How things change.

After being housebound for a number of days I ventured out the front to the mailbox midweek and thought I had stepped out into the African jungle. I knew we had had a few storms and possibly a few inches of rain but I didn't realise how quickly the garden would change after the downpours.

Many of the bromeliads were suddenly in flower and most of them were red.

 They really brightened up the garden with their splashes of colour everywhere. We have a LOT of bromeliads as the CEO collects them. It is well worth waiting for them to flower although some of them have really suffered in the heat.

I have never seen this huge bromeliad flower before and thought it might open up but the CEO says 'That's it'.

 

 Still it is quite stunning anyway.

 Unfortunately with the rain comes the weeds although I know nettle isn't a weed but a herb but it is going to seed and that spells trouble as I haven't been well enough to get it under control. When I feel up to it I will pull out as much as I can and dry it as well as infuse some in olive oil for soap making. I will make some more nettle soap and add spirulina next time for more colour. I just need some energy and be able to find my really thick gloves.

There must also be about six pecan nut trees growing which need to be pulled out ASAP. One tree out the front is more than enough. The cockatoos eat most of the nuts anyway but it does provide shade for some of the bromeliads on the really hot days.

For those who are interested in seeing how the dragonfruit is going....this photo was taken two weeks ago around the 4th March.....

...and today on the 18th March it is filling out more and I noticed a big change since I looked at it last at the beginning of the week. No wonder they are so expensive to buy as they take forever to grow. 

Unfortunately I will miss my sister's 80th birthday lunch tomorrow which several family members are driving up the Range to attend. I will drive to the restaurant to say hello as one of my nieces is visiting from Canada and I haven't seen her for a few years. I will then go home as I am not up to socialising too much at the moment. 

Also, I couldn't take this face to a restaurant as it looks like I have something contagious but, looking on the bright side, I can now see out of my eye. If you look closely at the middle of my nose you will see a very fine incision line across it which is healing beautifully after the eight or so stitches were taken out. That is what the doctor was worried would get infected so why the dreadful rash or whatever it is on the rest of the left side of my face has broken out is a mystery to everyone. The results will be back on Monday though and we should know. I will just be glad when it is all over and I can get back to normal. I don't like being housebound :-) Also I had to miss our Simple Living Toowoomba felting workshop today and I just noticed that Racheal has already written up a blog post March Felting Class.

If you live locally and want to buy fresh farm gate produce , Racheal, Rick and their six children, have their Birdsong Market Garden up and running and I am sure would be only too pleased to hear from you. They are at 118 Boundary Street, Cranley which is very close to town. Check out their map here. 

Thanks for all your well wishes and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.