Avocado and a Cure for Snails!

*First up, Avocado is not a cure for snails!  I just couldn't find a niftier title for the post!*

Over here in our lil world, we've started working toward our dream of having a reasonably self sufficient homestead...(I know!...we are currently minus the actual homestead...baby steps folks!!)  Part of working towards this dream is maintaining a year round food supply, and so we're slowly working on the art of not killing off our wee vege garden!

We're also learning what it takes to start growing a bigger variety of fruits and vegetables, during different seasons, and how to protect everything from pests in a reasonable friendly way.

We currently have (in our wee urban gardens) Spinach, lettuce, rocket, courgette, cucumber, strawberries, raspberries, blue berries, blackberries and a passionfruit vine.  Our baby trees are apple, mandarin, lemon, feijoa, loquat and coffee!

All are currently alive, although the passion fruit vine and coffee tree are looking like death warmed up a tad under the weather.  Given the circumstances (aka my children and my totally Not Green fingers) they're all doing great!

And so the next challenge...Avocado Trees (Otherwise known as Trees of Deliciousness!!)!
After a bit of googling i found some do-able instructions here!  Did you know that some avocado trees will never produce fruit!?  Me either, and they can take anywhere from 4 to 15 years if they are going to! (Also didn't know that an avocado pit had a top and bottom)

First up, the equipment....Check!

Figuring out top and bottom...I was fortunate enough to have a couple of very obvious pits!!
If you're not that fortunate....ummmm, your on your own?!

Spearing them with the tooth picks....Broke numerous tooth picks and also stabbed myself in the finger...I will never be a hunter.

All spiked and ready to go! (I did mine on an angle too)

In goes the water, and into a sunny spot!!...Now to wait...and hope...

And now, our second attempt at snail prevention!!  We began the snail war by using salt (salt around the plants dries the snails out as they creep over it), which is really quite effective...until it rains...
And then i remembered a wee tip that i read a while ago about using sharp things like crushed egg shells.  The snails can't slither over the sharp edges so they stay away....hopefully.

Olly had other ideas about shell placement....

 and level of crushed-ness....

We got there in the end though!

And now our seedlings look like they were a part of some weird alien crop circle gone wrong....but that's fine...if it works!  I shall keep ya'll posted....'cause seedling/snail watch is certain to have some of ya on the edge of your seats waiting for news... ;)



Renee  :)

This Other Kid!

Odge-podge, Olly-pop, Ham...
Fav' words..."My Don't Want!" Followed by a pout and folded arms
A chatter-box on the phone
Waves to everyone...and will continue to wave till someone waves back
Social Butterfly
Snuggle bug....

Early bird...Sometimes ridiculously early
Chuggingtons fanatic
Lover of anything his brother has
Lover of any food anyone else is trying to eat...mums always looks best
Dancer
Inherited most of the clumsy genes on offer, doesn't let that deter him
Melter of mummy's heart, and also good at securing a spot as Favourite, with his chubby lil' cheeks! (Of course i can have two favourites!!)

Awesomeness runs in this family!!

Ps:  Don't forget to enter our Awesome giveaway!!!  Follow this link and get entering !!


Renee  :)

Dreaming..

A simple home, with a porch made for sipping coffee, watching the sun rise over the mountains.
The great outdoors for a backyard with trees to climb, streams to build dams in, rivers to fish in.
Gardens for miles, with enough fresh produce for my family and extra for anyone who needs it or wants it.

An open fire to gather around on a chilly night, to play, to sing, or just relax with a book.
A cow, sheep, chickens and of course a family pup...maybe a cat or two.
Meals made from scratch, a kitchen wafting smells of herbs and fresh made bread.
Fruit trees for all seasons.

Bird calls in the morning, cricket songs at night.
Kids playing and hollering battle calls during the day.
Lessons in life and nature.
Family rambles, nights in tents and sleeping bags.
Writing letters and posting them.  Developing photos and making books to send too.

Neighbours that are close by, and also close.

Impromptu gatherings, sleep overs, picnics, music and games.

Time. To relax and just be.  To spend with the important things in life.

 

Dreaming...but also living life now, with purpose, and loving each and every moment, inching slowly towards that dream.

source

Renee  :)

Giveaway!? Don't mind if i do..

