The Aunt, the Uncle, and the National Trust 11 & 12 October 2014

How many barrow-fulls of mulch?, how many buckets of water?, these were questions that I asked myself, as I toiled around the garden.

It had started a few days earlier, when Mark aka "Dirtboy" offered me some mulch that we could take to Inglewood.  Given my weeding frenzy over the September school holidays, I didn't want all of that work to count for nothing, so mulch was very much needed.  It was also getting drier, so that was another good reason to mulch the garden beds.

pile of mulch that I helped myself to

My filled ute

the remainder of the pile (doesn't look much different)

Upon arrival in Inglewood I did the customary walk around the garden.  I was thrilled to see that there were a few figs forming on the fig tree

look closely and you'll see a few figs

 
And that most of the olives were in flower

olive flowers

And the lillypillies that had looked so folorn after the frost bite...

poor dead looking lillypillies

were actually still alive.....with new shoots apparent at the base of the trunks

Life!

I also gave them quite a severe pruning, as the frosts should be over by now (the Op shop ladies had said by the end of September)

pruned lillypilliies

A new purple iris was standing tall.  I received a whole stack of these from Mick & Jill a while back as I was saying how much I liked the purple flowers, and most of mine are purple & yellow

purple iris

In the back garden, a cos lettuce looked good enough to be store bought

good looking cos

The artichokes were coming along.  I think I'll pick them earlier this year, so they should be more tender

Add caption

The rocket was thriving

lots of rocket

And the raspberries had certainly thickened up

healthy raspberries

After lunch, I drove the ute into the garden (it still tickles my fancy that I can drive around the garden) changed into my overalls, and starting unloading the mulch into a large wheelbarrow and spreading it around the front garden beds.  I wanted to handle the mulch as little as possible ie I didn't want to take it off the ute and put it in a pile, and then put it in the wheelbarrow - as that would be double handling.  But my preferred way meant that Ihad to finish it all up before going back to Melbourne .

Ute full of mulch - how many wheelbarrow fulls? 

no mulch

with mulch

with mulch

Another bed to add mulch to

I added mulch t o this bed too (before shot)

Justin's Uncle and Aunt - Michael and Amy had come to visit from Sydney.  They arrived around 4pm,  I hadn't finished by this stage, but stopped to show them around.  As they saw I was still busy, they then went for a walk around town, and I continued with my mulching.

I did eventually finish - and was equally thrilled, sweaty and dusty/dirty - so went and had a well earned shower, followed by a large gin and tonic on the veranda and some associated nibbles with Michael & Amy.  We stayed there til after 7pm - having a grand old time

afternoon drinks on the veranda with Amy & Michael

Dinner was at the pub, but because we had snacked before hand, we weren't terribly hungry.  Michael & Amy shared an Outback Parma, and I had the Seafood Basket, of which I ate about 1/2, and then had the remaining half for my lunch the next day.  We saw Gordon and Ron at the pub, and of course Enzo, Ros and Julie

the remainder of my Seafood Basket which I had for Sunday lunch

Got back to the house around 8.30 -9pm.  Amy retired early as she has had a busy few days rowing in the International Masters at Ballarat.  Michael went soon afterwards, and I stayed up a while longer, cued up the bread machine for the morning, read a bit etc.

Up bright and early Sunday morning, and took advantage of the rosy morning light and took a photo of the Town Hall

early morning Town Hall

Dining room for breakfast of juice, coffee, fresh bread and condiments

breakfast of champions

Amy and Michael left mid morning as they were driving back to Sydney, and planned to stay overnight in Neranda?

I continued with my garden work - no, not more mulching, but watering....Firstly with the hose

watering

And then via buckets to all of the fruit trees, olives, and yuccas.  Given that it takes a while I devised a 2 bucket scheme whereby one bucket was filling while I watered with the 2nd. Had to trot back smartly when I was further away in order for the filling bucket not to overflow.  One of these days we'll automate the watering......

one full, and one filling

The Mt Alexander branch of the National Trust - Castlemaine were coming over in the afternoon so I did a quick tidy up

Mt Alexander National Trust newsletter

I also cobbled together a Nimmitabel collection of items that we'd found around the house and garden, and laid them out in the dining room ie the knives that had been hidden in the bathroom cupboard, the signed roofing cap, some crockery and glass pieces, the Deakin Coachmakers of Kerang plate etc.

Nimmitabel "treasures"

I also rather cheekily (in Justin's opinion) set up a small brass tray and note on the hallway table

still life and note

The note stated that "donations were gratefully accepted for our ongoing renovation fund".  I didn't think that sounded too pushy or expectant.

please....

Anyway - it certainly paid off !!  And I would like to use the money to get something for the house ie a small garden shed from ebay, old light fittings, solar lighting for the "laundry", paint etc

Thank you.....

And the "tour" itself was great fun.  Bill had told me that he was expecting 46 people, and that we would do it in 2 lots.  Given that I have shown lots of people around before - I already have something of a patter going, and point out what I believe to be the salient room features.  We started in the hallway, then into the green room, our bedroom, cursory glance at the back hallway and bathroom, more time in the dining room, into the kitchen and then upstairs.  The people seemed very keen and interested, and asked lots of questions.

The start of the tour

Me - showing off the green room

Me - launching forth #1

Me - launching forth #2

Me - launching forth #3

One of them asked if I knew Miles L, and she was surprised when I told her he was Justin's uncle! Someone else asked if we knew Fiona W from Dunolly, we don't - but other people have also asked if we do ie Jill Mc, Richard, etc.  We must go and introduce ourselves at some stage.  And then another lady told me how she worked in the courts with a lady judge whose name I can't remember - I asked her if she knew my father in law - and she did. Small world! Lastly, in the "library" (previously known as the dormitory) I proudly showed off my newly arranged books - including the "heritage" section of Granny/Grandpa books. This lady asked if we had any "Chum" books- and I fished one out that Brian had won.  Her great uncle used to write for Chum books back in England.  But we couldn't see who had contributed to this one.

this photo is from the internet, but our book is similar

The 2nd tour ended about 3.50pm, ....20 minutes late.  And they were due at the Eucy Museum for afternoon tea at 3.30.  Bill gently chided me, I reminded him that we had started late, but not to worry, it was all good and fun, and we might even do it again one day.