November

Summer has finally arrived at the end of October. It's been hot and sunny just about every day since then. Almost starting to worry we won't have enough water to last the summer, but I don't want to jinx it because I'm enjoying the warm weather so much. It was so nice we even managed to get out to the beach one day.

Finally got some help from the neighbours to put the plow attachment on the back of the tractor and I was able to dig over the vege garden. Albeit much too late, I should have done it a month ago. As soon as that was done I took the plow back off and put the mower back on and mowed the grass which was very, very long. Over the new few days I raked up a bit of grass at a time until the entire vege garden was covered in a layer of grass clippings.

I planted all of last years potatoes back into the garden as they were growing quite nicely in the cupboard. I don't know if they will be any good to eat or not, we will see.

I also bought a six-pack of lettuce and a six-pack of broccoli/ cabbage/ cauliflower. I actually only wanted to buy one of each but couldn't. It is my intention to plant one in the garden each week and hope I can keep the rest alive in their little cell packs until it is time to plant this. In this way I'm hoping I can spread out the time that they're ready to eat. I don't want to plant six lettuces at once and have them all ready at once because we'd never eat them all.

Have also planted six Roma tomato plants along the back of the garden. I've learnt from last year and bought six (instead of two) and have spaced them all quite far apart.

Got given some cherry tomato plants by another neighbour and have planted them in a container on the deck this time around. They grew too big in the garden last year, plus by having them so accessible I hope the children will enjoy eating them more often.

The lavender now has tiny blue buds on it. I mowed the grass in the lavender field for the first time in a very, very long time. I haven't been able to get to it because the neighbour has had his cattle in the other half of the field. The grass was as tall as the lavender in places. But I am getting it back under control now. And I'm sure I'm in for another busy summer of weeding.

Covered the blueberry bush in netting again. Tried weeding the strawberry patch and covering it with something better. Not sure if it will work.

-M