Dalmation Beans

 At the Growers' Market yesterday I noticed some pots of Dalmation Beans.  We already have a variety of different beans (more about that later) but I was keen to get the Dalmation Beans.

The Dalmations came to New Zealand mainly as Kauri Gum Diggers.  They are very hard working and always had large vegetable gardens.  I don't know why I never obtained the beans when we lived in the north but I bought two pots (of two each) yesterday.  We will have a good variety of beans this year.

12 x 12 PAINTING

Reyburn House Gallery recently held a 12 x 12 Exhibition.  All artworks had to be 12 inches x 12 inches.  Doug decided to enter a painting called Monlight.  

All artworks were for sale.  We went to look the day after opening night. There were some lovely artworks in various mediums

It is great that Doug really enjoys his painting.

SAUSAGES

Finding a good sausage is made harder by being gluten intolerant.  We have had some good ones when staying away made by the butcher in Kamo but they only sell them frozen and not free flow.  Anyway, a few weeks ago I saw some packets that looked interesting.  I like that the meat isn't imported but they are made by imported Frenchmen.  They obviously know what they are doing as they are delicious.  There are other, more spicy, flavours but these suit us perfectly.

The sausages are not very large and I was surprised to see a serve was one sausage but we go for 2.  I had started eating when I thought to take a photo.

WALLET

 On Tuesday, after I went to the G.P. the phlebologist was on a break so I went across the road for my chest x-ray.  Doug had been in the car doing the crossword and followed me across.  I was there for about 15 minutes and then went back across the road to the phlebologist where I waited for a short while and was there perhaps another 15 - 20 minutes.

When we got back to the car a man came out of a shop in front of our car and handed Doug his wallet.  Doug was just wearing his work shorts and it must have fallen out of his pocket when he got out of the car.  This man had noticed it and kept it safe for him all the time we were away and Doug hadn't even realised it was missing.

It is great that there are honest people about. We are now going to get Doug either a shoulder or waist bag for his wallet and phone to prevent this happening again.

FLOWERS

A few flowers in the garden at the moment.

Flowers on one of the oranges we bought a couple of years ago. All the citrus is in flower.

I like this variegated Weigela.

Various clivia's

VEGIES OVER WINTER

 Over winter I grew a punnet (6) Romanesco Cauliflower and a punnet of a side shooting broccoli. They both did very well.

The above is a photo from the Internet as I didn't take one of ours.  I also grew Swiss Chard and spinach and we are still eating that.

They are growing in the front garden and would have been behind the old fence. 

Things are starting to dry out again. There is a lot of work to do on this area.

WINTER

Winter went quickly in spite of having several frosts that knocked the bananas and a few other plants.  Luckily it didn't seem to damage the actual bananas and we have just picked two large bunches.  I have been trying to get back to blogging for a while but the time just seems to fly.  

I managed to get through winter without picking up any bugs but managed to get a cold/cough about three weeks ago and it just doesn't want to go away so today was the second Parkinson Walk in a row that we haven't been on.

The fence in the front of the house was, presumably, built at the same time as the house - 1973 - and was past its use-by-date so Doug decided to replace it.  The photos below are from both sides of the fence.  Flower garden on the road side and vegetables on the house side.

Anyway, Doug dismantled it and manage to remove the posts that had as much under ground as above and then we decided we like it without the fence so it will stay that way.  There is a fence further back. Doug is now working on new edging around the garden.