I know so many of you are juggling working from home, supervising homeschooling, trying to share technology and keeping fit and well and the house reasonably neat and organized. It is hard.
Keeping fit is probably difficult for so many of us as access to our usual routines or classes has been cancelled. Thank goodness for YouTube! I regularly do a yoga class online and have begun some resistance training, too, adding to some exercises I do at home anyway. And I walk a lot everyday. I hope you are finding some ways to remain fit and strong during this difficult period.
The Dog Park
Luckily we have been able continue going to the dog park. Not only does Louis get a good run but the park is large and we can all spread out. It is right next to the river and it’s restful and lovely just being there. We see people we know and can have conversations maintaining social distancing. But most of all, Louis gets to really run. He also needs to monitor all the trees around the perimeter of the park. He checks all the peemails and sends immediate replies!
Louis has had his end of summer grooming session and is ready for winter.
Sometimes it is just good to run and run.
This old peppermint tree has a Moreton Bay fig growing from one of it’s hollows.
Taking Louis to the dog park is a great opportunity for us to walk, too.
Growing Celery From Kitchen Scraps
I’ve seen instructions for growing vegetables from kitchen scraps in childrens’ gardening books and online, but only thought to try it recently. We actually find it hard to use a whole bunch of celery before I think it is too old. When I was washing and trimming the celery last week I kept the base, thinking I’d try it. It would be quite handy to have a crisp stalk or two regularly.
Put the cut off base in water and place it somewhere sunny outside. I put fresh water every second day. Day 5 and there appears to be some growth in the centre. When some roots appear I will plant it in a pot.
By day 8 it’s growing well. Time will tell.
If you are interested in knowing more about growing vegetables from scraps, you might like to watch this brief video on YouTube “Growing Vegetables From Kitchen Scraps” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uROpaU5mknw There are many informative videos on this topic so scroll through until you find one that suits you.
Garden News
The chilies are going wild so I think I’ll make some chili jam.
Our neighbour has had her magnolia and pomegranate trees heavily pruned. Our courtyard is awash with sunlight again in the afternoon. The roses and lime tree are particularly thriving. The light comes into our sitting room too which will be lovely during winter. I suspect some of the foliage will grow back before the piercing summer light returns.
Also re-potted a lucky bamboo which was not thriving. It used to be in my classroom and obviously missed the constant attention of little hands and enthusiastic over watering. It is no longer healthy. At the same time I added some fertiliser and fresh potting mix to this bonsai. It has thrived on our dining room table for about seven years with little attention, so today it got the works!
The bamboo is sending out a new leaf,so that’s promising!
If you enjoy looking at gardens the National Garden Scheme (UK) has gorgeous virtual garden visits. https://ngs.org.uk/virtual-garden-visits/
Ratatouille
Yesterday was so hot and sunny the back of my neck got burnt while I was gardening, despite a big hat. Today it is raining and cold. So suddenly the salad vegetables didn’t look so attractive. Time to turn them into a pot of hot, delicious, filling ratatouille. The weather really dictates what we eat and I find myself watching the citrus ripen or the melons appearing at the grocer and I start looking forward to changing what we eat.
This recipe could accompany any protein for four people. I served it with some flash fried prawns. We have well priced prawns (what you call shrimps in the USA) as export markets for local seafood have shrunk enormously. We have also eaten it as a light lunch with a thick piece of toasted bread.
RATATOUIILE
INGREDIENTS
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 large zucchini/courgettes, sliced
- 6 tomatoes sliced ( I used Roma, any sort will do
- 1 x 400gm tin of tomatoes. I used diced because that’s what I had, but if you use tinned whole tomatoes, mashed them up with the back of a spoon while they’re cooking
- 1 tbspn Balsamic vinegar plus salt and pepper
METHOD
Peel and chop the onions and slice the zucchinis Heat 2 tbspns olive oil or butter is a heavy based pan and gently fry the zucchini. After about 5 minutes remove the zucchini and transfer to a bowl.
Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook about 10 minutes until the onion is looking clear and slightly browned.
Put everything back in the pan, plus the tomatoes and the tin of tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar and let it simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with torn basil leaves and enjoy!
It is autumn (fall) in the Southern Hemisphere so this will be the last of the rockmelons (cantaloupe). The bananas and tomatoes are grown in our tropical north and are available all year round. The other things are all winter fruit and veggies.
This weekend many countries will celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday. Usually this is an opportunity to spend time with your mother and acknowledge the warmth and gratitude you feel. This year will be very different for me. Internal border restrictions mean I can’t visit my Mother and our son can’t visit us, either. We will Skype and have exchanged cards and gifts via mail, but it is very different this year. I hope you are able to celebrate this very special day in a safe way.