least half and hour to an hour in the garden during the week.  I've got Jessie from rabidlittlehippy coming next weekend to teach me preserving so I'll being cleaning up the garden for a professional look over.

 

Thanks for Vising Living In The Land of Oz