This month i've jumped on the Giveaway bandwagon thanks to the awesome Amy from The Farmers Wife and the lovely ladies you see linked below!!

$145....Yes Please!!!

So, go get yourself entered/entertained/possible richer!!

YUSS!!!

(Thanks Amy!!)

With the holiday's coming up faster than fast, 

this giveaway is really perfect!

145 extra dollars to buy something totally rad for your hubs, or kids, or yourself! 

Yes. Definitely spend it on yourself. 

What I am trying to say is that you HAVE to get entered to win this money.

Because when is free money a bad idea?

The answer...if it's drug money. Bad idea.

This however is clean.

Extra clean free money for you... for following these beautiful ladies:

Mary | Lindsay | Renee | Chelsea | Chelsea

Amy

Karli | Trish | Megan | Karissa | Rebekah

Seems like a win all the way around. 

Get on it. Show them some love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ALSO if you'd like to be a part of the next group giveaway, hop over to my advertise page HERE. Any ad spot gets the opportunity to join in with the giveaway. :)

Renee  :)

A Grateful Heart...

Ah, Tuesday...there you are...again...Bringing the start of my 'working' week....and also rain...lots of rain....and cold.....then sunshine...then rain...and did i mention the wind??  Seriously, if i hung my washing out it would be dry in 5 minutes...if i could find it...

Lately i've been feeling pretty blah, and i hold the weather fully responsible!! Instead of dwelling on the crappy things, though, i'm linking up with Ember Grey for her Grateful Heart series!

So i am Grateful for....

#  Awesome shelter from the dud weather!!  Our home is pretty awesome, it's warm, and has room for the boys to run around in when it rains!

#  The rain on my vege gardens! (Without which they probably would've died by now, cause i keep forgetting to water them!)

#   Our health!!  For the first time in a wee while we are all healthy and sniffle/cough free!! 

#  Our local libraries!!!  Free weekly dvd rentals for the boys??  Don't mind if i do....A new book to try and get through (tired mom issues)? Why, sure!!  A spot for the boys to sit and play while i look for a book?  WIN!!

#  The Hubsters willingness to take care of dinner when he gets home from work and i haven't gotten anything cooked!! 

#   No one holding my bad grammar and lack of capital 'I's against me!! :)

There is soooo much more to be grateful for, but i'll save some for another day!!

What are you grateful for??

Renee  :)

Friday Things...on Saturday..

I used to love doing link ups, but finding things to blog about on topic just got a bit too much like hard work! (Lazy much)  Now, i have found a niche!!



Write about 5 Anythings??  Well hey!  Don't mind if i do!!


1.  Market Day tomorrow!!! (Otherwise known as 'A day to Myself'!)  jk..  I actually miss my two lil' stinkers when I'm away from them!
I've been selling at markets for almost 2 years now, and I love it!! I've made so many friends that are more than happy to hunker down and talk crafty, and the atmosphere is always just Amazing!!  (Except for that time last winter when we were too busy trying to stop our stalls from blowing away....that wasn't amazing)

2.  Rosehip Oil!!  Loving my Trilogy Rosehip oil!!  Not it's intended use, but this stuff is AMAZING on cuts/scratches/sanding injuries etc!  I used this on my hands and fingers where I accidentally sanded them with my dremel (sanding tiny beads is not for the faint hearted) After about 3 days, the cuts were all but healed!  Seriously awesome stuff!!  I do also use it on my face, much the same way as I would Evoo in the oil cleansing method, and it really does leave my skin feeling lovely, but it probably wont be replacing my Evoo any time soon!

3.  Rainy Days!! Without which my garden would have died a sad and dry death, due to me forgetting I have a garden....as you do.   We kept it simple this year, to minimise the amount of aphid-fighting time required.  So far we've lost all 6 of our lettuce seedlings to snails, and one spinach plant went for a drive on Lachys dump truck, but hey, No Aphids yet!!  Has anyone tried broken egg shell as a way to deter snails and slugs??  That's next on our list to protect the next lot of lettuce!

