Ladybird, ladybird ...

For some reason you don't see ladybirds very much these days ... so this picture taken at our plot in the community garden is one to treasure. Something right out of a storybook. Eliza was thrilled this little friend came to visit.

And she was thrilled at the crop of broad beans she harvested. She grew this plant from seed, at school - the old fashioned way. You know ... in a glass, with some blotting paper ... and you can see the roots develop and the seed send up a shoot. Well she planted the seedling and look what happened.

Now ... let's see if she'll eat them.

This little daisy bush , also in the plot, came from a seedling she potted during a kids activity at the Flower and Garden Show in April. She transplanted it in the garden and it's thriving ...

Spring Harvest

Our garden has been suffering. Not much rain in September or October and dam levels are at the lowest on record. We've been hand watering some plants we really need to nurture ... Everything is so dry, and it's only Spring. Summer will be long and hot.

At the community garden at the end of our street, where we have a plot, it's harvest time. We came home with baskets full of purple cabbage, rainbow chard, onions and herbs.

Normally when we harvest the Spring crop, we prepare for summer plantings - a few variety of tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, eggplants ... but with the water restrictions, the dry conditions and the fact we're living further from the plot while the reno is underway, we're re-thinking our summer sewing. Perhaps some potatoes? A few herbs? Not completely certain ... and as for tomatoes, we think we'll just have a couple of plants in a pot in our rented house, so we can water them as needed.

Savour The View

This is the view from the kitchen through the dining room and into the garden and across the creek. Hard to belive we're just 10 mins from the city.

Ben has begun framing up some of the other rooms ... and installed the skylight in the roof. This will bring light right into the studio.

James surveys what will be our spare room. This is for you Nana and Dor Dor! There are new windows to come. They're being made off site at the moment.

Taking Shape

It's easy to see the shape of the dining room .... it's the triangle shape jutting into the garden. I can just imagine the glass windows ...

Ben's been hard at it the last week or so. He's using the scaffolding to put the floor joints in for the second storey. They're high.

Eliza thinks the scaffolding makes the perfect monkey bars.

"Mummy , can these stay here when Ben finishes?"

There's a Floor In There

Ben's been a busy boy.
He's put the floor in ... not the gorgeous spotted gum, but the panel flooring onto which the spotted gum will be fixed. You can also see the triangle shape in the picture above, whichwill be topped with floor to ceiling glass, butted together at an angle for the stunning dining room window. There's already the sense of floating into the garden.

Eliza seemed pretty impressed!

Some of the framing is in place for the butler's pantry, at the end of the kitchen. I'm worried it's a bit small and James will check the dimensions again on site. Perhaps it looks small, because the fireplace is there. The fireplace has to stay (or else the wall will fall down), but it will be hollowed out and shelves installed.

Spring Amongst the Reno

While the renovation rolls on, the garden is busy is lapping up all the attention it's not getting!
James throws some water on the pots at least once a week, but that's about the extent of it.
Great to see the lavender in full bloom and the apricots forming ... can't wait to pick those at Christmas time.

A Silver Flash

Yes, it's true.
You can see our new roof from the moon!
It shimmered in the afternoon sun.

It WILL FADE.
It WILL fade.
IT WILL FADE!!!!!!!!

Repeat after me ...

(don't get me wrong ....it does look better than the red roof)

Steel Yourself

Ben the Builder has been busy.

The steelwork has been installed.

The columns in the new living room will support the new upper floor. These will be eventually be clad in ply.

And the silver wall you can see is the firewall - a requirement because we're building right to the boundary

I Heart Progress!

Back at the house this afternoon after three weeks in Qld - and oh the progress!
Brand new weatherboards on the side of the house - smooth and straight.
New windows letting in lots of lovely sunlight.

The curved steel has been delivered.
This will shape our new bedroom upstairs.
It's awesome!