Mamaaaa...

A juvenile White-browed Sparrow-weaver on my garden fence

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Vegetable garden update

Even though I don't have detailed photos of our vegetable garden, I felt I should post these to prove that my garden is THRIVING! We cannot wait for the young gem squashes (one has already appeared under the vines) and new carrots. The basil and chives are also almost ready for use.

With all the summer rains we've had since October, my vegetable garden has flourished. Here I have runner beans, bush beans just behind that, chives, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin and gem squashes (none of the last six are visible in this photo!)

Here in front of the runner beans are my first lettuce heads just beginning to form. Behind me (not photographed!) are tomatoes, chillies and coriander. To the left of this photo, across the lawn,  the sweet basil, brinjals (aubergines), green peppers and swiss chard plants are shooting up fast and furious. I'll go out there shortly (when the rain stops, ha!) and take some more photos.

To all my precious blogger friends who may be going off to spend the season with family and friends,  may your Christmas be blessed and 2011 be a Christ-filled year. 

A lily a day

Day lilies (Hemerocallis spp) are not indigenous but they are full-up in the Free State and can always be relied on to provide beautiful colour in the garden. The above species is Hemerocallis Stafford, a decidous plant which rewards the gardener with prolific blooms in the summer months. Each bloom only lasts one day, but the next day the new bloom opens so you don't even notice the gap! I also played around with my camera while taking this photo. I used Super Macro feature and although I had other more centred images, this one had the best backlighting for my post. I love the way the shadows play on the stamens and the clarity of the buds-in-waiting just behind the open flower. I can never get enough of nature, can you?