Thursday, April 26, 2012

Autumn, Leaves, Ribbons, Petals, Pizza and Junior Landcare


A nasty bug is attacking our maple tree, marring the beautiful Autumn leaves.  It is the first time this has happened, I think I might give the tree some mulch and food, and see if a bit of love will help it build its defences. Anyone know what it might/mite be?



The little Bowerbird and I have been playing with ribbon and leaves, threading an Autumn garland to hang inside. 




Suddenly there was an urgent gathering of rose petals, she was very proud of her ingenious idea to thread them onto a stick to make a rose petal tree.  Such studious concentration.
  









We made caterpillars out of Iris berries.
   


 Then spun sycamore seeds, watching them flutter like helicopters without pilots in the sky.


Today we had a wonderful Junior Landcare session making wood fired pizzas with produce we had grown in our school garden. After some bitterly cold days the sun came out and the children picnicked on hot pizzas amongst the Autumn leaves.  The Grade sixes teamed up with their prep buddies and we cooked up 70 small pizzas (note for future reference - 3kg of cheese, 2kg of shredded ham and 3 bottles of tomato passata is about the right amount for this many pizzas).  We added from our school garden - tomatoes, zuchinni, spring onions, chives, basil, thyme, and oregano.  We also fried up some thin slices of potato and Jerusalem Artichoke to snack on whilst the pizzas were cooking.


There was some left over cheese and meat and chopped vegetables which was going to go to the school chickens but instead came home and fed our family a delicious dinner - I made 4 pizzas - there's even some for lunch tomorrow. I'm always the one taking home the leftovers - I hate seeing things wasted.  


File:"USE LEFTOVERS - MARK OF A GOOD COOK - STUDY YOUR 'ARMY COOK' FOR RECIPES, IDEAS" - NARA - 515949.jpg

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6 comments:

  1. Lovely.
    Hope that your tree recovers.
    I introduced my three year old son (AND almost thirty year old husband) to "helicopters" a couple of weeks ago when I found them on my inlaws driveway. We had lots of fun collecting them, throwing handfuls up into the sky, and watching them spin back down to earth.

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    1. Thanks Jenny, it does't seem fatal, just a bit unsightly. All kids love spinning helicopters, they're the best.

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  2. Hi Kirsty. Is there any fungal problems running through your area? I have a client who has just lost a few trees (not the same symptoms as your maple) but we suspect fungal issues?

    Maybe mites? Maybe scale? If so then aerate the rootzone and give it a good feed with Dynamic lifter and maybe a seaweed solution? Good luck.

    Ps Love Little bower birds outfit, too cute.

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    1. Thanks for the tips, I think bug more than fungal but I do like the aeration suggestion.

      Little Bowerbird dresses herself in an amazing array of wonderful outfits. Loving the pink and green too.

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  4. Loving Autumn. Hope your gorgeous maple recovers. A little Poppet peeking over my shoulder made me pause to marvel at your toadstool stump.

    Beautiful pics (as always), I know three little ladies who would adore making an autumn garland.

    Loving that you have joined our outdoor fun.

    Kell xox

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In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.
Margaret Atwood

“She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
"Winter is dead.”
― A.A. Milne, When We Were Very Young