A week ago today ...

our three diseased and dying conifers were cut down ...

... they housed a nest or two ... or three .. belonging to birds including this dove who sat on this branch while the tree feller started cutting ....

The blade was sharpened several times during the day ...

.. and hoisted up the trees ....

... the ropes were tied ...

... and pulled ...

.... and tightened ...
... and the trees were cut ...

... heavy logs were cut half ....

.. and squashing my garden in the process !!!! ...

... and were carried away ...

... to a waiting rather-dilapidated vehicle ... (!!!!!) ... note the stone to keep it from rolling down our driveway - backwards !! ...

... leaving us with sawdust ...

.. logs to play on ...

... and a part of the garden to restore and an neighbours ugly house exposed!!!

The house is fine ... it's just the paintwork and THAT bathroom window overlooking our garden/I look right into from our front\side garden !!

I was kept busy over the weekend - our gardener didn't pitch up on Saturday .. so had lots to do in the garden ... we went out on Saturday evening .. and Sunday - to Jeanette's so that Erin (who we looked after as C and N went to play golf) could play with the boys and their friends .. and then last night I sat and relaxed watching the Sunday night movie on TV .......

... sooooo ... these are my Weekly Winners for this week ... for more go to Lotus - (sarcasticmom)

My neighbour drives me nuts ... !

Today ... a public holiday .. it's a voting day and this country needs a day off to vote as the queues are always so long and winding - snaking down roads and round corners ... ! Elaine and I are going later .. much later .. as I am hoping that most people in our area would have voted by then .. hoping anyway .. and not having the same thoughts as me!

Today ... is a bit chilly and cloudy. Yesterday was the same .. so I had plans to stay in bed this morning! Relax .. have a lie-in/sleep-in! Hubby is away on business and Elaine was out for the night, so it was lil' ol' me and the doggies and the plan was to sleep-in .... but ....

Today ... my neighbour decided to start her banging at 6.30 this morning!! I get up every morning just after 5.00am .. always the first one up to open up the blinds, open the back door to let the doggies out, make tea, sandwiches/lunch boxes (for the 'workers'!) so that they can leave the house between 6.15 and 6.30 to avoid the horrendous traffic problems!!!

Today ... she starts banging at the garden wall nearest my bedroom window at 6.30!! This neighbour has driven me nuts ever since they moved in. He and his first wife used to party hard just about every weekend - and not just up to 1.00am/2am - it went on all the night - the whole night into the morning! Sometimes even the whole of the following day!! ... and then sometimes it would be the whole weekend!! They seemed to take it in turns .. 'who would lead/host the party next'!!

The first wife left him about 18 months ago and ..... it was quiet !!! For a while anyway .. and then the new girlfriend moved in. I have written about her previously when she started building platforms against our shared garden wall - platforms for no particular reason it seemed ... just to get rid of rubble, I think, but they were used for standing on to watch us over the wall!!!! The 'watching eyes' have stopped thankfully - although their dog, a huge Alsatian with large ears often stands on them and peers over the wall teasing our little Jackie, who naturally barks her
head off!! I have planted some more shrubs up against that wall and they are growing nicely - will soon hide the large-dog-with-large-ears!!

The neighbours house used to a tiny one set right in the middle of their property. Over the years and after many owners, it's been built onto on all sides - one of the sides being the bedroom section and their main bedroom and bathroom is now very close to our adjoining wall. Our bedroom is about 9 metres away from this wall.

She .... today .... at 6.30am ... started banging up against the garden wall!!! Since she's been there, she does all the gardening. Actually, she's doing a good job and is always busy doing stuff - apparently her father runs a plant nursery so often there are loads of plants being delivered. Now her mission is obviously to build some kind of retaining wall .. and possibly another platform ... against the wall closest to our bedrooms!!!! OMW ...

Imagine the large-dog-with-large-ears peering over there now!!! .. and then we will also have her little daughter getting her little plastic stool on top of the platform .. peering over too .... as she did from the first platforms ......

Slow deep yoga breathing ........

Lavender and neighbours

"Lavender blue dilly dilly ..

Lavender blue .... "

I love lavender ... have tried it in various spots in the garden but this is the most successful. This is the Margaret Roberts variety .. there are seven in a row here. Towards the end of last summer they all got 'rust' .. I was devastated and thought I'd 'lost' them but the lady at our local garden centre gave me a magic potion and viola! they recovered. Instead of spraying them, I poured the 'potion' on them - drastic - but it worked!



They are in the back garden, which used to be very ordinary - patch of lawn and very large evergreen shrubs to hide the neighbour below. The ground slopes slightly and from my kitchen window I can see into the house below, hence the need to block them when we first planted out the garden (we built the house 28 years ago!!!!!!) Time passed and the shrubs got HUGE and hubby was worried about the roots attacking the sewage pipes so they all came out. I then had space .. what to plant next! I am not good at veges but have herbs. Tried going 'indigenous' but I needed roses and other stuff too.

So now I still look into the neighbours house - again (!) but I have a pretty garden that I look at first through my kitchen window whilst I wash dishes! On beautiful mornings like this one, the flowers are bright and fresh, bees buzzing and the garden birds come to the bird feeder.

And my goodness - that house has had interesting folk! The husband of the first young couple, Gerry, was fanatic about the moles that popped up and would wait, sitting on the ground, with large garden spade in hand .. and he would wait .. and wait .. ! Very occasionally he would pounce with his spade but am sure the clever little moles were just teasing.

A variety of occupants since then, including a brothel!! Fortunately they - the brothel - didn't take care of the garden so it went a little wild and bushy, hiding most the activities - thank goodness. Once they left, the present owners took over - gave the house a good cleaning and a coat of paint inside and out. Now it looks like a nice warm family home with a young couple and toddler - as it should be.

Off to visit my Mum in the Cape tomorrow ... will take a bunch of lavender ..