Well here I am, resting my feet after another long day of work and I must say I will be eternally grateful to the person who invented the La-Z-Boy chair.
My chair entices me into its bosom after a day’s work.

Come on Sandra, you know you want to sit down and flick my handle. Tea can wait another minute or two.
COME ON ….SIT …PUT YOUR FEET UP….. NOW !

OK the chair usually wins as it would be impolite to refuse such a forceful request.

I can’t believe its May. The freezing cold weather is just around the corner. Oh Yay

We closed the Fruit Stall a few days ago so life isn’t quite as hectic as usual. But of course there is a million clean-up jobs before winter really kicks in. Sam has made a good start with pruning so he’s happy. I’m too old and worn out to prune these days and he has made it clear that it is his domain anyway. No worries there Sam!
The drought this summer has seen two of my established Pittosporums die. I can now officially call myself a “Tree Killer”. I shed a few tears; well actually maybe more than a few. They were like old friends well actually they were as I’d planted them as little seedlings.
Some days I was simply exhausted running around in my spare time moving hoses and somehow I overlooked them.
This tree killing has reminded me of twenty-one years ago when a severe drought descended upon our Valley and a dear elderly customer popped in to purchase some Roxburgh Red Apricots. He was in tears as he had lost some of his trees due to lack of water on his property. I remember very clearly how I listened to his sadness and here I am feeling the same way. I found out later that he was in the early stages of dementia and his garden was his everything. Poor dear man.
On a lighter note, Ruby is busy propagating her Ornamental Grasses for next season.
Cleaning up the vege gardens before the ground freezes is also a top priority and it feels like we may have a good frost tonight.
Back in late December/early January, a plague of rabbits stripped her pea and broad bean patches and also the majority of her lettuces. She worked so hard to have them on the Stall for Xmas-New Year. She is a very resilient gardener.
I’m terrified that a good wind will blow her off the Orchard as she is such a tiny wee work horse. (kidding)
She worked like a trogan in the Fruit Stall from early December through to the other day. 5am starts and very late finishes.
She loves her career change.
She has also worked out how to use the battery operated pruners so will be giving Sam a hand when she has some spare time.

Now let’s talk about rabbits. It’s been our worst year for them in such a long time.
Sam would kill thirty in an evening and another forty would be waiting for him the next morning on his way to work. They are such cheeky little blighters. I swear I saw one wave to me one morning and it wasn’t a very dignified wave! And to add insult to injury they ate all the flowers in the memorial garden Ruby made for Alex and Mum in our front lawn.
They are noticeable by their absence at present. Probably regrouping to work out a strategic plan of attack for next season!

And don’t get me started on starlings!!! I have never seen anything like it in the 22 years I’ve been here.
The damage they did to the fruit was horrendous.
End of bleating. (for now)