Hollyhocks and hot cross buns

These gorgeous spires of hollyhocks look so at home in our big country garden.
 They can grow several metres high and provide that perfect vertical aspect among the roses. 
This little bunch were very happy up against the old potting shed (formerly a cubby house ) at the back of the gazebo.
They self seed  readily and we find them everywhere. It's always a mystery as to which colour the seedlings might be because the wind blows them all over the place.
 Their spires were still standing after the fire.

 I have now cut them back and left them to sow their little hearts out in the bare ground that is left......

....along with the weeds!!!! As you can see, the ground can be like concrete and they will still push through. 
Thank you Viv and Jo for saving some of your seeds for us. I will scatter them out there too.
And thank you Denise for your white geranium  cuttings. I will plant them in some pots over Easter.

We have just returned from staying with my Mum and Dad. I wrote about Mum last week.....it's Dad's turn this time! He had a fall last week and spent six nights in hospital.  His leg must have gone to sleep,  sitting for a while in the lounge room and when he went to get up, it went from under him. Nothing is broken but it is still very sore.
 They make a fine pair now...with their walking frames and walking sticks. 

We had a meeting with our builders yesterday  where they presented the proposed rebuilding  and construction plan. The sheds are all fairly straightforward , but because we want to attach the gazebo to the house, it requires more time and planning. We will look through the 'scope of works'  ( builder speak) over Easter. It is 31 pages long!!

  

Hot cross buns......

Check out MY muscles Aunty Amy!!!

Bulbs , waterbirds, blocks and boys.

It's another of those wondrous transformations that takes place in nature, when these beautiful tulips begin their lives as unremarkable bulbs that look like this......

It was tulip planting time for me over the weekend. This time they were going in to pots.  The original tulip plantings in the rose garden have slowly disappeared. They are not as tough as daffodils and should really be lifted and replanted the following year. 
Now the long, cold Winter plays it's part and we wait for the green shoots to appear.

I also took the opportunity to dig up and split another clump of daffodil bulbs that had been in the same spot for years. (I already had three bucketfuls waiting for the ground to be soft enough to dig). Autumn is a great time for this.  
  I can't remember how many were originally planted but I usually plant in odd numbers, so I'm guessing maybe five.

 Just for fun I decided to count them as I pulled them apart. There were 109 bulbs !!!!! I have planted them in a roughly dug bed ( still extremely dry and clumpy clay )  around the pond along with the other three bucketfuls. 

This is Bill with his little sidekick...not sure who was giving instructions here......check out the state of the ground!!! It will be a miracle if they bloom but I have great faith in those tough daffodil bulbs.

Just like these pretty nerines. Surrounded by black ground but blooming none the less.

We were very happy to notice the water birds had returned to the pond over the weekend....a white faced heron,  a white necked heron, ibis and a spoonbill. Bill used his camera to zoom in on the white necked heron. Too far away for me to get a closer shot of all of them on the ipad when I first saw them.

This little man chose his own color placements for another granny block. Got to love that navy polka dot!

These little boys have been staying with us for 5 days. The house is full of noise and dirt.... but we wouldn't have it any other way!

......and  we can't wait to see this little boy in a few weeks.