The Weekend Gardener

The Weekend Gardener is back!

Spring is around the corner and trees and plants that hibernated these past months are springing back to life, bringing with them colours and life.

Our own backyard is abloom. I was pleasantly surprised to see daffodils and a number of other flowers up and about. We even have a flowering bush that's becoming heavy with blossoms. Truly wonderful.

I have caught on the Spring fever, so to speak, and bought these two packets of seeds:
I have planted some of the tomato seeds in three pots. I was going to proceed with planting also on our small veggie patch but after sitting out the winter, I can no longer see the plot of land, with weeds covering all available space!

If you were following my veggie patch last February, I mentioned having abandoned the broccoli because worms suddenly appeared from nowhere and started eating up the plants. Well, a couple survived the winter and are actually growing broccoli heads!
I will have to spend some time clearing out this space for my spring veggie gardening. But in the meantime, here are a couple of flowers that have turned up in our backyard:


Technorati tags: New Zealand

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

I was in the library one lunchtime, and as was my custom, I would scan book covers and open one which interests me the most at that time. The Arrival by Shaun Tan caught my eye and I started "reading" through the pages.

Only it wasn't a regular book; it's a picture book, but not a picture book for kids. As I saw each detailed illustration slowly tell the story of a man who left his wife and kid to work in a strange land (and a strange land it was!), I felt a strange connection to the story as it unravelled. It felt like, in a way, it was telling my own story. It was sad in the beginning, strange, exciting, and a bit scrary at the latter part of the journey, and then a feeling of relief and happiness and getting settled (which, I think, is still something I have yet to discover).

As the story ended and I closed the book, I saw this quote at the back cover:

"What drives many to leave everything behind and journey alone to a mysterious country, a place without family or friends, where everything is nameless and the future is unknown? This silent graphic novel is the story of every migrant, every refugree, every displaced person, and a tribute to all those who have made the journey."

No wonder I was able to relate to the story.

Nicely drawn and engaging, it's a wonderful book to "read". A copy is available at the Wellington City Library.

Shaun Tan has a website featuring his works, including The Arrival and other Picture books (photo credit: this site).

Technorati tags: book

Well well well...

Not exactly a picture of model citizenship, are we? Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and team racks up US$20,000.00 for a night of wine and dine in their US visit.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08072009/gossip/pagesix/eat_and_drink_183333.htm

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090810-219507/Palace-Just-simple-dinner

Technorati tags: ugh

Surprise surprise

I think Winter is finally relaxing its sleepy spell over Nature as I see flowers starting to bloom. This includes a rather unique flower that is cropping up from right inside our sun room: that of the Venus fly trap! My very first time to see this plant to bear flowers. This should be interesting.

Another surprise greeted me in the garden. I have practically given up on my broccoli crops because of the worms that appeared almost at the same time as the broccoli sprouted flowers and started gobbling up the greens. I have pulled out the plants and left a handful to fend for themselves... perhaps winter will succeed where I failed with the elimination of the worms.

I think that did it. A lone broccoli had started flowering! Isn't that amazing?

Technorati tags: gardening