 4.  Animal Print!!  When people talk animal print 'Cow Design' probably isn't really what they're thinking, but for us here in our lil' slice of the Waikato it's spot on!!  Because anyone can be an upholsterer these days I thought I'd jazz up our old kitchen chairs...LOVE the result!!  I'll definitely never be inducted into the upholsterers Hall of Fame, but from a short distance they look awesome and match our home well!  (Thinking I should've vacuumed before I took this photo...welcome to reality!!)

5.   Family Fun!!!  It really is the little things!  Yesterday I discovered the 'selfie' button on my phone...Chaos followed as the boys (big and little) and I fought to fit into the wee screen, we bring true meaning to 'Squish' photo!!

 So that's my 5 things for the day (yesterday for us, but it still works!!)

Linking up with The Farmers Wife and September Farm



Renee  :)

This Kid....

The other day, my sweet Lachy saw one of our wedding pics.

"Whose that mummy??"

"That's mummy and daddy, buddy"

"*gasp* mummy you bootiful princess!!"

Someone knows how to get the highly coveted 'favorite child' spot!!!

And an extra cookie may have been swung his way at snack time...

Honestly, who could resist this face...

 

Not me clearly...

His fav' things lately include
 -His prized 'smoke jumper' toys
-'Crumpy Dancer'....Took us a wee while to interpret that into Dusty Crophopper
-Home made chicken nuggets
-His trusty ole Thomas the Tank Engine gumboots
-Dancing
-Pumpkin Bars
-Exploring along walks..we have an extensive collection of flora and fauna (or twigs and bugs) in the pushchair...should probably clean that soon...
-Watermelon
-Hose fights with daddy
and TRUCKS....still...

So very blessed to be mama to this lil snazzy pants!!

Stay tuned for next week and 'This other kid'!!


Renee  :)

In the Neighbourhood..

It's easy to forget the beauty of our own country when we're busy oogling the adventures of others overseas.  It's also easy to forget that excitement knows no bounds when you're just small and your own backyard is Amazingly Huge!!

And so on Sunday we took a walk....Reacquainting ourselves with our own 'backyard'.   The boys walked, and ran, they picked up sticks and looked at rocks, listened to the sounds of the river flowing and the birds calling.  They shrieked, and jumped, pointed and 'Wowwed', ate and slept and nearly photo-bombed a family photo session!!

An Awesome day all round! :)

We're already looking forward to our next adventure somewhere else in our 'backyard'!!

Ps:  Does anyone know about any slings that can be used to help hold a toddler/preschooler on your back?  We'd love to not be restricted to pushchair only walks, but realize our boys have their limits!  If you have any suggestions let us know!!

Thanks!! :)

Renee  :)

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Oh how they grow..

Today i walked home from kindy with two little lads in tow.  And when i say two little lads in tow, what i mean is that one was racing ahead yelling "nine...eweven...fiffffeeeeen" as loud as he could and  the other was marching next to me singing an alphabet song....

Ummmm, where the heck did my babies go!?

These kids.... they play cars, build towers, actually Watch movies (or at least the first half hour), eat whole meals with proper utensils, play with friends, question everything...

They try on new imaginary occupations...builder, truck driver, fireman, 'mommy', truck driver, stuntman, did i mention truck driver?

They play actual games like 'drag mums washing off the line and use it for a cape', mini golf, 'T' ball.  They go down slides alone, can work an i-pad better than me, play catch (may also catch better than me)...

They make choices without any input from me, like what they want to wear, and how they want to do things, what they want to eat... They solve their own problems too.  They sing songs and mimic their favorite cartoon characters..

They also disagree, and sometimes talk back, and have fights with each other.... real fights, with pushing and hitting, yelling and 'telling'.

They can open and raid the pantry/freezer/lower half of the fridge.  They ignore me and their daddy.  They push their boundaries on an hourly basis.

They give hugs and kisses on their own terms.  They say 'I love you' and 'I'm sorry' of their own accord.  Play together.  Take care of each other.

They are also still very much my 'babies', which translates into 'I shall continue to smother them in cuddles and snuggles until they're strong enough to escape my arms!' and even then i'll still try to catch them unawares...like when they're hanging out with their mates....just for the embarrassment factor....I'm good like that ;)

Renee  :)