Sewing. Motherhood. Domestic Engineering.

4/5 - I got this from Amazon a while ago after we started gardening on verandah. I really like the layout of the book, it makes sense. And it provides a really good time line for when to plant, and cut back. It's also done by seasons  and not times of the year so no need to convert it for different parts of the world :) I frequently refer to the book when new things happen in the garden or when I want to plant something new. It also has some information on crop rotations and how to prevent certain diseases.

I have been playing Jewels Star for a couple of weeks now and Bede and I are addicted! It's fun, we take turns doing a few levels when we are board or in between pomodoros as a treat. The game is pretty simple, just involves lining up a few gems and with a bit of speed and a quick, strategic eye you can swing a high score. It's FREE and carries a 4.7/5 rating in Google Play Store. Check it out here ! The only reason I'm blogging about it and not playing is because I played it so long the phone is completely flat :(  HAPPY PLAYING!

What are aphids? Aphids , also known as plant lice , greenflies , blackflies or whiteflies , are small sap sucking insects, and members of the superfamily Aphidoidea . Aphids are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions (Wikipedia, 2012). Why are they a problem? Because they cause damage to the plants and can spread plant disease. What will they attack? In my garden I have found them on my chilies (this was their favorite and needed the most attention), tomatoes, and parsley. I hear that they also enjoy strawberries, citrus, sugar cane, roses, and potatoes. How do I identify them? You may know that they are getting about your garden when your plants exhibit damage such as, decreased growth rates, mottled leaves, yellowing, stunted growth, curled leaves, browning, wilting, low yields and death (Wiki...

Bede and I started our verandah garden over 12 months ago with just 3 small pots and now I have LOTS more. Some are fully established plants, some juveniles and a couple of seedlings running about :P We live in a smallish rental unit so not a lot of space and can't use any of the shared areas so we sacrifice some of our verandah for garden. Just wanted to share some pictures of the garden and the harvest (however small it is). This is probably tomato (they all got mixed up) when it was a baby... A chilli, something, and basil... My gardens development... ...from plastic plates for bases to actual bases...  I always lines up the seedlings with their corresponding big plant for some reason...  The chillies top left got sick with aphids so they had to look silly for a while with a foil skirt among other treatments ( How to Prevent/Get Rid of Aphids ). And We also added some strawberries which are 2-3 times the size and flowing right now!! A...

Bought these when they were on special, just so I could try them. Not so keen on them. I found they were very vinegary (smell and taste - same thing). Won't be buying them again but I've put the ones we haven't eaten in the back of the freezer for a day when we a desperate for bread... :P

Massive thank you to the developers of the FOOD PLANNER app. I've used it for over 6 months now and it is fantastic! It stores my recipes which I can use to plan meals for the week and then it automatically create a grocery list! Even better than that the groceries are ordered by the isles of my regular super market which makes a shop take half the time because I only go to the isle where I need something AND it also means less impulse shopping (which I'm very bad for). Takes a little bit of time to set it all up but once it is up and going it is fantastic!!! Check it out here ! It's even been rated 4.8/5 which has got to be a good sign. P.S. Even though it's only a couple of dollars you can try before you buy with the free version. But if you like it please support the developer by buying the pro version (I'm doing that right now!)

No, I'm not actually drinking all of these tonight. I reviewed them a while ago and it's time to share the wisdom... Summer Ginger Beer - 1/5 - A very watery ginger beer. Will not buy again. Broo - 2.5/5 - I don't remember getting excited about this one. Just a normal larger, but thumbs up for being a local brew! Cheeky Rascal Raspberry and Apple Cider - 3/5 - Bede quite liked this one. I'm not a huge fan of anything with apple in it so... Vodka Cruiser Rubi Rolla - 4/5 - Super sweet deliciousness and vodka, what every girl wants. Love most of the Cruiser range and this is no exception. WKD Original Iron Brew - 5/5 - This is one of my favourites. Tastes like a classic creaming soda and can hardly taste the vodka (can still feel it :P) Have been back for this one many times.