Mid-Winter

Hello my dear Wild-Ones,

Here in the Southern Hemisphere it is well in the middle of winter, but there is still a lot happening in the garden at this time - even though lately I have been too busy to really get out there to do much but the occasional 5 minute weed session here and there!!

The beautiful Osteospermums are blooming well and creating

a lovely bright colour in an other-wise winter garden.

The jonquils have popped up just a bit early this year,

and their scent is divine!!

(Even if Super-Hubby doesn't like the smell haha)

                                          The most vibrant Dimorphotheca ecklonis "Fire-starter".

Another Osteospermum - Black Widow - with friend!

The Greenhouse is looking full at the moment,

waiting for spring to come so they can be

planted out and spread their little roots in the soil.

My "mini" herb bed is doing well with lots of

scrummy herbs growing in there, as I try to

keep them alive over the winter.

The ones I have put in here are:

Rosemary

Parsley

Oregano

Thyme

Chives

The back garden is looking rather flooded and

leafy - even the fake critters are looking a 

wee bit forlorn!!

So what have I been up to whilst the weather has been wild and woolly? 

A few things actually - I have taken up crocheting again and made myself this lovely long jacket:

Yes - they are skulls!!

I also have made a phone case cover - my "shop bought" phone cover was starting to fall apart - so instead of buying a new one (because anyone who knows me, knows that I am a hermit and I don't like leaving the house - especially to go shopping at the best of times), I decided to crochet one instead - it turned out ok - except the next cover I try will have to have a different part around the camera because when I take photos - I get a black haze...LOL

In the theme of "Save the Bees"...

I have also been preserving a lot of our Autumn harvests making jams and pickling beets, making chilli sauce from our Habanero chillies, freezing lots of pomegranate pearls and pumpkins (and of course making pumpkin soup!!).

Pomegranate & Apple Jam                    

Beetroot from my garden!        

                                                                                                                    

                                                                                Habenero Chilli Sauce

                                            

It's also been the time for de-cluttering the house and getting rid of anything that we either haven't used in 6-12 months or things that no longer serve us or our current needs.  It had been awesome to do!! Even today Super-Hubby and I are going to clean out the pantry, so that I can organise it a wee bit better...and get rid of any old packaged food that is past it's use by date!!

And harvesting my dahlia seeds for the coming spring:

I did receive a lovely gift from an Instagram friend in New South Wales - she had chatted to me about an Elder tree in December last year, and she said that she would post a cutting to me.  Time went by and I thought nothing of it (you know, people promise things and then life happens and it goes out of their minds), but early July a parcel was delivered to me and inside was this gorgeous Elder cutting:

I have named this Elder cutting Courtney, after

my friend that sent it to me 😄

HOW BLESSED WAS I!!!

Even though it has been bitterly cold this Winter, we have still been doing quite a lot in the gardens and home - so it hasn't been a total hibernation period like most years!! (which I think, is a good thing!!).

I hope your Winter (or Summer - depending on which hemisphere you are in), is going well.

Until next time Wild-Ones, may you seek the beauty in nature everyday!!

Blessings to you all,

GLOOMY's Garden

And remember to save the Bees!!