Garden porn and another move

Our first summer in Dunedin wasn't exactly a warm one, but it was good enough to allow us to successfully grow our very first vegetable garden.

We planted some things from seed but most were small seedlings that we did our best to situate in our tiny little raised bed and a few pots. Since the garden went in in early November, we've enjoyed peas, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, raspberries, cucumbers and carrots. Our only major failures were peppers and strawberries. Sadly, we won't get to enjoy all the beautiful  leeks which are still on their way. Why not? Well, because we're moving. Again.

That's four moves in four years for those of you who are keeping score. Thankfully, this one has us moving just a few blocks away. We've found a lovely little house that gets better sun, has better heating and a bit more outdoor space for us to enjoy. There's also a sleep-out in the backyard where I will get to set up my sewing workroom - there's even a toilet out there! Luxury!

I'm glad we got a chance to try our hand at gardening in our current home because the new place has some pretty impressive raised beds that I can't wait to get my hands into. Apparently the landlord is quite the gardener, so hopefully we don't disappoint him with our lets-just-see-what-happens-if-we-plant-this-here approach.

After all the moves we've done over the past few years, this one feels about as monumental as a trip to the grocery store. We shift in less than two weeks and I haven't even picked up any boxes yet. What's a couple of blocks after having moved 12,500km last year, and 1715 the year before, and 1715 the year before that?!

Even though his move wasn't really planned, I think it will be a very good one for us. Here's hoping that we somehow manage to make it through at least one calendar year without upping stakes! Keep your fingers crossed for us in 2015...it could be the year!

Terrarium

Our little Kiwi house has been lacking in the plant department since we moved in. For obvious reasons, we had to leave all of our indoor and outdoor plants back home when we made the big move to the bottom of the earth. Recently, I found I was actually missing having plants. They're just nice to look at, don't you think?

So, this weekend, we popped out to a couple of stores and picked up all the items needed to make our very own terrarium. When it came to choosing the plants, I hemmed and hawed about going with succulents. I love succulents. Love them. But really, the terrarium I had pictured in my head was lush and green so we went for mini little houseplants instead.

I remember making a terrarium in school back in the day. It really is a perfect, quick project for even the littlest of kids to help out with. Abner poured the first layer of gravel, I sprinkled on some activated charcoal, she took care of a layer of sphagnum moss and I poured in some soil before Abner decided where each little plant would go. She was also responsible for nestling our two little pottery frogs into their new home and placing her favourite little seashell just so (i.e. jammed straight down into the dirt).

I'm not sure that Abner's even looked at it since we finished it, but I'm sure enjoying it; so much so that I just might make another!