Do I ... or don't I ?

I have three very old ... really very old ... hydrangeas. They are part of the first batch of plants I planted in our garden 29 years ago!!!!

They have been magnificent every single year!! Sometimes I get huge blooms that cover the bushes .. which grow taller than me (and I am average height) ... and sometimes I get bushes that have less flowers but still with the most gorgeous colours from shades of blues to purples - depends on the hot or not-so-hot summers. I used to feed them on tea leaves .. and still do ... but now it's tea from tea bags ... but in the 'old days' I used to get Tanganda Tea from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and the dregs of each pot of tea used to be swirled and tipped onto the soil ...



Every year, the old 'trunks' get more and more gnarled. I break off the really, really dead wooded ones and trim the bushes religiously hoping for a great show in summer. I am never disappointed! In the photo below there is a small hydrangea in the background which was grown from a cutting from this 'old lady' ....

Is it time to say goodbye to my three faithful 'old ladies' which sit year after year in a quiet shady corner .. which burst into new life when spring comes ...?

I have taken some cuttings again .. but they take so long to grow into the magnificent bushes I have now. Do you I pop along to the nursery and buy new ones? Will I get those beautiful shades of blues/purples again?

I don't think so ... the secret was in the tea!

Weekly Winners : 10 - 16 May

In my garden ... again!

Sun-kissed autumn leaves of the 'Pride of India' (Lagerstroemia indica)

Bark of 'Pride of India'

Miniature date palm (Phoenix roebilinii)

Camelia bud

.. and another!

Mmmm .... red wine for celebrating !!

Shhh!! I'm hiding ...

You found me ... Nanny !!

He he he he !!!

Now ... what shall I do next ?

Ooh - embarrassing to show our study! that's where Connor is standing - it's the untidiest room in the house .. it's where the toys go ... the ironing is done ... my sewing desk and sewing machine lives there as well as the computer desk and 'space' ... and book shelves filled with books!!

Brrr ... need to keep nose warm in great-great-grannies mohair blanket!

More Weekly Winners are posted here hosted by Lotus (sarcasticmom.com)

Weekly Winners : 8 - 14 Feb

For those who don't know .... hubby and I spent last weekend at Champagne Castle in Central Drakensberg.

It was extremely difficult choosing photos for Weekly Winners this week, as between the two of us, we took loads of photographs.

Hope you enjoy the selection ......

Gushing stream

Mossy branch

Gentle waters
Steps to ......

Budding proteas

Nearly-nipped-us crab!

Nibbled-leaved protea

Sleeping hiker

Intricate nature

Blurry birdies! Caught in the act!

Charming chapel

Bursting thistles

African art

Misty mornings

Horse lashes-to-die-for!

Tranquility

More wonderful Weekly Winners pop in to see Lotus

Saturday's chatter

This is what our skies have looked like all week ....

Pot plant of pink Anthuriums

Thought I would get a pot plant of pink anthuriums for J and L for their anniversary last Sunday. Connor has destroyed quite a few of her pot plants and she says she "doesn't 'do' pot plants very well" but they looked so pretty - thought I'd give it a go!! Plus a bottle of red wine!

I'm feeling a little guilty as I should be doing an email to my Mum as I haven't done one this week but this blogging is quite addictive!!

My Mum won't get the email until Monday anyway as the office in the home is closed over the weekend .. so as long as I do one before Monday morning, I'm OK! My sister in law, K, has just sent me a text to say that every time she pops in to see her, she's asleep and the sister tells her not to wake her up as she gets very agitated for at least 20 minutes after being woken. My brother went yesterday and it was the same - she was sleeping - so he left her.

She does, I think, notice that she hasn't seen anyone for ages, as she mentioned that on the phone last Sunday but what can one do. Wake her and cause panic within her, or leave her to sleep and miss out on visits?

The sun is shining today - after days of rain - we have sunshine! Yay - lots of gardening to be done now! After the rains come all the bugs! Flies, mosquitoes and lots of other flying bugs and creepy crawlies - Connor does not like flies and he once saw me shooing one out of the window with a soft covered book as he was freeking out with it close by, and now he does the same thing. As soon as one flies on the window sill in the lounge, he grabs the same soft covered book! Hope the book can take all that slapping but I know it's not a thing to teach a child (all the book lovers and librarians would cringe!) but it was the only ammunition I had on hand!! Mosquitoes LOVE him and he is now full of 'mozzie' bites - I suppose they love his 'baby' skin and fresh blood!!!

Bradley has this 'thing' about mosquitoes and told me the other day "to get the mozzie spray 'cos the mosquito wants to taste his blood" !!!

I wonder if the 'mozzies' have any affect when tasting wine infused blood!! ??

This is one of the wines I have had this week .. mmm .. sounds bad .. but I do enjoy a glass or two of wine every evening as I've mentioned before -

It's a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and shiraz. The KWV wines come from Paarl in the Western Cape. As the label says this "all occasion, easy drinking, medium bodied red wine has summer berry aromas and flavours complemented by hints of chocolate and spicy vanilla oak." We have a friend who is not keen on blended wines and definitely won't drink it if it's a blend of more than two wines .. but I'm OK with it and this one tastes yum!!

I must do a post on some of the wine estates we have visited and add some photos - the scenery is absolutely beautiful but we haven't been to the Paarl area so don't have any photos to share!!

Three photos to wet your appetite ...

Update on Elaine - she is loving her new job but she is a sick 'little puppy' this weekend. I suppose it's the new environment and air conditioning! This photo is for a 'cover shoot' that she is doing. She has to present a one-slide presentation "about herself" so she is making a magazine cover. It's amazing in draft form so far - will share it when it's complete. psst .. she loves shoes!!

Connor gets so excited when 'Lainey comes home. As soon as he hears the dogs barking he runs to either the door, window or gate .. depending on where he is at the time .. and calls out "Mama" or "Papa" or "Naine" or his new one "Byan" (Elaine's boyfriend). When it's Papa, he will help his grandpa carry something from the car, ie newspaper. The other day he helped Elaine with her handbag ....

... and then he helped her clean the inside of her car!