I have been meaning to show you the new garden bed for a while. It is a (so called) no-dig bed: which means it is made of newspapers and cardboard boxes laid flat, then peastraw, then some horse manure from the race course and cow manure from Joan's place, then finally a layer of dirt. You can also see the black porous hose, which will eventually be completely under the mulch.
In this photo I took a few weeks ago you can see mostly lettuce and silver beet. There are some very small tomato seedlings, some potatoes (Royal Blue). Today I planted some bean and physalis seedlings. Physalis is a yummy fruit, like a yellow cherry tomato wrapped in a husk. It was fashionable in Berlin when we were there.
In the middle of the garden there is the replacement lemon tree that I bought when I thought the one you had given me died. But it hadn't really! I cut it back and it resprouted again.
The other bed--- in the ex-sandpit--- is a jungle of peas with a few broadbeans (not doing too well, I planted them too late). The peas are partly intentionally planted snow peas, and partly ones that have come up from the pea straw. Ruth helps herself to the peas--- she is delighted at seeing them in the pod.
Finally some photos of Ruth cooking. I have found the last couple of weeks, while Brendan has been working on his thesis and I have only been having two days a week at work, quite hard. Too much being mummy! However Ruth and I are always good friends when we cook together.
Much love,
Julie.
ps. Brendan has asked me to tell you that Ruth has many smocks, she just wasn't wearing them. Plenty of smocks.
