This weekend past...

We had morning tea on the new Bench Swing that Prince 1 had made during the week.

I admired the Emerging Seedlings in the old veggie patch: the mustard, peas, beans and a few potatoes have raised their brave heads. There are a few missing beans though (the birds probably took them)...

I planted Artichoke seeds where we had removed the roses, some Morning Glories up steel obelisks, Scarlet Runner Beans and Jack-Be-Little Pumpkins up the arch over the new veggie patch gate and the King made two more raised beds.

The Princes were immersed in their School Work. They had helped out at Forest Way Outdoor Centre for 3 days during the week and had catching up to do. A group from a large East London primary school had been visiting and extra staff had been needed to take them abseiling, raft building, through the obstacle course, up to the waterfall and to teach them how to use bows and arrows. The Princes helped cheerfully - the hearty cooked meals and interesting teachers they met (and impressed) served as incentives. Prince 1 is busy with exam prep, the other two are on a mission to get through their syllabi in record time!

On Saturday evening we dressed up to attend a Dance Show at the Guild theatre in East London. The Princesses that float into our lives make sure we get our dose of cultural enrichment every once in a while! Last month we attended Princess A's show and this month it was Princess K's turn to enchant us. Both girls were the tallest in their groups - how fast (and beautifully) they grow up!

Early this morning we had our first gentle rain - only 3 more days to the Spring Equinox!

The sun is shining!

It's another glorious day! The sun is shining and it's warm (below 20 degrees but above 15!) We returned home from holiday to a cold front and forescast of snow (and I'm sorry I just can't stick my hands into cold soil) but yesterday and today are just wonderful. I've walked around inspecting the garden and I can tell Spring is in the air. Flower buds are forming everywhere and my yellow Clivia that my Dad gave me has just produced it's first flower (after two years I think).

Yesterday I pulled back the shade cloth over the Veggie Patch and weeded. The little seedlings have done really well and are looking so promising and beautiful! I also planted out some Impatients that I bought for a whole R5 per pot while away, hope they are happy  ;-) I can't wait to get veggie seeds planted but I know I must wait a little longer. I did however in my search for info on seed saving (I'm going to try not to buy every season) find a great website that has a novel approach to winter sowing, go have a look at www.wintersown.org (lots of great info!). Hardy seedlings are started outdoors during Winter using mini-greenhouses made from recyclables; there are no heating devices, no energy wasting light set-ups or expensive seed starting devices. Here they use ziplock baggies:

And talking about greenhouses isn't this just inspiring?

 

These greenhouses are made from plastic colddrink bottles. How green can you go :-) So if you're still drinking cooldrink, start saving those bottles (you need about one thousand!)!  Here is a link to step by step instructions. Hopefully we might have time next winter (and enough bottles!) to tackle a similar project ;-)