Friday 23 July 2010

Flowers For You!


You lovely ladies are all so sweet with your wonderful comments, that I've gone out into our garden and picked you, yes you, a little posy of flowers.  Not bad for the middle of winter is it?  Honestly our winter is just pathetic this year.  Some days we go out without jumpers or jackets on it's so warm.  Most days it's at least 16 degrees on the weather report.  Don't get me wrong here, I'm very much not complaining!

Remember I showed you the Homegrown Magazine last time?  Well at the back of it I found there more in titles in the series.  I have since got my mother to order the first Homegrown and the fruit tree one.  She subscribes to their monthly magazine so is able to get these at a much discounted rate.  She also has a great stack of the magazines for me to pick up and read through.  I just love the layout of them and the very useful info they contain.  Lots of ideas, recipes, hints and practical advice.  I must buy their garden dairy too when it comes out. 

Now I'm never going back to buying pre-grown plants after seeing just how quickly my seeds have grown.  Just look at my sweet babies!  All the trays but one have sprouted.  I am learning so much about gardening that sometimes I can sound quite intelligent when asked a question.  Imagine that?

Just before nodding off the other night, I suddenly had a super duper idea.  I just had to wake hubby up and tell him.  I thought, why do we have a pretty blossom tree when we can have an apple tree in it's place.  Well why wouldn't you?  Luckily he whole heartily agreed with me. 

I'm hanging apples off this tree anyway, imagine having apples that we could pick and eat.  You can get triple grafted trees which have three varieties on the same tree.  How neat is that?  I've got ideas about buying a pear tree with two different pear varieties (that would truly be a pair tree then!) and a lemon tree too.

These lemons were an absolute bargain so I am going to use them to make lemon curd and lemon cordial.  Homemade is so much tastier and I really enjoy that sort of cooking. 

My new green scheme is going very well thank you, only one hiccup when I forgot to take my bag into the shop.  Not to worry, I have systems now!  It's amazing just how quickly the shop people pop stuff in bags.  You practically have to tell them upfront that you have your own bags. 

My little one and I went supermarket shopping after visiting the plant shop this morning.  It's a brilliant plant shop.  They have a trampoline, two rabbits that she was allowed to feed, and fish.  It's a special outing to go there.  We must remember that it takes well over one hour to buy a packet of seeds and a bag of garden mix in future!

Anyway back to the supermarket, just look at how little I bought there.  There's a bag of garden mix in there too. What you see is what I bought.  A few bulk items to save money and packaging of course.  That's my shopping done for another week.

There was really not much in my trolley at all and it came to $174 which isn't much at all considering we are a family of six.  I am buying my fruit and veggies at a newly discovered shop, much cheaper and great quality.  Next week I am going to buy pears and bottle them.  I'd hand over the meal cooking any day but I love preserving food.  Is that strange?

I've just been eating my chicken salad while typing to you.  Doesn't it look good?  The salad leaves were from market day last Saturday. I hadn't been there for so long and it was lovely to be back buying locally grown delights.  My veggies last very well because I have wonderful Tupperware containers that keep the food fresh for well over a week.  Worth every cent I spent on them.  And they cost quite a few cents too!  Took hubby a wee while to get over that purchase last year. 

Anyway must go and pick up those mags.  It's nice to know so many of you are also very good recyclers and gardeners too.  See you!!

11 comments:

A Life Less Complicated said...

ohh pretty posy - we have no flowers at all - unless you count the things that sprout from the succulents (clearly I'm the perfect gardener lol)
haha I hear you on the shop assistants - sometimes I grab one or two things - they come close to putting it in a bag - why? I have two hands and a car waiting outside
You did well with your shopping for a family of 6 - I have a cousin who lives with her husband and 2 year old daughter - she spends between $250-$300 each week! Mine is around $80 - if it reaches three figures I get a shock. I wish I had the room to store bulk products. Good luck bottling pears :)

'Joyce' said...

Sarah, thanks for your awesome post, so inspiring. We here are looking greener at our place, it's wonderful to read how others shop and live. Your salad looks delish by the way. Have a lovely weekend.

Shawnee said...

Hi darling -- I'm hosting a "Back to the Future" Flirty Apron Swap if any kiwis are interested! =) I had a blast with your swap!!

Shawnee
http://flirtyapronswap.blogspot.com

Floss said...

Looks great! In France we have to pay for carrier bags in the supermarkets, so you are never offered one - you are expected to bring your own. Very good. Thanks for your email - I have been really looking at packaging this week but the cost factor is an enormous problem - unpackaged meat from the butchers is immensely more expensive than the stuff in plastic at the supermarket, and Son 2 is prone to anaemia and in need of daily meat. Sigh...

Me and Ma said...

Hubby and the kids have just walked through the door with armfulls of onions, cougettes and fennel from our allotment, homegrown is the best :)

The Patchwork Heart said...

Well your winter sounds like our summer ..... here in UK it is 14 degrees C today at 10am! We have just finished school for our 6 weeks summer holiday too! Oh well lots of crafting I expect, I will garden when it is dry and the sun decides to come out :)
Heather ~ The Patchwork Heart ♥

Croap Queen said...

Thanks for the flowers Sarah :-)

I know you're being very, very good with all the recycling/packaging reduction etc, but did anybody else spot that you hung apples on a tree? You poor thing - is it a lack of Auntie Lizzie to keep you in check? LOL

Jo

roseroomnz.com said...

great post and laughed through it! I want some winter just so I can wear a few of my big coats for just a day or so! Hasn't food got so expensive... I do find it better if I buy my meat and vege elsewhere, from the supermarket I mean! Rachaelxo

Heidi said...

You have fruit trees a I'm so jealous, what a lovely post and salad, yum!!

Nadine said...

I just read your last 2 posts about recycling, gardening, life style etc... so inspiring! I have a bag behind my kitchen door collecting paper and plastic for recycling...bulging every week it is!! LOVE your veggie gardens, looking forward to seeing the progress, keep us posted! x

Unknown said...

Hello! We grew 99% of everything from seed last year, but this year with all the jobs on the house, we bought some ready to plant veggies, and I must say they are not a patch on the ones you raise from seeds yourself and also you can't get the choice of variety unless you use seeds! I also agree on the apple tree idea, I don't know why more people don't think of it!
Have a happy weekend! Suie xxx